Elijahs Faith, Gods power (5)
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An Effective prayer life.
An Effective prayer life.
41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”
42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees,
43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”
44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”
45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.
46 Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
James 5:16–18 (NKJV)
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
These verses in James is a commentary of Elijah’s prayer.
Intro: It had been 3-1/2 years since Elijah had his first meeting with Ahab.
He had spent time alone, drinking water from a brook, and eating bread and meat from the first know food deliver service.
Then he spend time with a widow and her son.
Elijah spent time with God. During that time Elijah’s faith got stronger, he saw the power of God.
The more time that we spend with God, the stronger our faith will be. I know that we will see the power of God at work.
Elijah had just had a great contest. Elab.
Now it was time to pray for the rain to come down .
1 Kings 18:41–42 (NKJV)
41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”
42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees,
In vs 41 we see Elijah taking control. “Go up, eat and drink”
He didn’t want Ahab around during his time of prayer.
for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”
Before Elijah prays, he has faith that God will answer his prayer.
Sound of abundance of rain. Heavy rain.
Ours prayers need to be in faith like this, knowing that God will answer in a mighty and powerful way.
Faith in knowing that God will answer your prayers even before you pray.
VS 42
42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees,
Some say, how do we know that Elijah is praying, we don’t see the word prayer, just then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees,
This is where we look at James.
James 5:16 (NKJV)
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
The word man here , is man kind, all people.
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
The effective, fervent prayer.
This is true biblical prayer.
There is a difference between saying a prayer and praying.
Saying prayer is just repeating a prayer. Elab
Saying a prayer is praying with no heart, or no faith.
But, when you pray fervent prayer, we will have effective prayer.
Praying with a burden on your heart. We should have a burden for the lost.
This morning we are going to look at some ways it takes to pray this way, how to have effective prayers, in our personal lives, and as a church.
1. If we want our prayers to be effective, we have to be right with God.
1. If we want our prayers to be effective, we have to be right with God.
James VS 16 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.
This is speaking of the living in sin. You sin and you know it, and don’t care.
We all sin, but we should live a Godly (righteous life)
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We have to remember, when we pray, we are praying to a Holy God. We have to confess our sins, make sure we are right with God.
Psalm 24:4–10 (NKJV)
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Our prayers can be hindered by our sins.
Pray like it matters. This Wed we looked at forgiving others. If you don’t forgive others, God will not forgive us, and will not answer our prayers.
Elijah’s prayer was the prayer of a man that was right with God.
2. We can have an effective prayer life because our prayers are based on God’s promises.
2. We can have an effective prayer life because our prayers are based on God’s promises.
1 Kings 18:1 (NKJV)
1 And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.”
Elijah is now praying for rain, he is praying for rain because that is what God promised.
If God promised it would rain, then why pray?
God gives us promises, and we receive these promises, blessing through prayer because that is the way God designed it.
God promises us He will provide for us.
God promises He will never will leave us.
God gives us His promises, but He still wants us to pray.
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Here is an example. Look at the time Jesus meets a blind man
41 saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”
42 Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.”
Did Jesus know that the man wanted to be healed? Yes. He wanted to hear him say.
God wants to hear our prayers.
His is our Father.
3. Our prayers need to be specific.
3. Our prayers need to be specific.
First Elijah prayed that it would not rain, there was not rain for 3-1/2 years. Now Elijah will pray that for rain.
Here is how we pray sometimes.
Lord bless us.
Lord give me a good day.
We need to pray for people by name. and for specific needs. Salvation, whatever is going on in their life.
Pray for Pine Grove, not just a general prayer, be specific.
We have been praying for 50 people. Elab
Someone who hasn’t been coming to church.
Pray for me.
Pray for yourself.
Jesus told Peter to pray for something specific.
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
4. Elijah prayed earnestly
James 5:17 (NKJV)
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
He prayed with heart.
People can pray and not really pray, by that I mean, it just words. Praying like that is praying without heart.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
When you pray with all your heart, you pray trusting God.
Pray prayers of thankfulness, and be specific.
PRAY GODS WORD
Elijah humbled himself in his prayer.
He bowed down to the ground.
Matthew 6:5–6 (NKJV)
5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
5. We need to pray expecting God to answer.
5. We need to pray expecting God to answer.
Tell story of the church praying for Peter when he was in jail.
Pray until something happens.
Pray until something happens.
43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”
44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”
45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.
VS 43
First nothing. And Elijah keep sending him. Then 7th time, a little cloud.
What if Elijah would have stop praying.
Don’t stop praying for whoever and whatever you are praying for.
LOOK at vs 44- 45
46 Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
We need to make sure we are right with God.
We pray knowing God’s promises
We need to be specific in our prayers.
We need to pray, expecting God to answer.
We need to pray until something happens