The Prayer Experience - 7
The Prayer Experience • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Much needed Rain
Much needed Rain
Tonight we are continuing looking at the life and ministry of Elijah.
Last week we looked at the show down on Mount Carmel, where 400 Baal prophets try to prove that Baal was God.
Elijah though went above and beyond the specified deal, and proved that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the one true God.
After God showed up and showed out, Elijah had the Baal prophets captured and taken to the brook Kishon and slaughtered.
We know from James 5:17
17 Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land.
The land of Israel has been in a drought for three years and six months, that is a long time without rain or dew.
Now that Elijah has proven that God is the supplier of fire, he is about to show that it is God that sends the rain.
We pick up our study of Elijah’s life and ministry in 1 Kings 18:41, as we look at the last 6 verse of the chapter.
41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a rainstorm.”
After the people took the 400 false prophets of Baal to the brook Kishon, Elijah then turns to King Ahab and instructs him to go eat and drink.
King Ahab had net eaten nothing from morning till evening as he was eager to see the results of the contest between the prophet and the priest of Baal.
Elijah instructs King Ahab to go up, that is to come out of the brook of Kishon to the place of sacrifice upon Mount Carmel.
There the Kings needs would be provided for, he would have food to eat and something to drink.
Elijah states that he could hear the sound of a rainstorm.
After the occasion of the curse of drought, which had fallen upon the land, had been removed by the destruction of the idolatrous priest, the curse of the drought could now be removed.
42 So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel. He bent down on the ground and put his face between his knees. 43 Then he said to his servant, “Go up and look toward the sea.”
So he went up, looked, and said, “There’s nothing.”
Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
While Ahab was eating and drinking, Elijah went further up Mount Carmel to pray that the Lord would complete His work by fulfilling the promise of sending rain.
Elijah continued in prayer until the visible commencement of the fulfillment of his prayer was announced by his servant.
Elijah sent his servant out to look towards the sea, while he began praying.
The servant returned and informed Elijah that there was no visible sign of rain yet.
Elijah sends him again, and he continues to pray, this goes on for a total of seven times.
The significance of seven times going and looking for rain was that of sufficiency, of completion.
We must remember that Elijah was only praying for what God had already promised to grant.
The earnest prayer for rain under the circumstances suggest that the former prayer that it might not rain, had also been inspired by God.
44 On the seventh time, he reported, “There’s a cloud as small as a man’s hand coming up from the sea.”
Then Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Get your chariot ready and go down so the rain doesn’t stop you.’ ”
On the seventh trip to look towards the sea, the servant returns and tells Elijah that there was a cloud as small as a man’s hand.
The land has been in drought for three and half years, surely they would want more than just a small storm cloud.
But Elijah believing God is going to follow through with the promise of rain, tells his servant to go to King Ahab and give instructions.
The servant was to instruct King Ahab to get in his chariot and go down.
Elijah wanted King Ahab to begin his journey back to the city of Jezreel.
According to commentary, after heavy rain the Kishon, which collects the whole drainage of the area becomes an impassable swamp.
21 The river Kishon swept them away,
the ancient river, the river Kishon.
March on, my soul, in strength!
During went seasons the Kishon becomes extremely muddy.
Therefore, Elijah wanted King Ahab to begin his journey, so that he does not get stopped by the rushing water and the muddy bottom.
45 In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour. So Ahab got in his chariot and went to Jezreel.
The cloud that was as small as a mans hand began to grow.
We are told in a little while, that could have been just a few minutes or an hour, probably more on the short side of time.
Some commentaries state that King Ahab may have had enough time to get down from where he was on Mount Carmel to his chariot.
Some state that he may have made it to the city of Jezreel before the rain caught him.
Either way, the rain was coming, the small cloud has grown to what we are told is the sky drew dark with clouds.
So from a small cloud to now the sky is becoming complete dark with clouds.
Not only was the sky clouding up, but a wind began to blow, and then there was a downpour.
We are then told that King Ahab got in his chariot and headed to Jezreel.
The distance between Mount Carmel and Jezreel is not completely know, in a straight line most say it was about 15 to 20 miles but for driving as King Ahab went by chariot it was around 24 miles.
46 The power of the Lord was on Elijah, and he tucked his mantle under his belt and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
The power or hand of the Lord was upon Elijah, that is Elijah had divine energy.
The hand of the Lord, denotes the supernatural strength with which the Lord endowed Elijah, to accomplish superhuman feats.
Elijah tucked his mantle or cloak into his belt.
The mantle or cloak was a large garment what we may think of similar to a dress, it went from the head down to the ankle area, and to run Elijah pulled it up and secured it in his belt.
Elijah secured his clothing so that he would not trip over it while running.
He then ran towards Jezreel, and got to the entrance of the city before King Ahab arrived.
Again, the journey by chariot was around 24 miles where a straight path that Elijah probably ran was around 15 to 20 miles.
Still the chariot was being pulled by horses, but Elijah was being empowered for the run by God.
The drought is over, the rain has come, and the victory is the Lord God’s.
Rain is not just rain here but evidence of the Lord’s absolute sovereignty over nature and human affairs.
As I think of this story, I am reminded that God is in control of all things, but it is God’s timing that is perfect.
Many times we want God to work right now, but He knows the big picture, and He knows when it is best for things to come together and workout.
Elijah went to tell King Ahab that God was sending rain, but then confronted and proved that the Baal prophets were false and so was Baal.
Then Elijah has King Ahab to eat and drink something while he went up to pray.
Jesus also went up on mounts to pray, just as Moses went up on Mount Sinai to pray.
Elijah goes up and begins to pray, God has already promised that He was sending rain.
As Elijah prays he sends his servant to look to see if the rain was coming yet.
But it took seven trips to look for the rain before a small cloud appeared.
Elijah did not just pray the one time, but continued fervently praying for the rain, until he saw results.
We cannot give up, we must be faithful to God and faithful in seeking His guidance, direction and will for our lives, and the church.
We may think well God we have been praying all this time and we have not really seen any results.
But God says wait, I will provide when it is the right time.
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the person who seeks him.
There are many verse is the Bible that speak about waiting on the Lord.
31 but those who trust in the Lord
will renew their strength;
they will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not become weary,
they will walk and not faint.
If we will be patient and wait upon the Lord, He will provide, He will prepare us during that time of waiting to be ready for what He is going to do.
Last night Paul Purvis said, waiting time is not wasted time - God will us it to speak, teach, or reveal things to us.
We are not to just sit idle, but wait and listen for God.
I believe with all my heart that God is going to do something great here, something that only He can do, but we cannot get ahead of God, we must wait on Him.
