We left Elijah having called down fire from heaven (1 Kings 18:36-38), thus defeating the prophets of Baal. Then in verse 40 he had the prophets of Baal put to death by the Lord's command. When the people saw the fire from heaven come down in anwer to Elijah's prayer, "they fell on their faces; and they said, 'The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!'" (v. 39). They all bowed low before the Lord in worship.
King Ahab was witness to all that happened and to everything God did in answer to Elijah's prayer. So Elijah turned to Ahab and said, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain" (v. 41). The drought is over; rain is coming! A sweet sound in the king's ear. It is what he had been waiting for.
Our text then turns to prayer, Elijah's prayer. 1 Kings 18:41-46 is in some repeects a primer on prayer. The few verses before us show Elijah "opening a window heavenward" as he prayed to the Lord. All that had taken place and all that was happening at the moment compelled him to go to his knees in prayer. It was something he could not help but do. It was something he felt he must do!
For the Christian prayer is habit forming and it should be something that we cannot help but do. It is something we must do! That means to be in prayer often. It means always be ready to shoot a quick prayer toward heaven. But it also means to plan out blocks of time for praying. And as you pray, intercede for others. Be an intercessor!
Learn from Elijah. First, he humbled himself before the Lord. He didn't come all puffed up and making demands for God to fulfill. "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" (v. 42). In his time and in our's, kneeling on the ground with your face between your knees is a position of humility.
God’s last act in chapter 18 has to do with answered prayer. Three years before Elijah had announced that it was his word that stopped the rain and only his word could start it again (17:1). He was referring to the power of his prayers, power that came from the Lord as he spoke only the words God gave him. Now "he had told Ahab, 'there is the sound of abundance of rain'" (v. 41), so he went to the top of Carmel to pray and ask the Lord to send the much needed rain.
Our text then turns to prayer, Elijah's prayer. 1 Kings 18:41-46 is in some repeects a primer on prayer. The few verses before us show Elijah "opening a window heavenward" as he prayed to the Lord. All that had taken place and all that was happening at the moment compelled him to go to his knees in prayer. It was something he could not help but do. It was something he felt he must do!
For the Christian prayer is habit forming and it should be something that we cannot help but do. It is something we must do! That means to be in prayer often. It means always be ready to shoot a quick prayer toward heaven. But it also means to plan out blocks of time for praying. And as you pray, intercede for others. Be an intercessor!
Learn from Elijah. First, he humbled himself before the Lord. He didn't come all puffed up and making demands for God to fulfill. "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" (v. 42). In his time and in our's, kneeling on the ground with your face between your knees is a position of humility.
God’s last act in chapter 18 has to do with answered prayer. Three years before Elijah had announced that it was his word that stopped the rain and only his word could start it again (17:1). He was referring to the power of his prayers, power that came from the Lord as he spoke only the words God gave him. Now "he had told Ahab, 'there is the sound of abundance of rain'" (v. 41), so he went to the top of Carmel to pray and ask the Lord to send the much needed rain.
When you know of a need, humble yourself before the Lord and pray. Seek God's face as you pray. The Word says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).
That means to pray according to God's Word. James uses Elijah’s prayer life to encourage us in our prayer life: "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. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit" (James 5:17-18) Like Elijah, pray for God’s work to be done. Pray according to the word God gives you.
Get alone with God to pray. Elijah went to a quiet place, a place where he could be alone with God. Carmel was just such a place. Jesus did the same: "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed" (Mark 1:35).
And when you pray, expect an answer. As he prayed, Elijah "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'" (v. 43). Seven times! Elijah prayed for rain according to God's Word and he expected there to be rain.
And do you know what? God answered Elijah’s prayer just as He had promised. The seventh time the servant came back and said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!" (v. 44a). And the first part of verse 45 adds, "Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain." God is so good!
When God answers, act accordingly. As soon as there was "a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea" (v. 44a), Elijah took action. He said to his servant, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you'" (v. 44b). God answers—Elijah responds. "So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel" (v. 45b). He went to tell Jezebel what Elijah had done to her prophets, no dought.
That means to pray according to God's Word. James uses Elijah’s prayer life to encourage us in our prayer life: "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. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit" (James 5:17-18) Like Elijah, pray for God’s work to be done. Pray according to the word God gives you.
Get alone with God to pray. Elijah went to a quiet place, a place where he could be alone with God. Carmel was just such a place. Jesus did the same: "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed" (Mark 1:35).
And when you pray, expect an answer. As he prayed, Elijah "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'" (v. 43). Seven times! Elijah prayed for rain according to God's Word and he expected there to be rain.
And do you know what? God answered Elijah’s prayer just as He had promised. The seventh time the servant came back and said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!" (v. 44a). And the first part of verse 45 adds, "Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain." God is so good!
When God answers, act accordingly. As soon as there was "a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea" (v. 44a), Elijah took action. He said to his servant, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you'" (v. 44b). God answers—Elijah responds. "So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel" (v. 45b). He went to tell Jezebel what Elijah had done to her prophets, no dought.
"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" (v. 46). What a scene! What a sight! On foot he outran Ahab’s chariot! When God is in it, all things are possible. Nothing is impossible with God.
Not only did the Lord prove that He was the true and living God, the God of heaven, but He also put His stamp of approval on Elijah’s ministry. Elijah had no chariot, no manmade vehicle of any kind to carry him. What he did have was the power of the Lord. In the power of the Lord he outran Ahab’s chariot, passing it by as if it were stopped on the side of the road.
The distance was about seventeen miles, yet Elijah reached Jezreel ahead of the king. Quite a feat for an old man; for anyone for that matter. Empowered by God, this feat was a sign to the people of Israel that the powerful hand of God was upon Elijah.
When the powerful hand of God is upon you, you can do all things. Whatever God asks, you can do. Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13). Indeed we can! All things! Nothing is too great or too difficult. When God is in it and His all-powerful hand is upon you, you can accomplish whatever task or ministry He has for you to do.
But that is the key: when God is in it. That is why we are to humble ourselves before the Lord and pray the Word. Unless we are praying and doing exactly as God has directed, it won’t happen! We must be humble before Him and follow all of His Word, not just the bits and pieces we have picked out.
That is why it is so important, when you pray, to expect an answer and to accept the answer God gives. When God is in it and you are praying according to the whole Word of God, He will answer according to His promises. He will answer in a way that accomplishes His purposes. So accept what God has done in answer to your prayer.
And in all your prayers follow God’s lead. Pray as God leads you by His Word and by that still small voice of the Spirit. When you follow God’s lead in what you pray, great things will take place because of your prayers. He will use you mightily because nothing is impossible with God. In Christ you can do all things. Amen.
That is why it is so important, when you pray, to expect an answer and to accept the answer God gives. When God is in it and you are praying according to the whole Word of God, He will answer according to His promises. He will answer in a way that accomplishes His purposes. So accept what God has done in answer to your prayer.
And in all your prayers follow God’s lead. Pray as God leads you by His Word and by that still small voice of the Spirit. When you follow God’s lead in what you pray, great things will take place because of your prayers. He will use you mightily because nothing is impossible with God. In Christ you can do all things. Amen.
