Seeking Revival Through Earnest Prayer

36 At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command.

37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”

38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench!

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

INTRODUCTION:

According to Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

To Pray (palal [פָּלַל]), means, “to pray, intervene, mediate, judge.”

This word occurs 84 times in the Hebrew Old Testament.

The word is used 4 times in the intensive verbal form; the remaining 80 times are found in the reflexive or reciprocal form, in which the action generally points back to the subject. In the intensive form palal expresses the idea of “to mediate, to come between two parties.”

The first occurrence of palal in the Old Testament is in Gen. 20:7, the reflexive or reciprocal form of the verb expresses the idea of “interceding for, prayer in behalf of”: “… He shall pray for thee.…”

Such intercessory praying is frequent in the Old Testament:

Moses “prays” for the people’s deliverance from the fiery serpents (Num. 21:7);

Moses “prays” for Aaron (Deut. 9:20); and

Samuel “intercedes” continually for Israel (1 Sam. 12:23).

Sometimes prayer is made to Yahweh that He would act against an enemy: “That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard” (2 Kings 19:20).

Also, since the verb form can have a reciprocal meaning between subject and object, it may emphasize the fact that prayer is basically communication, which always has to be two-way in order to be real.

I- THE REQUIRED ATTITUDES (1 Kings 18:36)

1 Kings 18:36 (NLT)

A- He is God.

“prove today that you are God”

1- The Lord is not a supernatural servant, but Lord of all.

2- God alone has the power to send revival. (Matthew 28:18)

Matthew 28:18 NLT

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

B- I am his servant.

“and that I am your servant”

1- I must make myself available to him for his use.

2- I am his servant. I answer to him alone, not to the world.

C- I will do all that he commands.

“Prove that I have done all this at your command.”

1- Whenever he speaks, I will listen.

Like Samuel (1 Samuel 3:10)

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)

10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

2- Wherever he sends, I will go.

Like the Apostle Paul.

(Acts 16:6-10)

Acts 16:6–10 (NLT)

6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.

7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there.

8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.

9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!”

10 So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.

3- Whatever he says, I will say.

Like the apostles (Acts 4:20)

Acts 4:20 (NLT)

20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

4- Whatever he commands, I will do.

* Like the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8)

Isaiah 6:8 (NLT)

8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

II- THE REQUESTED ACTION (1 Kings 18:37)

1 Kings 18:37 (NLT)

37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”

A- The requested action was specific.

1- He asked God to hear the specific requests of his servant.

2- He asked God to answer with heavenly fire, displaying God’s power to those present.

(1 Kings 18:23-24)

1 Kings 18:23–24 (NLT)

23 Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the altar, but not set fire to it.

24 Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!” And all the people agreed.

B- The requested action had specific aims.

1- To glorify God.

2- To convince the people who is Lord.

The Lord displayed his power and convinced the people of Christ’s lordship on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:37 – 38)

Acts 2:37–38 (NLT)

37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

3- Turn people back to God.

The apostles (Acts 5:12 – 14)

Acts 5:12–14 (NLT)

12 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade.

13 But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them.

14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women.

III- THE RELEASED POWER (1 Kings 18:38 – 41)

1 Kings 18:38–41 (NLT)

38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench!

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

40 Then Elijah commanded, “Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!” So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there.

41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!”

A- His power goes beyond all that anyone is expecting. (1 Kings 18:38)

1 Kings 18:38 (NLT)

38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench!

1- He is able to do more than we can ask.

(Ephesians 3:20)

Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

(Luke 1:37)

Luke 1:37 (NLT)

37 For the word of God will never fail.”

2- Sometimes we do not receive because we do not ask.

(James 4:2)

James 4:2 (NLT)

2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

B- His power released results in revived faith. (1 Kings 18:39)

1 Kings 18:39 (NLT)

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

1- Seeing God supernaturally work has a profound effect upon us.

a. Awe and humility.

b. Praise and adoration.

c. Radical departure from sin.

C- His power released brings a refreshing from above. (1 Kings 18:41)

1 Kings 18:41 (NLT)

41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!”

1- A dry, parched spirit gives way to the renewal of the Holy Spirit.

(Titus 3:5-6)

Titus 3:5–6 (NLT)

5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.

(Acts 3:19-20)

Acts 3:19–20 (NLT)

19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.

20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.