Driven to Prayer
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· 8 viewsIn this passage,Elijah prays a simple prayer and God answers in a powerful and miraculous way.
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Transcript
Introduction
Elijah lived in time of spiritual darkness and political wickedness that exceeded anything that we see in the present day. I Kings 16:26-33- evil Ahab & Jezebel
The people of Israel had turned their back on God and were worshipping false Gods and idols. Baal worship was especially prominent among them.
Worse yet, those who were in authority were promoting idolatry and all manner of wickedness and immorality.
It seemed that Elijah was the only man willing to take a stand for God and that there was little hope for a turning back to God.
We may look at a man like Elijah and feel that we could never be used in like manner but the scriptures reveal just the opposite is true- James 5:17- like passions as we
What set Elijah apart was his prayer life. Elijah was willing to ask God for big things and time and time again God answered His requests in miraculous ways.
What was it that drove Elijah to his knees? I believe in this very passage of scripture we can discern the motivating factors the led to the vibrant and powerful prayer life of Elijah.
Elijah was driven to his knees by:
A Desire for God to be Glorified ( Vs. 36b)
A Desire for God to be Glorified ( Vs. 36b)
I Kings 18:24- let Him be God
Elijah was not looking for recognition or acclaim for himself when he challenged the prophets of Baal to this competition.
When Elijah prayed for God to send the fire upon the altar it was not his honor that was on the line it was God’s.
The primary motivation that undergirded Elijah’s prayers throughout I Kings was God’s glory. Ahab and Jezebel had dishonored God and had instituted the worship of Baal and Elijah’s desire was that the people would once again know that the God he served was the one true God.
Whatever it is that we are praying for our primary motivation ought to be the glory of God. After all that is the purpose we were created to fulfill. Revelation 4:11- for thy pleasure created.
Even now as we spend some time tonight praying for our upcoming revival, our primary motivation should be that, in the midst of the revival, God is glorified by that which is accomplished.
Our prayer should not be motivated primarily by a desire to see numerical growth, to achieve greater prominence in our community, or any other selfish motivation.
God’s glory should be the most prominent reason that we want to see revival. A dead, lifeless church does not bring glory to God but a church filled with life, zeal, and spiritual vigor certainly does.
David- I Samuel 17:46- that all the earth may know there is a God in Israel- David defending God’s honor.
We ought to be driven to our knees tonight by our desire for god to be glorified.
A Recognition of His Insufficiency ( Vs. 30-36c)
A Recognition of His Insufficiency ( Vs. 30-36c)
Elijah had rebuilt the altar, he had taken twelve stones representative of the 12 tribes of Israel and used them in the rebuild, he dug the trench around the altar, he set the wood in order, he cut the bullock in pieces and laid it on the altar, he poured out four barrels of water on the altar 3 times. All of this he did at the instruction of the Lord as a service to the Lord.
Yet Elijah was driven to his knees by the realization that he could make all the necessary preparations for the sacrifice, but he could not rain down fire from heaven to consume it.
Elijah recognized that he did not have the power in himself to set the offering aflame but he knew that God did, and so he dropped to his knees to pray.
We ought to seek the Lord and follow His instructions to the letter as we prepare for this revival meeting, but we must also recognize that only God Himself can send revival.
We ought to pray tonight because we recognize that all of our preparation will be for nothing unless the power and presence of God is manifest in the meeting.
If this meeting is going to have a lasting impact upon our hearts, upon our church, or upon our community it will be due to the power and presence of God.
Elijah reminded God that he had followed down to the very last detail the instructions that he had been given, but now it was up to God to manifest His power by sending fire to consume the offering.
When we are convinced that we have done all that God has instructed in preparation for the meeting there is a point at which we cry out to God and say “God the rest is up to you.”
We are not responsible for the results of the this revival, God is. Let us make certain that we have done all that we can and then lets fall to our knees and leave the rest in God’s capable hands.
Bro. Garraway and Bro. Lenentine will not be able to preach in power unless God anoints them, people will not respond to the messages unless God works in hearts. We are totally reliant upon God!
A Yearning for a Turning Back to God (Vs. 37)
A Yearning for a Turning Back to God (Vs. 37)
I Kings 18:21- how long halt ye between two opinions
There are many in our community who are fearful and filled with anxiety because of all the turmoil in our world right now.
There is nothing greater that could happen in their life to calm their fears and remove their anxieties than to know God.
The solution for the injustice and inequity in our world is for people to come to know God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
We ought to have a sincere burden to see all of the people in our community turn to Christ, we ought to have a longing to see our community honor God and His Word, we ought to have a longing for America to become a Christian nation once again.
So many of the people around us are headed in the wrong direction and are slipping further and further away from God. Our prayers should be motivated by a sincere desire to see them turn back to God.
So many of our leaders have turned their backs on God and the biblical principles on which our nation was founded and we ought to have an earnest desire that our leaders would again govern according to biblical principles.
Our communities are in disarray and are overrun with sin and all manner of immorality. How we ought to desire to see our communities restored to righteousness and justice.
Our churches have embraced worldliness and have denied biblical doctrines. How we should long for these churches to turn back unto God the founder of the church.
There are many believers who have backslidden and fallen away from the Lord, how we should yearn for their return and restoration to the Lord.
Conclusion
It is prayer that we need if we are to see a mighty move of God in our hearts, in our church, in our community, or in our nation!
Let’s take a few moments tonight to call on God and ask that He would work in the upcoming revival meeting.
Let’s ask God to help the speakers. Let’s ask God to help us to prepare our hearts that we might be receptive to the preaching of the Word of God. Let’s ask God to work in the hearts of those we have invited or will invite. Let’s ask God to touch the hearts of the lost who may attend.
Let’s ask God to work in such a way that this meeting has a lasting impact on our lives, our church, and our community!