House of Glory: Elijah, A Man Of Prayer

In 1 Kings 18 we find the story of how Elijah prayed down the fire of God. To understand why this prayer was so effective we need to look at the historical context. All of chapter 1 Kings 18 needs to be read carefully but here are our observations.

1. Prolonged Faithfulness.

Our story begins in the third year of a famine "Some time later, in the third year" (v.1) Remember Elijah had been praying for at three years. He was being faithful and ready to obey. Faithfulness and abiding in our God is the womb out of which true prayer is born.

2. It Was a Time Of Judgment and Leanness.

"The famine was severe in Samaria." (v.2) Times of leanness are times for faithfulness and prayer. It is appropriate and sometimes the purpose for which God has brought leanness on us. In verse 18 Elijah says to Ahab "I have not brought disaster on Israel. But you and your father's dynasty have, by abandoning the Lord's commandments and following the Baals."

3. Elijah Had Specific Instructions From God.

"The Lord told Elijah, "Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground. So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab." (v.1,2) Many times we go when we have not been sent, but not Elijah, he knew how to wait on God. We have the blessings of God in direct proportion to our obedience.

4. He Based His Prayer On A Definite Promise Of God.

"So I may send rain on the surface of the ground." (v.1) The specifics that we ask for in prayer are not conjured up from within us. They are not empowered by our enthusiasm, but by the will of a Sovereign God. We must be sure that we are thinking God's thoughts and not our own.

5. He Fulfilled The Condition Attached To The Promise.

"So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab." (v.2) This was no small thing because wicked Ahab had "sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find Elijah." (v.10) Sometimes obedience is scary but it is always necessary.

6. A Public And Personal Confrontation.

Elijah calls for a confrontation in verse 19, "Now send out messengers and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and four hundred prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports." The Baal worshipers were not short on enthusiasm "Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy, but there was no sound, no answer, and no response." (v.29) The enemies of God are zealous in service of their false religions. We pray that our God will manifest Himself in power and glory.

7. Elijah Honored The Revealed Will Of God By Repairing The Altars.

The worship of Jehovah had not been maintained so Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. "Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob. With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord. Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs of seed. He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. God has revealed how we are to approach Him. Elijah protected the glory of God by pouring water on the sacrifice. Then he said, 'Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.' When they had done so, he said, 'Do it again.' So they did it again. Then he said, 'Do it a third time.' So they did it a third time." (v.31-34) This drenching the sacrifice was going to make it abundantly clear that what God does is undeniably His doing. Too often we try to help God when we ought to be obeying, even if it means doing things that appear contrary to God's will.

8. A 30 Second Prayer With A Right Motive.

The power of Elijah's prayer was not in the 62 words he said, nor in the way he said it, or even in the circumstances in which he said it. He experienced such powerful manifestation because God was working "When it was time for the evening offering, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and prayed: 'O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God and that you are winning back their allegiance.' " (v.36,37)

9. True Answer To Prayer Honors God.

"Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell face down to the ground and said, 'The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!'" (v.38,39)

10. The Foundation Is Laid To Deal With Needs.

"Then Elijah told Ahab, 'Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard.'" (v.41) The ears of faith can hear the blessing of answered prayer before the fact. Once we are right with God personally and corporately we can experience the blessing of God.

Let's pray that God will do something that is undeniably of Him

A great prayer and a great victory for God and His people, but we forget that Elijah had been alone with God for over three years. It takes a lot of faithful "behind the scenes" praying to make visible victory like Elijah's. A church that prays in the lonely nights will see the blessings on Sunday mornings. "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."