Elijah's Earnest Prayer
James 5:17 says, “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.”
God used great men who had great prayer lives. When Eijah “prayed earnestly that it might not rain” (1 Ki 17:1), the Lord answered. Because of his “effectual fervent prayer” (v. 16), his confrontation with the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel proved to them Who is the true and living God (1 Ki 18:37)! Our prayers can also be answered, just like God did for Elijah. But we must have a real relationship with our Lord Jesus (Rom 10:9), and we must only trust Him to “find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). We need to call upon Him for help (Jer 33:3), by simply asking Him. Because if we don’t ask, then He will not answer (Jms 4:2).
However, if we are living in sin (Jn 9:31), then “the Lord will not hear us” (Ps 66:18). If you have never been saved, then you are not on praying ground! Answered prayers mean that we are in a right relationship with God (1 Jn 1:7), and that we are in line with His word (Jn 15:7). When we obey Him and we are praying “according to His will” (1 Jn 5:14), then He promised to hear our prayers. When Elijah “prayed earnestly,” it means that he was praying constinuously (1 Thes 5:17), while expecting an answer from God (Mk 11:24). But he acted upon his prayers by actually building “an altar in the name of the Lord” (1 Ki 18:32).
Then, he prepared the burnt sacrifice and had the water poured around the altar. God expects us to also put our prayers into action (Mt 7:7). We can pray and ask Him to save souls, but we need to go soul-winning (Prov 11:30), as He had commanded us (Mt 28:19). We need to knock on doors and share the gospel (1 Cor 15:4); then we can see God’s power in saving precious souls! God bless you!
-Pastor Melito Barrera
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