Praying With Power

1 Kings 18:41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go and enjoy a good meal! For I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!” 42 So Ahab prepared a feast. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and fell to the ground and prayed. 43 Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.”The servant went and looked, but he returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.” Seven times Elijah told him to go and look, and seven times he went. 44 Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a hand rising from the sea.”Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’” 45 And sure enough, the sky was soon black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel. 

We read from the book of James –

James 5:17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! 18 Then he prayed for rain, and down it poured. The grass turned green, and the crops began to grow again. 

James uses Elijah as an example of what it means to pray with power. What then was it about his prayers that made them so powerful?

There Was Purpose in His Prayers

Prayer means to come near with desire and to ask. There was a need for rain and so seven times Elijah fell on his face and asked God to send rain. If there is a need in your life, don’t be ashamed to go to God and ask.

There Was Passion in His Prayers

The King James Version says that Elijah – “cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees…” Though we don’t always have to fall to our knees when we pray, the posture we take in prayer is often an indication of our passion. Elijah’s posture revealed that he was:

• Humble before the Lord
• Sincere in his request
• Utterly helpless without the Lord’s assistance

Scripture teaches us that God loves to answer the desperate prayer.

There Was Perseverance in His Prayers

James tells us – “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16) The phrase “effectual fervent” means to be at work or at business. Powerful praying is hard work and Elijah labored in his prayers. It was not a half-hearted prayer mingled in with all the other activities. It was a man on his face praying until there was rain.

Perseverance is an important ingredient in the life of someone who has power with God. Consider these notes taken from the journal of John Wesley-

• Sunday, A.M., May 5    Preached in St. Anne’s. Was asked not to come back anymore.
• Sunday, P.M., May 5     Preached in St. John’s. Deacons said “Get out and stay out.”
• Sunday, A.M., May 12    Preached in St. Jude’s. Can’t go back there, either.
• Sunday, A.M., May 19    Preached in St. Somebody Else’s. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.
• Sunday, P.M., May 19    Preached on street. Kicked off street.
• Sunday, A.M., May 26    Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service.
• Sunday, A.M., June 2    Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway.
• Sunday, P.M., June 2    Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me.
  (from Sermon Illustrations.com)

There is nothing more powerful on the face of this earth than a man or woman of God who is sold out to Jesus and who believes in the power of prayer, and who asks, seeks and knocks until God’s hand moves.

This week Kingdom Life Family, you are encouraged to P.U.S.H. - Pray Until Something Happens.  May you see the hand of God at work in every aspect of your life.

Be blessed!

Source: Seeds of Faith: Christ-centred Thoughts and Studies by Pastor Terry Covey

Posted by: Keturah