Seeing Answered Prayers
James 5: 16 Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 17 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.
·Effectual – (G) lit.. to work in, to be active, operative.
·Fervent = red hot prayer.
No Rain (read 1 Kings 17:1-9)
1 Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, [who was] of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, [As] the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
·Before whom I stand – (H) = whom I serve.
·No dew or rain for 3 ½ years, but according to my word. – prayer.
·What bold statement made by a man – as we are…
1. God answers the prayers of those who will serve Him.
1 Kings 17:14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day [that] the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. (a promise of rain + the meal and oil never ran dry.)
The Widows son Raised.
1 Kings 17:21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. 22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
NIV Prov. 15: 29 The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
2. God answers the prayers of those who obey Him.
1 Kings 18:1 And it came to pass [after] many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. 2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And [there was] a sore famine in Samaria.
·Go to the brook of Che’rith, Go to Widow of Zarephath, Go to King Ahab.
·Elijah met O-ba-di’ah to set up the stand off with king Ahab.
1 Kings 18:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, [Art] thou he that troubleth Israel?
1 Kings 16:33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
1 Kings 21: 25 (There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife.
1 Kings 18:19 Now therefore send, [and] gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table. 20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
Mount Carmel –
·1,742 feet highest point
·Extends 30 miles to the Mediterranean sea.
·Thought to be the sacred dwelling place of Baal.
Baal worship –
·Number of people that Jezebel fed 450 prophets of the male god & 400 female goddess.
·Baal – Fertility god, who sent rain, cause crops to grow, provided food, sent lightning from heaven. (show down on the enemy’s territory)
1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
·Niv – How long will you waver between two opinions.
·Not to make a choice is to make a choice.
People can’t serve 2 Masters.
Matt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
·There is no such thing as straddling the fence. (you are back slide)
(Luke Warm)
Rev. 3: 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
NKJV Josh 24:15 " And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house , we will serve the Lord."
1 Kings 18:22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, [even] I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets [are] four hundred and fifty men. 23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay [it] on wood, and put no fire [under]: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay [it] on wood, and put no fire [under]: 24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
3. God will answer the prayers of those who will trust Him.
·You have to be willing to stand when everyone else is gone.
·If God is going to send the fire (answer our prayers) we must stand for HIM.
·The odds were 850 to 1 – sometimes you may feel like the minority
·Remember - you plus Jesus is always the majority.
NKJV Psalm 37: 5 Commit your way to the Lord , Trust also in Him, And He shall bring [it] to pass.
·Don’t just tell Him – Trust Him.
1 Kings 18:25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress [it] first; for ye [are] many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire [under]. 26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed [it], and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But [there was] no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. 27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he [is] a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, [or] peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the [time] of the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, that [there was] neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
1 Kings 18:30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD [that was] broken down.
·We need to repair the altar of the Lord & Use it.
·You only repair something that is broke.
1 Kings 18:31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid [him] on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour [it] on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34 And he said, Do [it] the second time. And they did [it] the second time. And he said, Do [it] the third time. And they did [it] the third time. 35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
·Trench held 13 quarts of or 15 liters of seed.
·4 barrels of water – 3 times.
4. God will answer the prayers of those who will step forward and pray.
I Kings 18:36 And it came to pass at [the time of] the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou [art] God in Israel, and [that] I [am] thy servant, and [that] I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou [art] the LORD God, and [that] thou hast turned their heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that [was] in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw [it], they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he [is] the God; the LORD, he [is] the God.
·God sends the Fire for People to turn (repent) or be saved.
·Many have been in a drought and only prayer will bring the fire of God.
·Fire in the Greek = Purify in the English.
·The Fire of God Consumes all.
I Kings 18:40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
·Take –(H) = seize. (we nee to seize and destroy everything in our like that is anti God.
1 Kings 18: 41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for [there is] a sound of abundance of rain.
·Sound of abundance of rain = niv heavy rain.
·Don’t stop with the fire, believe for the Rain. An out Pouring.
·When you have won the victory, don’t quit, press to the next Level.
5. God will answer the prayers of those who are persistent.
1 Kings 18: 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, [There is] nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
·2 out of 6 million went to the next level.
·Position of prayer – why 7 times??? 6 completion, 7 perfection. ·True men of prayer never quit
NKVJ Luke 18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 "Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, `Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 "And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, `Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 `yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ " 6 Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 "I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"
·Speedily (G) = at once.
1 Kings 18: 44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare [thy chariot], and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. 45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
·Persistant prayers and God’s promises brought a heavy down pouring.
·Elijah not only wanted to see the fire of God fall; he wanted to see the hand of God move and he did: Brought rain and placed a touch on his life.
James 5: 16 Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 17 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.
NKJV James 5: 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
