Chapter 6 - Elijah Prayed
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and the prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit (James 5:17-18).
The Bible says, “Elijah prayed that it would not rain” and he prayed again that it would rain, and it did. It also says that, he was a man of like passions or like nature with us. That is important because James is telling us to stop deifying Old Testament saints. They were men just like us, subject o the same ups-and –downs as you and I have; and as a matter of fact, they did not have a covenant as good as ours. The Bible says that you and I have a better covenant, based on better promises (see Hebrew 8:6). James says, “Look Elijah was a man just like you and me. He was subject to his emotions and to other people’s opinions. But he prayed that it would not rain, and it did not; and he prayed again, that it would rain, and it did.” When the Bible says that Elijah prayed, it means just what it says – “Elijah prayed.” The Bible supports everything it says, but nowhere in the Scripture do you see Elijah do what many people call prayer. But if what he did do is what the Bible calls prayer, then let’s look at what Elijah did twice and gain knowledge by example of what the prayer of faith is!
And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows in to the Jordan.” …And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land (1 Kings 17:1-3,7).
The Bible says that Elijah prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and yet we do not see him with his eyes closed, rolling on the floor, asking, God, “Oh God, shut up the heaven, Lord.” No. He went to Ahab, who was King, and said, “My God is alive, and while I was in His presence, He told me it is not going to rein. So, Ahab, ‘as the Lord God lives before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, until I say, so.’ And I am not going to say so until I her God say so. I am only going to say what I hear Him say.” And the Bible says, when Elijah did that, he prayed. The Bible calls that the prayer of faith. Now look at the second example.
And it came to pass after many days that the word of the lord came to Elijah, in this third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.”…Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain. “ So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, “Go up now look toward the sea.” SO he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” SO he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’” Now it happened in the mean time that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel (1 Kings 18:1,41-45).
God said, “I will,” (1 Kings 18:1) but Elijah did not say, “God is about to send rain.” Elijah said, “There is the sound of abundance of rain” (1 Kings 18:41) and the Bible calls this the prayer of faith. God says, “I will heal you,” and the prayer of faith is “I am healed.” God says, “I will provide for you,” and “My need is met; I am provided for in everything” is the prayer of faith. “So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees” (! Kings 18:42)
He had prayed the prayer of faith then went up and put his face between his knees. (Now, this is not an example for you to sin in your house and say, “The Lord is making a way; the Lord is working it out; I just believe.”) Elijah had prayed the prayer of faith. And when he had said in the present tense what God had said, he got into birthing position. For the New Testament saint, the birthing position is revealed in Philippians 4:6: “Be anxious for noting, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
