Elijah's Example: The Power and Purpose of Prayer
Summary
In our journey through the life of Elijah, we delve into the profound subject of prayer, a vital practice for anyone seeking to make a difference in the world. Jesus reminds us that without Him, we can do nothing, while Paul assures us that through Christ, we can do all things. Prayer is the bridge that connects these two truths, and today, we explore its significance through the lens of Elijah's story.
Elijah, a man of action and leadership, exemplifies the power of prayer. Despite his natural inclination as a leader to act, Elijah demonstrates the necessity of prayer, especially for those in leadership roles. It's often easier to engage in activities like teaching or leading than to commit to deep, personal, and regular prayer. Yet, Elijah shows us that true leadership involves pleading the promises of God through prayer.
In 1 Kings 18 and James 5, we see Elijah's fervent prayer life. He prayed for rain after a three-year drought, aligning his prayers with God's promises. This teaches us that effective prayer involves positioning ourselves in private, praying with precision, passion, and persistence. Elijah's posture in prayer, bowing with his face between his knees, signifies total dependence on God and the seriousness of his request.
Prayer is not about manipulating God but aligning our desires with His promises. God's promises are the mold for our prayers, shaping them with hope and confidence. Elijah's story reminds us that God not only decrees what will happen but also how it will come to pass, often through our prayers. Therefore, we must pray with clarity, knowing what we ask of God.
Elijah's fervent and persistent prayer life challenges us to examine our own. Are we praying with passion and persistence, even when answers are delayed? Elijah's example encourages us to keep praying, trusting that God hears and responds in His timing. Ultimately, our prayers are powerful and effective when offered in righteousness through Jesus Christ.
Key Takeaways:
- The Necessity of Private Prayer: Elijah's withdrawal to pray alone on Mount Carmel highlights the importance of private prayer. Just as Jesus often withdrew to pray, we too must find solitude to connect deeply with God, allowing our souls to commune with the Lover of our souls. [08:34]
- Aligning with God's Promises: Effective prayer aligns with God's promises. Elijah's confidence in prayer stemmed from God's promise to send rain. Our prayers should be fueled by Scripture, turning God's words back to Him, ensuring our requests are rooted in His will. [17:21]
- The Power of Posture in Prayer: Elijah's physical posture in prayer, bowing with his face between his knees, reflects his total dependence on God. Our body language in prayer can express the intensity and seriousness of our requests, reminding us of our need for God. [12:17]
- Persistence in Prayer: Elijah's persistence, sending his servant seven times to look for rain, teaches us not to give up. Even when answers seem delayed, we must continue praying, trusting that God is working in His perfect timing. [33:06]
- Righteousness and Effective Prayer: Elijah's prayers were powerful because he was a righteous man. Our prayers are effective when offered in righteousness through Christ, who cleanses and renews us, making us acceptable before God. [35:25]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:15] - Introduction to Prayer
- [01:01] - Leadership and Prayer
- [02:38] - Elijah's Example
- [03:46] - God's Control Over Nature
- [05:24] - Elijah's Prayer Life
- [06:26] - Seven P's of Effective Prayer
- [07:19] - Position Yourself in Private
- [08:34] - The Importance of Solitude
- [11:28] - The Significance of Posture
- [17:03] - Praying God's Promises
- [21:55] - Why Pray God's Promises
- [24:04] - Praying with Precision
- [29:34] - Passion and Persistence in Prayer
- [35:10] - Righteousness and Prayer
- [37:26] - Final Encouragement and Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Power of Prayer in the Life of Elijah
Bible Reading:
- 1 Kings 18:41-46
- James 5:16-18
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Observation Questions:
1. In 1 Kings 18:41-46, what specific actions did Elijah take before he began to pray for rain? How does this reflect his approach to prayer? [07:19]
2. According to James 5:16-18, what characteristics of Elijah's prayer life are highlighted, and how do they relate to the effectiveness of his prayers?
3. How does Elijah's physical posture during prayer, as described in the sermon, signify his attitude and approach to God? [12:17]
4. What role does private prayer play in Elijah's story, and why is it emphasized as important for leaders? [08:34]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Elijah's alignment of his prayers with God's promises, as seen in 1 Kings 18:1, influence the outcome of his prayers? What does this teach about the nature of effective prayer? [17:21]
2. In what ways does Elijah's persistence in prayer, despite initial lack of visible results, challenge common perceptions about unanswered prayers? [33:06]
3. How does the sermon illustrate the relationship between righteousness and effective prayer, particularly in the context of Elijah's life? [35:25]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the significance of praying with precision and clarity, and how might this impact one's prayer life? [24:04]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own prayer life. How often do you find solitude to pray, and what steps can you take to prioritize private prayer in your daily routine? [08:34]
2. Consider a promise from Scripture that you can incorporate into your prayers this week. How can aligning your prayers with God's promises change your perspective on prayer? [17:21]
3. Think about a situation in your life where you have been praying for a long time without seeing results. How can Elijah's example of persistence encourage you to continue praying with faith? [33:06]
4. Evaluate your physical posture during prayer. How might adopting a posture of humility and dependence, like Elijah, deepen your connection with God? [12:17]
5. Identify a specific area in your life where you need to pray with more precision. What are three specific requests you can bring before God this week? [24:04]
6. Reflect on the role of righteousness in your prayer life. How can you seek to live a life that aligns with God's will, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of your prayers? [35:25]
7. Discuss with a friend or family member what you want Jesus to do for you in your life right now. How can this conversation help clarify your prayer requests and deepen your faith? [25:41]
Devotional
Day 1: Solitude in Prayer is Essential for Spiritual Depth
Elijah's withdrawal to pray alone on Mount Carmel underscores the necessity of private prayer. In a world filled with distractions, finding solitude to connect deeply with God is crucial. Just as Jesus often withdrew to pray, we too must carve out time to be alone with God, allowing our souls to commune with the Lover of our souls. This practice not only strengthens our relationship with God but also prepares us to face the challenges of leadership and daily life with a renewed spirit. [08:34]
"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:6, ESV)
Reflection: When can you set aside time this week to be alone with God in prayer, free from distractions and interruptions?
Day 2: Align Your Prayers with God's Promises
Effective prayer aligns with God's promises, as demonstrated by Elijah's confidence in praying for rain. Our prayers should be fueled by Scripture, turning God's words back to Him, ensuring our requests are rooted in His will. This alignment not only gives us confidence in our prayers but also helps us to understand and embrace God's plans for our lives. By praying God's promises, we are reminded of His faithfulness and are encouraged to trust in His timing and wisdom. [17:21]
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23, ESV)
Reflection: What specific promise from Scripture can you pray over a current situation in your life, trusting in God's faithfulness to fulfill it?
Day 3: Posture Reflects the Heart's Dependence on God
Elijah's physical posture in prayer, bowing with his face between his knees, reflects his total dependence on God. Our body language in prayer can express the intensity and seriousness of our requests, reminding us of our need for God. This posture is not about formality but about the heart's attitude of humility and surrender before the Almighty. It serves as a physical reminder of our reliance on God's strength and guidance in every aspect of our lives. [12:17]
"O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!" (Psalm 95:6, ESV)
Reflection: How can you incorporate a physical expression of humility and dependence in your prayer time today, acknowledging your need for God's guidance?
Day 4: Persistence in Prayer Yields Fruit in God's Timing
Elijah's persistence, sending his servant seven times to look for rain, teaches us not to give up. Even when answers seem delayed, we must continue praying, trusting that God is working in His perfect timing. Persistence in prayer is not about wearing God down but about demonstrating our faith and trust in His promises. It is a testament to our belief that God hears us and will respond according to His will and purpose. [33:06]
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9, ESV)
Reflection: What is one prayer request you have been tempted to give up on? How can you renew your commitment to pray persistently for it, trusting in God's timing?
Day 5: Righteousness Empowers Effective Prayer
Elijah's prayers were powerful because he was a righteous man. Our prayers are effective when offered in righteousness through Christ, who cleanses and renews us, making us acceptable before God. Righteousness is not about our own merit but about being in right standing with God through Jesus. This empowers our prayers, making them powerful and effective as we align our hearts with God's will and seek His kingdom first. [35:25]
"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16b, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you seek to live a life of righteousness today, allowing your prayers to be empowered and effective through Christ?
Quotes
"Prayer is what brings these two realities together and that is the focus of what we're looking at together in the scripture today. I hope you will have your Bible open at uh First Kings and chapter 18 we're also going to be looking at James and chapter five as we're continuing this series that we've called uh lead leadership the surprising influence of a Godly life." [00:39:33]
"Now let me say straight away that if you are a leader you have probably found that prayer does not come naturally to you um the reason for this is very simple most leaders are activists by Nature um we respond to a challenge with a plan of action uh leaders take initiatives that is what makes us leaders and prayer is not the natural disposition of the activist mind." [00:63:14]
"Elijah has been an example to us of a man of action an obvious leader in every way and here we are now going to see him also as a man of prayer and because we've had a break from the series just briefly to catch up with where we are you remember that Ahab was the most wicked King uh that Israel had known he did more evil than all who had come before him." [00:152:72]
"Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel he said to the people um if the Lord is God you should follow him if baal's God then certainly go and follow him but don't uh limp any longer between two opinions Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to call down fire from heaven uh they prayed but there was no answer there was no entity to answer to the name of baale." [00:239:04]
"Praying with other people is very important but there is a kind of praying that you can only do on your own lovers like to be on their own together every happily married couple knows this it's great to be with others but it's even better when you get to be just the two of you together well God is the great lover of your soul and he desires time alone with you." [00:519:15]
"Elijah bowed himself down to the Earth and put his face between his knees now nothing in the Bible is redundant God always speaks with it intent and with precision and the Holy Spirit has preserved for us here and in many other places a vivid description um of the posture in which a Godly person prayed in fact it's very significant that in the Old Testament account we are not told what Elijah said in prayer but we are told the position that he adopted." [00:696:76]
"Faith is not kind of mustering up a sort of uh self um uh propelled conviction that what we are asking is going to happen that's not biblical Faith biblical faith is always a believing response to the word of God and therefore the praying that flows out of faith is is of the same character this is important to understand this distinction God has given to us an open invitation to ask of him anything that we wish but that freedom does not come with a commitment from God to give anything that we ask." [00:1052:48]
"God not only decrees what will happen but he decrees how it will come to pass God determines in other words not only the ends but also the means the what is in his promise the how is tied to our prayer so God's promises there therefore tell us what we should be asking for because he has tied means and ends together to make us his fellow workers." [00:1339:03]
"Elijah prayed fervently that it might not rain he prayed again and the heaven gave rain now notice that we're being told here in James comment uh inspired by the spirit of God on the story that Elijah was was very clear in what he asked for praying out of the word of God he prayed first that there would not be rain and then three and a half years later he prayed that there would be rain." [00:1447:12]
"Elijah prayed for what had been promised he prayed with Precision he prayed with passion but the answer did not come straight away um he sends his servant out to luk for any sign of rain the servant comes back verse 43 says there's nothing what do you do when there's nothing back up and go home no Elijah says go again and Elijah's got his head down between his knees and he continues to pray." [00:1977:67]
"James says in chapter five Elijah was a righteous man and the prayer of a righteous man he says is powerful F and it is effective now this does not of course mean that Elijah was perfect he wasn't uh at one time as we'll see next week God willing he felt so desperately low uh he was ready to end his own life um yet this man is held out to us as a model for our prayers." [00:2116:68]
"God must accept you before he accepts your prayers and he will accept you through Jesus Christ the order is important offer yourself to it then offer your prayers ask him to cleanse you ask him to renew your heart tell him that you want to be done with the sin that's been clinging too long to your life ask him to clothe you with a righteousness that is Christ's alone and to make you one of his adopted children." [00:2179:92]
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