The Transformative Power of Fervent Prayer
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound power of prayer through the story of Elijah, a man just like us, who demonstrated the extraordinary impact of earnest prayer. Elijah, an ordinary man, was able to shut the heavens for three and a half years and then open them again through fervent prayer. This illustrates that prayer is not a casual endeavor but a serious, intentional act of faith. Elijah's story teaches us that prayer should be rooted in God's word. He prayed for rain based on God's promise, showing us the importance of aligning our prayers with God's will as revealed in Scripture.
Elijah's posture of prayer, crouching with his head between his knees, symbolizes the labor and travail required in prayer. Just as a woman in labor pushes until the baby is born, we are called to push in prayer until God's will is birthed in our lives. This is not easy because spiritual opposition seeks to block our prayers. However, like a satellite receiver that must be turned on to display a picture, our prayers must be persistent to draw down God's plans into our reality.
Elijah's servant saw nothing initially, but Elijah heard the sound of rain before it manifested. This teaches us that faith involves hearing God's promises before seeing them fulfilled. We must continue to pray until completion, trusting that God will answer in His perfect timing. Sometimes, God gives us a small sign, like a fist-sized cloud, to encourage us to keep believing. These small signs are appetizers of the greater blessings to come.
Finally, the story concludes with Elijah outrunning Ahab's chariot, demonstrating that when we wait on the Lord, He renews our strength and enables us to achieve the impossible. This is a call to fervent, faith-filled prayer that touches heaven and changes history.
Key Takeaways:
- Prayer is a serious, intentional act that requires earnestness and alignment with God's word. Elijah's ability to control the rain was rooted in his understanding of God's promises, reminding us to pray with our Bibles open, holding God to His word. [04:09]
- The posture of prayer, as demonstrated by Elijah, involves labor and travail. Just as a woman in labor pushes until the baby is born, we must push in prayer until God's will is birthed in our lives, despite spiritual opposition. [06:08]
- Faith involves hearing God's promises before seeing them fulfilled. Elijah heard the sound of rain before it manifested, teaching us to trust in God's word and continue praying until we see His promises come to pass. [08:17]
- God's answers to prayer come in His perfect timing. We must pray until completion, trusting that God will answer with a yes, no, or wait. Sometimes, He gives us small signs to encourage us to keep believing. [09:09]
- When we wait on the Lord, He renews our strength and enables us to achieve the impossible. Elijah outrunning Ahab's chariot illustrates the supernatural strength and speed that comes from relying on God. [11:27]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Birthing God's Will
- [00:32] - Elijah's Ordinary Nature
- [01:06] - The Power of Earnest Prayer
- [01:48] - Shutting and Opening Heaven
- [02:16] - The Story in 1 Kings
- [03:03] - Praying Based on God's Word
- [04:09] - Praying with the Bible Open
- [05:20] - The Posture of Prayer
- [06:28] - Spiritual Opposition in Prayer
- [07:19] - Hearing Before Seeing
- [08:38] - Praying to Completion
- [09:26] - Small Signs of God's Promise
- [10:30] - Elijah's Supernatural Strength
- [11:42] - The Power of Fervent Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Power of Prayer through Elijah's Story
Bible Reading:
- 1 Kings 18:41-46
- James 5:16-18
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Observation Questions:
1. What specific actions did Elijah take to demonstrate his earnestness in prayer according to 1 Kings 18:41-46?
2. How does James 5:16-18 describe the nature and power of prayer, and how is Elijah used as an example in this passage?
3. In the sermon, what was the significance of Elijah's posture during prayer, and how did it relate to the concept of travail? [05:20]
4. What did Elijah hear before his servant saw any evidence of rain, and what does this teach us about faith? [08:01]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Elijah's story illustrate the importance of aligning our prayers with God's promises as revealed in Scripture? [04:09]
2. What does the sermon suggest about the role of persistence in prayer, especially when faced with spiritual opposition? [06:47]
3. How can the small sign of a fist-sized cloud in Elijah's story encourage believers to continue in faith and prayer? [09:26]
4. What does Elijah's ability to outrun Ahab's chariot symbolize about the strength and speed that come from relying on God? [11:27]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you prayed earnestly for something. How did you ensure your prayers were aligned with God's word, and what was the outcome? [04:09]
2. Elijah's posture of prayer was likened to a woman in labor. How can you adopt a similar posture of persistence in your prayer life, especially when facing challenges? [06:08]
3. Have you ever experienced a "fist-sized cloud" moment in your life, where a small sign encouraged you to keep believing? How did it impact your faith journey? [09:26]
4. In what ways can you improve your ability to "hear" God's promises before seeing them fulfilled? What practices can help you develop this aspect of faith? [08:17]
5. Elijah's story shows that God's answers come in His perfect timing. How do you handle waiting for God's response, and what strategies can you use to remain patient and faithful during the waiting period? [09:09]
6. Consider a situation where you need supernatural strength to achieve something seemingly impossible. How can you rely on God to renew your strength and enable you to accomplish it? [11:27]
7. How can you incorporate the practice of praying with your Bible open into your daily routine, and what difference do you think it will make in your prayer life? [04:09]
Devotional
Day 1: Intentional Prayer Aligned with God's Word
Prayer is a powerful and intentional act that requires alignment with God's word. Elijah's ability to control the rain was not due to his own power but was rooted in his understanding of God's promises. He prayed with his Bible open, holding God to His word. This teaches us that our prayers should be grounded in Scripture, seeking to align our desires with God's will. When we pray with this intentionality, we invite God's power into our lives, trusting that He will fulfill His promises. [04:09]
1 John 5:14-15 (ESV): "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him."
Reflection: What specific promise from Scripture can you hold onto in prayer today, trusting that God will fulfill it in His timing?
Day 2: The Labor of Prayer
Elijah's posture of prayer, crouching with his head between his knees, symbolizes the labor and travail required in prayer. Just as a woman in labor pushes until the baby is born, we are called to push in prayer until God's will is birthed in our lives. This is not easy because spiritual opposition seeks to block our prayers. However, persistent prayer is like a satellite receiver that must be turned on to display a picture; it draws down God's plans into our reality. [06:08]
Colossians 4:12 (ESV): "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God."
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you need to persist in prayer, despite facing spiritual opposition?
Day 3: Faith in Hearing Before Seeing
Faith involves hearing God's promises before seeing them fulfilled. Elijah heard the sound of rain before it manifested, teaching us to trust in God's word and continue praying until we see His promises come to pass. This requires a deep trust in God's character and timing, knowing that He is faithful to fulfill what He has spoken. [08:17]
Hebrews 11:1 (ESV): "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
Reflection: What promise from God are you holding onto in faith, even though you have not yet seen it fulfilled?
Day 4: Trusting God's Timing in Prayer
God's answers to prayer come in His perfect timing. We must pray until completion, trusting that God will answer with a yes, no, or wait. Sometimes, He gives us small signs to encourage us to keep believing. These small signs are appetizers of the greater blessings to come, reminding us that God is at work even when we cannot see the full picture. [09:09]
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV): "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."
Reflection: Can you identify a small sign in your life that God has given you to encourage your faith in His promises?
Day 5: Renewed Strength Through Waiting on the Lord
When we wait on the Lord, He renews our strength and enables us to achieve the impossible. Elijah outrunning Ahab's chariot illustrates the supernatural strength and speed that comes from relying on God. This is a call to fervent, faith-filled prayer that touches heaven and changes history, reminding us that God empowers us to do more than we could ever imagine when we trust in Him. [11:27]
Isaiah 40:31 (ESV): "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to wait on the Lord for renewed strength to accomplish what seems impossible?
Quotes
oh you know what God wants you to do he wants you to birth his will from heaven in history by calling it down drawing it down pushing it down until that baby of Deliverance that baby of healing that baby of Victory comes forth this is serious praying this is not casual praying this is crying out [00:00:00]
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours translation he wasn't from Krypton okay he wasn't super prophet he was a regular ordinary Flesh and Blood individual he didn't have any unique thing over any other human being ever made he was a man with a like nature so whatever he's getting ready to say about Elijah is true about you [00:00:44]
he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months that's three and a half years then he prayed again verse 17 says and the sky poured rain and the Earth produced its fruit so watch this now he prayed and he closed Heaven down for three and a half years [00:01:25]
so he took the posture of a pregnant woman who was in labor the Bible calls it travail he was in labor and he said I need some rain I won't Serene I'm gonna push and push and push till I get some rain oh you know what God wants you to do he wants you to birth his will from heaven in history by calling it down [00:06:08]
why do I have to work so hard because Satan is trying to block your prayer from getting through he's putting static on the line already up there if you have Direct TV they already have the programs the programs are already out there news shows movies entertainment shows comedy shows music is already out there but until that receiver is turned on you won't see a picture on your screen [00:06:51]
we just read Elijah heard the sound of a storm but the servant went out and he didn't see a storm see that's why you got to be in touch with God so you hear stuff before you see stuff because faith is not what you see Faith come faith is what you don't see but if you can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit [00:07:51]
sometimes people say how long should I pray for something how long should I talk to God I've been praying about this for years and nothing has happened how long should I pray well let me explain something God only has three answers yes no or wait if you hadn't said yes and he hadn't said no that means wait [00:08:51]
when he went out the seventh time he said I saw a cloud coming out of the sea like the size of a man's fist you know how small a cloud that is he said I just saw a little Cloud I don't see a storm I just see a little fist-sized Cloud Elijah said he said after the seventh time and he saw the clown Ahab prepare [00:09:23]
he didn't let him see a shower he let him see a cloud see sometime when God's ready to move hang on let you see the whole thing he just let you see a little something something to give you a taste that's why the Bible says oh taste and see that the Lord is good he may not give you the whole meal he may just give you a sample plate [00:09:56]
then the hand of the Lord was on Elijah and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel no you didn't Ahab is riding a horse oh oh Elijah picks up his cloak ties it up and he hooks it he humps it and he outruns a horse to Jezreel I believe Isaiah put it this way David wait upon the Lord [00:10:54]
somebody here ought to be willing to pray somebody here to be willing to pray out to God somebody ought to be willing to touch Heaven because the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much [00:11:38]
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