Strong Faith in A Stronger God

The girls and I have been studying through the story of the prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel in 1 Kings. Elijah had been through many trials which included running for his life from wicked King Ahab. He was fed by ravens appointed by God. He was fed by the widow who was on the verge of starvation herself. He was used by God to bless that same widow by pronouncing the coming birth of a son and then later when that son became sick, raising him from the dead. But when we came to the end of the escapade on Mt. Carmel, I was struck by Elijah's faith.

His faith in God to provide. (Which I too often lack)
His insistent prayer for rain. (Prayer that resulted in a continual knocking on the throne of heaven. An expectant prayer.)

Remember God has caused a drought to come on the land of Israel for their sin of rebellion. I found it quite comical that as Elijah was setting up his altar on Mt. Carmel, he called for the men to dump water all over it....3 times. Not only did God come down and lick up the sacrifice. The fire of the Lord sucked up all the water too!

Elijah then kicked butt. He slaughtered all the false prophets. He joined his servant whom he asked to go find King Ahab and tell him to jump in his chariot and get going for the rain was coming.

But there were no clouds.
There was no wind.
God hadn't promised rain yet.

BUT ELIJAH BELIEVED!!!

He sent his servant back SEVEN times to look for a rain cloud. (This makes me wonder how our prayers affect God's will and sovereignty.)

This brings to mind James 5:16b-18
The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

Oh, do I desire to have this type of faith. So many of us worry we are presuming on God because he hasn't spoken forth in an audible voice, but we have so many promises from His Word of his faithfulness and care.

Let's pray, friends. Let's be prayer warriors.

As I write this, I look over to my right and see the wall of prayer we have had up for 3 years. A wall of prayer that God has heard and answered in a DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT way than I could have every imagined.

And my heart is filled with thankfulness.