Effectual Fervent Prayers of a Righteous Man

Righteous Men who Earnestly Pray for God’s Agenda

17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. James 5:17
WE MUST COME BOLDLY BEFORE THE THRONE OF GRACE
Jas 5:18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
Jas 5:16 The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

For Every Gap, God has a Godly One who Has the Call & Gift to Stand

(Eze 22:30) And I sought a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.
If not evil rushed thru the gap
Peace & prosperity – Balance between Righteous endeavor of the godly & Evil by ungodly

Sound Of The Rushing Of Rain

1Ki 18:41-46 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.” (42) So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. (43) And he 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.

Rain after the Fire

Context is that the people saw Baal fail & the Lord answering Elijah’s prayer “to send the fire”
All the people fell at the Lord’s altar, turning away form Baal
After the spectacular power confrontation, rain has yet to come
Drought had caused much damage

The Need after Power Confrontation

Have you been in a situation, after a powerful answer to one prayer, yet another desperate need remained – with its collateral damage
Enemy action
Sinful addiction
Health situation
Financial crisis
Broken relationship
Of course Elijah’s prayer need was a national crisis – whole nation needed rain

Four Layers of God Formations – Undergirding Prayer Action – governance

(Psa 36:5) Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. 7 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD.
God’s Loving kindness highest cover
God’s faithfulness
God’s righteousness
God’s judgement – in the depths

1 Prophecy of Expectation
2 Humble Posture 3 Prayer Partner
1 Elijah prophesied – And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.”
Let’s speak forth a prophetic expectation for your need
2 Having heard, Elijah bent low in a humble, fervent prayer posture
3 Elijah had a prayer partner – he checks out for results – Prayer partners Bearing the burden until result arrives.
4 Will of God & Weight of Prayer

First the Sound of Rain – then Sight of Rainclouds

1Ki 18:44-46 It came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.'” (45) In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. (46) Then the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.

5 Specific & Persistent Prayer

Persistent prayer – 7 times – why 7 times?
All get to know this is not Elijah’s power, but the power of the living God whose servant Elijah was
First cloud – looked like God’s fist!!
Elijah prophesied that one little cloud will become a thunder shower
God added the miracle of Elijah outrunning Ahab
God’s hand came on Eijah’s shoulder

THREE KINDS OF FALSE GODS

Other gods & idols

1 my needs, desires, ambitions
2 money materialism, career work
3 my children & their future
4 my image & my space, my opinion
5 sinful addictions that rule over me
6 friends – ungodly relationships
7 relatives
8 my hurts
9 sports, leisure, entertainment, music, cricket on Sunday, social media culture – brag, brash

True God & False gods

Our Editions of True God