People Like Elijah - Call to God in Prayer

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “Now Elijah . . . said to Ahab, ‘As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I stand, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.’ ” (1 Kings 17:1)    
     Passage: James 5:17-18

         Elijah’s pronouncement to Ahab that there would be an extended drought in Israel did not come out of the blue. It came out of time Elijah had spent in praying hearing God’s will to call the nation of Israel to come back to Him. Elijah knew he didn’t have the personal position to speak directly to the king of Israel,  but he knew God could open the door for him to do it. He knew he didn’t have the power on his own to stop rain from falling, but he knew God did. Elijah prayed. God answered and told him what to do. God then worked to show Himself strong to the nation and ultimately bring about a revival to His people.
        Prayer must not be the last thing God’s people do. It must be the first things God’s people do in seeking God’s glory and building God’s Kingdom. God wants lost people to be saved. (see 2 Peter 3:9) God wants a nation to experience awakening. (see 2 Chronicles 7:14) He has tied His work to the prayers of His people. Jesus told a parable in Luke 18:1-8 about a persistent widow who finally got an unjust judge to respond to her request, because she wouldn’t give up asking. God is not an unjust judge. He is willing, ready and able to answer. Call to Him and watch Him work in mighty ways.

Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)