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| ELIJAH PRAYING |
After 3½ years of drought, Elijah is praying that it may again
rain on the land. Elijah went to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed down on the
ground with his face between his knees and earnestly prayed. He told his
servant to go and look toward the sea. He is looking for any sign of rain, but
the servant came back and said, “There’s nothing.” Elijah kept praying and
said, “Go again.” Six times the servant went back to look out toward the sea,
but saw nothing. Elijah said, “Go again.” The seventh time, the servant
returned to report that he saw a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising out of
the sea. The sky became black with thick clouds. The wind began to blow and
there was a heavy downpour. Time and again, the servant returned with a
negative report, but Elijah kept saying, “Go again.”
James 5:16-18 The effective, fervent prayer of the righteous avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
I am reminded of the parable Jesus told about the persistent
friend. He kept knocking at his friend’s door even though he was told to go
away.
Luke 11:5-8 NKJV And Jesus said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
~ Watch and Pray ~
~ Be alert. Keep on your toes. Keep your eyes on Jesus. ~
~ Remain devoted to prayer with persistence. ~
~ Don’t stop. Don’t
give up. Keep the faith. ~
~ God will come through. ~
Ephesians 6:18 (NLT) Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.