PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER

Persistence in prayer requires boldness. The bible emboldens us to keep asking. For everyone who asks receives. Remember Elijah’s story of persistency? Elijah had prayed for there not to be rain in Israel for three and a half years. After praying to God to send down fire to consume the sacrifice he offered, Elijah told Ahab to go, eat and drink for there was a sound of rushing rain.

At that same time as Ahab left, Prophet Elijah went to Mount Carmel to pray for God to send the rain. He had prayed earnestly for the heavens to be shut for three and a half years and he went to pray again for the heavens to be opened.

Bending down to the ground in a position of prayer, Elijah confidently prayed. But God didn’t send down rain immediately. Elijah kept sending his servant to go and look toward the sea. He went at the first time and saw nothing! Elijah went back to pray again and sent his servant to look again. For the second time the servant went looked and noticed that there was no change. He went back to prayer again and sent his servant to examine the sea but he came back with the same answer.

This did not make Elijah give up. His trust in God was stout. He continued in the same place of prayer. And he did this seven times. The seventh time his servant recognized a small cloud rising from the sea, and he equated it to the size of a man’s fist. This was assurance enough for Elijah that God had finally opened the heavens and that it was going to rain.

Then he sent his servant to go and inform Ahab to get his chariots ready and leave immediately for his palace. Otherwise the rains would stop him. After a short time the sky grew dark, the wind began to blow and a heavy rain began to fall.

How do you explain this? Ordinarily it seems as if it is impossible, but what can’t God do to display his power?

Do you realize that when Elijah was praying with no results showing that he never doubted? He even grew more zealous in prayer. If he quitted at the first three times the nation would not have experienced rain again. He knew that the God that answered him the first time to stop the rains would answer him again and open the heavens. He was tenacious in prayer.

Most of us Christians lose hope in the edge of a breakthrough just when the clouds are forming. Maybe it’s coming in the form of a human’s fist, but that doesn’t mean that you should stop. Keep praying in anticipation. Just like Elijah kept sending his servant to check the progress, you should pray with expectancy in your heart that you are closer than ever before. Every time you go on your knees to petition in your place of prayer know that God has promised to give you your heart’s desire. The preparation of that miracle doesn’t mean denial to it. Just like a fisherman is patient when he goes fishing that he will have a good catch and waits for it, Be also tenacious in prayer.

WHEN YOU HONOR GOD

King Jehoshaphat chose to be different from the Kings before him. He did not worship idols or make sacrifices to them like other kings and Israel did. He removed the high places of pagan worship and the Asherah idols from Judah. He followed in the footsteps of David. He sought God and walked in His commandments.

Because of this, God established the kingdom in his hand. God blessed him with great wealth and honor. Judah brought tribute to him. King Jehoshaphat made sure that all of Judah knew the laws of the Lord. He commissioned leaders, Levites and priests to teach the people.

Because of this honor for God, dread of the Lord seized the nations surrounding Judah. God caused the enemies of Judah to honor her instead. The Philistines brought gifts and silver to  King Jehoshaphat. Some Arabs also brought him flocks.

Isn’t it amazing what God does when we honor him? The enemies, who were constantly at war with the nation, suddenly paid tribute to him. God turned the tables around. Instead of engaging in wars every now and then, when you honor God he causes your enemies to bless you instead!

God made King Jehoshaphat more and more powerful. He build strong walled cites and storage cities in Judah. When you honor God he expands your capacity and you become significant in your generation.

Brethren if you desire to be honored, you have to purpose to be different. Stop doing the things you see others around you do. Purpose to live in the fear of the Lord. Let Christ be known all around you and watch him change people’s lives. In this way, as you exalt Christ watch him lift you up and bless you indeed.

Would you stand?

At times it is unfortunate that the people who mean good for us sometimes stand in the way of our blessings. When we look at Elisha’s story it’s unbelievable that his fellow prophets would discourage him from pursuing his blessing.

Elisha knew without a doubt what he wanted to inherit from Elijah. But the sons of the prophets stood on his way not on one occasion but twice! They met them at Bethel and approached Elisha told him that the Lord was taking away Elijah from him. But he silenced them. Then the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho met them at Jericho and informed him about his master being taken away from him, and again he silenced them. Then fifty sons of the prophet assembled opposite the Jordan to see what would happen to them.

Elijah also requested Elisha to be left behind on three occasions but Elisha didn’t let him out of sight for he knew what he desired from his master. After crossing the Jordan, Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted him to do for him before he was taken up to heaven. This was the moment that Elisha was waiting for all this time. He asked for a double portion of his spirit; he wanted to operate in his blessing. Then Elijah told that if he saw him being taken away then he would receive his request. Am sure there were a lot of distractions at the place even from the fifty sons of the prophets gathered opposite them. But Elisha focused on what he desired. He made sure he saw Elijah being taken away by the chariots & horses of fire as he ascended to heaven in whirlwind. Elisha received his heart’s desire. He picked up Elijah’s mantle that had fallen from him stood at the bank of the Jordan and with it hit the waters and it divided into two.

When the prophets saw this, they knew that Elijah’s sprit now rested on Elisha and came and bowed before him displaying respect & honor. After this we see Elisha performing great miracles e.g. he made the unproductive waters pure and the crops became productive. Since the encounter at Jordan River, Elisha operated in the miraculous just it was his heart’s desire. He restored back to life the son of a Shunammite woman.

Looking at this story we see that the sons of the prophets either meant good for Elisha, they knew that his master Elijah would be taken away from him by the Lord and they knew that Elisha was very close to him. To save him from the agony that he would face when Elijah was taken away, they asked him to stop following his master around and to leave him. Regardless of all efforts to discourage him from getting the double portion anointing, Elisha stood his ground and waited till the last moment for him to receive his miracle.

Many of us as Christians find it hard to press on to see our miracle. We listen to the voices around us, who may seem like they wish good for us. But we should train our minds not to stop at the discouragements and learn to silence those voices.  Instead of holding a conversation with them! Stand tall and press on to that life changing miracle like Elisha did.