1 Kings 18:42-44 (Amplified Bible)
42So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees
43And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up and looked and said, There is nothing. Elijah said, Go again seven times.
44And at the seventh time the servant said, A cloud as small as a man's hand is arising out of the sea. And Elijah said, Go up, say to Ahab, Hitch your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.
Theme: Much Prayer, Much Power; Little Prayer, Little Power; No Prayer, No Power
Good morning dear brother and sister, how are you doing today? Some of you are already in the week end mood making plans for the week end.
Before you get too involved in making plans, let’s study God’s word for today from our current series from 1 kings 18:42-44
If you carefully study the passage we see that Elijah prayed for seven times.
Concerning answers to prayers George Mueller wrote, “Never give up until the answer comes. He said I have been praying for every day for 53 years for two men, sons of a friend of my youth. They are not converted yet, but they will be !.... The great fault of the children of God is that they do not continue in prayer; they do not go on praying; they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God’s glory, they should pray until they get it.”
Elijah believed in persistent praying. Seven times he bowed in prayer; seven times he sent his servant to see if God had answered yet. While there is nothing magical about the number seven, it is the number associated with the completeness in the Bible. When this seventh prayer was offered, the servant came back with the report that a cloud was on the horizon
Elijah kept praying until his prayer was completed.
What about you dear beloved, are you praying enough for your family, kids, job, marriage, finances or a special need. Some people are God users I mean they just use God for their needs and wants and when God meets their needs they never come back to His presence. Dear friend I don’t want you to fall into that category. I want you to build a relationship with God that lasts for eternity.
A prayer is never complete until God has answered. We need to keep praying until we have the assurance in our hearts. I know some of you are thinking pastor we have been praying for months and years but things haven’t changed. But let me encourage you that God is never too late. He is on time God I have personally experience that. His timing is perfect.
Our emergencies may not be the emergency for God. He is a sovereign God and knows the best for you and me. Our job is to keep praying.
I always say this, do your Best and leave the rest to God. We need to keep praying until we have the assurance in our hearts that God’s answer has been given or is on the way.
To stop praying too soon may forfeit the very thing we’re praying for.
Don’t be a quitter. Keep on with your prayers until they’re complete. Let God’s answer be your final Amen! Oh, those two men for whom George Mueller prayed for so long? One became a Christian at Mueller’s funeral; the other some years later. Keep praying
Read: James 5:18, Luke 12:54
Have a blessed day, will catch up tomorrow with some great insights from the same text.
Remember!
Prayer is never complete until God has answered.
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