Coming Off The Mountaintop

About a year ago we began a series that has taken a little over a year to complete. During this time we looked at the life and ministry of the prophet Elijah. If you remember God called Elijah to boldly confront King Ahab and in doing so declare that a terrible drought was coming. The drought lasted three years and totally devastated the land. At the end of 3 years Elijah returns once again to confront Ahab and in doing so issues a challenge.

Upon Mount Carmel the reality of the False Gods of the land was placed into question. After hours of fruitless attempts the priests of Baal and Asherah saw no fire… Nothing happened… Not even a spark…

But when it was Yahweh God’s turn… well let’s read for ourselves what happened.

Turn to 1 Kings 18 now in verse 36.

Basking in this incredible miraculous victory… God doesn’t stop there. It’s time for the rain to come. After three years of no rain, It was time for the rain.

Turn once again to 1 Kings 18 verse 41

Here once again Elijah had to trust God for the impossible.

There was no sign or even hint of rain no wind, no cloud in the sky… Nothing. Yet God commands Elijah to declare to Ahab that a mighty rainstorm is on its way. Even after the mighty victory Ahab still scoffs and prepares a mighty feast. Elijah once again knows where his true strength comes and le leaves the king’s presence where he climbs on top of the mountain to pray and wait.

To wait for the impossible… To pray an impossible prayer. In our lives if we walk with God long enough, we too will find ourselves praying impossible prayers.

In our own lives Impossible prayers can be…

Prayers such as…

Salvation for family members who seem to have not even the slightest interest in God

Healing for different health issues- where a medical cure seems unlikely at best

Forgiveness for one who has betrayed and hurt us

A husband or wife for a single adult

A baby for a childless couple

Enough money to pay a mountain of bills and debt

Applying for a job that seems out of your league

Accepting God’s peace in the midst of unbelievable grief and sadness

And so on and more…

An impossible prayer is one where even in the praying we see no way that the prayer can be answered. If this morning you are facing an impossible situation or life event, then take note God wants you to give him this impossible situation, to offer an impossible prayer an await His answer- His call.

But as we make this prayer we must keep three important truths close to mind. Three truths that we glean from our friend Elijah.

First, The Impossible prayer must be initiated by God. It must be in the will of God.

After the incredible victory over the prophets of Baal and Asheroth, God tells Elijah to declare to Ahab that a mighty rainstorm is coming. The three year old drought was about to end. Once making his declaration Elijah retreats to the mountain top to pray.

As Elijah prays for rain, it becomes an impossible prayer because there is absolutely no sign of rain. Not a cloud in the sky, no wind, nothing. And yet on that mountain he prays.

But Elijah prays this impossible prayer because God told him to pray it. God Initiated it. It was God’s will.

Each day we have a audience with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We too have an opportunity to lift our impossible situations to God. Praying for God to do the impossible, but before you pray you must consider if God is initiating you to pray for the impossible. If God is asking you to await the impossible, then pray and wait.

A story is told of George Mueller who was known for his powerful prayer life . In the course of his ministry to the orphans of England, he never asked for financial assistance from men - only God... and he constantly received what was needed to the penny.

Once while on his way to speak in Quebec for a engagement. On the deck of the ship that was to carry him to his destination, he informed the captain that he needed to be in Quebec by Saturday afternoon.

As the captain related the story, he said "’It is impossible,’ I said. ’Do you know how dense this fog is?’"

"’No,’ he replied, ’my eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God who controls every circumstance of life. I have never broken an engagement in 57 years; let us go down into the chart room and pray.’