1 Kings 18:41-46, James 5:16-18 THE CLOUD OF GRACE
Andrew Murray, "In relation to his people, God works only in answer to their prayer."
"In prayer we change our natural strength for the supernatural strength of God."
Dr. A. C.Dickson "When we depend upon organization, we get what organization can do, When we depend upon education, we get what education can do.
When we depend upon money, we get what money can do.
When we depend upon singing and preaching, we get what they can do."
But "When we depend upon prayer, we will get what God can do."
1. The Confession that Precedes Prayer
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
1 Kings 18:39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
Confession leads To:- Restoration, Reconciliation, Revival.
Ephesus Revival - Acts 19:18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
2. The Intercession that Produces Prayer.
16 and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.
Prayer is not preparation for service. Prayer is service.
Prayer is not getting ready to minister, prayer is ministry
(a) The Intensity of the Prayer,
"The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
effectual, fervent is a word that literally means stretched out.
The stretched out prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
like a galloping horse or an athlete running in a race - intense prayer.
42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel;
and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
"God does business with those that mean business"
(b) The Integrity of the Prayer.
"The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
Prov 15:29 the Lord is far from the wicked, but he heareth the prayer of the righteous
Isaiah 59:1 "behold the Lord's arm is not shortened that He cannot save, neither is His ear heavy that He cannot hear but your sins are separated between you and your God and your iniquities have hid His face from you that He will not hear."
It's not that God cannot hear, it is that God will not hear.
(c) The Immensity of the Prayer. "availeth much."
Prayer is mighty in the NATURAL realm "there is a sound of abundance of rain."
Jer 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not
Prayer is mighty in the PHYSICAL realm
James 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Prayer is mighty in the SPIRITUAL realm
19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
3. The Illustration that Proves Prayer
James 5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly
that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
1 Kings 18:42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
(a) The Person of the Prayer, Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are
(b) The Place of the Prayer. 42 And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel;
and he cast himself down upon the earth
(c) The Posture of the Prayer.
42 And he cast himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees.
If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves.
(d) The Passion of the Prayer. 42. And he cast himself down upon the earth
Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
(e) The Persistence of the Prayer. 43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
The bible says keep on asking and ye shall receive, keep on seeking and ye shall find, keep on knocking and it shall be opened unto you,
Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
(f) The Power of the Prayer. 45 And it came to pass in the meanwhile that the heaven was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain.
4. The Revolution that Pays Prayer
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
