NOTHING! I SEE NOTHING! I FEEL NOTHING! THE SAME OLD?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
IT IS A DARK DAY IN ISRAEL. THERE HAS BEEN A TERRIBLE DROUGHT. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE WATER AND ALMOST NO FOOD. KING AHAB IS VERY WICKED AND HAS TEAMED UP WITH THE QUEEN JEZEBEL IN DEEP SIN. INSTEAD OF CONVICTION, REPENTANCE AND CHANGE… THEY HAVE THE SPIRIT OF OFFENCE AND ANGER. THEY BLAME THE PREACHER…
MY FAITH SAYS: GET READY… GOD IS ABOUT TO DO A GREAT AND MIGHTY MIRACLE AND SHOW HIMSELF STRONG. AFTER YEARS OF DROUGHT THE PREACHER BOLDLY STANDS IN FRONT OF KING AHAB AND QUEEN JEZEBEL TO DECLARE BY FAITH… I HEAR THE ABUNDANCE OF RAIN. ELIJAH PRAYED!
1 Kings 18:41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
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,
NOTHING! I TELL YOU I SEE NOTHING! YOU CAN’T STOP PRAYING WHEN YOU DON’T SEE THE ANSWER. WELL I DON’T FEEL ANYTHING EITHER…YOU MUST CLIMB THAT MOUNTAIN AGAIN. ELIJAH PRAYED AND HE EXPECTED AN ANSWER…HEY SERVANT CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN.
How’s your prayer life? Does doubt grow when you pray and make a declaration of faith and things stay the same?
*MOUNTAIN: steep, abrupt, often remotely located. Larger than a hill. Moses climbed the mountain to get away from people and be with God. You have a hard climb? Your vision can get clearer. Hard, difficult climb.
1 Kings 18:43 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.
SEVEN IS A TYPE: COMPLETION! 7 IS ONLY DIVISIBLE BY ITSELF AND ONE…
Can you imagine those mountain goats watching the man climb the mountain? Here he comes again. HEY, MISTER, the goat ask: WHAT DO YOU SEE? Maybe the mountains goats mocked the servant, 7 times… they might have learned the servant’s name…
1 Kings 18:44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
I DIDN’T SEE MUCH --- ON THE SEVENTH TRIP --- THERE WAS A VERY SMALL CLOUD THE SIZE OF A MAN’S HAND… YOU BETTER RUN… ELIJAH UNDER THE ANOINTING RUNS 18 MILES AND BEATS THE KING’S CHARIOT AND WAS SITTING ON THE PORCH LAUGHING BY FAITH.
1 Kings 18:45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
SEEMS TALK CAN BE CHEAP? IS THIS MOUNTAIN CLIMB GETTING OLD? CHANGE? CAN WE CHANGE? OF COURSE WE CAN… IF WE WANT TOO…
2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
I PRAY! I PRAY! I BELIEVE EVEN WHEN I DON’T SEE IT. EVEN WHEN I DON’T FEEL IT … THIS EVENT OF THE SEVEN MOUNTAIN CLIMBS IS ONE OF THE FEW OLD TESTAMENT PRAYERS MENTIONED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. WE SEE THE VALUE OF CONTINUED PRAYERS. I SEE NOTHING, I FEEL NOTHING…SEE IT IS RECORDED PRAY AND PRAY AGAIN…ELIJAH IS RECORDED HE PRAYED AGAIN… I SEE NOTHING! FAITH MUST GO BEYOND HUMAN REASONING… WE MUST SHAKE OFF DISCOURAGEMENT… NOW, GOD I TOLD AHAB AND JEZEBEL I HEAR THE ABUNDANCE OF RAIN… GOD’S PLAN WORKS.
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.
CAN WE HEAR BY FAITH THE ABUNDANCE OF RAIN EVEN WHEN I CAN’T SEE MY PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED? WE MUST KEEP PRAYING EVEN WHEN WE DON’T FEEL IT.
Let me tell you what I think needs some basic attention in church ministry: 1. ENCOURAGERS- EDIFIERS.
2. INTERCEDERS…
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
WHAT DOES GOD’S WORD SAY WE NEED? IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE WANT AND WHAT WE NEED? WHAT DO WE THINK WE NEED? DO WE AGREE WITH WHAT GOD THINKS WE NEED?
Humans have some basic needs for a healthy balance. We need: AIR (oxygen), WATER, food (nutrition), shelter, clothing and companionship (no man is an island to himself) --- WE OFTEN BYPASS OUR SPIRITUAL NEEDS? What does God think we need?
*PATIENCE: to endure without complaint. self-control, to accept delay, trouble without getting angry or upset. Bearing pain and complaints while being calm.
Hebrews 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Hebrews 10:36 (MSG) But you need to stick it out, staying with God's plan so you'll be there for the promised completion.
Hebrews 10:36 (NLT2) Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
PATIENCE: slow down, trust God, pass the test,
Conclusion: WAITING CARRIES A LOT OF WEIGHT! WILL WE CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN AGAIN? Will we GIVE UP HOPE? Is the DROUGHT CAUSING US TO LOSE SIGHT OF ACTION BY FAITH? Are you disappointed by having to climb the mountain again? FRIEND… rest if you must but don’t quit. FAITH IS NOT PASSIVE… FAITH IS AN ACTION WORD… CLIMB AGAIN. Keep praying…
Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
Ezekiel 22:30 (NLT2) “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.
BE FAITHFUL TO PRAYER… HEAR THE CALL TO ENCOURAGE AND INTERCEDE. Many refuse to seek intercession for others because it is not an up front, showy circus act. Climb the mountain. WE MUST TURN OUR SPIRIT TO STAND IN THE GAP FOR OTHERS. CLIMB THAT MOUNTAIN--- DON’T FEEL REJECTED--- THAT’S GOD.
Psalm 68:1 (a) Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered:
It is always too soon to quit. Climb the mountain and find the HEART OF GOD. Spend time with God on the mountain. Hear God call us to encourage and intercede for others. Maybe this will be the day? You will never eat fresh fruit with that seed still in your hand. PREPARE! REIN: BITE IN THE MOUTH, PREPARE THE RAIN IS COMING. REIGN. AUTHORITY, DOMINION, RULE, POWER, SOVEREIGNTY.
* GOD REIN, RAIN AND REIGN HERE.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
