Seeing Answered Prayers

Seeing Answered Prayers

James 5: 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. 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.

·Effectual – (G) lit.. to work in, to be active, operative.

·Fervent = red hot prayer.

No Rain (read 1 Kings 17:1-9)

1 Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, [who was] of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, [As] the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

·Before whom I stand – (H) = whom I serve.

·No dew or rain for 3 ½ years, but according to my word. – prayer.

·What bold statement made by a man – as we are…

1. God answers the prayers of those who will serve Him.

1 Kings 17:14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day [that] the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. (a promise of rain + the meal and oil never ran dry.)

The Widows son Raised.

1 Kings 17:21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. 22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

NIV Prov. 15: 29 The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

2. God answers the prayers of those who obey Him.

1 Kings 18:1 And it came to pass [after] many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. 2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And [there was] a sore famine in Samaria.

·Go to the brook of Che’rith, Go to Widow of Zarephath, Go to King Ahab.

·Elijah met O-ba-di’ah to set up the stand off with king Ahab.

1 Kings 18:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, [Art] thou he that troubleth Israel?

1 Kings 16:33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

1 Kings 21: 25 (There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife.

1 Kings 18:19 Now therefore send, [and] gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table. 20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

Mount Carmel –

·1,742 feet highest point

·Extends 30 miles to the Mediterranean sea.

·Thought to be the sacred dwelling place of Baal.

Baal worship –

·Number of people that Jezebel fed 450 prophets of the male god & 400 female goddess.

·Baal – Fertility god, who sent rain, cause crops to grow, provided food, sent lightning from heaven. (show down on the enemy’s territory)

1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

·Niv – How long will you waver between two opinions.

·Not to make a choice is to make a choice.

People can’t serve 2 Masters.

Matt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

·There is no such thing as straddling the fence. (you are back slide)

(Luke Warm)

Rev. 3: 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

NKJV Josh 24:15 " And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house , we will serve the Lord."