The Spirit And Power Of Elijah Series

The spirit of Elijah was most animated that people would be saved, that they would turn from the world and turn to God.

David prayed in Psalm 51: "Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me." I think that among other things a right spirit means one like Elijah had, that was tremendously burdened for lost souls.

We live in a time like that described in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. There is a darkness that is growing. You may be safe in your castle today, but it is growing and it is coming. Too much of the church is caught up with fighting darkness, with the sword of men. Our real passion should be the saving of the lost.

2. What is meant by the power of Elijah?

Elijah performed 8 major miracles. John performed none. So when God is speaking about the power of Elijah he is not talking about miracle working power. What does that leave us with?

a. His prayer life.

PPT 5

Jas 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. Jas 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

The drought was brought on and ended because of prayer, that is what the bible says. The ramifications of that thought are incredible. Can prayer change North Korea? Iran? Your marriage? His prayer life was powerful, God save us from wimpy dimpy, sleepy dopey prayer lives. Give us unction!

PPT 6

Sometimes prayers are small and dictated by our fears. What would happen if we started praying big prayers? What if we took one target and aimed at it, consistently? That is what Elijah did. He prayed, he prayed fervently, and he affected his nation for God.

Elijah was a man of prayer and so was John.

Lu 11:1 ¶ And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

This text tells us several things about John and prayer.

1. John taught his disciples to pray, and he was famous for it. The disciple who spoke to Jesus phrased his question in a way that we know he wasn't one of John's disciples, but had heard of his prayer life.

Not one prayer of John or Elijah's is recorded. Probably because of man's tendency to copy the form of a thing rather than the spirit that animates it. Form is easy to copy, the spirit of a thing is much harder.

b. The other aspect of the power of Elijah was that through his life and message he had the ability to convict people of sin as did John. Good preaching will make you realize you are guilty before God, and make you long for cleansing and change. That is real spiritual power.

Illus: 4 types of evil speaking. I read this and it convicted me.

1. Whisperer: --- One who secretly or privately passes on evil reports to others.

Psalms 41:7, "All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt."

2. Gossip: --- One who magnifies and sensationalizes rumors and partial information.