Fervent Prayer 1Kings 18:41-46

Fervent Prayer 1Kings 18:41-46

Sermon Outline

1Kings 18:41-46, James 5:16-18 Fervent Prayer

 

  1. The Context
    1. Elijah is God’s Man in control (1Ki 18:41)
    2. Ahab is a puppet king (Prov 21:1)
    3. Why the command to Go up, eat and drink?
      1. Practical breaking of the fast from the events of the day. (Pink, Elijah, p54).
      2. Call to celebrate the that drought is over (1Ki 18:41b, Dt 28:12)
      3. Instructing Ahab to partake of a sacred Covenantal meal and personally ratify his commitment to God
    4. Application: Profound truth for each of us in the last one however, it is not enough for a church community around us to make a commitment to the Lord, We too must take personal responsibility and chose to walk with the Lord. (Josh 22:20)
  2. The Fervent Prayer of Elijah (1Ki 18:42-44)
    1. Stuff (1Ki 18:42)
    2. His Posture of Humility (1Ki 18:42)
    3. Praying the Promise of God (1Ki 18:1)
      1. The ramifications of praying God’s promises:
        1. Assured it will be answered.
        2. Assured we are praying his will.
        3. Easier to persist in prayer.
      2. This in fact is what we see in Elijah’s experience (James 5:17-18).
      3. Promises of God in Scripture
    4. Persistence, Perseverance and Faith (1Kin 18:43, Lk 18:1-8, Mt 7:7)
      1. What promises of God do you need to persist in praying?
  3. The Answer to the Prayer (1Ki 18:44-45)
    1. At the smallest hint of answer, Elijah assumes his prayer is finished. God has answered, and a full response to the prayer is coming.
    2. Let me ask about your faith in prayer.
      1. Do you believe that the slightest answer to your prayers means that the full answer is coming?
      2. Are you willing to step out and begin acting as though your prayer is answered?
    3. The Hand of the Lord (1 Ki 18:46)
      1. 39x the hand of the Lord is used in the OT
        1. At times it is a metaphor for speaking about God’s judgment upon sinners (Ex 9:3)
        2. At other times way of talking about gaining a prophetic word (Ezek 1:3)
        3. At times it is a way of explaining how magnificent things happen (Num 11:23, Josh 4:23-24)
      2. The whole story only makes sense because of the Hand of the Lord being upon his servant.
  4. Good News – you have even more than the Hand of God upon you. You have the very Spirit of God dwelling in you (Jn 14:12)
  5. Conclusion: Remember, Elijah was a man just like us and he prayed and saw answers and so can you.

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