9

It had been a most dramatic day on Mount Carmel. The events there had made a most significant impact on the people of Israel.

The debased and worthless idolatry of Baal worship was laid bare. It was exposed in all its stark futility. The dramatic events of the day revealed it to be utterly negative in its depraving effects.

On the other hand, the people saw the clear evidence of the presence of the Living God. They saw the demonstration of His great power. And so much more.

The sacrifice offered by Elijah proved to be so important. It spoke so eloquently of the Lord's love for His people. Revealing that His grace was still fully extended to them, even though they had been so disobedient. The Lord had declared that it was His desire, His will, to make atonement possible.

The shout of the people revealed their excited and enthusiastic response. "THE LORD, HE IS GOD! THE LORD, HE IS GOD!"

We are reminded of a promise made by the Lord. Made so many years before these events. The promise which the Lord gave to King Solomon at the time of the dedication of the temple.

"If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; Then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7: 14).

The Lord had heard from heaven. The fire of the Lord had fallen on the sacrifice to give witness to that fact, inspiring the repentance and the renewal of the faith of the people.

But what of the healing of the land? What about the famine? The direct result of the fact that there had been no rain for three and one half years. What about that part of the promise?

"And Elijah . . . 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!"

At that time he had spoken only what the Lord had told him to say. He had acted only after spending much time in prayer with the Lord.

"Elias (Elijah( 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" (James 5: 17).

Elijah was a man of prayer. He knew how vital it was to continually live in the Lord's presence. To always seek to know His heart and mind. To be able to confirm His plan and purpose.

Elijah walked with God. Step by step he knew that he was walking in the center of the will of the Lord. Thus he could confidently say, in his prayer to the Lord, "Let it be known that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at Thy Word!"

Now, he spoke to Ahab about, "a sound of abundance of rain!" We have every reason to believe that this expressed the personal assurance of the Lord! That ElIjah again spoke nothing but the promise of the Lord. The unfailing Word of the Lord.Elijah knew that the people of Israel had met the Lord's requirements. They had turned away from Baal. They had renounced everything involved in the worship of Baal. Rejecting all of its degrading practices. Renouncing all of its depraving influences. There had been true repentance.

They had made the public affirmation of their faith. For them, "The LORD, HE IS GOD!" They had returned to the Lord with all their heart and mind. Coming back with the deep personal desire that the Lord be their God!

In their response, they had come to fully identify with that sacrifice of atonement which Elijah had offered. This inevitablably involved the confession of their sin, along with their plea for forgiveness and a longing for reconciliation.

Elijah's response accurately reflects the response of the Lord. The conditions required by the Lord had been fully met. Therefore, revival was coming! "A sound of abundance of rain!"

These are still the true and essential conditions for genuine revival. The conditions which the Lord Himself has established as being crucial. Unless these conditions are met today there can be no true revival.

The total and complete renunciation of everything that degrades and debases. The utter and uncompromising rejection of the world, the flesh, and the devil!

Deliberate separation from the world in all its degrading influences. Its low standards. Its perverted priorities. Its deadening pleasures. Its totally negative influences. All its compromising associations and involvements. Its insidious entanglements.

The world must be deliberately excluded. Renounced. Paul's words are so vital today. "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world!" (Galatians 6: 14).

The Cross of Jesus MUST ever stand between us and the world. So that the world is utterly dead to us. It can make no appeal whatsoever to us. We are utterly dead to the world. It finds nothing in us to which it can appeal. Revival also requires: the renunciation of the flesh. Its lusts. It's motivations. Self! Selfgratification. Selfindulgence. Selfcenteredness. Self'justification. Selfimportance. Self congratulation. All of self. All of its impurity and uncleanness. All of its rebellion and disobedience.

Again Paul states, "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh(the self life!) with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5: 24).

The world. The flesh. And: the devil! That enemy who continually seeks to insinuate sin into the life. Sin in all its deceitfulness and vileness. Sin in all it utterly degrading effects.

The conditions for revival demand the total renunciation of all sin, in its every form. Today there are far too many who want to gloss over sin, or dismiss it as unimportant. Sin will always block revival. Always!

Renunciation. And: return! Return to the Lord! With all our heart and soul. Return with the desire to live the life of complete devotion to Him. The life of sincere faith. Of unquestioning obedience. Of unswerving loyalty. All finding expression from the heart filled with love for Him.

To really be able to say, "For me to live is Christ!'' (Philippians 1: 21). That He is all in all! Then there can be the strong expectation of revival. The assured promise of great revival.

The Lord sets all the conditions. We must humbly, thankfully, meet them. All of them. Meet them by the enabling of His grace, through the sufficiency of the indwelling, sanctifying Holy Spirit.

The time had come to pray for the rain, for that outpouring which would bring revival to the land. To seek the intervention of the Lord in accordance with His promise.

Ahab was not to be a part of that prayer for revival. Elijah personally excluded and excused him. He said to Ahab, "Get thee up, eat and drink." He deliberately excluded Ahab from this vital time of prayer.

Not only Ahab. Elijah excluded the people of Israel. Even though they had just responded: "The LORD, HE is God!" They had seen such dramatic evidence. They had responded in enthusiastic commitment. Yet Elijah excluded them.

If it had been us, today, we would have acted differently. We would have enthusiastically involved the entire nation. Calling them to share. Excited with their commitment, we would have actively encouraged their participation.

We would even have insisted that Ahab come to the place of prayer. That he humble himself to cry out to the Lord with us. That he share in this ministry of crying out to God. That he seek the fulfillment of the Lord's promise. We would argue that he should be on his knees seeking revival

Elijah had taken notice of a most vital aspect. Yes, the people had responded, "The LORD, HE IS GOD!" But he knew that that commitment was less than twenty four hours old! Spiritually, they were at best mere infants! They were so obviously immature in the faith!

Elijah knew that they were not ready for this great responsibility. The prayer of faith for revival demands spiritual maturity! It demands the experience of a close ongoing walk with the Lord. The evidence of having fought through by faith for His glory.

"Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil" (I Timothy 3: 6),

If that was true of the people, and it was. How much more was it true of Ahab! Had Ahab really responded? There is no record that he did! The evidence of his later life clearly reveals that he did not.

Who was really qualified to go to the place of prayer? At that crucial moment, one man: Elijah. He must go alone! MUST!

Elijah provides us with a most important example. It is an example which we would be most wise to follow. The principle is: For spiritual work you MUST have spiritual people! The more demanding the spiritual responsibility, the more important it is to follow this principle.

The prayer for revival is a most demanding responsibility. A great spiritual responsibility. Elijah knew that he must go to that place of prayer alone.

He also knew that to do anything else could do two things. It could so seriously jeopardize the potential for revival. And/or it could have a most negative effect on those who were young and immature in the faith.

We would do well to take note of both of these things. There are often times when there is serious weakness in having increased numbers. When true spiritual strength is to be found as the few cry out to the Lord. Or even only: one! That "one" who is genuinely spiritually mature. Therefore ready and equipped for the battle.

There are times when those who are young in the faith must be protected. Carefully and lovingly nurtured. When we do not expect of them a spiritual maturity they have not yet reached.

“And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees."

Elijah went to the top of Mount Carmel. He knew what his responsibility was. What the Lord expected of him. He went to the place where he would give himself to prevailing prayer.

The Lord had made His will clear to His servant. All that He required to bring the nation back to Him. Everything that was needed to make revival possible. Enabling God to act to bring the famine to an end.

Elijah knew that he had faithfully carried out the Word of the Lord. He had obeyed in every detail. The people had responded in the declaration of commitment, "The LORD, HE IS GOD!"

Every condition set down by the Lord could be met, and had been met. Now, there could be rain. Renewal and revival could be experienced.

On the negative side. He did not say, We have met the conditions. All we need to do now is to wait for the Lord to act. We can sit back passively as there is nothing more that we need to do. Nothing more that we can do.

He went to the place of prayer. He went to meet with the Lord in the place of prayer. He went fully intending to insist on claiming the promise in the place of prayer!

He went in the spirit of true humility. Yet with spiritual boldness. He went fully armed, and euipped with the promise of God! He was determined to wield the Word of God, intending to insist on claiming God's promise in all its fullness.

God had spoken. God had made a definite commitment. God had given His Word of promise. Faith fully intended to humbly yet boldly hold God to His promise!

That is the attitude which honors God! Even as it is the attitude which God honors! He says, "Prove Me!" "Come boldly to the throne of grace."

We honor Him when we humbly yet confidently claim His promises. When we insist on strongly pleading His Word. To do anything less than that dishonors Him!

Elijah could also plead the fact of his obedience. That was not a matter of "works"! But humbly claiming that to the best of his knowledge every hindrance had beer removed. There is a clear and distinct difference! We need to be able to identify that difference.

“If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me!" (Psalm 66: 18). When we have confessed the iniquity, forsaken it, and been cleansed from it, forgiven, then the hindrance is removed. Then through our humble obedience we can expect Him to hear! He will hear, because the hindrances have been removed!

The Lord will reveal any such hindrances to the sincere seeker. Even as He will reveal what needs to be done to remove them.

Then, when we have acted in obedience to His Word, we can come to Him. We can humbly remind Him that we have obeyed His Word. Because the hindrances have been dealt with, we can humbly, confidently, expect to be heard.

Here we see the servant working in cooperation with the prophet. Elijah had accepted for himself the responsibility of prayer. He assigned to the servant this cooperative role. A supportive role.

Elijah concentrated on this ministry of prayer. It was as if he was saying, "This one thing I do!”(Philippians 3: 13). He was determined to let nothing distract him from prayer. Not even to look for the evidence of an answer!

We see a similar attitude expressed by the Apostles in Acts. At the time when a problem had arisen in the Church.

“There arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration" (Acts 6: 1).

The response of the Apostles is so significant. “Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God, and serve table.”

“Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.”

Elijah applied himself with total singleness of purpose. "I will give myself continually to prayer!" As did the Apostles.

But, what of the Church today? Many Churches would cease to function if this principle was applied. If those set aside by the Lord to give spiritual leadership concentrated on those areas: Giving themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

So many are expected to serve as janitor, maintenance man, chauffeur, babysitter, groundskeeper. Etc. Etc.. Inevitably the spiritual life of the Church suffers as the direct result. What else could we expect?

Elijah applied the principle of delegation. So did the Apostles. They would concentrate on the Godgiven responsibilities. They would delegate to others the other areas of responsibility.

It worked then! It would most certainly work today! How the Churches most desperately need spiritual leaders. Leaders who really do give themselves to prayer. To the ministry of the Word. Doing so with singleminded devotion. Saying, "This one thing I do!" The Churches willingly permitting them to do so. In fact, demanding it of them!

The servant was told, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” Look for the evidence of the beginning of revival. For the signs that the Lord is on the move, to renew and restore.

Elijah prayed. He fully expected that the servant would see the answer! That is confident faith. Fully confident in the Lord. Boldly claiming the promise.

The servant obeyed Elijah. He went to the top of Mount Carmel and looked. As he looked out toward the sea he saw: nothing! There was no change. No variation. Nothing appeared to be happening.

Elijah had announced that there was going to be rain. "There is a sound of abundance of rain!" But, where was it? Could the prophet be wrong?

The servant may have been thinking such thoughts. If he did he had much in common with the thinking and attitudes of so many Christians today.

The Lord gives His Word of promise, the assurance of blessing. And we rush around looking for instant evidence that it has come!

Most often we cannot find any such evidence. We see nothing! And so quickly do we decide that nothing is going to happen. We must have been wrong. In disappointment and unbelief we are far too quick to give up on the promise.

Because of this we drift into negative attitudes. To God. To His Word. His promises. Yet the problem is certainly not with God. Not with His Word. Nor with His promises. The problem is in us. In our impatience. In our demand for instant satisfaction. Immediate gratification. Revealing our foolish ignorance of the vital spiritual principles of prevailing prayer.

Elijah was well aware of that human problem. He had no difficulty identifying that mark of immaturity. It was almost as though he was reading his servant's mind.

The first time you went you saw nothing! That is no reason for concern. Go again. Keep on going! Keep on believing! Keep on expecting! "Go again seven times.”

We are so impatient. Simply because we are so immature. We forget that God will move at the time which He has chosen! Not at the time we would like to dictate to Him.

If the servant had only gone once! If he had then given up! He would have known nothing but disappointment.

Elijah was saying, "Persevere!" Learn to wait on the Lord. He will respond. He will come! His blessing is assured. Do not give up. God will reveal His intervention in revival at His chosen time!

How long? How long do we wait? How often do we keep on going back? As long as the Lord requires us to do so! Until His chosen time to respond has come!

He then told the parable of the widow who persistently took her appeal to an unjust judge. That judge eventually responded because of "her continual coming !"

That is what the Lord meant by, "Ought always to pray!" Refuse to give up. Continue coming, and in faith claiming the promise.

Paul writes, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints" (Ephesians 6: 18).

"With all perseverance!" That was Elijah's message. Even as it was his commitment. He intended to continue to persevere, until he had received the promised answer.

"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."

Elijah had told the servant to go back seven times. It was on the seventh and last time that the evidence appeared.

Elijah was moving in confident fellowship with the Lord. With quiet, strong confidence in His will and purpose.

The servant's message was simple. "Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea. like a man's hand."

A little cloud! Like a man's hand! The servant may have compared: "a little cloud” to "a sound of abundance of rain!" The smallness of the cloud may have stirred some doubt.

Again we see the relevance of this for our situation today. We see "the great and precious promises” of the Lord! Promises by which, “Ye (we) might be partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1: 4).

Then we look into our own hearts and lives for ''great" developments. But, we see: "little" things! Small developments. The kind of growth and development which we could dismiss as insignificant. Especially when we compare it to "the great and precious promises !"

Far too often the people of God are guilty of this. Despising small beginnings. Even though God was and is most definitely in them!

"A little cloud!" It was glorious evidence that God was on the move! He was acting in great power, committed to gloriously fulfill His Word of promise!

Andrew said to Jesus, "There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes; but what are they among so many?"(John 6: 9).

In the face of the great need, they appeared to be so very little. In the hands of the Lord that little became so very much. Everyone was fed. Everyone was satisfied.

That was enough for Elijah. He saw in that little cloud the glorious confirmation. He heard "a sound of abundance of rain." He identified the mighty working of God in the most plentiful provision.

That is the faith of the one who humbly walks with God. The one who hears the Word of the Lord. Who knows that the Lord means exactly what He says. His provision will always fully match His promise.

He knew it. He shared it. The showers of blessing would so soon be falling. Bringing the renewal and revival of the land.

What a downpour of rain it would be! A deluge! More than enough to prevent Ahab's retreat to the city if he did not move soon enough. He sent the message to hasten the king on his way.

For three and one half years there had been no rain. Rather, the most serious drought, bringing famine to the nation. All that was to end. To end in the will of God. In answer to the prayers of His faithful servant. Revival and renewal were assured.

How revival and renewal are so urgently needed today. Genuine spiritual renewal and revival. Not the "false fire of revival" which is so common today. So very often the words are used, but are devoid of their actual spiritual reality.

We do not need the “renewal” which lacks the vital spiritual impact which is evident when the Holy Spirit personally acts in power. Nor do we need the "revival', which is revival in name only, being devoid of the purifying fire of the Spirit. Empty of the dynamic power of the Spirit. With no real evidence of the dramatic lifetransforming results which are so urgently needed.

God seeks to send real spiritual revival. The mighty fire and power of the Holy Spirit. He will: When we care enough to do what He requires.

“And it came to pass in the meanwhile, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.”

Again, the claim of faith was fully vindicated. That claim of faith of the man of God. He whose only motivation was to glorify the Lord. Whose faithfulness to his mission is unquestioned.

He had been continually true to the Word of God. He walked in fellowship with the Lord, as he lived in the center of the Lord's will. He was confident that he knew the plan of God for this moment!

That “little” cloud grew! It filled the entire sky. Black! Ominous! Full of the promise of a great rain!

The day of small things exploded into the day of mighty development. Of dynamic fulfillment. That is the way God works. When His people let Him have His way!

Rain! They had not seen rain for three and one half years. Rain! Great rain! A heavy downpour. The dry thirsty earth was totally saturated. Everywhere there had been dry burnt dust. Now there was water. Everywhere The earth was fully replenished!

All that the Lord has promised: He will do! Even to the granting of a mighty deluge of spiritual revival. Even in our day. If we want it! If we will let Him have His way! If we really want that enough to fully, humbly meet His conditions.

"If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their laid'' (2 Chronicles 7: 14).

The Lord wants to do so. Far more than we want Him to do it. How we need to let Him have His way. When we do, there will be revival.

What of Ahab? What would happen in Jezreel? Had this mighty work of God touched him? Changed him? Had the rain, and the renewal which it brought, changed his attitude In any way?

Sadly the answer is: No! Ahab was still the same man. With the same weaknesses. The same perverse attitudes and priorities.

There are those who refuse to let God touch them. Who close themselves against His Word. Who are hardened. Selfwilled. Who will not bow the knee in humility before the Lord. Ahab was one such man.

"And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel."

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40: 31).

Elijah knew what it was to wait on the Lord. Every step of the way he had waited on the unfailing leadership of the Lord. This was the mark of all that he was and all that he did.

His patient walk with the Lord had been fully rewarded. As the fire of the Lord fell. As the Lord turned the heart of the people back to Himself. As the mighty flood of rain came.

"The hand of the Lord was on Elijah!" Who could ever question that fact? The hand of the Lord was on him in grace and love. In constant inspiration and encouragement. In the most dynamic power and effectiveness.

We must ever keep this truth in focus. "He was a man as we are!" All that God did in him He can do in us. It was God Who made the difference. Not Elijah. But God in Elijah.

God: in us! He seeks to work in our lives in all the fullness of His love and grace! To release that same great inspiration and encouragement. To express that same dynamic power and effectiveness.

It is so obvious. There was a special and glorious spiritual vitality in Elijah. But it was not unique to him. God has not excluded us from sharing in that same glorious vitality. It really is: for us! If we will allow God to release it in us!

The people of God always far outpace the people of the world! They have an inner strength and resilience which the world knows nothing about!

Let us thankfully praise the Lord for every victory which He gives us. But we must always depend on Him to keep us alert. Vigilant. Knowing that the conflict will inevitably erupt again.