We live in Pennsylvania but spend summers in Minnesota with family. Two years ago, it was very dry in Minnesota. This past summer was wet, but we came home to drought conditions in Pennsylvania. It seems dryness is just a part of life we learn to live with. However, that shouldn’t be something we learn to put up with spiritually. There are times we feel far from God, barren, perhaps even hopeless in our spirit. We don’t feel God’s presence like we once did. Prayer, worship and Bible study seem like a chore, something to get done to cross off the list. Yes, spiritually dry times come, but we have more control over them than we have over the weather. There are lessons we can learn from Elijah about how to find rain during times of dryness.
Israel was in crisis because of God’s judgment on their sin. The people had been led away from God by the wicked King Ahab and his evil wife, Jezebel. In order to get their attention, God instructed the prophet Elijah to call for a national drought (1 Kings 17:1). For over three years not one drop of rain fell on the land. Israel was an agrarian society. Without water, their crops didn’t grow, their livestock couldn’t survive and food was very scarce. People become chronically dehydrated, ill and many died. Wild animals fell dead in the field. Everything was brown and shriveled up. The people felt helpless. They needed rain. God was teaching them how to receive it.
1. GET RID OF YOUR BAALS. God provided rain in response to Elijah offering a sacrifice and praying, something the prophets of Baal were unable to do. God clearly showed He was the only true God, the only one able to bring rain (1 Kings 18:16-39). The people turned from their false prophets and priests, killed all of them and turned back to God.
In our modern society, “Baal” is any obstacle in our lives that is standing in the way of our relationship with Christ. It’s openings that have allowed the enemy access into our lives. It’s unwanted priorities, values, temptations or sin in our lives. It could be things that are OK, even good – but when they come before God they become an idol (1 John 5:21). Hobbies, social media, entertainment, exercise, even being overly busy in ‘church work’ can so dominate our time and energy so that we don’t have enough left for God.
Understand that we don’t always have to be on an emotional or spiritual high. They are nice when they come but are always temporary. Don’t set that as your standard expectation. It’s when God seems distant and far away, that your mind wanders when you pray and your heart doesn’t connect with God when you worship that something is wrong. If that is true of you now, admit it and don’t make excuses about it. Ask God to show you if anything is coming between you and Him. Take time to listen as He communicates His love to you and draws you back to Him. Then kill the false Baals that have been in your life, taking up your time and attention, so God can again be number one.
2. PRAY BASED ON GOD’S PROMISES. Elijah knew God would answer (1 Kings 18:41) because He had already said he would (1 Kings 17:1). God’s promise was the foundation of his prayer for rain, and it is vital for receiving God’s blessing when we pray. God is not obligated to fulfill our will and our wishes, even though He delights to grant us good things. But God has obligated Himself to perform His will and fulfill His promises. It’s part of His nature. It’s who He is.
If we have a promise from God that we find in His word, we can know with confidence that God will answer our prayers. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15). If God has promised it and we have done our part in prayer, faith and obedience, then God will bring it to pass. Are your prayers based on God’s promises?
3. WE PERSEVERE IN FERVENT PRAYER. Even if our feelings might not be behind it, even if we don’t feel it is getting through, we persevere in prayer (James 5:16). That’s what Elijah did and we must do as well (1 Kings 18:42). Elijah prayed seven times until he saw the rain cloud begin (1 Kings 18:43). What if he would have stopped after 6 times? That’s how we must pray (Luke 18:1-8). Prayer is not some weak attempt by the feeble-minded to cope with circumstances. It’s the powerful place we run to in order to give life to God’s promises, break the power of drought and pierce through the clouds of darkness so God can deliver the rain. Are you persisting in fervent prayer.
4. EXPECT GOD TO ANSWER. Jesus says, when you pray, believe that you receive (Mark 11:24). The heroes of the faith expected God to deliver His promises. By trusting God, Noah kept his family safe in the ark, elderly Abraham fathered a child, Joseph was raised to a palace, Moses split the Red Sea. Mary, a virgin, bore the Messiah, Peter walked on water and Paul escaped death numerous times! I’m not talking about “name it and claim it” where we tell God exactly what we want done and He follows our instructions. I’m talking about having faith in God to do the right and best thing, the very thing I would want if I knew all He knows. Do you trust God to answer your prayers and do what is best for you?
If you are in a dry season, destroy any Baals that may have crept into your life. Find a scriptural promise of God and embrace the power of prayer. Then be persistent. God is faithful, watching over His word, waiting to perform it. Even when you see no sign of rain in your drought, stay expectant and trust that He hears you. He will answer with a heavy downpour of living water on your marriage and family, health and finances and everything that concerns you. Just don’t assume God will give you an emotional high. Instead, He will help you go spiritually deeper. Try it. You’ll like it!
Luke 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
Do you go by your emotions in your relationship with God, or do you faithfully persevere in prayer and obedience even when He seems far away? Pray and renew your commit to patiently persevere now.
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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