Faith-praying

“God has no use for the prayers
of the people who won't listen to him”.   Prov. 28:9 The MSG Bible

The children of Israel had a prayer life that rendered no power, it only resulted in frustration.   On the same level of this frustration, were the helpless prayers of the prophets of Baal. 

In I Kings 18:22-25, Elijah sets the terms of competition to help the crowd decide whom they should serve.  The prophets of Baal were to prepare an altar then call upon their god to consume the sacrifice with fire.   Elijah was to do the same.   They would declare the deity that responded to be the true God.

Elijah put himself in an “all or nothing” situation.   At the end of the competition, everyone would either call him a fraud or a true prophet.   They would either worship Baal or Yahweh.   He did not formulate a win-win situation.   He put everything on the line!

The prophets of Baal did not bring down fire.   First, they had many people praying, four hundred and fifty, to be exact.    Second, they prayed a long time, “from morning until noon”.    Third, they were exuberant in their prayer, “they leaped about the altar”.   Fourth, they made a great deal of noise, “they cried aloud”.   Fifth, they made sadistic sacrifices by “cutting themselves with swords and lances”.  YET, their prayers were helpless, their god did NOT respond, and God’s prophet mocked their efforts.  (I King 18:22-28)

 It does not matter how many “prayer partners” are praying, how long you pray, how exuberant your prayer, how much noise you make, or how much you personally sacrifice, a helpless prayer to a deaf god is ineffective.

Elijah, God’s solitary prophet facing the multitudes of false prophets prayed a prayer that God honored.

Elijah’s honored prayer was the result of a deep trust in the God he served.   After Elijah prepared the altar, he closed all escape routes.  Instead of putting dry kindling wood under the sacrifice, he poured gallons of water over it.

Faith-praying is praying for things big enough that God is not ashamed to get involved.   Elijah soaked the altar, he then prayed.   The only way that sacrifice could catch on fire was by the hand of God.

“Hear me O Lord, hear me…..”   After this short, humble prayer, God responded: “Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.”  (vs 31-40)

After God answered this prayer, the people worshipped Him and the false prophets died.

How is your prayer life?

Are you like the children of Israel praying the wrong prayers, with a selfish motive?

Or are you like the prophets of Baal, sincerely praying, but to the wrong god?

Or are you like Elijah, faced with impossible odds and circumstances, boldly asking God to intervene?

Let us pray that God might again send down His fire from heaven to ignite our lives and ministries.   May our prayers burn with a passion for those around us that need Jesus, and may our prayers be honored.