Listening to God, knowing and keeping the faith 1 Kings 18:41-46

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

    1 Kings 18:41-46  Ahab, who is king and is Jezebel's husband is with Elijah. Obviously he saw all that went on and was on good terms with the prophet.

   Verse 41 Elijah tells Ahab to go up to eat and drink - "for there is a sound of the rushing of rain."  Obviously, the area must have been in a drought.

   Now Elijah heard the sound of the rushing of rain, but not a single rain cloud was in sight, anywhere.  So, was he guessing?  Was he just hoping?  No, I do believe that God, in a small still voice, gave him the message of rain.  Now this is what is interesting. 

   Now  Elijah "bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees" which was his particular prayer position.  So what is happening here?  Elijah maintains the faith.  He is not wavering! He is talking AND listening to God!
          Elijah sent his servant out to look for a cloud, yet he saw none.  He did this 5 more times and saw nothing.  On the 7th time (note the number 7) the servant said a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea.  Do you see anything special about his report and description?  The cloud looked like a man's hand - hmm- could this have been the hand of God?

    Now, Elijah tells Ahab to get his chariot and go down to Jezreel before the rain.  Then the heaven grew black with clouds and wind and a great rain came.  Ahab rode his chariot and went to Jezreel.
      But notice verse 46- "And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance to Jezreel."

 Then a sudden miraculous endowment of Elijah with the physical ability to run ahead of Ahab's chariot all the way to Jezreel.  Notice, the hand of the LORD was on Elijah.  When God's hand is upon you, you can do many miraculous things; he did, he ran ahead of a chariot pulled by a horse. Wow!

   Now what do you see in these verses?  Faith & belief!  First, Elijah heard the rushing of rain (no one else did and not a cloud in the sky).
     Second, Elijah bowed humbly before God and prayed!

     Third, belief in hearing the rushing of rain and sending servant to look for a cloud - aka FAITH!

     Fourth, with God's ability he ran ahead of the chariot.

All of this was through his total faith in God.  Wow!  For us to have this much faith and pray as he did would be amazing and we would see amazing things happen in this fallen world we live in.

    My brothers and sisters in Christ.  Keep God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit  1st in your life.  Believe and go forth sharing the gospel with many.  LORD, let us be as Elijah and have an unwavering faith.  Love you all.

 Soli Deo Gloria

Johnny