1 Kings 18:43: "Go again seven times."
Success is certain when the Lord has promised it. Although you may have pleaded month after month without evidence of answer, it is not possible that the Lord should be deaf when His people are earnest in a matter which concerns His glory. The prophet on the top of Carmel continued to wrestle with God, and never for a moment gave way to a fear that he should be non-suited in Jehovah's courts. Six times the servant returned, but on each occasion no word was spoken but "Go again." We must not dream of unbelief, but hold to our faith even to seventy times seven. Faith sends expectant hope to look from Carmel's brow, and if nothing is beheld, she sends again and again. So far from being crushed by repeated disappointment, faith is animated to plead more fervently with her God. She is humbled, but not abashed: her groans are deeper, and her sighings more vehement, but she never relaxes her hold or stays her hand. It would be more agreeable to flesh and blood to have a speedy answer, but believing souls have learned to be submissive, and to find it good to wait for as well as upon the Lord. Delayed answers often set the heart searching itself, and so lead to contrition and spiritual reformation: deadly blows are thus struck at our corruption, and the chambers of imagery are cleansed. The great danger is lest men should faint, and miss the blessing. Reader, do not fall into that sin, but continue in prayer and watching. At last the little cloud was seen, the sure forerunner of torrents of rain, and even so with you, the token for good shall surely be given, and you shall rise as a prevailing prince to enjoy the mercy you have sought. Elijah was a man of like passions with us: his power with God did not lie in his own merits. If his believing prayer availed so much, why not yours? Plead the precious blood with unceasing importunity, and it shall be with you according to your desire.
5 comments:
Hi Pastor Okie
If I am reading this right it says we sometimes have to come to God more than once for something..did I read it right? I know I have found that to be true.
BTW how are you... I left you a message on my blog you said you may have found a worship leader that is great what I asked you on my blog was now do you need a piano player....?
I promise no Southern Gospel I will save that for Pastor Steves Church :-) yeah right he would throw me out.
Yes, Mary; Jesus told us to ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, and knock and keep on knocking. Luke 18:1: "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart."
Okie, I was just reading Pastor Chuck's new book on prayer and he references Elijah's prayer also, but he is talking about the listening side of prayer in the point he is making. The reason Elijah kept coming back, was because he had already heard and understood the word of God. We need to spend time listening, once we know God has spoken to us, then the faith part is naturally there; it might be tested but it is there. This goes along with the first sentence of Spurgeon's message "Success is certain when the Lord has promised it".
When do I fail - when I am praying my will, and not something God has promised. We need to keep praying until we know we have heard from God.
BMR
And speaking of prayer, don't forget to pray for Sarah Palin; her debate is on Thursday and she really needs to do well.
She is hated by the liberal-left because she is a Christian, who is pro-life; unlike Obama she believes all babies who are born should recieve health care and be protected.
BMR
BMR: Right you are!
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