Title Yeongam Church Prayer School (21) Elijah's...
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Yeongam Church Prayer School (21) Elijah's Prayer (1 Kings 18:30-38) 2002.11.13.
Even now, if you go to the top of Mount Carmel, a monastery called 'Muchlaka' (Altar of Fire), built in 1868, is located. In the courtyard of this monastery is a stone statue of Elijah with a sword in one hand. This stone statue seems to be asking viewers to rearm their faith.
One of the most dramatic events in the Bible is the confrontation on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 28. 1:850 fight! There is only one prophet Elijah fighting on the side of Jehovah God, and on the other side, 450 prophets serving Baal and 400 prophets serving Asherah (the mother of Baal and the wife of El, the supreme god), a total of 850 prophets. Imagine getting ready for a plate fight!
The prophets of Baal and Asherah were overwhelming in numbers, but behind them were the absolute power of King Ahab and Jezebel, who actively supported the idolization of Israel. But in the end, who was the victor in this unmatched battle? Wasn't it Elijah, the prophet of God who went to war alone?
There are times today when we have to fight like this. It's a fight that seems impossible to win. It is clear that I am on God's side at work, in my family, and in my neighbourhood, but it is clear that I am on the right side, but in reality, the crowds that oppose me seem too numerous and strong. They overwhelm me not only in numbers, but also in power and public opinion. What should we do when we have to fight like this?
If you look at what Elijah did at this time, the answer is easy to find. Elijah never succumbed to or cowardly avoided the situation even when the odds seemed almost impossible. It was because his eyes looked to the sky, not to the 850 idolaters standing before him and the absolute power behind them. This is because the God who created the heavens and the earth saw that the all-powerful God who could do anything was on his side and helping him. Therefore, instead of hesitating or fleeing, Elijah took the method of prayer. Because the Lord God was with me, I was confident that if he helped me, I would win this battle.
So are we. It is very dangerous to make decisions based on what you can see. A person who has faith should be able to look beyond adversity and see the help of God in heaven, rather than wandering in the numerous adversity and adverse circumstances that are unfolding before me. We must overcome the present field of life, hope for God's blessings, and be victorious in our faith life by praying and awake.
Through today's text, let's examine the characteristics of Elijah's prayer and consider what kind of prayer we will win in the good fight today.
<Eyes>: The eyes of faith can see God's helping hand over adversity, but the eyes of unbelief only see the real world. What kind of eyes do you have?
1. I prayed to hold onto the covenant (promise).
1 Kings 18:36 “At the time of the offering of the evening meal offering, Elijah the prophet came and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I do all these things according to your word.”
Isaiah 55:11 "The word that goes out of my mouth will not return to me in vain; it will accomplish my will, and it shall prosper in the work for which I sent it."
<Covenant>: God is not like man, so the covenant that comes out of his mouth is 100% fulfilled. Therefore, we must believe and pray. Many people of faith in the Old and New Testaments also held on to God's covenant and prayed. In particular, in the Old Testament, the expression “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob” appears a lot because God has chosen the ancestors of this faith and promised that not only them but also their descendants will be blessed. Rather than praying blindly, let's pray by relying on the promises made to our ancestors and to ourselves. Since God is the one who always keeps His promises, prayer that relied on His promises in this way will be a 100% hit.
2. He prayed to reveal the glory of God.
1 Kings 18:37 "Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you are God, and that you are turning their hearts."
Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
3. He knelt down and prayed earnestly.
1 Kings 18:42 "Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel, and knelt down on the ground, and put his face between his knees."
Proverbs 8:17 "I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me."
4. I prayed to be sure that I would receive an answer.
1 Kings 18:37 “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that the Lord GOD is God, and that you are turning their hearts.”
Have you ever had any doubts or doubts about God's answer while praying? Prayer without doubt, prayer with confidence, is more powerful. But it's not right to be sure. It is because my prayers are not answered because it is a wrong prayer (James 4:3). Elijah was sure of God's answer because he was sure that his prayer was in accord with God's will. I am convinced that this prayer will surely come true, because if God answers, these people (who are tainted with idolatry and do not have the right faith) will know that Jehovah is the only God and will turn their hearts from idolatry to faith in Jehovah. will be. We too should pray without doubt, confident that our supplications will come true, but the precondition must always be "If God Wills!"
Mark 11:23-24 “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, believing that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
5. I prayed for resolutely cutting off evil habits and correcting my wrong beliefs.
1 Kings 18:40 "Elijah said to them, "Capture the prophets of Baal, but let none of them escape." Immediately they were captured. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there."
In some ways, it may seem like a cruel act to capture and kill all the fleeing prophets. However, if it is not uprooted in this way, it is impossible to cut off the source of the idols of Baal and Asherah, who tried to rule over all Israel with the absolute powers of Ahab and Jezebel on their backs. We Christians must live a life that is clearly cut off from evil. We must pray, "God! Let me resolutely cut off all form of evil from me" (1 Thessalonians 5:22, Forsake all form of evil). Otherwise, we will not be able to live victoriously in a world ruled by this evil with great power. If this generation goes astray, we must never conform to the flow of this generation and live according to the flow of water. It is a dead faith. A dead fish floats away with the flow of the water, but a living fish can back up the water. Don't follow yourself too much just because other people believe that way, but let's go to the right degree of faith according to God's will.