When Elijah confronted the people, he said to them, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings 18:20-40). So they gathered the prophets of Baal, numbering 450, leaving Elijah alone as the only prophet of the Lord. He challenged them to pray to their god, saying that the one who answers by fire is the true God. In the end, God of Elijah alone answered and he declared, “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God” (1 Kings 18:39).
Who do we pray to? (Matthew 6:7-8)
The prophets of Baal prayed from morning until noon, begging Baal to answer them. They cried louder and even cut themselves to spill blood, but still, there was no answer.
Now, listen to Elijah’s prayer: “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”
- A simple prayer.
- A simple prayer of faith.
- A simple prayer of faith, simply stated.
Elijah’s prayer was not lengthy; there was no dramatic increase in volume or self-reflection. He simply acknowledged that he was God’s servant, that he was obedient to His word and asked for a response so that the people would know Him and repent.
This is a straightforward gospel prayer.
So, who do we pray to, and why do we ask that question? It seems that the church at large has allowed our prayers to shift from faith in God to an effort to appease Him by working for an answer. The mindset has become, “If I do this, maybe God will respond.”
That is not faith; that is works.
Consider the attitude of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they spoke in faith to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3:17-18. They said, “If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Their trust in God was unwavering, regardless of the outcome, because their faith was based on what God wants according to His word, not on their own desires.
God desires us to ask and interact with Him for the express purpose of building a relationship. He has already paid the price for us to approach His throne (Hebrews 4:16), so there is no need to appease Him. We should simply ask in faith, trusting in the outcome, knowing that the answer is for our good and for the glory of God.
Below is the verses we spent most of our time discussing in our small group yesterday.
James 1:6-8
[6] But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. [7] For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; [8] he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
If we don’t truly trust that God can and will answer our prayers, then why bother praying at all?
I loved how it was explained that there is no use of the word “faith” in the original languages of the Bible. Only the word “faithful” was used – an adjective.
I’ve tried to eliminate many words from my vocabulary as I read and understand more of God’s word.
For example, I don’t “wish” for things anymore and I do not get “surprised” when things happen. Now I pray (and trust) and when miracles happen I just praise God with thanksgiving.
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
I believe faith is like going to the gym and exercising. The more you go to the gym, the more you exercise, the stronger you get, the same goes for digging deep into your Bible. Reading God’s word is how you get stronger in your faith.. Faith is the most important muscle in the Christian life, and God is committed to strengthening it. It’s not just how you “get saved.” It’s how you live every day as a follower of Christ. Everything in the Christian life grows in faith. Most Christians as soon as the exercise gets hard they quit. Or they take a more relaxed approach to exercise which does not promote growth. God tests us to see how strong we really are by putting us in positions that will test our faith. The point is that to really grow a muscle it has to be pushed to the limit. How many Bible reps do you do.just enough to get by or push it to the limit.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
It can be difficult at times to let go of control on our own lives or the lives of ones we love. True faith is understanding that God has a plan, and will turn things for our good, even when things look impossible.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 ESV
I believe I am called according to His purpose. I believe He is sovereign. I believe what His word says.