www.4freedom.org.uk ~ a 'going deeper' resource
"For this purpose Christ was revealed: to destroy all the works of the evil one"
   Home      2013 Thankfull      Prayer


   
 "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective" James 5:16
 
 
God intends that we participate in life with him (Genesis 2:15, Ephesians 2:10). We have responsibilites and God provides the means to fulfill them (2Peter 1:3).
 
Prayer is a powerful weapon (2Corinthians 10:4).. and we are expected to use it (1Thessalonians 5:17).
 
 
 
 
 
Elijah and Elisha are biblical men we can learn from :

Elijah on Mount Carmel....1Kings 18

Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, ‘Is that you, you troubler of Israel?’

18 ‘I have not made trouble for Israel,’ Elijah replied. ‘But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. 19 Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.’

20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah went before the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’

But the people said nothing.

22 Then Elijah said to them, ‘I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire – he is God.’

Then all the people said, ‘What you say is good.’

25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, ‘Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.’ 26 So they took the bull that was given to them and prepared it.

Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. ‘Baal, answer us!’ they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. ‘Shout louder!’ he said. ‘Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or travelling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.’ 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come here to me.’ They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, ‘Your name shall be Israel.’ 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench round it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, ‘Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.’

34 ‘Do it again,’ he said, and they did it again.

‘Do it a third time,’ he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: ‘Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.’

38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord – he is God! The Lord – he is God!’

40 Then Elijah commanded them, ‘Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!’ They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there."

~
 
The Death of Elisha.... 2Kings 13
 

Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. ‘My father! My father!’ he cried. ‘The chariots and horsemen of Israel!’

15 Elisha said, ‘Get a bow and some arrows,’ and he did so. 16 ‘Take the bow in your hands,’ he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.

17 ‘Open the east window,’ he said, and he opened it. ‘Shoot!’ Elisha said, and he shot. ‘The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!’ Elisha declared. ‘You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.’

18 Then he said, ‘Take the arrows,’ and the king took them. Elisha told him, ‘Strike the ground.’ He struck it three times and stopped. 19 The man of God was angry with him and said, ‘You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.’

20 Elisha died and was buried.

Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. 21 Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet."

 ~

  

God wants us to succeed in His purpose (Proverbs 16:3). To be effective (in prayer) we must be *right with God, *aware of His purpose and sensitive to His way, *strong in Him (Ephesisans 6 10-12) *willing to persevere & sacrifice (Matthew 6:17) and *carefully / faithfully (Romans 12:12) follow /obey God. Proverbs 28:9
 
We must pray in accordance with God's word & spirit  (Matthew 6: 5-18, 18:20) and remember to keep praying (Ephesisans 1:16)
 
We pray believing God hears us (Matthew 21:22)  .....and remember Jesus prays for us (John 17, Hebrews 7:25)
 
 
 
"The people that know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits" Daniel 11:32 (NKJV)
 
 
 
Are you effective in prayer?
 
"Hope ..an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Hebrews 6:19)
 
"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail" (Lamentations 3:22)
 
 
 
Don't forget Daily Strength @hearttothelord www.twitter.com