Elijah's Prayer for Revival
Series: Prayers from the Bible
September 25, 2022
Frank Foreman
What would true revival look like in the church today? Would it be a week-long event with a guest preacher brought in for a series of messages to motivate us to service and ministry? What about a special weekend with an emphasis on leading others to repentance? ---------- While those are fond memories many of us may have, it is fairly uncommon to see such "revival" as that these days. To be honest, those were simply opportunities to challenge and encourage revival in the lives of people. It is something that can still and does still exist because even with the concept of a "week-long" revival becoming less common, the same Holy Spirit that is responsible for bringing about revival through repentance is still working through the lives of people. ---------- This Sunday, we look at another prayer from the Bible in which Elijah prays for God to turn the hearts of His people back to Him because they had become distracted and consumed by the worship of idols. It is a prayer we can and should offer for His people today as well.
Episode Notes
Big Idea: The world tries to shape my values and compromise my faith….
I must continually turn my heart back to God.
1. See the truth.
1st Kings 16:33, Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
John 18:37-38, Then Pilate said to Him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”
2. Trust God always.
1st Kings 17:7, And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
Proverbs 3:5-8, Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
3. Call for repentance.
1st King 18:21, And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.
Luke 24:45-48, Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
Next Step: Pray for revival!
1st Kings 18:36-37, And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “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.”
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