On Sunday, August 24th, I was asked to share the message at our church while our Pastor was away on vacation. I felt led to challenge the congregation to prayerfully search their hearts for the passion that the Lord might be stirring in their hearts and then grab hold of it no matter what. The “no matter what” part is key, because [as we all know] the enemy does not want us to succeed when we seek to obey God.
Reading on in 1 Kings 18:1, God told Elijah that He would send rain to Samaria which was in the midst of a severe drought. In 1 Kings 18:41-44, Elijah went up to the top of Carmel to pray. He sent his servant to “look toward the sea” and the servant would come back and say “there is nothing there.” Seven times Elijah said “go back” and the seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” The rains were about to come.
The point is, God told Elijah the rains would come, even though the circumstances said otherwise. Elijah pressed on in prayer holding on to that which God had spoken to him. Little did I know how much I, personally would need this word. In the seven days surrounding this message, I experienced a significant financial hit on several fronts, and received the news that my wife was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The circumstances say otherwise, but I have to believe our rains will come. Our challenge now is to remain in prayer, hold on to God's Word, and keep looking for the cloud. Easier said than done.
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