The God Who Answers...

"Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God..." 1 Kings 18:24

Elijah's stand against the prophets of Baal is one of my favorite accounts from Israel's history. (Notice that I didn't say story!!!) The man of God vs the false prophets. The living God vs idols. What Drama! What Power! What Faith!

I have a question for you: Can you stand in Elijah's place? What if the outcome depended upon God answering your prayers?

John Franklin, "And the Place Was Shaken", said: 'God doesn't answer prayer; He answers you.' The point of this statement isn't to destroy everything that you have been taught about prayer. The point is to get you to open your eyes to the fact that we have a relational God who answers us when we pray!

But what if I'm not seeing my prayers answered?

In regards to unanswered prayer, I would encourage you to do several things:
1) Check your motives - what drives your prayer?
2) Check your heart - any sin in your life?
3) Check your life - has God said "NO" or "WAIT"?
4) Check your circumstances - can your life handle God's answer right now?
5) Check your pulse - how passionate are you about the things you are praying for?

These are just a few points that need to be made in regards to unanswered prayer. Don't question God's ability to answer. He is All-Powerful! Don't question God's heart to answer. H is Love! However, be willing to hear something other than "YES" from time to time. God has His reasons.

But let's get back to the scripture. What if we were in Elijah's place? What if America turning back to God depended upon Him answering in fire (or some other way)? Do we have the faith to believe? Do we have the passion to pray? Do we have the willingness to labor? There was a lot of work that went into Elijah's prayer. He issued a challenge, built an altar, got things ready for a fire, drenched everything in water, and then he prayed. Too often we are looking for shortcuts to get God to answer. We don't mind prayer meeting as long as it doesn't go too long, or they don't ask me to pray, or it doesn't interfere with other plans. This list goes on (I promise).

The fact is: If we want to see our nation turn to God then the church must turn to Him as well! 2 Chronicles 7:14 teaches us this truth and yet too many churches aren't praying. Jesus said that His Father's house would be a house of prayer. Is it? Or have we turned it into a house of merchandise, house of entertainment, or a house of idolatry?

"The God who answers..." You do realize that Elijah wasn't playing fair. He served a God who answered prayer. You can take full confidence and assurance in that statement as well. God hears you when you pray and He will answer you.