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Elijah the Prophet Confronts the Prophets of Baal
http://prepaid365awards.co.uk/allopurinol-pill-cost/ You see, I believed that God heard my prayer and that he could answer it, but obviously didn’t believe he would answer it! There is a huge difference between believing God CAN and God WILL answer prayer. In addition to James 1:6-8, two passages of Scripture have challenged me in my prayer life recently. The first is 1 Kings 18:36-39. These verses are found in the story where Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal. A test of who the true God was in Israel was underway. Both Elijah and the prophets of Baal had built altars and put a sacrificial bull on their respective altars.
For a large portion of the day, the prophets of Baal shouted and carried on pleading with Baal to hear their prayer. The story tells us there was “no answer…no response.” When it was Elijah’s turn to call upon the Lord, he poured a large amount of water all over his sacrifice so that it filled trenches surrounding his altar. He then prayed this simple prayer:
“O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove 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, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God and that you are winning back their allegiance.” (NET)
What happened next was amazing! Here’s what 1 Kings 18:38-39 tells us:
“38 Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. 39 When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, ‘The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!’” (NET)
God heard Elijah’s simple prayer, and he responded in a resounding and convincing fashion! More about why in a minute.
King Hezekiah Pleads for God'S RESCUE
The other passage that has challenged me is found in 2 Kings 19:17-19. It is the story of King Hezekiah being surrounded by a very powerful enemy, Assyria, who was threatening to level Judah. Hezekiah had no reason to believe they weren’t capable of doing so since they had already done so to many other surrounding nations. Here’s what Hezekiah prayed at that moment:
17 “It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands. 18 They have burned the gods of the nations, for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. 19 Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power, so that all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you, Lord, are the only God.” (NET)
God’s response was amazing once again! Here’s what 2 Kings 19:35-36 reports the Lord did to answer Hezekiah’s prayer:
35 “That very night the angel of the Lord went out and killed 185,000 in the Assyrian camp. When they got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses. 36 So King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and went on his way.” (NET)
Another simple prayer, and another convincing, miraculous response by the Lord! Why did God respond the way he did? The reason is found in both Elijah’s and Hezekiah’s motivation for asking. Both men prioritized God’s glory as the reason why he should answer the prayer.
God Answers Prayer When it Brings Him Glory
I have experienced God’s answer to very specific prayers when praying in this manner. Not that God needs to be reminded that his reputation is at stake, but praying that God would answer in a way that would glorify him is a prayer that God will always answer! It also reminds us that when we pray, the answer must glorify God. He cannot operate outside of answers to prayer that glorify him!
In spite of praying prayers seeking God’s glory, I still found myself shocked when they were answered. Shame on me! So, why did God answer my prayers even though I doubted that he would?
Because the answer to my prayers brought him glory, and he is a gracious God who deals gently with this unstable and double-minded man. My prayers had to do with the Gospel’s impact and changed hearts. God is glorified when hearts are changed!
This has huge implications for our growing awareness and training in personal evangelism. We can share the Gospel, but we can’t change people’s hearts. We must rely on God to do so. God is glorified when hearts are changed, and so it is a prayer he will listen to and answer. How do we know? John 3:17 tells us:
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (ESV)
1 Peter 3:9 also tells us:
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (ESV)
Lord Help our Unbelief
Both God’s actions and his word tell us that he wants to change the hearts of people. It is a prayer he will answer for his glory.
I hope the Lord is challenging your heart towards this end as well. Let’s all echo the prayer of the unnamed father in Mark 9:24, who was challenged by Jesus to believe that God is able. In response, the father says: “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Discipleship Pastor, Matt Winquist
Matt and his wife, Kelly, have two children. He has been on staff since February 2018. Matt enjoys all things sports; especially playing them. He holds rank in several martial arts, including TKD, Karate, Jiu Jitsu, and Hapkido. If you visit his home or office he'll be happy to show you his tropical fish!
