A Statewide Call to Pray! Day Fourteen!

Today's blog is written by Merrie Cardin, TXAPN Executive Council member from Granbury, Texas.

Most seriously born again, praying down fire, serious intercessors love Elijah.  We pray for the “spirit” of Elijah to fall on the church so that curses will be removed and generations reconciled as one.  We sing and dance about that confrontation on Mount Carmel with the false prophets of Baal.  But wait…..

Could we back up just a bit and look at the preparation for the prophet to arise?  What came into place so that Elijah could walk in the right spirit for that mighty confrontation victory time?

Trusting God when the brook dries up!

1. He not only had to tolerate a drought.  He had to pray it in!  He had to stand before God first, the king second and say, “This drought is from God to get your attention!” That took a heart of worship that overtakes the fear of man in our own heart.
2. He then had to put his life firmly in the hands of the ONE who created his life.  Ahab was about to come after him hard. This also took a heart firmly planted in worship and surrender to the ONE FATHER of his life. This takes a heart of worship that knows God is our future, our retirement plan, and truthfully really is all of our security.
3. He had to go where God said to go and that was to this little brook called Cherith where his provision was so firmly planted in his Father that he trusted the promise of ravens feeding him.  Cherith by the way comes from a word which pictures the cutting of covenant.  Covenant trust and worship is something the LORD is so calling us to right now.  Covenant oneness brings us to a new sound of worship that shakes dry ground.  This brings us to a heart that sees little brooks as all we need a day at a time.
4. But wait!  His little covenant brook dried up in the drought!  He had to learn that standing can include such deep trust and worship that when our little brook dries up in the drought we simply bend and hear Father’s next word. Elijah could have experienced the fear of abandonment and even felt punished that his brook dried up. But Elijah just waited on the next direction. What worship!  His Word is our life. This means we worship until His Perfect Love drives away our fear rooted in torment and punishment.  God is not punishing His people.  He knows His Love is the only place of true freedom. He is planning the big confrontation!
5. He worshiped and obeyed when God then sent him to Zarephath.  Zarephath is a word meaning “refining”.  Yes, the refining fire has to come before we will call fire from heaven and know what Spirit we are of.  He now was fed by a widow with less than he had.  I have been thinking a lot about this type of worship.  This is such a season to know that the little we have will be multiplied to feed 4000 if God tells us to offer it.  True worship means we do not depend on our victory coming through the abundance that we have but perhaps in the smallness of what we have being made big through our God. 

The big confrontation was coming when all Israel would see that “The LORD He is God!” and the cloud the size of a hand would become an outpouring but first….even Elijah learned to worship in a wilderness season.  God is BIG!  He loves His people.  We are His – standing to trust His covenant love and His ability to refine and shine us.  The LORD - He really is GOD!