Tag Archives: power of prayer

Passage from 1 Kings 18-19

The Famous Mount Carmel battle between the Baal Prophets and God’s Prophet is well known. The display of God’s power when the man of God prays is unlimited. James 5:17 – Elijah was a man like us; he prayed for it not to rain for three years and it didn’t. I want to focus on the “Man Like us” part of the verse. We know that Elijah was a great prophet, but he was a man. While there were great episodes in his life where the power of God was on display against the enemies of the WORD and His prophet.  1 Kings 18 tells us about the great victory Elijah was a part of in determining who’s god was God. Equal test, sacrifice a bull on the altar and cry out to your god and the god who consumes the sacrifice is God.  Of course the Baal prophets cried out and shouted, cut themselves all day and nothing happened. We know that Elijah ridiculed them and even made fun of their god, saying maybe he is a sleep or relieving himself. After the Baal prophets succumbed to the futility of their efforts; Elijah had his turn. He rebuilt the altar, had water poured on the sacrifice not once but twice. He called out to Yahweh and fire came down and consumed the sacrifice and licked up even the water! Wow, Yahweh is God, then Elijah slew all the Baal prophets.

The connection with Elijah and the Covid-19 is this; Elijah had a melt down after a great victory over the Baal prophets to the point that he ran for his life because of the threat from Jezeebel. For the last 8 weeks or so pastors and ministers have been working overtime to ensure that their congregations got a sermon and service; with the “going back” to church starting even this week, I think there may be a severe let down that the crisis is over. I have been really impressed with the “CHURCH” and how it has stepped up during the “stay at home orders and social distancing.” I have learned that mankind usually will rise to the occasion to meet a threat or crisis. The Church hasn’t been the only people to rally around defeating this virus; first responders and medical personnel are to be lauded for their great compassion and sacrifice to help other people. I have seen the effects like this when natural disasters occur here in Texas and other parts the world. BUT, after the majority of the crisis is over or at least been over come and a semblance of “normality” has been restored, the mind, body and soul have a “crash.”

I mean that there has been so much energy expended to keep the “machine” going that there may be a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual let down coming back. Elijah rose to the task of defeating the Baal Prophets, but after the adrenaline rush wore off, he succumbed to a depression so great he ran to a cave to hide.

My whole point in this blog is to possibly warn us about what could happen POST COVID-19. We know that the Hand of the Lord was on Elijah; but He was a man like unto us – human! Hearing the threat that jezebel was going to kill him, he ran. How often do we forget the way God responds to our prayers in the past when facing another dillemma? Lest we miss this depth of this depression look at 1 Kings 19:3 – “He was afraid, and he rose and ran for his life.” This Elijah who took on 450 Baal prophets ran because of a threat from an evil woman. 1 kings 19:4- so Elijah goes a days journey and sits under a juniper tree and asks that he might die; saying “it is enough; now LORD take my life.”

After that God comes twice and provided food for Elijah, that will enable him to go into the wilderness for 40 days; specifically Mount Horeb – the very place where God speaks and gives Moses the Law. In the cave, hiding – God speaks to him “Elijah what are you doing here?” Of course Elijah like many of us we will spew forth our allegiance to God and how we have served Him and we are all alone in doing so! I’m all alone, even i only am left and they seek my life!  Then Elijah is told to go stand at the opening of the cave – first a great wind, then an earthquake and then fire; but God was not in any of them. Then Elijah hears a low whisper, so he wraps himself in his cloak and goes and stands at the opening of the cave again. Again God asks “Elijah what are you doing HERE?” Elijah presents his testimony of allegiance to God. God tells Elijah – Get up and get back to work! [paraphrase].

God was not in the big and magnamous; he was in the still small voice. Too often as believers we look for the huge and gigantic miracles to prove that God is; but He is just as present in our quietness and silence. With the Post Covid-19; my fear is that too many of us will have a let down emotionally, physically and spiritually where we experience a sort of Elijah Syndrome – of collapse after the crises is brought under control. Our God is the God of the big, the threatening, the small and even things we think are insignificant. God is God over all, and through all. We don’t need to go hide in a cave and think we are the only ones serving God righteously. He has servants we do not know about. We are not alone!!

Let us not fear because there is no longer a major threat to our lives and “we have overcome” but let us rejoice in the Power of prayer and faith in our God who reigns surpremmely!  Joshua 1:9 – Be strong and of good courage!