12 April 2011

a prayer ... for rain

It has been three years and six months since my greatest leap of faith …

‘…“LORD God … let it be known this day that You are God … and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people [all people] may know that You are the LORD God…’   I King18:36-37

These were the words of Elijah, in the midst of the drought, as he called upon You to rain down fire from heaven. In the middle of a wilderness experience, he confronted darkness and called for the establishment of Your kingdom order.

Later, Elijah prayed again, for natural rain to fall upon on the land. He prayed, not only a prayer that would benefit him, but one that would benefit all. Every need was supplied for Elijah and the widow that he went to visit at the beginning of the drought. Yet, this rain that he called for would bring healing to an entire region afflicted by drought and would demonstrate Your awesome power! You, O LORD, have allowed me to walk out Elijah's story.

Like the widow, I have had to trust daily - to exercise my faith daily - and believe that the word that I received from You would sustain me. And You have sustained me and my children, for 3.5 years, without regular income, during one of the worst economic times our nation has experienced in some time.

Like Elijah, the brook dried up ... yet You have made provision [supernaturally] for my needs. Also like Elijah, I have drawn upon the fire of Your Holy Spirit. I have submitted to Your refining process as You develop Christ-like character in me.

I have stood against the forces of darkness which would seek to discourage and imprison Your people. You have given me an instructed tongue that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary (Is. 50:4). And I have spoken the words which You have given me - words of life and hope. Thank You for allowing me to partner with You, through Bible study groups, through evangelism, through individual mentoring, through my book and through this blog. 

I know, ‘…The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. [That] Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.’ James 5:16-18

Therefore I pray, like Elijah prayed … Let It Rain!

Thank You LORD, for Your presence, for Your faithfulness, for Your protection, for leading us through this wilderness and for supplying all our needs. Thank You Jesus, for dying for me and for praying for my faith, that it would not fail. Thank You Father for every answered prayer ... for the 'yes', the 'not yet' and the 'no'. Thank You Holy Spirit, for interceding when I did not know what to pray. 

‘…there is the sound of abundance of rain.”’ I Kings 18:41

Thank You for rain LORD –
For opening the windows of heaven and pouring out blessings that cannot be contained. Know that I will not attempt to contain Your blessings. Please grant me wisdom ... to be a proper steward and distributor of Your resources and the treasures You continue to reveal to me in Your Word.

All these things I pray... in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, my LORD and Savior. Amen

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