“And Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of the abundance of rain. So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees.” 1 Kings 18:41-42 (Amplified)
Three and half years prior to making this statement, Prophet Elijah had declared that there would be no rain in Israel unless at his proclamation. The above passage was that long awaited proclamation because Elijah had perceived in his spirit the sound of the abundance of rain and knew that God was about to send rain to Israel once again. Curiously, after declaring that the drought was over, Elijah did not wait to savour or join in the feast celebrating the demise of Baal and Asherah, the fertility god and goddess of the Phoenicians, over which he had just won a mighty victory. Instead, he went up to the top of Mount Carmel and started interceding for rain. This is because Elijah understood the spiritual principle that just knowing God’s will about a situation is often not enough to gain the required victory. It is often necessary to pray that victory into being. This is the reason why God often engages the services of people to call forth His desires in the world by calling things which are not as though they were. It meant storming the heavens and bombarding the gates of hell as we decree that God’s will be done here on earth as it is already being done in heaven. In this way we are authorising God to do that which He desires to do so that His purpose and plans can be accomplished in our world.
Once Daniel understood from God’s word that His will for His people was that they return from captivity to their land, he was moved by the Spirit and started praying, reminding God of His promises concerning them. This was also what happened with respect to the birth of Jesus Christ. God moved Simeon and Anna to dedicate their lives to praying and expecting the hope of Israel. In every case where God has moved people to pray, He has always responded and in so doing advanced His kingdom plan and purposes. So, what is the Spirit of the Lord telling us today? He is saying that the clouds are laden with the abundance of rain. Our responsibility is to pray down that rain and enable God to bless our generation with His visitation. In other words, God cannot accomplish much in our world except in response to the concerted prayers of His people. Consequently, He is now calling His Church to seek Him in prayer and require Him to send His blessed rain to soak our spiritually and morally parched land. He wants us to invite Him to reign in our lives and be the Lord of our world so that His glory might truly shine and His grace will cover the earth as waters cover the sea.
Hence, it is not enough to know that God is about to move in our world, as we must necessary make straight the way of the Lord by our prayerful intercession and faithful expectations. It is time to earnestly seek God so that He can characteristically respond by raining righteousness upon our land. So, let us ascend to heaven on our knees and as a result bring heaven down to earth. God is now moving you to pray by His Spirit. You simply cannot afford to remain unmoved.
Prayer:
Father, clothe me with the Spirit of prayer and use me to intercede for your move in my world and in the world at large. Help me to pay the price necessary for your move so that I can indeed reign with you as you use me to impact the world for the glory of your name. Amen