His Power and Glory, Not Ours

James 5:17-18 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.

I love that James makes it a point, by the leading of the Spirit, to remind us that Elijah was flesh and bone, with the same sinful nature as we have. Yet, his prayers yielded miraculous results. Was this because Elijah was some kind of supernatural man? I would have to answer, "No." The effectiveness of Elijah's prayers had everything to do with God's will and plan. At that time, Ahab was king and had taken Jezebel, a wicked woman, as his queen. King Ahab followed the lead of his wife, and worshipped Baal, a heathen god. 1 Kings 16 tells us that King Ahab did more to provoke the anger of God than all the kings of Israel who were before him (v. 33). Elijah was God's prophet at that time, and was faithfully walking with the Lord. This was evidenced by the fact that Elijah was taken away to be with the Lord without experiencing physical death (2 Kings 2). Here was a man, who was an ordinary man, doing his best to live righteously, and serving the Lord by faith, who experienced the mighty power of prayer; as he prayed in accordance to God's will and plan. The power demonstrated by Elijah's prayer was not about Elijah himself, for he was merely God's vessel and mouthpiece. The results of Elijah's prayers were about God, His power, and His glory. Far too often, people who proclaim that they have the power to heal others by their prayers have more to do with bringing glory to themselves, and making a name for themselves, than it does about glorifying God. Hence, why they stage fake healings and give Christianity a bad name. We pray for selfish reasons, and mask it by saying that we are praying for God's glory, but He sees past our words right to our heart. We show our true intentions when we get bitter and walk away from God when He chooses not to give us what we prayed for. After those years of having no rain, God informs Elijah that He will make it rain once again, but only after Elijah is sent to confront Ahab and the prophets of Baal. The key to praying mighty prayers in the Name of the Lord is that we must pray in accordance to God's will and plan. We must delight ourselves in Him, and ultimately say (and mean it), as Jesus did, "Not my will, but Your will be done." We too are just ordinary people whom God can choose to use to do mighty things; if we would only realize that it is all about God, His might, and His glory...not ours.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).