James 5:17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
Elijah’s prayers were his weapons of mass destruction. He did not have swords or soldiers but his prayers turned into nuclear bombs that obliterated the evil forces. He was an ordinary man just like you and me yet, he was able to bring both fire and rain from heaven on the same day! The prayers of Elijah could scatter the clouds of magical powers, incantations and witchcraft. It could shatter spiritual spells, foil the plots of the diviners and reverse the curses of the sorcerers. Elijah was courageous and audacious as he had the assurance that God heard Him. What was special about Elijah and how could his prayers turn into weapons of mass destruction that jeopardize the demonic?
Elijah understood the heart of God and he knew the Word of God. He spoke God’s Word and it came to pass. The Lord had clearly spelt out the rules to prosperity and protection in the Mosaic laws. The decree precisely articulated the causes and effects of disobedience, idolatry and revelry. Yet Israel prostituted themselves with the pagan gods and obscene practices. Elijah activated the curses for disobedience by his prayers and shut the heavens from raining for 3 ½ years. The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron (Deuteronomy 28:23). Elijah’s prayers were hell-smashing as he knew the secret code to activate the atomic power.
Three essentials for atomic power in prayer:
- Blood: To unbolt the heaven that was shut up like bronze, Elijah approached God with blood sacrifice. He repaired the altar and placed a bull in the altar. We don’t need the blood of animals anymore but we approach God with the blood of Jesus. The offering of our generosity or goodness will never measure up – All our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Prayers become ineffective when we think that our goodness, godliness and fasting will open the heavens. Approach God boldly with the blood of Jesus.
- Water: Elijah poured eight large jars of water on the offering. We must approach God’s throne after washing our hearts with the Word of God. Reading His word cleanses us inside out. This is why Jesus condemned the ceremonial cleaning of the Pharisees, “You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness (Matthew 23:26). Water cleansing is hygienic but word cleansing makes us holy. Prayers based on the Word are effectual.
- Fire: Elijah’s offering was consumed by fire from heaven. The combination of the blood and the word ignites divine combustion. Draw near not with your morality or charity but with the forgiveness through the blood and the legitimacy of the Word to shift the atmosphere of prayer. The Blood of Jesus and the promises of God spark divine fire.
Elijah’s prayer was only 59 words but his prayer turned into a weapon of mass destruction and destroyed the powers of darkness.
1 Kings 18:38a Then the fire of the Lord fell.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, I will clothe myself with your blood and the Word to ignite atomic power through my prayers. Amen.
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