A Nature Like Ours

This coming Sunday I'm preaching on the subject of prayer.
Our Church is in a series on prayer right now and I'm going to be speaking about the importance of persistence.

I was studying those verses in James Chapter 5 v 17 & 18.
Here's what it says:

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 it's fruit.

When you first read those verses it sounds so simple. So easy. As though Elijah just rolled out of bed, had a cup of tea, said a quick prayer and 'BOOM!' his prayers were answered!
But if you turn in the scriptures to 1 Kings Ch 17 & 18 you can read the whole account in all it's glorious detail.

You see, Elijah was a man 'with a nature like ours'.
This is so encouraging.

He's not superman.
He doesn't get everything right first time.
He does experience great supernatural miracles; A famine, the raising of a dead child and fire from heaven on Mount Carmel to name a few.
He also has his human moments.
Running for his life.
Hiding.
Wishing he would just die.

And we can be like that can't we? Trusting God one day and doubting Him the next.

And here's where persistence comes in. Even when Elijah does see the great answers to his prayers, they don't always happen the first time he prays. When he's faced with the tragic death of the widow's son with whom he's lodging, Elijah prays for a miracle. But it doesn't happen the first time he prays. It takes him three goes before the child is raised back to life.

And later in Chapter 18 it's time for Elijah to pray so that it will rain on the land again. He's told the King that it's going to rain so he prays. And nothing happens.
Nothing.
No rain.
Not even a light shower.
Not even a cloud.
Nothing.

So Elijah prays again.
Nothing.

So he prays again.
Nothing.

This whole scene is repeated again and again.

And the seventh time that he prays he gets his prayer answered.
I'm so grateful that the Scriptures tell us the whole story, not just sound bytes of victory.
Elijah, the man with a nature like ours does see breakthroughs. He does see answered prayer.
But it's in the context of persistence; of not quitting.

So whatever you're up to today. Keep persisting.

Steve.