The Prayer Cloud

It’s hot. You’re thirsty.

You lift the handle and plunge it back down.

The old pump squeaks.

You do it again.

Nothing happens…or so it seems.

You do it again. And again. And again….

The old pump gurgles.

You cup your hands under the spout.

The coldest, freshest water pours out.

You splash your face and hair and drink long and deep.

Refreshed.

 

That’s prayer.

 

It’s work.

It works.

It taps reservoirs unseen.

It draws the answer at first pull.

If quit too soon, it never arrives. 

Of all the examples the Holy Spirit could choose, to teach us about prayer, He chose, Elijah praying for rain. Why?

 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  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

Effective, fervent, in original text is the verb, energeó, it means: to be at work, to work, to do.

The word, avails, is the word, ischuó, it means: to be strong, have power.

That’s prayer. It’s work. It works. It taps reservoirs unseen. It draws the answer at first pull. If quit too soon, it never arrives.

“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours…” Can you believe it? Holy Spirit, compares you and I, to the mighty man of God, Elijah.

“And he prayed earnestly…” That means; Holy Spirit expects us to do the same.

It sounds simple. Elijah prayed it would not rain; it didn’t. Then he prayed it would. It did. 

Wasn't there more to it than that? I don't know about you, but I've prayed plenty, without seeing results as simple as that.  

Elijah heard from God. We should too.

Prayer is communication. Not just talking, but listening. Hearing from God is our goal every time we pray. When we call a friend, we don’t just want their answering machine, we want to hear their voice.  

Hearing from God, opens doors.

Elijah went to the king. I went to a stranger.

He was a long tall Texan. I was a new to the area, nervous, Yankee.  It was just a few words, but I knew it was God. He was walking away. I hurried and headed him off at the pass.

I looked up at him. He looked down at me.

I swallowed hard. “Excuse me sir, um…”   

“Yeah…” he drawled, like only a Texan can do.

I blurted it out before I chickened out. “God hasn’t forgotten you.”

Eternity passed for a second or two and the long tall Texan, bowed his head, his chin quivered a little and perhaps some of that Texas dust blew in his eye, because it started to leak.

It’s been years, we’re still friends. God not only remembered that Texan named Willie, but pulled him off the bench. We couldn’t have started that little country church, just outside Three Rivers Texas, without him.

It was some of the best—and hardest—times of my life.

Pure Prayer Power

God told Elijah, go tell the king; “It’s not going to rain.” He did. It didn’t. For years.

Drought and famine hit the land hard.

Answered prayers aren’t always nice, but always right.

After three and a half, long, years, God told Elijah, it was time for rain.

Before there was a cloud in the sky, Elijah declared “I hear the sound of an abundance of rain.” 

He was able to echo publicly, what he’d heard privately, only by investing intimately, in prayer.

At the top of Mount Carmel, he bowed himself down, and prayed for rain.  

Elijah understood that even though it was God’s idea and timing, it was up to him to pray it in. God created the earth and then handed the keys to man (Genesis 1:28). Therefore, by design, He is willing to help us, to work with us, but He waits for us, to ask.

After praying, Elijah sent his servant to look toward the sea. Nothing but blue skies was all his servant could see.

Elijah prayed some more and sent him again.

Nothing.

Prayed and sent again.

Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Again, and again, and again. Seven times again. But then, the servant returned and said there wasn’t much, but a small, little cloud, only about the size of a man’s hand.

A cumulus cloud. That was all it took.

(Cumulus: heap, accumulate, pile up. Cumulus clouds can turn into Cumulonimbus clouds (rain/thunderhead) which are a dense, towering vertical cloud, forming from water vapor carried by powerful upward air currents.)

The Holy Spirit knew what He was doing when He gave us this example. Seven times, Elijah prayed and the servant went. Seven, God’s perfect number, of completion. Teaching us to pray without ceasing, until the answer comes. It’s on the way from the first day, just don’t quit, keep pumping, praying, accumulating, until the answer arrives.

Elijah understood the power accumulating within the effectual, fervent upward draft and substance of his prayers.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).  

Pump by pump by pump…word upon word, line upon line, powerful upward drafts of prayer for America have been accumulating and there's a sound, for those with ears to hear, of a mighty rushing wind; listen, even now, there's the sound of an abundance of rain. 

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy”  Acts 2:17-18

That little cumulus cloud, the size of a praying hand, grew. 

“Hurry” said Elijah to his servant, “run and tell the king to get down the mountain now, or he’ll get stuck in the rain.”

The sky went black, the winds blew and there was a mighty outpouring of an abundance of rain.  

1 Kings 18:41-45

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, thank You for waking us to our need for prayer, by revealing the drought in our soul. We understand that from the moment we start to pray, the answer is on the way, even if we don’t see anything, our prayers are working, accumulating, getting stronger and stronger. We ask for endurance to persevere in prayer. We ask for a passion, to hear from You. Boldness to proclaim what we hear, without fear.

WE DECREE that Holy Spirit is pouring in abundance throughout our land, quenching the thirsty, cleansing the willing, and washing away the wicked.

Although the city on a hill may have flickered, she will not be snuffed out; she's been anointed and refueled and is burning brighter and brighter, from sea to shining sea. 

A great awakening has come to the once sleeping giant, the American Church. Now THE CHURCH HOUSE is awake and engaged, and leading the charge to take US to our God ordained destiny.

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CHURCH HOUSE HAPPENS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.  

Let it rain, let it rain. I hear the sound of an abundance of Holy Spirit reign. 

UPDATE: After writing, I walked to a friend's to pray for him. On the way I took the picture of the blue sky...no clouds anywhere. I said to the sky, "I hear the sound of an abundance of rain."  I told my friend, "Even if there's no evidence, we hear the sound of an abundance of healing for you." A few minutes later I walked home and noticed the small cloud and took a photo of it too. Seven hours later were in the middle of an abundance of rain.