21. Praying in All Seasons of Life (James 5:13-16)
Related MediaIs anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises. Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up—and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.
James 5:13-16 (NET)
How should believers pray in all seasons of life?
After encouraging oppressed believers to endure their sufferings patiently as they wait on Christ’s return (Jam 5:7-12), James challenges them to pray in all circumstances. The word “prayer” occurs seven times in James 5:13-18 in either the noun or verb form. In verse 13, he calls individual believers to pray. In verses 14-15, he calls elders to pray for sick believers, and in verse 16, he calls church members to pray for one another. In verses 17-18, he mentions prayer twice, giving Elijah as an example of effective praying. Like Paul challenging the Thessalonians to “pray continually” or “without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17), James does the same. Believers should pray in every circumstance and season of life because prayer is powerful (Jam 5:16).
Each of James’ challenges to pray are actually imperatives in the original language—commands. This implies that these believers weren’t praying as they should and, therefore, were lacking power to overcome trials in their lives and church communities. Certainly, this is true for most believers and church communities today as well, as they struggle with consistency in prayer—both individually and corporately.
James was not one to command something he wasn’t practicing himself. James, Jesus’ brother, was known as James the Just because of his righteous lifestyle and devotion to prayer. John MacArthur said this about James:
This was a command that James personally lived out as evidenced by his own body, for the ancient historian Eusebius testified that “his knees grew hard like a camel’s because of his constant worship of God, kneeling and asking forgiveness for the people.” Just as a laborer’s hands testify to his occupation, or a runner’s feet to his training, James’ callused knees testified to a life of serious prayer. So we ought to listen to what he says, not only because he is the Lord’s earthly brother, and not only because his writing is Scripture, but because he “walked his talk”—on his knees.1
Therefore, in this text, we will learn about how to pray in the various seasons of life. As we study these, the hope is that we will become more devoted and consistent in prayer to build God’s kingdom in our lives, the church, and the world.
Big Question: According to James 5:13-16, how should believers pray in the various seasons of life?
When Suffering, Believers Should Continually Pray
Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray.
James 5:13
James says when “suffering” or “in trouble” (NIV), believers should pray. He commands prayer because, usually, it is not our first response. Sometimes, instead of praying, we try to fix the situation on our own, apart from God. Other times, instead of praying, we worry, complain, get angry at God or others, get depressed, and sometimes even seek revenge. All of these are wrong responses. James says, when suffering, we should pray.
The word “pray” is in the present tense and can actually be translated, “let him keep on praying.”2 Continual prayer is the antidote for a suffering believer. It reminds us that we are not in control and that God is. It also brings God’s resources into our circumstances. In Philippians 4:6-7, God promises his peace to those who continually pray. The text says,
Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Instead of being anxious, we should, in every situation, pray, give thanks, and make our requests known to God, and he will give us supernatural peace. Often, we will have to fight for this peace. When worry, anger, or doubt creeps in, we should pray more and give thanks more in order to help us trust God more. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, God is called “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.” God comforts his followers. In 1 Peter 5:7, Peter says, “casting all your cares on him because he cares for you.” “To cast” means to throw something fully onto someone or something else.3 We should put our burdens on God and leave them there—he can handle them. That doesn’t mean we don’t plan or prepare; it just means we do so apart from anxiety and worry. We do this because we are fully trusting God with that care or concern. It’s been said that we should “work as though it all depends on us, but also, pray as though it all depends on God.” Therefore, when suffering, we should continually pray.
Application Question: What should we pray when suffering?
(1) When suffering, we should ask for God to remove the trial if it is his will. Paul asked for God to remove his thorn in the flesh (2 Cor 12:7-10). Christ asked for his cup of suffering to be taken from him (Lk 22:42). Sometimes, God will remove the cause of the suffering. However, often, it is his will for us to persevere through the trial so we can grow. This is what James taught in the beginning of his letter. In James 1:2-4, he said,
My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.
(2) Sometimes in response to prayer, God removes the trial; however, when it’s not his will or not his will yet, we should pray for wisdom and grace to persevere. In the context of persevering through trials, James 1:5 says, “But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.” Often the ability to persevere will be spending greater time in God’s Word and prayer. It may be getting counseling or mutual edification from someone in the body of Christ. When we ask God, he gives us wisdom to persevere. First Corinthians 10:13 says,
No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.
If we are suffering, we should continually pray: Do we pray when in conflict with a friend, co-worker, or spouse? Do we pray when worried or anxious about the future? Do we pray when suffering with some health issue? When suffering, we should continually pray.
Application Question: What are common negative responses to suffering? What negative response are you most prone to? Why is prayer so important when going through a trial? How has continued prayer helped you when going through trials?
When Happy, Believers Should Pray through Singing Praises to God
Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises.
James 5:13b
James says when a person is in “good spirits,” which can also be translated “happy” (NIV), or “cheerful” (ESV), he should sing praises. Praise is a form of prayer where we thank God for his goodness, his characteristics, and in context, even thanking him for the joy he has given us. No doubt, the reason James commands us to worship God when happy is because it is so uncommon. It is actually when we are happy and in an undisturbed situation that we are most prone to forget God. In fact, in Deuteronomy 6:10-12, Moses warned Israel about forgetting God before they entered the promised land. He said,
Then when the LORD your God brings you to the land he promised your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give you—a land with large, fine cities you did not build, houses filled with choice things you did not accumulate, hewn out cisterns you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—and you eat your fill, be careful not to forget the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, that place of slavery.
When things are going well, we are prone to be less diligent in our prayer time, our time in God’s Word, and sometimes even prone to neglect gathering with the saints. David was aware of this tendency in his own heart. Therefore, in Psalm 103:2, he prayed, “Praise the LORD, O my soul! Do not forget all his kind deeds!” He commanded his soul to praise God, implying that he did not feel like praising God; then, he commanded his soul to not forget all of God’s blessings. How commonly do we forget the many blessings God has provided—how he provided an open door when we needed one, a job, friendships, and family? Yet, we have a tendency to forget his blessings and focus on the bad things he allowed or the things he has not given us. Even Eve, who didn’t yet have a sin nature, forgot how everything in the world was hers and focused on the one thing she didn’t have—the forbidden fruit. We are prone to do this as well. Therefore, like David, we must, at times, wrestle with ourselves to worship God and remember his blessings.
Application Question: How should we practice singing to God when happy? What are some helpful tips?
(1) A helpful practice is owning a hymn book and singing the songs that resonate in our heart and help us worship God. It is possible to purchase Bibles with hymnbooks inside them which are very convenient for personal devotions. (2) Sometimes it is good to memorize a particular song that encourages us and helps draw us into God’s presence. (3) Another helpful practice is simply putting on a praise CD and singing along at home, while driving, or working. Praise music is a way to express the thanksgiving in our heart for God. It is also a way to remind us of God’s goodness when things are bad. Praise is fitting in bad times and good times.
The Normal Christian Life
James’ commands to pray when suffering and sing when happy reminds us that it is normal and expected for Christians to have moments and seasons of both sorrow and cheerfulness. Sometimes, it is directly or indirectly taught that Christians should always be smiling and happy, and if they are not, something is wrong with their faith. That is incorrect. Christians should also commonly mourn and lament. We lament at our own sin, the sins of the world, and the sufferings of others. Jesus wept and cried and so do we. Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn.” An implication of James’ commands is that both suffering and joy are normal, even for Christians.
With that said, in considering James’ command to sing, we must ask ourselves: How often do we take time to sing praises to the Lord outside of corporate worship? In Ephesians 5:18-19, Paul said that when we are filled with the Spirit, we will be identified by individual and corporate worship. He said, “be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord.” Worship is a characteristic of somebody being filled and empowered by God. Believers should sing when things are bad, like Paul singing in prison, but they should also sing when things are good, in thanksgiving to our gracious Father.
Are we remembering our blessings and, as a result, singing to our gracious God—the giver of every good and perfect gift? James commands us to sing when happy because we’re so prone to forget God when things are good.
Application Question: How have you experienced the tendency to forget God when things are good?
Why is it important for believers to practice the discipline of singing praises to God, not only corporately but individually? How have you practiced this spiritual discipline and how is God calling you to grow in it?
When Seriously Ill, Believers Should Receive Prayer from Their Spiritual Leaders
Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up—and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
James 5:14-15
James moves from the need for believers to pray individually, when suffering and when happy (v. 13), to the need for believers to, at times, receive prayers from their elders (v. 14-15). Later, he will challenge believers to at times receive prayer from other church members (v. 16). This reminds us that the church is the body of Christ, and in order to function as a body, we need to bear the burdens of others and allow others to bear our burdens. In Galatians 6:2, Paul said, “Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Specifically, in verses 14 and 15, James says when a person is ill, he should call for the elders. The word “ill” literally means “to be weak”4 or “without strength.”5 It is used to refer to physical sickness and, at times, to refer to “spiritual, ethical, emotional, or moral weakness.”6 In verse 14, most commentators believe “ill” refers to physical sickness. However, since the surrounding context has to do with believers being oppressed by their rich landowners (Jam 5:1-6) and the context of the book is Jewish Christians being scattered because of persecution for the faith (Jam 1:1), some commentators believe this passage is not referring to physical sickness at all. They think “ill” should be translated “weak,” in referring to believers who are depressed, anxious, weary, or even compromising morally because of their trials. When believers are spiritually and emotionally worn out from their trials and feel like giving up, they should call the spiritual leaders of their church for prayer, and the prayer of faith will restore them. What makes the second view attractive is the fact that verse 15 seems to promise healing, which often doesn’t happen when prayer is made for somebody who is physically sick.
With that said, there is nothing in the text that explicitly prohibits “ill” from referring to physical sickness or spiritual weakness. It is probably best to consider the word as being intentionally ambiguous—that James meant the word to be interpreted broadly.7 A believer who is especially weak whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually should seek prayer from their spiritual leadership, so God can restore them.
Anointing with Oil
After the sick person calls for the elders, the elders should pray for the sick person and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord (v. 14). “Pray” can be literally translated “pray over him,” as in the ESV, which may picture elders gathering around this person—putting their hands on him as they pray. As they pray over him, the elders will anoint him with oil.
Interpretation Question: What does the anointing with oil refer to?
There are differing views on what anointing with oil refers to. The word “anointing” is at times used medicinally. It literally means “to rub” or “massage.” In the ancient world, oils were commonly used to help bring healing. In fact, in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan poured oil on the wounds of the wounded person to help heal him (Lk 10:34). Therefore, some believe James is referring to the elders using both spiritual and medicinal means to bring healing to the ailing person. If the person is sick, he should seek prayer and, at the same time, take the best medicine. If he is discouraged emotionally, the anointing with oil would be used to refresh him.
However, most likely, the oil is meant to be symbolic of the Holy Spirit, and God’s setting that person apart for special ministry. In the Old Testament, it was common for prophets to anoint the priests and the king (cf. 1 Sam 16:12-13)—symbolizing them being set apart by God for a special work. After they were anointed, often the Spirit of God would come upon them so they could accomplish whatever work God called them to. Likewise, in this time of prayer, the elders should distinguish the ailing person as set apart for God’s ministry by anointing them with oil. The apostles also at times anointed the sick with oil as they prayed for healing over them. Mark 6:13 says, “They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” With all that said, prayer is the primary vehicle of healing—not the symbolic anointing of oil. When people are healed in the New Testament, often oil is not used at all (cf. Acts 3:6-7). God moves through his people as they pray in his name which represents God’s authority and power.
Prayer of Faith
In verse 15, James says, “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up.” What makes this difficult to understand is that James seems to say that when the prayer of faith is offered, the sick person will always be healed. However, as many of us have experienced, healing doesn’t always happen when we pray for people. This nuance makes the passage difficult to interpret.
Interpretation Question: What is the prayer of faith and why are people not always healed when people are prayed for, as verse 15 says?
There are different views on this:
1. Some believe the promise of the prayer of faith bringing healing is probably a general principle or promise, which doesn’t always happen.8
Proverbs often gives general principles like this, which are commonly true but not always true. For example, Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle response turns away anger.” This is generally true; however, sometimes we may speak gently, and the other person still gets mad. In fact, the book of James is often compared to Proverbs because of all the wisdom in the book. Maybe, James is stating a general principle—as the elders pray in faith, the sick person will commonly be healed, but not always.
2. Some believe the promise of the prayer of faith bringing healing will always come true as long as the elders have enough faith.
Certainly, it must be said that our faith or lack of faith can affect what we receive from God. In James 1:5, the believers undergoing trials are called to pray for wisdom, without doubting, because if they doubted, they wouldn’t receive anything from God. Also, Jesus said that if we had the faith of a mustard seed, we could move mountains (Matt 17:20)—probably referring to the removal of trials, not a specific piece of geography.
However, with that said, it is clear both from Scripture and experience that regardless of our faith, it is not always God’s will to heal. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul sought for God to remove his “thorn in the flesh,” which seems to refer to some type of physical ailment (possibly an eye disease; cf. Gal 4:13-15); however, God told Paul “no” because the disease had a greater purpose in his life—to make him weak so he could experience God’s empowering grace. Also, Paul, who clearly had the gift of healing, could not heal Timothy or Trophimus, who both suffered from diseases. In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul said this to Timothy, “(Stop drinking just water but use a little wine for your digestion and your frequent illnesses.)” In 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul said this, “Erastus stayed in Corinth. Trophimus I left ill in Miletus.” In addition, Hebrews 9:27 says that every person is appointed to die and then experience the judgment. If it was always God’s will for people to be healed, some would never die. And those who did, it would simply mean they didn’t have enough faith. However, Scripture doesn’t teach this. This view, which is common in prosperity gospel churches, has an over-realized understanding of God’s kingdom (the already present but not yet fully here paradox) and eschatology in general. It is only when God’s kingdom fully comes, at the resurrection when Christ returns, that we will have perfect health, including new bodies, no sickness, and no death (Rev 21:4). At Christ’s first coming in the Gospels, he brought a spiritual kingdom and introduced it by demonstrating aspects of the future kingdom—as people experienced deliverance from sin and demons, healings, and resurrections. But, the kingdom will not be fully realized until Christ returns to establish his eternal rule on the earth. Certainly, God still heals, but it is not always his will to heal, even if we have faith for it.
3. Others believe the prayer of faith bringing healing refers to special times when God makes his desire to heal someone absolutely clear and the elders pray in accordance with God’s revealed will.
In general, our faith should always be in God and his clearly revealed Word. We should not put our faith in our prayers or in our faith to receive our petitions. First John 5:14-15 says,
And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.
However, when it comes to healing, most times we won’t know if it’s God’s will to heal a specific person. Therefore, we put our faith in the fact that God is good and gracious, and that his sovereign will is perfect. We pray for healing while trusting that God will do what is best, even if it means allowing prolonged sickness (like with Paul) or taking the person home (like with John the Baptist). But, there may be times when God makes it abundantly clear that it is his will to heal a sick person, and in that situation, we must pray according to his revealed will. For example, with Job’s friends, God was going to judge them for their harsh treatment of Job and their misrepresentation of God. However, God told them to go to Job and that he would intercede for them, so they would be forgiven (Job 42:8). Likewise, God may make it clear prophetically, through a dream, or his control of events that it is his will to heal somebody. In those rare cases, the elders should pray in faith according to God’s revealed will. Again, this is rare. Most times, we will pray in faith simply trusting that if it’s God’s will to heal, then he will. It may even be appropriate to pray, “if it be your will,” as we petition God. Christ demonstrated this when he asked for his cup of suffering to be removed but, at the same time, he prayed, “Yet not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42).
The final view is best, but it should be remembered that all prayers should be offered in faith—trusting that God is good and that he will do what is best. Douglas Moo aptly describes the prayer of faith this way:
The faith exercised in prayer is faith in the God who sovereignly accomplishes his will. When we pray, our faith recognizes, explicitly or implicitly, the overruling providential purposes of God. We may at times be given insight into that will, enabling us to pray with absolute confidence in God’s plan to answer as we ask. But surely these cases are rare—more rare even than our subjective, emotional desires would lead us to suspect. A prayer for healing, then, must usually be qualified by a recognition that God’s will in the matter is supreme.9
Neglected Ministry
With all this said, the elders praying over ill people is a largely neglected ministry in the church for many reasons. (1) Often sick or struggling members are unwilling to approach leadership—maybe out of shame, discouragement from the devil, or not knowing about this promise. There are probably many in the flock whose healing tarries simply because of unwillingness to submit themselves to the shepherds God has given them. In this text, James commands ailing church members to take the initiative in seeking prayer from the elders. (2) Sometimes this ministry is neglected by the elders—possibly because they lack faith, as they feel helpless and unable to help struggling people. Consequently, they outsource struggling sheep with depression, anxiety, or long-term disease to professionals outside of the church, without ever encouraging them to receive prayer from the leadership. Certainly, professionals should at times be consulted but not to the neglect of elders doing their God-given duty. No doubt, this is why James commands the elders to pray, just as he commands the members to seek prayer. Ultimately, lack of faith on behalf of congregants and spiritual leaders often accounts for this ministry being neglected, and therefore, people in the church continue in a state of being spiritually or physically crippled.
God will ultimately heal all believers at the resurrection, but in this life, it is not always God’s will to fully heal. Sometimes, ailments teach us lessons, make us lean on God more, and empower us to be a blessing to others (cf. Rom 5:3-4, 2 Cor 1:3-6, 12:7-10), which is why God allowed Job, Paul, and even Christ to suffer. However, often, it is God’s will to heal, even with diseases that medical professionals struggle with curing, and God gives us a procedure for healing in James 5:13-18 which we must follow.
Procedure
Application Question: What steps should a suffering church member take to get anointed and prayed for by the elders?
A very simple procedure can be derived from this text:
1. The suffering member should first discern whether he should seek the elders for prayer. Not all situations should be brought before the elders. The fact that the elders must be summoned to go to the sick person probably implies that this sick person is immobile (v. 14). Consequently, the situation should be relatively serious or chronic. If it is handicapping a believer spiritually, emotionally, or physically, then he should probably call for the elders in obedience to this text. Therefore, an ailing member should first ask the Lord about the ailment to discern whether he should approach the elders about it.
As an encouragement to seek the elders, it should be known that, in general, elders love the church, feel commissioned by God to care for it, and will be held accountable for doing so (Heb 13:17). If we are questioning whether we should contact them, most times, they would rather that we do so than not.
2. The suffering member should confess any sins that might be contributing to their physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual struggles. This is an implication from the fact that James says, “and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (5:15). James realized that unrepented sin can commonly lead to physical sickness (cf. Ps 32:3-5). In 1 Corinthians 11:30, some were sick and depressed because they were mistaking the Lord’s Supper, and God had judged them. Some even died because of their sin. Likewise, in Matthew 18:23-35, in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, God warned believers of the importance of forgiving others, lest they be handed over to torturers (v. 34-35). No doubt, there are many in the church struggling with physical and emotional diseases because of not forgiving somebody who hurt them, and therefore, God has handed them over to torturers—referring to Satan and demons (cf. 1 Cor 5:5).
Believers should confess any known sin before contacting the elders, and the elders may sometimes question the sick person about unconfessed sin in the process of ministering to them. In John 5:14, Christ said this to a man he healed, “Don’t sin any more, lest anything worse happen to you.” What good is it to be healed but then be sick again soon after because of unconfessed sin? Therefore, the ill person should confess his sins prior to contacting the elders, and the elders may need to inquire about any potential unconfessed sins when meeting with that person.
2. The elders will meet with the suffering member to anoint him with oil and pray over him in the name of the Lord. This time together may include counseling, especially if it is discerned that sin might be contributing to the physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual sickness that the person is experiencing.
After encouraging the church members to continually pray individually when suffering and when happy, James calls them to seek the prayers of their shepherds when going through a season of especially difficult illness. We should do the same. God has called and especially equipped the elders of local congregations to care for their flocks. We must, at times, reach out to them in obedience to God to receive his healing grace.
Application Question: Why do you think the ministry of seeking the elders for anointing and prayer is so commonly neglected in churches? How have you seen (or experienced) this ministry in the past? Why is this ministry so important?
When Struggling with Sin, Believers Should, at Times, Confess to Others and Receive Prayer for Healing from Them
So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.
James 5:16
In verse 16, James continues the thought of how prayer can lead to healing but applies it to the whole congregation. By connecting verse 16 to 15 with the word “So,” James is essentially saying, “Because praying for those struggling is such an effective ministry, everybody should take part in confessing and praying for one another!” Proverbs 28:13 says, “The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy.”
When a person is struggling with sin, it often manifests in isolating oneself from God—the person stops praying and reading the Bible or only does them inconsistently. Then, that person turns away from God’s people—they stop coming to church and small group or do those inconsistently. As the struggling believer separates from God and his people, the enemy, Satan, isolates that person to himself, whether by addictions, unhealthy relationships, idols, or other sinful things. Satan’s ultimate plan is always to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), and those always begin with isolating a person from the source of good—which is God and his people. Since that is the common pathway sin leads us on, instead of hiding from other believers and living in shame, we should find accountability partners with whom we can openly share and confess.
With that said, it must be noted this verse is often used in Catholic theology to support penance, where believers confess their sins to a priest, and the priest forgives them. (1) First of all, this is not talking about one-way confession but mutual confession and prayer for one another. (2) Also, this text does not describe any person in the church forgiving sins, not even the elders. Though not clearly stated in this text, God is the one who both forgives and ultimately heals, as the rest of Scripture attests (cf. 1 John 1:9).
When mutual confession and prayer are happening in a congregation, it protects the members from the consequences of sin which can be addictions, depression, discord, divorce, sickness, and even death (cf. 1 Cor 11:30-32). It helps the church stay healthy in a general sense—spiritually, physically, and socially. In fact, throughout history, confession of sin has been a distinguishing feature of major revivals, including ones in the early church. In Acts 19:17-20, confession was a characteristic of a revival in Ephesus. It says,
…fear came over them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing and making their deeds known. Large numbers of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone. When the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow in power and to prevail.
Revival individually and corporately happens when church members are prioritizing mutual confession and prayer with other members. With churches that are not transparent—acting as if everything is always OK—they often start to erode and eventually die.
General Principles for Practicing Confession
Application Question: What are some general principles for practicing confession?
1. When confessing, our confession should always ultimately be offered to God (1 Tim 2:5-6), but we should also confess our sins to others we have sinned against. In Matthew 5:23-24, Christ said that if we go to the altar to offer a gift to God and realize that somebody has something against us, we should leave the gift, go and reconcile with that person, and then offer the gift to God. Discord with others hinders our relationship with God (cf. Matt 6:15, 18:23-35, 1 John 4:20). Because of this, we should always seek reconciliation with those whom we have hurt or have hurt us, which will commonly include confession.
2. When confessing personal struggles, we should prayerfully discern who to share with. (1) We shouldn’t share with someone who is prone to gossip—sharing secrets with everybody. (2) Also, as a general principle, it may be prudent to share with somebody of the same gender—guys with guys and girls with girls, especially if the accountability relationship will be long term. (3) In addition, if we need wise counsel and not just prayer, it is prudent to find somebody more spiritually mature who can help guide us (cf. Gal 6:1). (4) Finally, a person who models transparency with their own struggles will often be a good person to share with. When confessing personal struggles, we should prayerfully discern the right person to do so with.
3. When confessing, we should be discreet in how much we share. Only share what is necessary for a person to understand the struggle—too vivid of a picture can often be detrimental and tempt the other person. Ephesians 5:12 says, “For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention.” This especially applies to sexual sin, as it can stir up lust in the person hearing the details. Sometimes, it might be prudent to just ask for prayer over a certain struggle generally: For example, “Please pray for me, I’ve been struggling with lust lately in my surfing the Internet,” or “My wife and I have been struggling with miscommunication and conflict lately, please pray for us.” All the details are not necessarily needed, but humility, transparency, and a desire for accountability and God’s healing are needed.
By wisely confessing our struggles, we help others become more comfortable with confessing theirs—leading to more transparency, intimacy, and healing within our churches. Unfortunately, when church members are not transparent with one another, people struggling tend to put on a facade or isolate themselves—feeling as though something is wrong with them. Many of them ultimately leave the church. By practicing wise confession and vulnerability, we help the church receive God’s grace and therefore maintain corporate health.
In Mark 9, Christ cast a demon out of a young boy whom the disciples failed to deliver. When they asked Christ why they couldn’t cast him out, he replied in Mark 9:29 by saying, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” Certainly that is true of many situations in the church: How many marriages are struggling and soon to end in divorce because there is no transparent confession within the body of Christ and therefore no prayers for healing? How many are struggling with pornography addiction, anxiety disorders, or other things because they are not regularly meeting with a member of the body for prayer and confession? Many of our church members are cutting themselves off from God’s means of healing. Some struggles are only healed by continual, corporate intercession for weeks, months, and sometimes years.
General Principles for Those Hearing Confessions
Application Question: How should those who are hearing someone’s confession respond?
1. Those hearing a confession should prayerfully and patiently listen (Jam 1:19). As we listen, we should ask clarifying questions so we can better understand and minister to the person. It is good at times to repeat what he or she is saying in a concise manner and ask if it is correct to make sure that we understood everything correctly.
2. Those hearing a confession should offer words of wisdom from God’s Word if at all possible. If we don’t know the right verses to offer encouragement or counsel with, we can always ask somebody more knowledgeable or look the verses up and share with the person later. We should be very careful about sharing our opinions which are not backed by God’s Word. People need to hear God’s Word, not ours. If we don’t feel led to share, then it is certainly fine to just listen and affirm them—many times that is best.
3. Those hearing a confession should offer prayer for that person in obedience to Scripture, trusting that God desires to bring healing and deliverance (Jam 5:16-17).
4. Those hearing a confession should, if they feel led, share something they are struggling with and ask for prayer as well. James says we should confess our sins to one another and pray for one another. This spiritual discipline is not the same as standard practice for professional counselors who aim to keep a professional distance from a counselee. In Scripture, the church is called a body and a family (cf. 1 Cor 12:12, Gal 6:10, 1 Tim 5:1-2)—both extremely intimate metaphors of our relationships with one another. We need to be transparent with one another for mutual edification and healing. Therefore, we should prayerfully open up to relate with the person and to receive from him or her.
5. Those hearing a confession should also discern if it would be appropriate to direct this person to somebody more mature who can help him more effectively than us. We are not the body—we are part of the body. We should still continue to meet up with the person, support him, and pray for him, but, at the same time, we must make sure he gets the extra support needed.
As we consider the need for mutual confession and prayer for the church’s general health, we must ask ourselves these questions: Are we willing to bear one another’s burdens, so God can bring healing through us? Are we willing to be transparent with others, so we can receive God’s healing grace through them? Finally, who are our accountability partners who we go to for mutual confession, prayer, and healing?
Application Question: Why is this ministry of mutual confession and prayer commonly neglected? What principles about confession or responding to confession stood out most to you and why? Who do you commonly meet up with to confess sins and receive prayer from?
Conclusion
As James is about to close his letter, he, as a man known for prayer, encourages these saints to pray. They should pray when suffering, when glad, when sick, and when struggling with sin. They should pray in all seasons of life—including seeking prayer. Likewise, we must faithfully pray and seek prayer as well.
- When Suffering, Believers Should Continually Pray
- When Happy, Believers Should Pray through Singing Praises to God
- When Seriously Ill, Believers Should Receive Prayer from Their Spiritual Leaders
- When Struggling with Sin, Believers Should, at Times, Confess to Others and Receive Prayer for Healing from Them
Application Question: How is God calling you to grow in your prayer life and in the discipline of seeking prayer from others in this season?
Prayer Prompts
- Pray for grace to grow in the discipline of prayer in all seasons of life—when suffering, happy, sick, and when struggling with sin and its consequences.
- Pray for those struggling with physical, emotional, or spiritual sickness (including sin) that they may be healed, set free, encouraged, and drawn to God.
- Pray for our elders that God may protect, encourage, and empower them to lead and equip the church.
- Pray for our church (and churches) to grow in the discipline of mutual confession and prayer for one another—pray that God would help us cultivate transparent, healing relationships.
Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 Hughes, R. K. (1991). James: faith that works (p. 254). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
2 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 275). Chicago: Moody Press.
3 John MacArthur, 1 Peter. MacArthur New Testament Commentary, (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2004), 240.
4 Moo, D. J. (2000). The letter of James (p. 236). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos.
5 Utley, R. J. D. (2000). Jesus’ Half-Brothers Speak: James and Jude (Vol. Volume 11, p. 70). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.
6 Hart, J. F. (2014). James. In M. A. Rydelnik & M. Vanlaningham (Eds.), The moody bible commentary (p. 1955). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
7 Guzik, D. (2013). James (Jas 5:13–14). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.
Related Topics: Christian Life
22. Principles for Effective Prayer (James 5:16-18)
Related Media…The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.
James 5:16b-18 (NET)
What are some principles for effective prayer—prayer that is powerful in accomplishing God’s will? Many of us struggle with prayer, what to say, how to say it, and even desiring to pray. Clearly, the Jewish believers James wrote to also struggled with it. In James 5:13-18, he taught the believers how to pray in various seasons of life (including seeking prayer)—when suffering, when happy, when seriously sick, and when struggling with sin. Then, James gives Elijah as an example of effective prayer. This would have stood out since Jews revered Elijah. He is one of the most well-known prophets of the Old Testament. He served during the time of Ahab when Israel was rebelling against God by worshipping Baal. He was used to bring both judgment and revival to Israel. He prayed, and it didn’t rain for three and a half years (1 Kgs 17). He prayed again, and it rained (1 Kgs 18). Elijah was one of only two people to be taken to heaven without dying (2 Kgs 2:11; Gen 5:24). In fact, he was prophesied about in the Old Testament to be connected with the coming of the messiah (Mal 4:5). He also met with Jesus in a glorified state during Christ’s transfiguration (Matt 17:3). Because of all this, Jewish Christians had an exalted view of Elijah. However, James said to them that he was a human like us (Jam 5:17), and therefore, the power in his prayer life can and should be in ours.
As we consider Elijah, we learn principles which can help us become more effective in prayer both individually and corporately. It will also help us maintain and protect our individual and corporate health as described in the context of James 5:13-16.
Big Question: What general principles can we learn about effective prayer from James’ description of Elijah’s powerful prayer ministry in James 5:16-18?
Prayer from an Individual Is Tremendously Powerful
Often, we think of our need to get as many people praying as possible to get God’s will done. In fact, there does seem to be augmented power in the prayers of agreeing people. In Matthew 18:19, Christ said, “Again, I tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.” Certainly, there is power when a small group, a church, or churches agree in prayer. However, there is also great power when one person prays. James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” “Effectiveness” comes from the Greek word “energeo” from which we get the English word “energy.”1 There is great energy in the prayers of a person. Because of Elijah’s prayers, God stopped the rain for three and a half years and helped bring the nation of Israel to repentance. Consequently, much good goes unaccomplished when individuals neglect praying. In Ezekiel 22:30, God says, “I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.” Elijah reminds us to consistently stand in the gap for our friends, family, church, nation, and the world. God hears our prayers, even if we’re the only person praying, and he moves powerfully through them.
Prayer Is Affected by Our Righteousness or Lack of It
Again, James said, “The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” Certainly, all believers are righteous because of Christ’s righteousness being imputed to their account (2 Cor 5:21). However, James is referring to practical righteousness. Because Elijah separated from the compromise of Israel who worshipped Baal and separated himself to the true God, there was great power in his prayers to bring change. In fact, in 1 Kings 18, the priests of Baal were praying for fire from heaven for hours, including yelling and cutting themselves, and yet, it did not come. But when Elijah briefly prayed to the true God, fire came down from heaven. There is power in the life of a godly person! This is why the sick are encouraged to go to the elders for prayer, as they should be godly men (Jam 5:14-15; cf. 1 Tim 3:1-7). Other Scriptures also teach the importance of righteous living for our prayers to be effective. Psalm 66:18 says, “If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Also, Psalm 34:15 says, “The Lord pays attention to the godly and hears their cry for help.”
Therefore, we must ask ourselves: Are we compromising with the world through our language or entertainment? Or, are we being holy unto God—set apart from our ungodly culture unto him? Are our prayers effective or ineffective? A compromised life leads to ineffective prayer. In James 1:7-8, James said a doubled-minded man—one who professes to trust God but does not really, as evidenced by his life—should not expect to receive anything from God when praying because he is unstable (and unfaithful) in all his ways. Not walking in faith hinders the effectiveness of our prayers.
Prayer Should Be Offered in Accordance with God’s Word
When Elijah prayed for it to not rain because of Israel’s sin, most likely he was praying according to God’s Word. In Israel’s covenant with God, God repeatedly promised to withhold the rain if Israel practiced idolatry. For example, Deuteronomy 11:16-17 says,
Make sure you do not turn away to serve and worship other gods! Then the anger of the LORD will erupt against you and he will close up the sky so that it does not rain. The land will not yield its produce, and you will soon be removed from the good land that the Lord is about to give you.
Most likely, while Elijah was studying God’s Word and looking at the rebellion of Israel, God prompted Elijah to pray for drought—for God’s judgment to come. Soon after, he told King Ahab a long-term drought had begun (1 Kings 17:1). Later, after three and a half years, in 1 Kings 18:1, God provoked Elijah to pray again after Israel repented, but this time for rain and it rained.
Prayer is not about getting our will done on earth but getting God’s will done, as Christ taught in the Lord’s Prayer—“may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). Therefore, we should always pray according to God’s Word and his revealed will. This means if we are not in God’s Word, we will often not know his will and, therefore, how to pray. In fact, while reading God’s Word (possibly like Elijah was), we should commonly stop to pray exactly what it says—whether for our leaders to have wisdom, for healing over the sick, for unity in the church, or even for our community to practice mutual confession and prayer and, therefore, be healthy. Prayer should be according to God’s Word.
Prayer Should Be Heartfelt—Not Rote and Thoughtless
James said Elijah “prayed earnestly” (v. 17). Literally, it means “he prayed in his prayer.”2 It is Hebraism representing intensity and passion.3 Elijah was determined and truly concerned when he prayed. Warren Wiersbe said this about the church: “Many people do not pray in their prayers. They just lazily say religious words, and their hearts are not in their prayers.”4 Likewise, David Guzik said this:
Much of our prayer is not effective simply because it is not fervent. It is offered with a lukewarm attitude that virtually asks God to care about something that we care little about. Effective prayer must be fervent, not because we must emotionally persuade a reluctant God, but because we must gain God’s heart by being fervent for the things He is fervent for.5
Certainly, we see the effectiveness of passionate, heartfelt prayer throughout the Scripture: With Hannah, she prayed so passionately at the temple, Eli thought she was drunk (1 Sam 1:14-15). God heard her prayer and gave her a son named Samuel who would become a prophet and the last judge of Israel. With Christ, while in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed so intensely that his sweat became like great droplets of blood (Lk 22:44). And there, not only did he pray for God to remove the cup, but after reaffirming that God would not, he fervently prayed to be resurrected from his impending death. Hebrews 5:7 describes this, as it says: “During his earthly life Christ offered both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion.”
When we pray, do we really mean what we say? Are we really reaching out to the heart of God with our heart when we petition him, or are we simply mouthing religious words out of a sense of duty or tradition? Effective prayer is fervent prayer—prayed with our heart and mind.
Prayer Should Be Specific
James said that Elijah prayed for it to not rain and it didn’t. Then, he prayed for it to rain and it did. Elijah didn’t simply pray broad prayers for judgment and then broad prayers for blessing; he prayed specifically. We should ask specific requests of God as well when praying for someone’s marriage, job, or future. This reminds us of the importance of asking people for their prayer requests and also updates after receiving them. It is better to pray specifically than generally for people. When praying specifically is not possible, it may be wise to ask the Holy Spirit how to pray before interceding for a person, a community, or a nation. Romans 8:26 says, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray.” We should pray specifically, as much as possible.
Prayer Should Be Persistent
James doesn’t describe this in detail, but in 1 Kings 18, when Elijah prayed for rain, he actually prayed seven different times until he saw a small rain cloud forming. Often, we’ll need to do the same. While praying, it will commonly seem like nothing is changing. However, we should remain consistent and pray until there is break-through. In Luke 18:1-6, Jesus taught his disciples about a widow who kept shamelessly petitioning a judge until he brought her justice. Jesus shared the story so the disciples would learn to “pray and not lose heart” (Lk 18:1). Certainly, we should pray for a person’s salvation and not lose heart when he is apathetic, or it seems like his heart has gotten more calloused. We should pray for revival in our country and not faint when there are riots and protests. God is sovereign over the storm and over the calm. We should faithfully petition in both seasons. He is seeking people who will stand in the gap, so he can heal the land (Ez 22:30). Effective prayer is persistent.
Are we faithfully praying for our families, churches, communities, cities, and nations? The prayers of the righteous are effective.
Application Question: Which general principle about prayer stood out most and why? Which one do you feel called to implement more in this season? What makes being consistent with our prayer life difficult at times? What are some tips that have helped you with your prayer life?
Conclusion
As James encourages these suffering saints to pray through considering the example of Elijah, there are many principles about effective prayer we can learn from Elijah as well.
- Prayer from an Individual Is Tremendously Powerful
- Prayer Is Affected by Our Righteousness or Lack of It
- Prayer Should Be Offered in Accordance with God’s Word
- Prayer Should Be Heartfelt—Not Rote and Thoughtless
- Prayer Should Be Specific
- Prayer Should Be Persistent
Application Question: How is God calling you to grow in your prayer life and in the discipline of seeking prayer from others in this season?
Prayer Prompts
- Pray for grace to grow in the discipline of prayer—praying specifically, passionately, according to God’s Word, and with perseverance.
- Pray for healing over those struggling with physical, emotional, or spiritual sickness (including sin).
- Pray that God would use our national and global difficulties to bring repentance in the hearts of people and that he would heal our nations and our lands.
Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 280). Chicago: Moody Press.
2 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 384). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
3 Hughes, R. K. (1991). James: faith that works (p. 268). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Related Topics: Christian Life
23. Performing Rescue Missions in the Church (James 5:19-20)
Related MediaMy brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
James 5:19-20 (NET)
How should we perform rescue missions within the church—restoring believers who have stumbled into sin, wrong doctrine, and potentially from the faith?
In Isaiah 53:6, Isaiah said this in describing Israel and the world in general: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The nature of sheep is to wander away from the flock and the shepherd. Certainly, this is true of all people in that we are born with a sin nature that suppresses the truth of God (Rom 1:18-21), so we can go our own way. However, even after repentance and belief in Christ, we still have a tendency to drift away from God. Because of this tendency even among those who are part of the church, we need to at times perform rescue missions, like shepherds—seeking to turn back those who have gone astray.
In fact, Christ gave a parable which pictures these rescue missions called the Parable of the Lost Lamb. In Matthew 18:10-14, Christ said,
See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones be lost.
Likewise, there are people in the church who have walked with us, ate dinner with us, prayed with us, and worshipped with us, but for some reason fall away from God—turn their backs on him and the church altogether.
Possibly having this parable in mind, James concludes this book by challenging believers to seek to restore those who have fallen away from God and his church. Therefore, in James 5:19-20, we learn principles about how to perform rescue missions—restoring erring believers back to Christ.
Big Question: What principles can be discerned from James 5:19-20 about performing rescue missions in the church—restoring erring believers back to Christ?
To Perform Rescue Missions, We Must Understand that Lost People Are Part of the Visible Church
My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
James 5:19-20
When James talks about those wandering from the truth down the wrong path, it is clear that he is talking about a professing believer. He describes the person as “among you” (v. 19). However, with that said, he doesn’t seem to just be describing believers who have fallen into sin. Certainly, we should help all believers grow in holiness by helping them repent of sin (Gal 6:1), but this seems to be referring to those amongst the congregation who profess Christ but are not truly saved. We’ll briefly consider the alternative view which says this is referring to a true believer, but first we’ll look at evidences that this is a professing believer—one who is not truly saved.
Interpretation Question: What are evidences that James is dealing with a professing believer who is not saved instead of a true believer?
(1) Evidence that James is dealing with helping a professing believer repent unto salvation is the fact that this has been James’ chief goal in writing the letter. Throughout, he challenges those who profess faith but do not have godly works to prove that their faith is real. They were hearing God’s Word but not obeying it. James 1:22 says, “But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves.” If people listen to God’s Word but don’t practice it, they are deceived about their faith (cf. Matt 7:21). James 1:26 says, “If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.” If we profess faith but it never changes how we speak, our religion is in vain (cf. Matt 15:18). James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” If we profess to love God and others but dishonor and neglect the needy, our religion is not acceptable to God (cf. Matt 25:31-46, the Parable of the Sheep and Goats). James 4:4 says, “Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy.” If we profess devotion to God but we love the world with its evil values and ungodly practices, our profession is not genuine, and we are enemies of God (cf. 1 John 2:15). If our faith lacks good works, James actually says that our faith is dead, demonic faith—a faith that knows God, possibly fears him but doesn’t obey him. James 2:17-19 says,
So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works. You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear.
The fact that James is talking about professing believers who are not saved is not just clear from the context of the book but also from within the passage. (2) Again, this wandering person is from “among” them (v. 19). (3) When James uses the word “sinner” in verse 20, this word is typically used of nonbelievers in Scripture, not believers (cf. Prov 11:31; 13:6, 22; Matt 9:13; Luke 7:37, 39; 15:7, 10; 18:13; Rom 5:8; 1 Tim 1:9, 15; 1 Pet 4:18).1 Consider a few of them: In Matthew 9:13, Christ said, “Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Also, Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” First Peter 4:18 says, “And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of the ungodly and sinners?” John MacArthur’s comments on the word “sinner” are helpful:
The term sinner frequently describes hardened unbelievers, those who openly, defiantly disregard God’s law; those whose evil character is apparent to everyone; those whose wickedness is common knowledge2
James believed that in the local church there are those who associate with the body of believers, including serving and leading, who might not be saved (cf. Matt 7:22-23). They were “sinners” in the sense that they had never received the imputed righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21).
(4) In addition, when James says if we turn the person back, we “save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (v. 20), “death” seems to refer to eternal death (cf. Rom 6:23, Rev 20:14). Covering a “multitude of sins” would then refer to being forgiven in salvation.
With that said, those who believe James is referring to a true believer tend to believe that “death” refers to this person dying an early death as a result of God’s discipline. In Scripture, sometimes as a form of discipline for an unrepentant believer, God will simply take them home. We saw this in the story of Ananias and Saphira in Acts 5:1-11. When they continually lied about selling their property and giving all their money to the apostles, God simply took them home. They immediately died and were buried. Likewise, in 1 Corinthians 11, when the Corinthian believers were getting drunk during the Lord’s Supper and disrespecting the poor, some of them were judged by becoming sick, some became weary (depressed), but some of them died (v. 30). It was a sin unto death. In 1 John 5:16-17, John warns about a sin unto death:
If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death. There is a sin resulting in death. I do not say that he should ask about that. All unrighteousness is sin, but there is sin not resulting in death.
For those who take this view, they do so based on the fact that the overall testimony of Scripture indicates that true believers cannot lose their salvation (cf. John 10:27-30, Rom 8:29-30), so they say “death” must be referring to the sin unto death. However, again, the context of the book and James’ use of the word “sinner” argue against that interpretation. James is writing to challenge believers about false faith (Jam 2:17-19). There were professing believers amongst the congregation who were never truly saved, and their lack of fruit proved it. If they didn’t repent, then they would experience eternal death. They would be like those in the last days who served Christ and called him, “Lord, Lord,” but he will reply to them by saying, “I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!” (Matt 7:22-23).
Consequently, if we are going to do the ministry of restoration, we must first be convinced of what James believed—in every church there are wheat and weeds (Matt 13:36-43), good fish and bad fish (Matt 13:47-50), virgins with oil and virgins without oil (Matt 25:1-13), and sheep and goats (Matt 25:31-46). Understanding this reality will make us test the reality of our faith—are we bearing fruit of true repentance (Matt 3:8)? And, it also encourages us to help other brothers and sisters to turn away from lifestyles of sin, which ultimately may end in eternal death (Jam 1:14-15, 5:20). Consider the following verses: 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless, indeed, you fail the test!” Second Peter 1:10-11 says,
Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to be sure of your calling and election. For by doing this you will never stumble into sin. For thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you.
In Acts 26:20 (NLT), Paul said this about his gospel ministry:
I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do.
Likewise, in Matthew 3:8-10, John the Baptist preached this to the Jews:
Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, and don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
After writing a letter about true faith, James calls the church on a rescue mission to save those within the church. Some are not convinced that there are many in the church who are lost. They think as long as at some point they said the sinner’s prayer or went through confirmation, they are OK in the sense of their eternal salvation. Therefore, they neglect this ministry. Scripture teaches that every tree that doesn’t bear good fruit will be thrown into the fire (Matt 3:10). Yes, we must seek to turn back those who have fallen into sin, but we also must be aware that a lifestyle of unrepentance might prove that they lack salvation. Ephesians 5:3-6 says,
But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting—all of which are out of character—but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience.
Application Question: Why is performing rescue missions so important within the church? Which view do you agree with—that “death” in James 5:20 refers to the early death of a believer as a judgment or that it refers to eternal death, that the professing believer wasn’t saved?
To Perform Rescue Missions, We Must Recognize the Warning Signs
…if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path…
James 5:19-20
Observation Question: What are some common warning signs of believers falling away from the faith or their lacking genuine faith, as demonstrated in James 5:19-20?
Like a lifeguard surveying a beach looking for signs of distress, those who are going to perform rescue missions in the church must be aware of signs of distress or danger amongst professing believers. James mentions two in the text: “wanders from the truth” (v. 19) and “wandering path” or “error of his way” as in the NIV (v. 20). These represent both doctrinal error and error in practice. This makes perfect sense. For some in the church, practicing or condoning the sins of others leads them to change their doctrine. They just can’t believe their friends that don’t accept Christ as their Lord and Savior are going to hell, so they are drawn to a universal salvation understanding of Scripture. They can’t believe that sex between two loving, unmarried people is wrong—whether that be heterosexual or homosexual sex—so they start to adopt an antinomian understanding of Scripture—living without biblical laws. “As long as we have faith in God, it doesn’t matter how we live!” they say. For others, instead of practice leading to wrong doctrine, wrong doctrine leads to wrong practice. They start off listening to the wrong podcasts, hearing wrong doctrine in their classrooms or church services, or hearing the liberal views of their friends while in conversation. Eventually, they accept these views, which changes their practice. These are danger signs that we need to be aware of—wrong views of Scripture, especially in the area of foundational doctrines, and wrong practices, which are often vigorously condoned and defended. For example, watch out for these specific warning signs:
1. Be careful of views that teach there are errors in Scripture and that the Bible or parts of the Bible are not trustworthy.
Satan’s first temptation was, “Did God really say that?” (Gen 3:1 paraphrase). Likewise, when people start to not believe all of Scripture, they soon doubt the creation story, then the miracles in the Bible including the virgin birth, the existence of a real hell, and then they doubt the resurrection of Jesus which is the foundation of our faith (1 Cor 15:14, 17). It’s a very slippery slope.
Again, a major warning sign is when people start doubting the validity of Scripture. In John 8:31, Jesus said, “If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples.” Therefore, people who don’t continue in God’s Words are not true disciples.
2. Be careful of errant views about Jesus.
In 1 John 4:1-3, John said,
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world.
The cult indoctrinating the church of Ephesus attacked the humanity of Jesus. They believed he was God but not man. Likewise, be careful of any type of doctrine that denies either the humanity or deity of Jesus. That is the spirit of the antichrist according to John. This is why many would call Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons a cult because of their errant doctrines about Jesus Christ. He is not God or originally was an angel.
These errant teachings saturated the early church so much that John later wrote the same thing in 2 John 1:7-10:
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! Watch out, so that you do not lose the things we have worked for, but receive a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in this teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not give him any greeting
We must make sure that we and our brothers and sisters remain in the orthodox teachings about Christ.
3. Be careful of any doctrine that changes the gospel.
In Galatians 1:6-9, consider Paul’s warning to the Galatians:
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are following a different gospel—not that there really is another gospel, but there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be condemned to hell! As we have said before, and now I say again, if any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be condemned to hell!
In verses 8 and 9, he said that those with a different gospel should be “condemned to hell” or “accursed” (ESV). This was very serious to Paul. For the Galatians, there was a cult adding the necessity of works, like being circumcised or following the law, to be saved. We are saved by grace through faith and not by any works (Eph 2:8-9), including going to church, taking the Lord’s Supper, giving to the poor, and being baptized. Works is a necessary fruit of salvation (Jam 2:17, Eph 2:10), but it is not the root of salvation.
When someone accepts any doctrines that add works to the gospel, such as in Catholicism or those who add the need for baptism to be saved, then those are major warning signs. In addition, we should be aware of those who would remove the need for repentance in the gospel or accepting Christ as our personal Lord. Some advocate a gospel without the need for repentance or even following Christ as our Lord. As long as we believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead for our sins, then we are saved. We don’t need to follow him at all, they say! That is not a true gospel. Be extremely careful of any views that change the gospel—our need for faith in Christ and repentance of sins.
4. Be careful of those who would deny the need for holiness after salvation, either through doctrine or practicing unrepentant sin—again the antinomian error.
Again, in Ephesians 5:3-6, Paul said,
But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting—all of which are out of character—but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience.
There were some professing and practicing a licentious view of God’s law and therefore trying to deceive believers to do the same in the church of Ephesus. Paul said don’t let anyone deceive you about this. People who live like this will not enter the kingdom of God. True salvation—true faith—is proved by a life of obedience to God’s Word—not a perfect life, but a life that is striving to grow in holiness. In Matthew 7:21, Christ said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
If we are going to perform rescue missions in the church, we must be aware of the danger signs—errors in major doctrines and unrepentant sins, which are typically vigorously condoned and defended by those practicing it.
Application Question: How have you experienced believers who have these warning signs—errors in foundational doctrines or defending and practicing unrepentant sin?
To Perform Rescue Missions, We Must Reach Out to Those Who Have Wandered
My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
James 5:19-20
Again, after James taught about the need of having a faith that works and the existence of demonic faith within the church, he concludes his letter by encouraging believers to try to turn these professing believers back to God and away from wrong doctrine and sinful behavior. Most times, those “wandering” will already have left the church or only occasionally attend. It is hard to stay in a church where the Word of God is being preached when a person is living in unrepentant sin or has cardinal doctrines that they disagree with. In 1 John 2:19, John said this about the cultist who previously attended the Ephesian church:
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us, because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us.
Therefore, to perform this ministry, often it will mean going outside the church to those who have stopped attending church altogether or who have gone to another church which accommodates their unbiblical views and practices. However, at times, their hearts have become so hardened to the truth that they actually stay in the church, with little to no conviction. If they have major doctrinal errors, they will sometimes try to recruit others into their error. Either way, James challenges the church to reach out to them, so they can be restored to God and his people and ultimately saved.
Application Question: How should we practically perform rescue missions for those who have wandered from the truth in doctrine and/or practice?
1. Throughout the process, we must pray for the wandering person.
In 1 John 5:6, John said, “If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death.” Wandering believers must continually be the object of our prayers.
2. We must make sure that we have the correct information.
Often rumors go around that so and so is living in sin or teaching errant doctrine. We should confirm the truth first by talking with those who are sharing such things. It may actually be only a rumor or gossip. In those cases, those sharing may need to be gently corrected. At times, the only way to confirm the information is to approach the person who is supposedly doing such things. When doing this, it must be approached very humbly, affirming your care for them, with a recognition that what you want to talk about might simply be a mistake or miscommunication. Either way, to do this ministry, we need to confirm what’s true.
3. We must discern who would be best to approach the person.
In Galatians 6:1, Paul said this about performing restoration ministry: “Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too.” Paul says those who are “spiritual” should be the ones to perform this ministry. He is not saying it should only be the elders or spiritual leaders of the church. This ministry is given to the body of Christ (cf. Matt 18:15-17), but if we are very young or new in the faith, then we should probably defer to somebody more spiritually mature. When dealing with false doctrine or ungodly practices, the spiritually immature are prone to be confused and deceived by that doctrine or tempted in the very same sin.
In addition, the best people to do this ministry are not only the spiritually mature but also those who have a relationship with the person in error. Having an intimate relationship with that person may make him or her more prone to listen. Therefore, we must ask ourselves, “Are we the right person to reach out to them, and if not, who?”
4. Before confronting the person, we must arm ourselves with relevant Scriptures.
In teaching about spiritual warfare, Paul talked about using “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17). If a wandering believer is struggling with some doctrine, we should study up on it. If he is living in some sin, we should likewise be prepared with Scriptures which focus on that area. If it is possibly a professing believer who lacks genuine faith, we should arm ourselves with Scriptures that both warn and provide the ability for a person to test their faith. For example, the whole book of 1 John has tests of salvation (cf. 1 John 5:13). One widely applicable one is 1 John 3:9-10. It says,
Everyone who has been fathered by God does not practice sin, because God’s seed resides in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice righteousness—the one who does not love his fellow Christian—is not of God.
When John says those who are saved do “not practice sin” (v. 9), he is not talking about being perfect (cf. 1 John 1:8), he is talking about a continual practice of sin—a lifestyle without repentance. James says the same thing but in the opposite way, “But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves” (Jam 1:22). If we simply listen to God’s Word and don’t practice it as a lifestyle, we’re not saved. In addition, John said if we don’t love fellow Christians, we’re not saved. First John 3:14 says, “We know that we have crossed over from death to life because we love our fellow Christians. The one who does not love remains in death.” This is the same thing Christ taught in John 13:35 when he said, “Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” If a person doesn’t faithfully attend church, meet with believers, and serve them, this is not just an obedience issue but also a love issue. When you love someone, at the minimum, you want to be around them, even if they are not perfect. Therefore, those who forsake the assembly of God fail the “love” test (cf. Heb 10:25, 1 John 3:14). Before approaching wandering believers, we need to arm ourselves with relevant Scriptures.
5. Throughout the discussion, we must be gentle and noncombative—trusting that God changes hearts, not us.
Second Timothy 2:24-26 (NIV) says,
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
If our manner in approaching them is harsh or rude, we may, inadvertently, close their hearts to God. This is part of the reason Paul said those who are “spiritual” should reach out to the person in error (Gal 6:1). The spiritual ones are less likely to be combative and push the erring person away from God. Our hope must be in God—not our logical arguments, loud voice, or temper. Ephesians 4:15 (NIV) says we must speak “the truth in love.”
6. If there is no repentance, we must be willing to follow the New Testament guidelines on church discipline, including, eventually, separating from them.
In Matthew 18:15-17, Christ said this:
If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector.
Because their souls are so important, (1) we reach out to them one-on-one, and (2) if there is no repentance, we reach out with one or two others, (3) then with the church, and (4) if they still don’t respond, we separate from them, in hopes that they will understand the gravity of their sin and repent.
In considering this final step, Paul said this to the Corinthians:
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Are you not to judge those inside? But God will judge those outside. Remove the evil person from among you.
1 Corinthians 5:11-13
7. Finally, throughout this process, we must be willing to take the risk of being misunderstood and even demonized, as we seek to help people who have gone astray.
Are there risks in seeking to help someone who has turned away from the truth? Certainly. They might curse us, stop being our friends, say bad things about us, or even try to fight us. However, truly loving people means opening ourselves up to be hurt by them. Someone said this ministry is kind of like trying to help a wounded dog; it’s very likely that you’ll get bit.3 Unfortunately, this is true. Christ did the same for us. He loved the world and, therefore, spoke the truth to them, and they crucified him for it. But God used Christ’s pain for good—to save the world. Often the pain we receive is something God can use to deliver a brother or sister from death and cover a multitude of sins. Therefore, we must willingly take these risks to rescue our brothers and sisters.
Application Question: How have you experienced performing rescue missions with wandering believers? What did you find most helpful in the process and not so helpful?
Conclusion
How can we perform rescue missions in the church—helping wandering brothers and sisters who have turned away from Christ in doctrine or practice?
- To Perform Rescue Missions, We Must Understand that Lost People Are Part of the Visible Church
- To Perform Rescue Missions, We Must Recognize the Warning Signs
- To Perform Rescue Missions, We Must Reach Out to Those Who Have Wandered
Prayer Prompts
- Pray for God to protect our church members from the evil one and temptation, and if any are caught in some sin or false doctrine, that God may deliver them.
- Pray for God to restore and heal those within denominations who have fallen into major error and practice—pray for God to restore his Bride.
- Pray that God would give us his love and his wisdom so we can effectively reach out to those struggling or in rebellion.
- Pray that God would strengthen our church through his Word and unify us through his love.
Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
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1 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 286). Chicago: Moody Press.
Related Topics: Christian Life
1. Characteristics Of The Person God Uses Greatly Pt. 1 (1 Kings 17:1)
Related MediaElijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”
1 Kings 17:1 (NET)
What are characteristics of the person God uses greatly for his kingdom?
In this study, we will focus on Elijah. He is one of the more dynamic people mentioned in the Bible. In order to fully understand Elijah’s story, we must understand the context of his ministry. At this time in history, Israel’s apostasy was at an all-time high because they had a wicked ruler named King Ahab. His evil was augmented by his marriage to a pagan woman named Jezebel who worshiped Baal. First Kings 21:25 says this about them: “(There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, urged on by his wife Jezebel.” Because of their leadership, Israel turned away from God and began to worship Baal—the god of fertility.
In order to restore Israel to God, the Lord called one of his greatest prophets, Elijah, to confront Ahab. The man’s life was very special and unique. In fact, he is one of only two people who never died and was taken straight to heaven—Elijah and Enoch. In Genesis 5, Enoch walked with God and was no more, as the Lord took him to heaven (v. 24). Similarly, Elijah was also faithful in his generation and therefore never tasted death. The Lord took him to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2).
Yet even with his greatness, James 5:16-18 says:
… The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.
The KJV says Elijah was a man with “like passions” as us. He was normal, and yet God used him for great things. In the context, James calls believers to bring the sick to the elders for prayer and also to confess their sins to one another and pray for one another so they can be healed (v. 16). He uses Elijah to demonstrate how the prayers of the righteous have power. He essentially says the power in Elijah’s life can be in ours. God can mightily use us as well.
As we study Elijah, it is not just to stand in awe at how God used him, it is also for us to cry out to be used as well. Second Chronicles 16:9 says, “Certainly the Lord watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him.”
God is on alert; he looks for men and women that he can use greatly for his kingdom. His eyes roam the earth looking for Abrahams, Josephs, Davids, and Elijahs. He looks for people to use. Our world is no less dark than in Elijah’s time. Our leaders rebel against God. They sacrifice our children on the altar of comfort; they shame our sisters and daughters on TV and the Internet for money. They praise those who do evil and mock those who do good. God is looking to raise up faithful Elijahs whom he can strengthen for his glory.
Are we people God can use greatly? Are we people God can display his strength through? What are the characteristics of the man or woman God uses? In 1 Kings 17:1, though a small verse, we can discern many characteristics of those God often uses greatly.
Big Question: What are characteristics of a person God uses greatly, as discerned from 1 Kings 17:1, when Elijah is introduced?
God Uses the Common and the Weak
Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead
1 Kings 17:1a
What does this verse tell us about Elijah’s background? Not as much as many other introductions in the Bible. Many times, when somebody is introduced in Scripture, it gives his family origin, his birth story, what tribe he was from, and his occupation. With Jesus, there are two whole genealogies, including his lineage starting with Abraham in Matthew 1 and with Adam in Luke 3. But for some reason the writer of Kings adds very little about Elijah. This probably means there was not much known about him. He didn’t come from a priestly heritage like John the Baptist. He didn’t come from the line of David like Jesus. He was really a nobody.
All we are told is that he came from Tishbe in Gilead. Tishbe is a city that archaeologists and Bible scholars have never been able to find.1 This tends to the probability that it was a tiny town or remote village. Elijah had humble origins—he was a small-town guy. We do, however, know a little about Gilead. Gilead was a mountainous region east of the Jordan River—not far from Jericho.2 In fact, in Arabic, the word “jilead,” which is related to “gilead” in Hebrew, simply means “rough” or “rugged.”3
The people from the mountains were looked down upon in Israel. It is similar to how people from the big city commonly look down upon those from the country. Mountain people typically lived off the land and did not have high education or sophisticated clothing like people from the city. In fact, 2 Kings 1:8 (ESV) says Elijah wore a “garment of hair, with a belt of leather”—probably camel skin or some other animal’s hair (cf. Matt 3:4). He killed an animal in the mountains and clothed himself with the hair. In American culture, Elijah would have been called a “hillbilly” or “country bumpkin.” Elijah was not well educated or cultured and probably had an accent. He was a hillbilly from Gilead.
From what we can discern, Elijah was a “common” man. He was not someone well-known. He didn’t have a college degree; he hadn’t been trained at Bethlehem seminary. Nobody even knew who he was and many probably had never even heard of his small town “Tishbe.” The author wants us to see his commonality.
In fact, as mentioned, James 5:17-18 seems to focus on his commonality as well. It says, “Elijah was a human being like us.” He had passions like us (KJV). He was normal. In 1 Kings 19:4, he went through a great bout of depression where he prayed to die. He often felt lonely; in 1 Kings 19:10, he told God, “I’m the only one left that follows you” (paraphrase).
Apparently, no one really knew Elijah until he stepped onto the scene in the presence of King Ahab. He was a nobody from nowhere, but he was handpicked by the Lord to carry a message of repentance to a wayward nation.
God’s Preference
Scripture actually indicates that God prefers to use the common and weak people of this world for his glory. In biblical history, God used shepherds, fisherman, and farmers—common people without great education or high standing in society. However, they were perfect for God to use.
The biblical story is the exact opposite of what the world and even the church would often say is necessary for success. They might say, “You need this family background, this education, and this occupation!” However, that is not what God says, nor what Christian history attests. For example, Dwight L. Moody, one of the greatest evangelists the world has ever known, stopped his formal education at fifth grade.4 Billy Graham, another well-known evangelist, never went to seminary. Statistically, many of the biggest churches in the world are run by people without seminary training. One report in 1998 showed that one-third of megachurch ministers don’t have seminary education.5 This may seem shocking, but Scripture says this is normal. First Corinthians 1:26-29 says,
Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no one can boast in his presence.
Why does God typically choose the common and weak over the rich, strong, beautiful, and wise? It’s because the common man typically understands his own weakness. He is not prone to boasting. He knows that he is not strong enough, fast enough, smart enough, or good looking enough because society has told him so. The common are more inclined to humility and recognizing their own weakness before God, while the successful are more inclined to pride.
It is because of their weakness that God delights to use them. Consider what God said to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness…” When God sees the weak, he says, “Yes! He doesn’t trust in his own strength, education, or speaking ability. He doesn’t think he is equipped for the task. That is a person I can use; that is a person that won’t try to steal my glory.”
This is what Samuel said to Saul about his calling: “While you were small in your own eyes, the Lord made you head and king over Israel” (1 Sam 15:17, paraphrase). It was when Saul thought nothing of himself, that God found him and anointed him for great works.
Excuses from the Common
That is why in Scripture, we often see the “common” make excuses when God calls them: “I can’t lead,” “I can’t speak,” or “I am too young.” It happens because God doesn’t typically call the great. He calls the common and makes them great—he makes them sufficient for the task.
It’s been said that God often looks for the reluctant leader. He finds the person not looking for the limelight and says to them, “You, hiding over there (as with Gideon)! You are perfect! In your weakness, my power will be perfected, and my name gloried.”
When we look at the church and see how few God truly uses in powerful ways, we can discern our problem. Many of us are too strong. We are too independent. We trust too much in our own wisdom, hard work, speaking ability, experience, and education. God’s power can’t fill us, because we are too filled with our own ability and high view of ourselves. We will be inclined to boast and steal God’s glory.
We must ask ourselves, “Are we too strong? Are our strengths keeping us from being used by God?” This doesn’t mean we can’t succeed apart from God. We can, and that’s the problem! We can live lives virtually separated from God and appear successful, but we won’t be successful to God. Christ said this to the church of Sardis in Revelation 3:1, “…I know your deeds, that you have a reputation that you are alive, but in reality you are dead.”
Can God use us?
Discerning If We’re Too Strong
Application Question: How can we discern if we are too strong for God to use us?
1. We can discern if we are too strong by how much we depend on God.
We can do this by asking ourselves key questions, “How much do we pray? How much do we read the Word of God? How consistently do we meet with other believers to worship and be edified?” The weak realize they can’t make it throughout the day without him—they need to be in his Word, prayer, and godly fellowship.
Sadly, many professing Christians live totally independent of God. They don’t need to go to church, read their Bibles, worship, or pray. The problem is they are too strong, and their strength is hindering the abundant grace God wants to give them.
2. We can discern if we are too strong by how we view ourselves and others.
The strong tend to have a high view of themselves and are prone to look down on others, even consistently criticizing them. They are like the Pharisees. However, Paul, though an apostle, called himself “the chief of sinners” (1 Tim 1:15, paraphrase). God could use Paul because of his weakness, not his greatness. In his weakness, God’s power was made perfect.
It has been said only those who see themselves as “chief of sinners” are fit to serve others, and thus be used greatly by God. If not, we will be prone to pride, boasting, and judgmentalism. Therefore, God cannot entrust the fullness of his power to us.
Those who think much of themselves, God cannot use. In fact, James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” He fights against the proud so they can become humble and weak.
Applications for the Weak
Application Question: What should we do if we feel too weak?
1. The weak must recognize that they can be used by God.
If we feel too weak—too common and normal—then we must understand that we are right where God wants us. We are people he can use. He is not looking for the smartest person, the wealthiest, strongest, or one from an esteemed family background. He often finds the unknown from the backyards of Gilead. He finds those who are weak in their own eyes and the eyes of others and bestows his grace on them.
2. The weak must be willing to step out in faith, as God leads.
When God calls, they must be willing to step out in faith to help out at church, share their faith, and/or serve in leadership. As they do this, they will find God’s grace made perfect in them. God will give them the words to say, the strength to serve, and the grace to persevere when weary. It was when Moses stepped out in faith, he found out God’s grace had made him a miracle worker. It was when Gideon stopped hiding and stepped out in faith, he found out God’s grace had made him a mighty warrior and leader. It was when Peter stepped out on the water, that he found out God’s grace had enabled him to walk on waves. We must be willing to step out in faith so we can experience God’s perfect power (2 Cor 12:9).
Applications for the Strong
Application Question: What should the strong do to be used by God?
What about the rest of us who recognize our own independence, strength, and pride, which may be keeping God from using us? What should we do?
1. The strong must repent of pride.
In speaking to the church of Laodicea in Revelations 3:17-19, Christ said:
Because you say, “I am rich and have acquired great wealth, and need nothing,” but do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, take my advice and buy gold from me refined by fire so you can become rich! Buy from me white clothing so you can be clothed and your shameful nakedness will not be exposed, and buy eye salve to put on your eyes so you can see! All those I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent!
To be “earnest” means be genuine. We must honestly express to God our pride and independence, and repent.
2. The strong must rejoice and submit to God when humbled by trials.
James 1:9-10 says, “Now the believer of humble means should take pride in his high position. But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow.”
In talking about the value of trials and how they help our faith grow (1:3-4), James says the believer of humble means—referring to the poor and the weak—should rejoice in their high position. Their circumstances give them a great opportunity to grow in their faith and be used by God. This is why Scripture says, “Blessed are you who are poor” (Luke 6:20) and that God has chosen “the poor in the world to be rich in faith” (Jam 2:5). It also says, “the last will be first, and the first last” (Matt 20:16). Scripture pictures the brother in humble circumstances as exalted in the kingdom.
But for the rich, James essentially says, they should rejoice in their “humiliation.” He seems to be talking about when the rich are made low in trials. It is then they should rejoice because it’s good for them (Jam 1:2). It reveals the futility of wealth and the brevity of life. Through trials, God reveals their weakness and need for God. He reveals that they are really like flowers that pass away.
We get a good example of this in Paul. He was not rich, but he was a great apostle and greatly used by God. Consider his response to being made low in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.” Paul rejoiced in his being humbled, and James told the rich to do the same. They should boast when God makes them weak. He is drawing them to himself and preparing them to be used by God. Paul boasted in his weakness. He didn’t complain or get angry. He knew God was preparing him to be a vessel that could demonstrate God’s power.
We might ask ourselves at times, “Why are we going through this? Why are we separated from family and friends? Why are we so lonely? Why is life so hard?” It’s because God is humbling us. He is taking us lower so he can raise us higher. He is preparing us to be used.
Personally, I have experienced this many times. When God called me into ministry my sophomore year of college, everything went wrong in my life. I went through over a year of depression where I often didn’t want to live. However, it was understanding God’s process of making a man of God that gave me hope. Because of our natural tendency towards pride and independence, God often places those he calls into the wilderness. He puts them in difficulty to prepare them. Moses went into the wilderness; Joseph became a slave and then a prisoner; even Christ went to the wilderness before beginning his ministry. It is there that God humbles us so that he can use us.
Therefore, we must rejoice when God humbles us and makes us weak because it is only there that we can be truly strong. It has been this theology that has given me strength in my wilderness seasons. It gave me strength to trust and rejoice even when I felt like giving up.
If we are too strong, we must trust God and rejoice when he makes us low by bringing us through trials. It’s how he prepares us to be used.
General Applications
Application Question: What other applications can we take from how God prefers to use the common and weak?
1. We must be careful about using society’s criteria in judging God’s ministers.
First Corinthians 4:5 says,
So then, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition from God.
Paul says this in the context of people improperly judging his ministry and others’ (4:1-4). This commonly happens today. Many people are excluded from certain ministries because of secular wisdom. Consider most churches: When they are seeking a pastor, they often require a masters or even a PhD. The ministry has become professionalized, which is not what we see in Scripture. Many of God’s greatest servants lacked formal education, though not training. They were fishermen, shepherds, farmers, etc. In fact, the Pharisees marveled at the apostles because they were unlearned—meaning they lacked formal training (Acts 4:13).
Because the church and many of our denominations have become professionalized, they exclude those God called, and therefore the church suffers. Much of the church has become pharisaical in that they add to the Scriptures, as if they are not enough for life and godliness. God has already given us requirements for pastoral ministry in Scripture (cf. 1 Tim 3, Titus 1). We must trust God and his Word.
2. We must be careful of judging ourselves and others by the world’s standards.
The church many times judges others based on wealth, education, status, and even ethnicity, instead of biblical values. Consider James’ rebuke of believers in James 2:3-5:
do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”? If so, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
Many Christians view others with secular eyes and not God’s eyes. Their secular view affects who they marry—many Christians would not marry Jesus because of his educational background, poor family, and even his ethnicity. For many, their secular worldview affects their career trajectory. Instead of pursuing something that meets their needs, allows them to be with their family, and lets them serve God in the church, they are in the rat-race of more. Therefore, they neglect their family and church. Be careful of judging yourself and others by the world’s standards. Only God’s standards matter.
3. We must be careful of limiting how God can use us.
We live in this world, but we are not of this world. God does not require degrees, finances, or a ministry lineage, though he may use each of those. He requires someone with a right heart to display his power. He may call us in a direction that society, family, and friends reject, and it may not even seem to align with our natural gifts and talents. We shouldn’t limit God. His power is made perfect in weakness.
Application Question: Why does God often choose the common and/or weak over the strong to use? In what ways has God used you in your weaknesses or times of weakness? What areas of strength do you have where you might be tempted to not rely on God? How is God calling you to rely on him (and possibly his saints) more in this season?
God Uses the Righteous
Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab
1 Kings 17:1
What else can we discern about Elijah other than his humble beginnings? We can also discern that Elijah was righteous. When God looks for a man or woman to use, he looks for those practicing a lifestyle of holiness and righteousness. Where do we see this in the text?
We see it not only in the fact that Elijah challenges wicked King Ahab but also in his name, specifically. Elijah meant “My God is Yahweh.”6 Yahweh was the covenant name God gave to Moses when he set Israel free from slavery in Egypt.
Names in the Old Testament meant more than something you called somebody. It represented the character of something or someone. In fact, in ancient societies, it was common to name someone only after discerning their characteristics. When Isaac and Rebekah had children, they named their first Esau because he was hairy. They named the second Jacob because he came out grabbing the brother’s foot. Jacob means “heel grabber” or “swindler” (Gen 25). And, that’s just how Jacob lived his life—cheating people. But when he met God and wrestled with him in Genesis 32, God changed his name to Israel, because he had wrestled with God and prevailed. God changed his name because there was a change in character and calling. When someone truly encounters God, it will change the fabric of their character.
Similarly, Elijah no doubt was a man that lived for God. He was probably raised by a faithful Jewish family in the mountains who chose that the God of Jacob would be their God. Elijah, obviously, internalized their teachings and followed Yahweh, even when the rest of Israel was pursuing Baal. When Elijah confronted Ahab, he essentially said, “Unlike you and the rest of Israel, Yahweh is my God!”
When God looks for someone to use, he finds a righteous man or woman. He finds a Samuel, a David, a Josiah, a Mary and raises them up for his purposes. These people are characterized by holiness—separation from the ways of the world and a pursuit of righteousness. And this was true of Elijah. When all Israel followed Baal, Elijah followed Yahweh, God.
Prayer of the Righteous
Why is it important for the man or woman God uses to be righteous? Scripture says God, in a special way, hears the prayers of the righteous. We see support for this in James 5:16b-18, as it describes the power in Elijah’s prayers. It says,
… The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.
As mentioned, James used this as an apologetic for bringing the sick to the elders for prayer, as well as praying for one another (v. 15-16). He essentially says, “Don’t you know the prayers of righteous people matter! They are powerful and effective! Remember Elijah? Therefore, bring your sick to the elders to receive prayer, and pray for one another for healing.”
Why does God choose the righteous? One reason is because their prayers are powerful. It is sobering to consider that our personal righteousness, or lack of it, affects the efficacy of our prayers.
There are so many Christians that wonder, “Why doesn’t God hear my prayers? Why doesn’t he answer me? Why isn’t he using me?” It might be because of spiritual compromise and a lack of righteousness.
We see further support for this in Jesus’ words in John 15:7. He said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.”
What did Jesus mean? He meant that there is power in a life that is consecrated to Christ. There is power in the life that is set apart to live and dwell in God’s Word. When a person abides in God’s Word and practices it as a lifestyle, God answers his or her prayers. Those are the types of people he uses. They are the world changers.
We must ask ourselves: “Do we love God’s Word? Do we read it, memorize it, teach it, and pray it? Do we make our home in it, as the Word “abide” or “remain” means? Or are we more like visitors—visiting it on occasion, obeying God’s Word when it’s convenient and doesn’t hurt?” Compromising Christians have little to no power, and God can’t use them as he would like.
James uses Elijah as encouragement not only for us to pray and seek prayer, but also for us to become righteous people—for there is power in a righteous life.
Lack of Power in a Sinful Life
But we also must consider the opposite side. A lack of personal righteousness will stifle our prayer life and the effectiveness of it. Consider these verses,
But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God; your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers.
Isaiah 59:2
If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
Psalm 66:18
When the Psalmist says, “harbored,” it can also be translated “cherish” (NIV), which means to love or enjoy something. Essentially, it means that if one loves sin, God will not hear his prayers. If one loves an ungodly, immoral relationship, then God won’t hear. If one loves getting a good grade, even if it means cheating, God won’t listen. If one loves nursing unforgiveness towards someone instead of forgiving, God will reject his prayers. If one loves ungodly entertainment, music, and TV shows, then it negatively affects the efficacy of his or her prayers. As we consider this, we must realize this hinders many Christians from having power in their prayers. They pray, but it’s not effective.
When God looks for a person to use, he finds a righteous person. One who says, “The Lord is my God. I’m going to be different than the rest of the world. This is why I’m waiting to have sex till marriage. This is why I won’t be dishonest at work or gossip about my boss behind his back. I want to know God, and I want him to use me.”
God looks around and sees that person and says, “That’s someone I can use! That’s a person who wants to be righteous like me. I can burden him for nations; he will pray, and my mighty arms will move to save. I can put him in a workplace, and he will mourn over their sins and I will mourn with him. I will bring revival because of his prayers.”
God hears the prayers of the righteous. Will we choose righteousness? Will we make Yahweh, the God of Israel, our God? We can’t have two masters—the world and God. We can only serve one.
James 1:7-8 says the double minded man is unstable in all his ways and he will receive nothing from God. The one living for the world and trying to live for God, at the same time, is not somebody God can use.
Application Question: How should we respond to the fact that God uses the righteous person?
1. We must repent of anything that displeases God or hinders our relationship with him.
First Thessalonians 5:22 says, “… Stay away from every form of evil.” Likewise, Ephesians 5:3-4 says,
But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting—all of which are out of character—but rather thanksgiving.
There should not be sexual immorality, impurity, greed, foolish talk, or coarse joking in our lives because they are not fitting for God’s people.
2. We must pursue righteousness as a lifestyle—serving God and others.
Righteousness is not just the absence of sin, it’s the presence of good deeds. Galatians 6:9-10 says,
So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.
God is looking for righteous people to use, those who turn away from sin and pursue purity in heart and deeds to honor God. Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
Are we willing to let God use us?
Application Question: Why does God often choose the righteous to use greatly for his purposes? How is God calling you to grow in righteous character and deeds and to help others do the same?
Conclusion
What are characteristics of the person God uses?
- God Uses the Common and Weak
- God Uses the Righteous
Again, 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “Certainly the Lord watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him.”
Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?
Prayer Prompts
- Pray for God to purify his church from sin and spiritual apathy and restore to it a zeal for the Word and righteousness.
- Pray for God to raise up the common, the weak, and the righteous and put them in strategic places for his glory and to change the world.
- Pray for God to bring revival in the world through the church and his Spirit within her.
Copyright © 2022 Gregory Brown
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Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
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1 Charles R. Swindoll. Elijah: A Man of Heroism and Humility (Great Lives From God’s Word 5: Profiles in Character from Charles R. Swindoll) (Kindle Locations 103-104). Kindle Edition.
2 Pritchard, Ray. Fire and Rain: the Wild-Hearted Faith of Elijah . Keep Believing Ministries. Kindle Edition.
3 Accessed 10/16/20 from https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/gilead/
4 Accessed 7/14/17 from https://www.moody.edu/about/our-bold-legacy/d-l-moody/
Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life
2. Characteristics Of The Person God Uses Greatly Pt. 2 (1 Kings 17:1)
Related MediaElijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”
1 Kings 17:1 (NET)
What are characteristics of the person God uses greatly? As we consider Elijah and his powerful ministry, we can discern common characteristics of those God has used throughout history. The first characteristic we considered was the fact that Elijah was a common man. He was from a small town in Gilead, which was a mountainous region. He would have lacked the education of those from a big city. He wore clothes which represented his rugged upbringing. Scripture says he wore a garment of animal hair with a belt (2 Kgs 1:8). He probably had an accent. Because of his country upbringing, those from the city would have looked down upon him. He was common; however, God has delighted to use people like this throughout history (1 Cor 1:26-31). The Bible is full of stories of God greatly using farmers, shepherds, and others who would have not been highly esteemed in society. Why? Because God’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9), in people who will trust in him instead of their strength, riches, or education. The apostles were common men who lacked formal rabbinical training (Acts 4:13). When God does use somebody of great standing in society like Moses or Paul, he makes them weak through their circumstances, so they can become humble and rely on God.
Why doesn’t God mightily use more people in the church? No doubt, it’s because we are too strong, too independent, and we need to become more humble and dependent on God, so he can use us. Christ taught, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them” (Matt 5:3). In Matthew 18:4, he taught that the greatest in the kingdom are like little children—totally dependent on God.
The second characteristic we learned about Elijah was his righteousness. We saw this when he stood up against Ahab who was leading Israel away from God, but we also saw it in his name. His name meant “My God is Yahweh.” Elijah’s parents no doubt raised him to be a godly man, and when all Israel was turning away from Yahweh to follow Baal and his corrupt practices, Elijah lived out his name. When God looks for someone to use greatly, he finds a righteous person. In James 5:17, in using Elijah as an example, James said, “The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” God hears the prayers of the righteous and he uses them to transform families, communities, cities, and nations.
What else can we learn about Elijah? It is clear from this passage and Elijah’s life that he was a man of great courage. We see this in two ways: The first way is his defiance of the King. According to the author of 1 Kings, Ahab was the most wicked king that had ever sat on the throne of Israel. First Kings 16:30 says, “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the sight of the Lord than all who were before him.” What made him even worse was his marriage to Jezebel. She was from the kingdom of Sidon, and she instituted Baal worship in Israel. From Scripture, we learn that she was very wicked and often was the mastermind behind Ahab’s evil ways. Together, they made a frightening couple.
But nevertheless, Elijah appears in the presence of the King and defies him. What makes this even more terrifying is that appearing in the presence of the King without permission could be extremely dangerous. In the story of Esther, even as queen, she had to get permission to come into the presence of her husband. In fact, one time, so she wouldn’t be put to death for coming into his presence without permission, she asked her uncle to get the Israelites in Susa to fast for her for three days (Es 4:16). In general, the Israelite kings weren’t as ruthless as the Persian kings, but nevertheless, it took great courage for Elijah to confront Israel’s most wicked king. Since Elijah was commissioned by God, apparently, he was not afraid, and if so, he was willing to face his fears. He not only showed up in the presence of the King but also gave him bad news: “there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”
The second way we see Elijah’s courage is that he not only stood up to the most wicked king of Israel but also to a false deity. Baal was the primary pagan deity worshiped in Israel at this time. He was considered the god of the storm and fertility. Followers of Baal would commonly practice sexual rituals and even sacrifice their children in order to secure rain and blessings for their crops. When Elijah declared it would not rain, not only was he confronting the King, but he also was confronting this pagan god.
This confrontation with Baal will come full circle in 1 Kings 18 when Elijah confronts all the prophets of Baal. He gathers all of them for a competition: Which deity, Yahweh or Baal, would bring fire on a sacrifice? Again, Elijah’s boldness and courage are seen as he mocks the prophets and Baal. First Kings 18:27 says: “At noon Elijah mocked them, ‘Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.’”
Elijah’s courage is displayed as he confronts both Ahab and Baal. However, it must be noted that this is a necessary quality for every man or woman God uses. Consider what Moses said to Israel and Joshua before they crossed over into the promised land:
Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who is going with you. He will not fail you or abandon you!” Then Moses called out to Joshua in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will accompany these people to the land that the Lord promised to give their ancestors, and you will enable them to inherit it. The Lord is indeed going before you—he will be with you; he will not fail you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged!”
Deuteronomy 31:6-8
In fact, after Moses’s death, God again commands Joshua to be brave before entering the land. He said,
Be strong and brave! You must lead these people in the conquest of this land that I solemnly promised their ancestors I would hand over to them. Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do… I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”
Joshua 1:6-7, 9
The repetition of the command to be brave or courageous shows its importance. If we are going to be people that God can use, we must be courageous. With that said, it must be known that courage is not necessarily the absence of fear, it is being willing to confront our fears. Elijah confronted the King who could have killed him. He stood up to the pagan god, Baal. He also later confronts all the false prophets and Israel. He was willing to be courageous.
Unfortunately, many Christians can’t be used by God because they are ruled by fear. Fear keeps them from doing God’s will with their lives. Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart.” God’s peace should be ruling and guiding our lives, not fear. In this study, we will consider three Ahabs or fears that commonly keep people from doing God’s will.
Be Careful of the Fear of Man
The first one we will consider is the fear of man. Many Christians, especially young ones, care too much about the praise of man, and therefore, are hindered in their walk with God. Consider these verses,
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)
Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ!
Galatians 1:10
Many people are trapped and crippled in their spiritual life because of fear of what man will say or do. They are afraid to be different from their friends, family, and culture. Consequently, they are no longer following God but men.
What are some practical ways that we see fear handicapping believers?
- Some are not willing to follow God in the career field that he has called them to or have a lesser standard of living because of shame, as their friends and families would not approve.
- Some accept and adopt the drunken and dishonest cultures of their workplaces because they fear what their co-workers and bosses will say or do.
- Some won’t marry the person God called them to because of what family or culture would say. That person has the wrong ethnicity, career field, family background, etc.
- Some, especially young Christians, are not willing to be godly because it will not be considered cool or acceptable among their friends.
The fear of what people will say or do is a snare. With that said, Elijah stood up to the wicked forces leading Israel without succumbing to fear of repercussions. In Luke 14:26, Jesus said this: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Christ knew that relationships and the fear of people, including one’s own family, would be a major hindrance to discipleship and even salvation.
Is the fear of man keeping you from doing God’s will?
Be Careful of the Fear of Failure
But there is another type of fear that often cripples Christians from being used by God and that is the fear of failure. Some are afraid to fail, and therefore, they never step out in faith to follow God’s leading. Christians and non-Christians alike are greatly affected by this. They don’t want to fail, so they never attempt anything out of their comfort zone. They won’t serve in a ministry; they won’t lead a small group; they won’t share their faith; some won’t even pray out loud. Fear handicaps them. Instead of faithfully obeying God, they at all costs seek to protect their comfort.
We may get a hint of this in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. God gave one man five talents and another two, and they both made profit. However, he gave another person one talent and instead of attempting to make a profit, he hid it in the ground. Consider how he responds to his Master, who reflects God:
Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’
Matthew 25:24-25
Essentially the man says, “I was afraid to fail you, so I hid my talent in the ground!” A lot of Christians are just like that. They see the difficulty of the task at hand, including the expectations that come with it, and they become afraid and quit before beginning. They declare, “Lord, I can’t speak!” “Lord, I can’t lead!” “Lord, this is not my gifting!” Fear traps them—so they don’t even try.
Was it not “fear” of failure (and the fear of man) that kept the Israelites from conquering the promised land? God promised it to them, but after they surveyed the land, they said, “Nope! Too many giants, God. Can’t do it!” In Numbers 13:31, they said, “We are not able to go up against these people, because they are stronger than we are!” And, consequently, God removed them from the promised land, and they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. How many Christians are wandering in the wilderness, year after year, missing God’s best for their lives because of fear? No doubt, too many to count. They are spiritually stuck. To move forward, they must confront their giants. They must confront things too big to conquer in their own strength.
Is your Ahab the fear of failure? Is the fear of failure keeping us from progressing spiritually?
Be Careful of the Fear of Death
Another common hindrance to doing God’s will is the fear of death. If Elijah feared death, he wouldn’t have confronted the King. If the apostles feared death, they would not have boldly proclaimed God’s Word in the face of the Jewish and the Roman persecution. In fact, courage in the face of death has been one of the greatest testaments to Christians throughout the centuries, as they have been flogged and persecuted for their faith. Christ said this in Luke 12:4: “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.” In Luke 14:26 and 27, he said that to be his disciple, we must “hate” our own life and carry our own “cross.”
There is a temptation to soften the interpretation of carrying one’s “cross,” as just referring to the burdens and normal hardships of the Christian life. However, the cross was a form of execution in those days. When Christ said, if you want to be my disciple, if you want to be my follower, you must “take up your cross,” he was literally saying you must be prepared to die for him. In that society, that was a very real possibility. The Jews persecuted Christians, and later, the Roman Empire began to do the same. This is certainly true in many nations today, as more Christians have died in the last one hundred years than the previous two thousand years. Being a disciple of Christ means we must be willing to hate our own lives and take up our cross (Lk 14:26-27).
Death is a great hindrance for many Christians. This will keep many from going to a Muslim or communist country to preach the gospel. It will keep many from leaving the comfort of home for missions. Why? It’s because we don’t “hate” our own life in comparison to our love for God and his will.
Christ, in fact, came to deliver us from the suffocating fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-15 says,
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.
Christ became a human and died to free people from the fear of death. Christians don’t have to be afraid of death because Christ defeated it. Christ died and rose again, and one day, after our deaths, we will rise again like him.
In fact, it was Christ’s resurrection that gave the disciples, who all denied him at the crucifixion, boldness to preach and die for their faith. His resurrection made them all willing to die. Why? They were willing to die because they knew if they died, they would immediately be with Christ spiritually (2 Cor 5:8) and one day be physically resurrected.
In considering the resurrection, Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 15:54b-57:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Paul proclaims that there is no victory or sting in death because our victory is in Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:8, Paul said, “Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” And in Philippians 1:21, Paul said, “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” Therefore, believers should not fear death.
Sadly, many Christians care so much for their life that it hinders their spiritual growth—it hinders them from being a man or woman that God can use greatly. They cannot leave their comfort zone because instead of “hating their life,” they love it dearly. They have never allowed themselves to be set free from the “fear of death,” and therefore, God cannot use them as he did Elijah or the apostles. Fear cripples and hinders their spiritual progression. Believers that don’t fear injury or death are a serious threat to the kingdom of darkness.
What is your Ahab? Is it the fear of man? Do we esteem the opinions of friends, family, and employers over God’s esteem? Is it the fear of failure? Is fear of failure causing us to hide our gifts in the ground? Or is it the fear of death? Christ conquered the grave so we wouldn’t have to fear death.
Application Question: In what ways do people commonly experience the fear of man, failure, and death, which hinders their faith and walk with God? How have you specifically been hindered by these or other fears?
How to Conquer Our Fears
We have talked about three common fears that keep us from being willing to do God’s will and therefore hinder God from using us greatly. Now we will look at how to conquer our fears.
1. To conquer fear, we must fear God more than anything else.
Consider again what Christ said in Luke 12:4-5:
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do. But I will warn you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
Luke 12:4-5
Jesus said that the disciples should not be afraid of those who could kill them but to instead be afraid of God. This would deliver them from their fears. Likewise, Proverbs 9:10 says, “The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and acknowledging the Holy One is understanding.” It is the beginning of making right decisions with our lives. When we honor God, we can boldly face Ahabs, giants, and anything else that terrifies us. The problem with many Christians is not that they have a fear of failure, a fear of man, or a fear of death. Their problem is that they do not fear God! The fear of God is the beginning of being wise.
When we fear God more than what our employer thinks or can do to us, then we start to become someone God can use. Promotion, ultimately, comes from the Lord. When we fear God more than failure, we will be willing to take risks like sharing our faith, even when we know it will probably be rejected. When we fear God more than death, we become dangerous to the kingdom of darkness and extremely valuable to the kingdom of light. We become valuable because there are not many people like that. Most are crippled by fear and, therefore, cannot be used greatly by God.
Do we fear God more than people, failure, and death?
2. To conquer fear, we must recognize and reject it as a hindrance to obeying God.
In 2 Timothy 1: 7, Paul says, “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Timothy had been left in charge of the church of Ephesus and was struggling with fear of the difficulties included in his ministry. Paul told Timothy the spirit of fear he was struggling with was not from God, and therefore, Timothy should reject it. Certainly, there are healthy fears, like fear of crossing the street without looking both ways. But Paul is not talking about that type of fear. He is talking about fear that keeps us from doing God’s will or having God’s peace.
That is what Paul told the church of Philippi, in Philippians 4:6b, “Do not be anxious about anything.” That means we need to reject “fear” as something not from God.
No doubt, some fears are passed down generationally. Mom was a worrier—she worried about everything. Dad was a worrier, and it made him try to control everything and everyone around him. Now, we struggle with worry, and it often hinders us from walking in the will of God and steals our peace.
In order to conquer our fears, we must recognize that fear is not from God and reject it. We must reject anything that keeps us from doing God’s will.
3. To conquer fear, we must know our resources in God.
Courage is not foolishness; it is a proper evaluation of resources. For many of us, we know that we can make a trip to the grocery store because we have a vehicle and enough gas to get there. Therefore, we have nothing to fear. It’s the same way with every task God calls us to in life. If God called us to it, we must recognize that he provides the resources for the task. Is that not what God said to Moses when he said that he couldn’t speak? God replied, “Who made the mouth? I will give you the words to speak. Don’t worry about that.” (Ex 4:11 paraphrase). Then God said, “If that’s not enough, I’ll give you, your brother, Aaron, to speak for you. He will be your mouthpiece. Don’t worry, just obey!” (Ex 4:13-16 paraphrase).
Isn’t that exactly what Paul said to Timothy? “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim 1:7). Essentially, he said, “God has given you everything needed for ministry: power for the task, love to care for the people (even difficult ones), and self-discipline to be faithful.”
Isn’t this exactly what God said to Joshua? In Joshua 1:9, God said, “I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”
This is true for us as well. God is with us! He empowers us for whatever task he calls us to. We don’t have to fear because we have the resources. Proper evaluation of resources not only gets rid of fear but also gives us courage.
4. To conquer fear, we must take steps of faith.
Many times, it takes a step of faith to totally rid ourselves of fear. Personally, it is often when I step into the pulpit and start to preach that all my fears and anxieties go away. It is when I start to do God’s will that I find out that he has in fact given me power, love, and self-discipline to accomplish the task.
Many never experience those resources because they won’t take a step of faith. A good example of this is Peter. In Matthew 14:28-29, Peter saw Jesus walking on the sea and cried out to him, “If it’s you, let me come to you” and Christ said, “Come!” (paraphrase). Is it possible for a man to attempt to walk on water in a raging storm and not be afraid? No doubt, Peter was afraid. But, when he took a step of faith on the water, he found there was grace. God’s resources were available to fulfill Christ’s command.
Oftentimes, the best way to get rid of fear is to just do it. Like the old Nike slogan, “Just Do It!” After we’ve clearly discerned God’s will, we should take steps of faith and allow God to prove himself faithful: get involved with the church, share your testimony, ask to pray with somebody, start preparing for the mission field, turn away from a situation or relationship that’s handicapping you. If Christ has called us into the water, it is the wisest step we can take. As we do so, his grace will be available which will remove our fears.
What steps of faith is God calling you to take to serve him?
Application Question: How should believers overcome various fears that hinder their obedience to God or make it more difficult? How is God calling you to overcome fears which are hindering your faith?
Conclusion
As we consider Elijah’s courage in confronting Ahab, even at the prospect of death, we must ask ourselves, “What is my Ahab? What is keeping me back from doing God’s will?” Is it the fear of man, the fear of failure, and/or the fear of death? As God said to Joshua who was called to lead Israel and conquer giants in the promised land, we must be strong and brave in order for God to use us (Josh 1:9)—willing to confront our fears. What fears is God calling us to confront so he can use us in a greater way?
Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?
Prayer Prompts
- Pray for God to reveal his will to us and that we would be willing to follow it (individually and corporately), even as Elijah did.
- Pray for God to deliver us from anxieties, worries, and fears that hinder us from doing his will.
- Pray for God to enable us to be courageous in confronting whatever challenges we currently face or will face in the future.
- Pray for God to give us faith to move mountains (referring to trials and hindrances to his will) and that those mountains would move, in Jesus’ name.
Copyright © 2022 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life
3. Characteristics Of The Person God Uses Greatly Pt 3 (1 Kings 17:1)
Related MediaElijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”
1 Kings 17:1 (NET)
What are characteristics of the person God uses greatly? As we consider Elijah and his powerful ministry, we can discern common characteristics of those God has used throughout history. The first characteristic we considered is the fact that Elijah was a common man. He was from a small town in Gilead, which was a mountainous region. He would have lacked the education of those from a big city. He wore clothes which represented his rugged upbringing. Scripture says he wore a garment of animal hair with a belt (2 Kgs 1:8). He probably had an accent. Because of his country upbringing, those from the city would have looked down upon him. He was common; however, God has delighted to use people like this throughout history (1 Cor 1:26-31). The Bible is full of stories of God greatly using farmers, shepherds, and others who would not have been highly esteemed in society. Why? Because God’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9), in people who will trust in him instead of their strength, riches, or education. The apostles were common men who lacked formal rabbinical training (Acts 4:13). When God does use somebody of great standing in society like Moses or Paul, he often makes them weak through their circumstances, so they can become humble and rely on God (Jam 4:10).
The second characteristic we observed about Elijah was his righteousness. We see this in the fact that he stood up against Ahab who was leading Israel away from God, but we also see it in his name. His name meant “My God is Yahweh.” Elijah’s parents no doubt raised him to be a godly man, and when all Israel was turning away from Yahweh to follow Baal and his corrupt practices, Elijah lived out his name. When God looks for someone to use greatly, he finds a righteous person. In James 5:17, using Elijah as an example, James said, “The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” God hears the prayers of the righteous and he uses them to transform families, communities, cities, and nations.
The third characteristic is that God uses those who are courageous—meaning they are willing to confront their fears and not be hindered by them. Elijah boldly confronted the king which could have led to his death, and he also confronted the demonic deity, Baal, whom Israel was worshiping. When he said it would not rain, it was a direct challenge to this false deity, his prophets and worshipers, as he was the god of the storm. Elijah was courageous, and we must be as well.
What are other characteristics of those God uses greatly? We’ll consider two more.
God Uses Those Devoted to His Word
Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”
1 Kings 17:1
The next characteristic of those God uses greatly is that he uses those devoted to his Word. How can we discern that Elijah was devoted to God’s Word from 1 Kings 17:1? It is very clear by what he proclaims to King Ahab. When he says that there will be no dew or rain, he is simply saying what God promised to Israel as a discipline for worshipping false gods. Deuteronomy 11:16-17 says,
Make sure you do not turn away to serve and worship other gods! Then the anger of the Lord will erupt against you and he will close up the sky so that it does not rain. The land will not yield its produce, and you will soon be removed from the good land that the Lord is about to give you.
The main message of the prophets was calling Israel back to God’s Word. The book of Deuteronomy is actually written in the form of an ancient covenant called a suzerain covenant. In those days, a small nation would approach a great king for protection in exchange for obedience, yearly crops, and taxes, among other things. The contract had both blessings and curses—blessings if they kept the contract and curses if they didn’t. That’s exactly what we see in Deuteronomy. If Israel obeyed God, he would bless them with rain, protection, and wealth. God’s plan was to bless Israel and, through blessing them, draw all nations unto him. Like God’s covenant with Abraham, God would bless them, and they would be a blessing (cf. Gen 12:2). But, as mentioned, this covenant included covenant curses. One of the curses was if they started to worship false deities like Baal, then God would shut the heavens and make it not rain on the land. They would experience extreme drought and famine: the cattle would die, the commerce would fail, and consequently, people would suffer and die because of their disobedience.
By Elijah’s proclamation over Israel, it is very clear that Elijah was a man of faith in God’s Word. He probably was studying God’s Word one day, was challenged by the curse, and responded in prayer to God. He potentially prayed something like, “Lord, your people have fallen away from you. They are worshipping Baal and other false gods. Fulfill your covenant promise by disciplining them and turning them back to you!” It was probably then that God put his message and declaration in Elijah’s heart that there would be a severe drought.
Daniel
We saw this same thing with Daniel. In Daniel 9:2, Daniel was reading the book of Jeremiah where it says that Israel’s exile would only last 70 years. Israel was exiled to Babylon for their false worship and disobedience to the covenant. Daniel’s time in the Word prompted him to prayer, and from that prayer, God gave him a vision about Israel. Daniel 9:2-3 says:
in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, came to understand from the sacred books that, according to the word of the LORD disclosed to the prophet Jeremiah, the years for the fulfilling of the desolation of Jerusalem were seventy in number. So I turned my attention to the Lord God to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
Daniel was a prophet just like Elijah. How did Daniel know to pray for the restoration of Israel to the land? He prayed for it because he saw it in God’s Word. After his prayer, God sent Daniel an angel to give him a specific vision about the restoration of Israel and its future (Dan 9:20-27). This is probably what happened with Elijah as well. Prophets were people of God’s Word. They went throughout the land proclaiming the Mosaic covenant and calling Israel to repent for breaking it. In obedience to God, they proclaimed both the covenant promises and curses.
Application
How can we apply this reality? There are several things we can take from observing the devotion of prophets, like Elijah, to God’s Word.
1. In considering the devotion of the prophets to God’s Word, we should constantly read God’s Word and pray it in response.
Not only should this apply to doctrinal and practical teachings in Scripture but also to prophecy. Though Scripture promises Christ will return to the earth in glory, we should pray, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20). Though Scripture promises God will establish his kingdom on the earth, we should pray for it, as in the Lord’s Prayer, “May your kingdom come!” (Matt 6:10). When reading prophecies about Israel, the gospel spreading to all nations, etc., it should prompt us to pray for it in faith. That’s essentially what prophets like Elijah and Daniel did; they prayed in response to God’s teachings and promises.
Many Christians when reading Scripture only mentally affirm it but don’t pray it. God has chosen to fulfill his plans through the prayers of his saints (Ez 22:30). Therefore, we should pray as we meditate on his Word. Reading Scripture is how God talks to us, and through prayer, we talk back to him and build his kingdom. This is what people who God uses often do—they study God’s Word and pray it.
2. In considering the devotion of the prophets to God’s Word, we should allow Scripture to prompt and direct our passions and direction in life.
If one is struggling with what to do in life or with direction, he or she should spend more time in God’s Word. Apparently, Elijah’s study propelled him into his calling and future ministry.
Likewise, many people have found their passions and callings through time in Scripture. Some have given themselves to the ministry of teaching children in considering Christ’s call for Peter to give special care to the lambs, the baby sheep (John 21:15). Some in studying, especially the Old Testament, have felt a call to pursue law and justice ministries. Micah 6:8 (NIV) says, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Others have felt called to adoption or orphan ministry by considering how God is called “a father to the fatherless” in Psalm 68:5, and how God calls caring for orphans and widows a religion he accepts, which pleases him, in James 1:27. Others feel called to work in different forms of government, as Romans 13:4 calls government officials “God’s servants”—rewarding the good and punishing the bad. Elijah’s devotion to God’s Word prompted and directed his future ministry, which unfortunately included his suffering alone through a drought, away from family and friends (1 Kgs 17:3-6). Scripture should always lead us to application, and at times, it may lead us into our callings long-term.
Just like with the prophets Elijah and Daniel, God often speaks to us when we are in his Word. He gives us wisdom and helps us discern the paths we should take. People who are not in God’s Word often don’t hear God speak, and therefore, miss his direction. David said this in Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to illumine my path.” David essentially said, “When I was in darkness and couldn’t figure out what I should do next or where I should go, God guided me through the light of his Word. It was then I could see clearly!”
Sadly, many Christians are content to walk in darkness, as they are not devoted to God’s Word. This darkness brings worry and fear about the past, present, and future, but God’s Word brings light, clarity, and peace. How can we clearly discern God’s voice as Elijah did? It comes through devotion and faith in God’s Word.
A Common Characteristic of People God Uses
As we considered Elijah’s devotion to Scripture and that of the prophets, it is clear that this is a common characteristic of those God uses greatly for his kingdom. Let’s consider some others God greatly used for his kingdom.
Joshua
Joshua was another one of God’s prophets, someone who met with God and spoke for him. Consider what God said to him about his calling to lead Israel into the promised land:
Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do. This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful.
Joshua 1:7-8
Joshua’s success as a military general was attached, not so much to his strategy and war plans, but to his daily, personal time in God’s Word and his practice of it. He was called to memorize and meditate on it day and night, continually speak about it, and practice it. If he did this, he would be prosperous and successful in fulfilling God’s will for his life. No doubt, many Christians are missing God’s best or even failing in their marriage, parenting, careers, and ministry in general, and it has nothing to do with their competence; it has everything to do with their faithfulness to God and his Word.
Are we being faithful to God’s Word? Do we meditate on it? Do we talk about it with our friends, family, and co-workers? Are our lives devoted to obeying it?
How can we be successful as a son, daughter, wife, husband, parent, teacher, businessman, or physician? Success is often a byproduct of our faithfulness to God’s Word.
David
We also see this promise written by David in Psalm 1, as he declares the secret to God’s blessing and favor. Psalm 1:1-3 says,
How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers! Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night. He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.
David essentially said, “I have learned that a common characteristic of those God blesses and uses greatly is that they have a common delight. They delight in God’s Word and, therefore, turn away from sin to meditate on Scripture and obey it all day.”
No doubt, David is probably not only talking about others that he had watched but also himself. In 1 Samuel 18, this word keeps appearing in reference to David: “success” or “successful” (v. 5, 14, 15, 30). First Samuel 18:30 says, “David achieved more success than all of Saul’s servants. His name was held in high esteem.” David was successful at everything he did. After defeating Goliath, he was given a high rank in the army, probably as a general. But because the people cheered him so much, “Saul has killed his 1000’s, but David his 10,000’s,” he was demoted. He was given only 1000 men, but he still prospered. The king tried to kill him by making him take 100 foreskins of the Philistines. However, David took 200 of them instead. Finally, David had to flee the kingdom for his life and become a refugee.
Surely, it was over for David. How can one prosper when the king wants him dead? But all of a sudden, 400 other refugees came to him (1 Sam 22), then 200 more—600 in all. These became his mighty men—leading him to excel, even as a refugee. It’s a phenomenal story. Why did this happen? No doubt, it’s because God promises to bless those who delight in him and meditate on his Word; even their seeming failures lead to success.
Are we people whom God can bless? Have we chosen to never let Scripture depart from our mind and mouth all day long and to practice it in everything we do?
Some, in evaluating themselves, may wonder, “God’s Word is not my delight; how can I make it my delight?” In this case, we should make studying God’s Word our discipline until it becomes our delight. This is a way to step into the blessing of God. He uses people who, like David, Joshua, Daniel, and Elijah, have chosen to delight in and meditate on God’s Word.
Application Question: How would you describe your time in God’s Word on a scale of 1-10 and why? What disciplines have you found helpful with faithfully studying Scripture? How is God calling you to be even more devoted to Scripture study?
God Uses Those Who Delight to Dwell in His Presence
Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”
1 Kings 17:1
Another characteristic we can discern from Elijah’s life is that God uses those who delight to dwell in his presence. In verse 1, the NET version says, “the LORD God of Israel lives (whom I serve),” but a more literal translation is “before whom I stand” as in the ESV, NASB, and KJV.
What made Elijah able to boldly oppose evil in his own day? What enabled Elijah to stand alone, by himself, before the King? Elijah saw himself standing in the presence of God, which no doubt encouraged and empowered him. Elijah was a man who dwelled in God’s presence.
When considering people God used greatly throughout Scripture, this is a common characteristic. The narrators of Scripture often take us into the secret place of our biblical heroes—the places where they meet with God.
Moses
Moses met with God on the mountaintop where he took off his shoes before God and received a commission to set Israel free (Ex 3). In Exodus 19, Moses met with God again on the mountain and there received the Ten Commandments. After a later visit to meet with God on the mountain in Exodus 34, Moses left with his face shining like the glory of God. After building the tabernacle, Moses continually met with God there in order to get wisdom to judge the affairs of the people and guide them (cf. Ex 33). God’s glory cloud would come down and meet Moses in the tabernacle.
Joshua
Certainly, this characteristic is also seen in the story of Joshua, Moses’ successor. Exodus 33:9-11 says,
And whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. When all the people would see the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people, each one at the entrance of his own tent, would rise and worship. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, the way a person speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his servant, Joshua son of Nun, a young man, did not leave the tent.
The narrator, Moses, adds a foreboding little fact about Joshua. Even after Moses left the tabernacle, Joshua stayed, probably right outside of it, until God’s presence left. See, the narrator knew that Joshua was eventually going to lead Israel, and he knew why. Not only was Joshua faithful and obedient, but he also was someone who loved God’s presence. He loved being with God even more than he enjoyed following Moses.
See, there are those who primarily go to church because they love the sermons, their pastors, their teachers, their friends, or even simply out of duty. However, for Joshua, it wasn’t that way. He was consumed with the presence of God, even when nobody was around. His focus was being with God. God uses those who “stand before him”—those who walk in his presence.
Enoch
We also saw this with Enoch. It was said of Enoch that he walked with God (Gen 5:24). Essentially, being in the presence of God defined him. Genesis also tells us that God took him to heaven, just like he eventually took Elijah to heaven. What many don’t know about Enoch is that he was very similar to Elijah. He was a prophet of God who spoke against the evil men and deeds of his day. Jude said this about Enoch:
Now Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam, even prophesied of them, saying, “Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all, and to convict every person of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds that they have committed, and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
Jude 1:14-15
Enoch prophesied about the second coming before the first coming. He spoke of God’s coming judgment.
Elijah and Enoch were very similar. God so enjoyed them both that he took them to heaven before their deaths. They are the only ones recorded in Scripture that experienced this. But one of the things that made them unique and especially used by God was how they enjoyed God’s presence. Enoch walked with God, and so did Elijah.
Noah
This was also true of Noah, who was a great grandson of Enoch. Scripture also says he walked with God. Genesis 6:9 says, “… Noah was a godly man; he was blameless among his contemporaries. He walked with God.” And as we know, though God destroyed the world by a universal flood, he saved Noah and his family through an ark. When the narrator says, Noah “walked with God,” he is telling us why he was so favored—he enjoyed God’s presence and obeyed him.
David
David is another example. He said this in Psalm 27:4: “I have asked the Lord for one thing—this is what I desire! I want to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, so I can gaze at the splendor of the Lord and contemplate in his temple.” David essentially said, “I want to make my home in God’s presence. I want to dwell at his temple. I want to see God’s beauty—that’s all I want out of life!” That was his one thing—his priority.
Is that our “one” thing? Most have many things that keep them away from God. However, when God finds somebody to use, he finds someone who delights in and enjoys his presence.
Paul
We even see this with Paul. In 2 Timothy 4:17, consider how Paul described his ministry while being tried in court during his Roman imprisonment: “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed for all the Gentiles to hear. And so I was delivered from the lion’s mouth!” As he stood before the Roman officials, he sounds like Elijah. God stood beside him to give him strength to preach God’s Word to the Gentiles. In addition, Paul said this:
But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ. More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things—indeed, I regard them as dung!—that I may gain Christ,
Philippians 3:7-8
My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:10-11
Have you ever strongly felt God’s presence comforting, strengthening, and empowering you for ministry? Those who consistently have often can’t live without it and, therefore, continually seek the experience of it with all their heart. Paul, David, Moses, Joshua, Noah, Enoch, and Elijah made it their one thing. Being with and knowing God was their main passion and pursuit, and it should be ours as well, even more than serving people.
Application
What do people who enjoy God’s presence look like? How can we become like them?
1. People who love God’s presence will typically be found worshiping and praying to him.
Psalm 22:3 (KJV) says, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” God inhabits the praises of his people. At times in Scripture, when God’s people worshiped, God would manifest himself in a powerful way. When Solomon and the Israelites dedicated the temple to God and worshiped him there, his presence manifested so powerfully that the priest could not enter the temple (cf. 1 Chr 7:1-3). Also, in 2 Chronicles 20:20-22, when Jehoshaphat and his army worshipped God before a battle, God routed their enemies. Therefore, when people are praising God, thanking and honoring him, God’s presence often manifests powerfully, even today. And in those places, one can often find the people whom God will use greatly offering praises amongst the masses.
Is there a worship night or a prayer night? Don’t be surprised to see them there. They are there because they love God’s presence. In addition, as mentioned, you will commonly find these people praying, as prayer is a form of worship. When people wanted to accuse Daniel, they knew he would be in his room praying daily at a certain time (Dan 6). Worshipers commonly offer petitions, thanksgivings, and intercessions to God faithfully.
Are we worshipers?
2. People who love God’s presence often can be found in church, small groups, and various ministries.
Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.” Therefore, you will commonly find these people involved in small groups, prayer meetings, church, and church activities in general. Wherever God’s people are gathered, they will commonly be there because they know that’s where God’s presence manifests.
Unfortunately, for many, they feel no need to be in these places. They have other things that they would rather do like sleep, watch movies, hang out with friends, work, etc. But not the ones who love God’s presence. Their reasoning is, “If God is there, why wouldn’t I be?”
3. People who love God’s presence practice holy lifestyles.
Philippians 4:8-9 says,
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things. And what you learned and received and heard and saw in me, do these things. And the God of peace will be with you.
Paul says that when a person thinks on godly things and practices righteousness, they will experience the manifest presence of God. He says, “the God of peace will be with you.”
The person who enjoys God’s presence tries to stay away from ungodly thoughts and ideas, entertainment, and practices. Much of what they avoid is not necessarily sinful, it’s just not pure, lovely, and commendable. They know there are some things that rob them of intimacy in their relationship with God, and therefore, they try to avoid them. Like Joshua, they want to be where God’s presence is. Like David, God’s presence is the one thing they desire. Therefore, they aim to practice a holy life in order to know and experience God more.
Are we walking in holiness, so we can better enjoy God’s presence?
4. People who love God’s presence are humble people.
Consider these Scriptures that show people’s reactions to being in God’s presence and experiencing him:
In the year of King Uzziah’s death, I saw the sovereign master seated on a high, elevated throne. The hem of his robe filled the temple… I said, “Too bad for me! I am destroyed, for my lips are contaminated by sin, and I live among people whose lips are contaminated by sin.
Isaiah 6:1, 5
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
Luke 5:8
This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them!
1 Timothy 1:15
Being in God’s presence by necessity reveals our sin and how much we are not like God. Therefore, it produces humility in us. Those who walk in God’s presence cannot but declare: “Woe is me! I am a sinful man—the chief of sinners.” In the same way, those who are not walking in God’s presence commonly are prone towards pride, self-exaltation, and judgmentalism—in part because they are looking at themselves and others instead of God.
Are we growing in humility from being in God’s presence?
5. People who love God’s presence are often broken people.
Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he delivers those who are discouraged.” God is near the broken in heart. He is beside them, comforting, and helping them know him more. However, it should be known that sometimes God allows brokenness so that we can continually experience more of him.
Jacob wrestled with God and was left with a limp—a continual reminder of his dependence upon God. Paul received a thorn in his flesh to keep him from pride from all the revelations he received (2 Cor 12:7-9). It was said of Charles Spurgeon that sometimes he wouldn’t leave his bed for weeks, as he struggled with intense depression. There is a cost for experiencing God, and many who know him in an intimate manner know this pain.
Are we willing to pay the cost of knowing God intimately? Are we willing to limp forever or have a thorn in the flesh to know God and his mysteries in a deeper manner?
Those who intimately know God often also know the experience of the limp, the thorn, and the cross. It is these painful experiences that have drawn them to greater intimacy with God. And it is these painful things that keep them dependent upon God. There is a cost for deeper intimacy with God. It is painful, but worth it to be in his presence.
Practical Exhortation
Are we people who enjoy God’s presence? Are we like Joshua, the one who sticks around after church is over to worship, pray, fellowship, serve, and study God’s Word more? Many are ready for worship to be done right after it starts. They certainly don’t stay after to serve or fellowship with others. They have their own agendas.
But the worshiper, who loves God’s presence, lingers even after most have left. It’s all about being in God’s presence. When God saw this characteristic with Joshua, no doubt, he said, “This is him! This is the next leader of Israel! He is somebody I can use greatly because he loves me.”
Yes, there may be loneliness and sometimes depression for those whose passion is God’s presence. Elijah was alone by a brook for many months; David was away from his family hiding in a cave. However, even in those seasons, God’s presence was with them, and his presence will be with us. He is near the broken hearted and the contrite in spirit. His grace is sufficient for our weakness.
Are you willing to be one God uses?
Application Question: What are some ways to practice dwelling in God’s presence? What are common distractions to pursuing intimacy with God? How is God challenging you to pursue dwelling in his presence more?
Conclusion
What type of person does God use? James 5:17 gives Elijah as a model. He was a human, like us, and yet he prayed, and it didn’t rain for three years. He prayed again, and it began to rain. From Elijah, we learn many characteristics of the person God often uses greatly.
- God uses the common and weak. Are we too strong?
- God uses the righteous. He hears and answers their prayers.
- God uses the courageous. We must be willing to confront our fears in order for God to use us.
- God uses those who are devoted to his Word. He prospers those who meditate on it day and night and never let it depart from their mouths.
- God uses those who delight in God’s presence. Are we worshipers?
Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?
Prayer Prompts
- Pray that God would draw us more into his Word than ever before—reading, memorizing, praying, and teaching it. Pray that it would become both our discipline and delight.
- Pray that God would draw us away from sin and worldliness and towards righteousness—looking more like God.
- Pray that God would make us worshipers—people who delight in him and continually honor him with our thoughts, words, and actions, regardless of our circumstances, whether good or bad.
- Pray that as we draw near God in worship, he would draw near us, both individually and corporately.
- Pray that as God makes us more into his image, he would use us greatly for his kingdom.
Copyright © 2022 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life
4. Lessons From Kerith Valley University (1 Kings 17:1-7)
Related MediaElijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.” The Lord told him: “Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. Drink from the stream; I have already told the ravens to bring you food there.” So he did as the Lord told him; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream. After a while, the stream dried up because there had been no rain in the land.
1 Kings 17:1-7 (NET)
What is God’s process for developing a man or woman of God? How does God develop those he uses greatly for his kingdom?
In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah confronts King Ahab, the worst king of Israel. Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, had turned Israel away from God to worship Baal. Elijah proclaims there will be no rain or dew except at his word. But the next thing that happens is surprising: God tells Elijah to “hide” in Kerith Valley, east of Jordan. This is surprising because you would think Elijah would be sent to proclaim the Word of God throughout Israel, calling people to repentance. But the man shows up, speaks one sentence, and God immediately removes him from the scene and sends him to a valley.
What is Kerith Valley? We don’t know anything about this place other than the meaning of its name. The word “Kerith” means “a cutting.”1 God essentially tells Elijah that he must hide in “Cutting Valley.” Names in Hebrew culture were not just terms one called somebody or something. They typically symbolized the object’s character or nature. The Valley of Cutting was not only a place where Elijah hid from public ministry, but it also was a place where God was going to do a work in his life. It was, no doubt, a place of cutting and molding the prophet for greater ministry. It is in “Cutting Valley” that God commonly prepares all men and women that he uses greatly for his kingdom.
Christ uses a similar terminology when talking about the nature of the vine, and thus the Christian life, in John 15:1-2. He says, “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit.” Here Christ says that when a branch bears fruit, when a person is faithful to God, God prunes the person—he cuts away so the person can become more fruitful. The nature of the vine is to become crowded with leaves, fungus, and other things that can be detrimental to growth. Therefore, a good gardener consistently trims a vine so it can bear much fruit. We can have no doubt that this was God’s plan for Elijah.
Elijah was faithful, as he stood against Ahab, but now, God will prune him so he can bear more fruit. In fact, right after leaving the valley, Elijah does a great miracle. He resurrects the son of a widow—the first resurrection we see in Scripture. Soon after, he calls down fire from heaven and destroys the prophets of Baal. Elijah was brought to “Cutting Valley” so he could be prepared for greater works in God’s kingdom.
Have you been to the valley? Often, pastors preaching on this passage have used whimsical titles, such as calling it “Kerith Valley University.” Have you been to KVU, Kerith Valley University, where God prepares men and women of God? As in any university, whatever classes you fail, you must retake, and when you pass them, you can take higher-level courses.
As we study this narrative in Elijah’s life, we will consider pivotal lessons that God teaches everybody in the valley—cutting seasons in their life—so they can bear more fruit.
Big Question: What lessons does God teach Elijah in Kerith Valley, and how does he teach us the same lessons in seasons of cutting in our lives?
The Lesson of Our Responsibility to God’s Word
The Lord told him: “Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan.
1 Kings 17:2-3
The first lesson Elijah learns is a lesson about the Word of God, which he began to learn even before entering the valley. He learned this lesson in his receiving God’s Word after his obedience, and also in his being taken away from Israel because of their disobedience.
How do we see this? In verse 2, the word of the Lord came to Elijah only after he was obedient in challenging King Ahab and praying for it not to rain. It was only after Elijah finished what he was called to do that God gave him new revelation. We see this as a principle throughout Scripture. It was something that Christ taught often. In Mark 4:24-25, Jesus said,
… Take care about what you hear. The measure you use will be the measure you receive, and more will be added to you. For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
Jesus taught that how a person responded to God’s Word affected his continued hearing of it. The person that faithfully obeyed God’s Word would be given more, but whoever was not faithful would experience a taking away.
It was because Elijah faithfully obeyed God’s Word that God spoke to him again—sending him to the valley—and because Israel disobeyed God’s Word, Elijah and other prophets were being taken from them. When God hid Elijah in the valley, God was taking away the Word from Israel. They had been unfaithful hearers, and God was removing his prophet. Even what they had was being taken away. In fact, we learn in 1 Kings 18:4 that the other prophets had gone into hiding as well because Jezebel was killing the prophets. God was taking the Word from Israel.
We see this reality at other times in Scripture. Amos 8:11-12 says this:
Be certain of this, the time is coming,” says the sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land—not a shortage of food or water but an end to divine revelation! People will stagger from sea to sea, and from the north around to the east. They will wander about looking for a revelation from the Lord, but they will not find any.
Because of Israel’s unfaithfulness, as a judgment, God removed his Word, bringing a spiritual famine. Essentially, we see this again in the Gospels with Israel. Jesus said this to the disciples about his teaching of parables in Matthew 13:10-14:
Then the disciples came to him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He replied, “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand. And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend.
In the context, the disciples did not understand Christ’s sudden change in teaching philosophy. Previously, he taught clearly, but at this point in the Gospels, he began to speak in parables. The parables were not meant to enhance understanding but to hide the truth. Christ would take the disciples away and then explain the parables, but he didn’t do that with Israel (cf. Matt 13:36). Because the disciples were obedient to God’s Word, they received understanding. But because Israel was constantly hearing and not obeying, their understanding was taken away, as their hearts were hardened towards the truth.
This is the first lesson Elijah learns, as he leaves for the valley: “We are gravely responsible for the hearing of the Word of God. If we are faithful, the Word of the Lord comes to us again. But if we are not, God will remove his Word from us.” Therefore, we must ask ourselves, “What type of hearers are we?” No doubt, some are growing tremendously in the grace of our Lord Jesus. Their love and knowledge of God’s Word are increasing. They are studying, memorizing, and sharing it with others, as they cannot get enough of it. But others are becoming hardened. When they read and listen to Scripture, they get nothing from it. They do not have a stomach for it, and like Israel, their ears and hearts are hardening.
We must understand this: It is a tremendous privilege to hear the Word of God, but with that privilege comes a grave responsibility. We must faithfully respond to it in order to receive God’s blessings, and if not, we receive God’s discipline. Our hearts are always either growing softer or harder. It has been said that the same sun that melts the ice hardens the clay.
From a national standpoint, it is a scary thing when God removes his faithful preachers. It is a scary thing when all that can be found are those who preach politics, sports, their testimonies, or false teaching. However, this is what happens when a nation is disobedient. Likewise, in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (ESV), Paul said this:
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Paul said that the time will come when the church would not tolerate biblical preaching but would instead heap up teachers that simply “itch their ears”—making them feel good—but they wouldn’t preach God’s Word. The church would turn from the truth to myths—fabricated or unfruitful stories. Though believers will, of their own volition, reject truth, even as Israel and its leaders rejected the prophets, their rejection was God’s judgment. As judgment, they experienced a famine of God’s Word.
Sadly, this is happening in many of our churches, ministries, and Christian institutions today. Like Israel receiving unexplained parables, in many (if not most) churches, the congregations primarily get stories instead of clear exposition of God’s Word. This essentially is a judgment happening throughout the world. The church is not responding to God, even as Israel didn’t, and God is taking away his revelation—not casting his pearls before swine (Matt 7:6). He’s giving them a famine of God’s Word—they get stories instead of clear teaching, even as Christ gave to Israel.
As we consider this, we must ask ourselves, “Have we learned this lesson in the valley? Have we learned about our responsibility to God’s Word?”
Application Question: How can we know if we have learned the lesson of our responsibility towards God’s Word?
1. If we have learned the lesson of our responsibility to God’s Word, we will always survey, guard, and cultivate our hearts.
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Are our hearts hard or soft to God’s Word? Are they becoming more calloused or more tender to God’s Word? Jesus warned us in Mark 4:24, “Take care about what you hear.”
If we have learned this lesson, we will be faithful gardeners of the soil of our hearts. We will constantly survey our hearts for dullness or resistance to God’s Word, repenting of any sin, so we can understand and accept Scripture.
2. If we have learned the lesson of our responsibility to God’s Word, we will be quick to obey it.
Elijah obeyed God when called to confront Ahab, even though it could have cost him his life, and he obeyed when called to go to the Valley of Cutting.
Are we swift to obey God? Or are there areas in our lives where we are holding back full obedience?
As an example, when Abraham was a new believer, he wasn’t swift to obey. When God called him to leave his father’s house and land to go to Canaan, Acts 7:2-4 and Genesis 11:31-32 tell us that he first moved to Haran with his father and settled there for years. After his father died, he then obeyed God by moving to Canaan. For many years, he missed God’s best. This is common for young believers. They often delay or outright disobey—missing God’s best and hardening their hearts. But those who have been trained are swift to obey.
Are we swift to obey God, or are there areas of delayed obedience or disobedience in our lives?
Application Question: In what ways do you see a famine of God’s Word and a hardening of hearts happening in the contemporary church? How have you experienced times of hardness or special sensitivity in your heart towards God’s Word? How would you describe the status of your heart now? How do you feel God is calling you to apply this lesson of our responsibility towards God’s Word?
The Lesson of Solitude
The Valley of Cutting is not only a place of pain, but it is also a place of solitude. Elijah would be alone for many months. This is assumed because eventually the small stream from which he drank and bathed eventually dried up. His only company would be some birds that appeared two times a day to bring him food.
God often places us in seasons of solitude in order to remove all distractions and to allow us to focus on him more. It is there that we learn that God is enough. We may not have the comfort of family, friends, or even work, but it is there we hear God’s voice and discern his movement around us.
In Psalm 46:10, God commands his hearers, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God!” It can also be translated, “Be still, and know that I am God” (NIV). It is in the place of solitude where we are often forced to stop all our activity and busyness that we start to know God more deeply and therefore know ourselves and our shortcomings.
Unfortunately, many of us do not get to experience God or truly know him more because we are too busy, too distracted. We need the solitude that the Valley of Cutting provides so we can grow.
The Discipline of Solitude
Because solitude is so important for our spiritual growth, we must make it a daily pursuit. We must get away to be alone with God for prayer, to study his Word, and to worship. It is a spiritual discipline we all must practice.
We see this discipline very clearly in the life of Christ. In Mark 1:35-37, it says:
Then Jesus got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. Simon and his companions searched for him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
Starting in Mark 1:21, we actually see a busy day of Christ’s ministry. It started with him teaching in the synagogue and casting a demon out of a man. Then, in verse 29, he went to Simon’s house, healed his mother, and then presumably ate (v. 31). Then, in verse 32, it says after sunset the whole town gathered at the door for him to minister to them. All night he healed people and cast out demons. Then, in verse 35, it says early in the morning while everybody was asleep, he woke up and went to a solitary place to spend time with God. Later, in verse 36, the disciples and Peter looked for him, and when they found him, they essentially said: “Everybody’s looking for you; the ministry is thriving. Why did you leave?” For Christ, being alone with God was more important than ministry, in part, because power for ministry came from being alone with God.
Going away to the secret place is counter-cultural. Being busy is one of the ways we tell people that we are important and significant. Being busy often makes us feel like we have a purpose, and when we’re not busy, we often feel lazy or like something is wrong. However, if we are going to know God and have power in our life, we must, as a discipline, go to the quiet place to meet with God.
When we do this, people may actually get upset with us, questioning: “Why aren’t you working more! Why aren’t you pursuing more education! Why aren’t you seeking a spouse!” However, the place of solitude is where God forms men and women of God. It is when they stop their striving that they often see and know him in a greater way.
Are we getting away from the noise and busyness to be with God?
The solitude Elijah experienced in the Valley of Cutting reminds us of our need to practice spiritual disciplines. We should, like Christ, commonly pursue God at strategic times throughout the day—including the mornings and evenings. We must enter our quiet places to be with him and enjoy his presence. It is in the place of quietness that he delivers us from a lot of the noise distracting us from worship, reveals his love for us, challenges our sin and insecurities, and empowers us for ministry.
Unexpected Seasons of Solitude
Because we tend to neglect the discipline of solitude or simply to sanctify and prepare us for greater ministry, God often leads us into unexpected seasons of solitude, as he did with Elijah. Consider how Psalm 23:1-2 (NIV) puts it: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.” Our shepherd often has to “make” us lie down. This is because we are so prone to activity that we often neglect God, neglect concentrated focus on our faith, and sometimes even burn ourselves out. Again, he makes us lie down to strengthen us and restore our focus. Sometimes God “makes” us lie down through trial, sickness, loss of a job, difficulty with family, friends, or co-workers, or even a pandemic. Often this is a season not of rest from difficult circumstances but of spiritual rest in the midst of our circumstances. It is a season that we lie down in God.
In fact, in considering the shepherding analogy, sometimes with a wandering sheep, the shepherd has to break his leg and carry the sheep in order to protect him. In that case, the sheep would have to lie down on the shepherd because he was not capable of going forward on his own. Sadly, not only are we prone to busyness but also prone to wander into sin. In those cases, God may have to stop us in our tracks through some trial, so we can come back to our senses and find rest and restoration in the Shepherd’s arms.
Listen, God can make us lie down. He can bring events that make us stop our striving—trials that make us stop our busy activity. However, God won’t make us find rest in him. He won’t make us seek his face. We must choose to draw near him in the place of cutting—the place of solitude. While Elijah was in the valley, he could have wasted time: he could have done lots of swimming, counted rocks and stars, or spent a lot of time being upset and angry at God or Israel. Or he could focus on the most important reason God brought him to the valley—to be still and know God more.
Sadly, many people when entering the place of cutting, instead of seeking God, run around frantically trying to control their circumstances. Instead of having peace, they become prone to anxiety; some develop anxiety disorders. Others develop addictions. They develop addictions to alcohol, smoking, caffeine, or some other drug. Some become addicted to a person or people—in that they become their quiet place, their sanctuary, instead of God.
In the place of cutting—the place of solitude—we must run to God. We must choose him instead of other avenues and coping mechanisms. God hid Elijah so he could be with him. God stopped Elijah’s ministry so he could focus on the Master more and be equipped for greater service.
Application Question: How do we know if we have learned the lesson of solitude?
1. When we have learned the lesson of solitude, we will zealously guard our times of solitude.
Solitude with God will become a non-negotiable in our lives, even if we’re naturally extroverted. We won’t miss it because we’ve learned that we can’t function properly without it.
Personally, in one season where God took me to the “cutting place,” my personality changed. I battled with depression for a year or so while in college and the military. During that time, I took a personality test, and for the first time in my life, the test said that I was an introvert. I needed to be alone. I coveted and protected that time because I realized apart from significant time with God, I struggled with great depression. Though I don’t have the same intense battle with depression anymore, the need for solitude remains. It was a lesson I learned in that season of trial which continues to bear fruit today.
Have we learned the lesson of solitude? If not, we will commonly neglect it for other pursuits. Busyness will crowd out our alone time with God.
2. When we have learned the lesson of solitude, we practice introspection—seeking to have a right heart before God.
In this season, God begins to show us things in our hearts that are not right with him. Lack of trust for God shows up, fear of people—what they say and think—identity issues, worries, etc. God reveals these so we can work on them. In Psalm 139:23-24, David said this: “Examine me, and probe my thoughts! Test me, and know my concerns! See if there is any idolatrous tendency in me, and lead me in the reliable ancient path!”
What is God showing you in your times of solitude?
3. When we have learned the lesson of solitude, we will zealously guard against addictions and timewasters.
This is how many Christians fill their time in order to avoid solitude with God and oneself. Addictions and timewasters actually hinder spiritual growth and short-circuit God’s plan for us in the Valley of Cutting. As mentioned, Elijah could have spent his entire time swimming and counting stars, but if he did, he would have missed God’s purpose in the solitude. It’s the same for us. Too much time on the Internet, playing video games, hobbies, social media, and entertaining unfruitful relationships or activities can be harmful for us, especially when they replace our relationship with God.
Have we learned the lesson of solitude? If not, addictions and timewasters often will crowd out our time with God and hinder our spiritual growth.
Application Question: Why are spiritual disciplines so important (i.e. prayer, worship, time in the Word, fasting)? What is your spiritual discipline routine like? How can you grow in these disciplines? How have you experienced seasons where God “made you lie down” (Ps 23:2)? If so, how, and what did you learn in those seasons? What are your time wasters or potential addictions? How is God calling you to guard against them?
The Lesson of Depending on God for Daily and Future Needs
Drink from the stream; I have already told the ravens to bring you food there.” So he did as the Lord told him; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream.
1 Kings 17:4-6
The next lesson we learn in the Valley of Cutting is our need to trust and depend on God for daily and future needs. How do we see this? This is seen in the fact that God ordered the ravens to bring Elijah bread and meat every morning and evening. From this fact, it seems clear that Elijah was not able to store up food for future days. God didn’t give him enough to store up for a week or even the next day. God miraculously provided his daily food. Elijah was learning to trust and depend on God, even for daily provisions.
One of the problems many of us have coming from developed countries is that we haven’t had to learn to depend upon God for our daily needs. This is because we typically have enough provisions for weeks and even months. Certainly, this is a blessing, and it is prudent and wise for us to live in such a way if we can. Working people, if possible, should save in case they lose their job, get injured and can’t work, or eventually retire. This is a wise and prudent thing. However, our affluence makes it easier for us to lose focus on God as our daily provider.
This was specifically a lesson God not only taught Elijah but also tried to teach Israel while they were in the wilderness, when he miraculously provided them with daily manna. Exodus 16:15-20 describes this:
When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” because they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you for food. “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Each person is to gather from it what he can eat, an omer per person according to the number of your people; each one will pick it up for whoever lives in his tent.’” The Israelites did so, and they gathered—some more, some less. When they measured with an omer, the one who gathered much had nothing left over, and the one who gathered little lacked nothing; each one had gathered what he could eat. Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” But they did not listen to Moses; some kept part of it until morning, and it was full of worms and began to stink, and Moses was angry with them.
Why did God not allow the bread to last more than a day? Normally, bread will last at least a few days and up to a week. It certainly won’t spoil after a day. But, with Israel, God said that they should only get what they needed and not take any more. If they did, it would spoil. Why? It was because God was teaching them to trust him for their daily provision. He was showing them that he would provide all their needs. Consider how Moses explained the lesson in Deuteronomy 8:3:
So he humbled you by making you hungry and then feeding you with unfamiliar manna. He did this to teach you that humankind cannot live by bread alone, but also by everything that comes from the Lord’s mouth.
God wanted them to learn that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Every day Israel had bread; it was a gracious gift from the mouth of God. Because the bread was miraculous, the presence of it taught them that it was God’s gift to them.
See, when we have more than enough, our job is stable, and our savings is adequate, we tend to find our security in those things instead of God. Therefore, it can be difficult to learn the lesson of dependency on God for daily provision. Again, we tend to put our trust in our job, our savings, or our family. This is why Paul said this to the rich in 1 Timothy 6:17: “Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.” We should not put our hope in our job or savings account, which are uncertain, but on God.
Proof that we tend to put our hope in things other than God is seen in the fact that when we lose our job, scholarship, home, or retirement, we tend to get frantic. Those things represent security to us rather than our relationship with God. However, like the manna given to Israel daily, those things are simply provisions from the mouth of God. He spoke and gave us a job. He spoke and provided our rent or tuition through various means. Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Because we tend to put our hope in our provisions, God often has to put us in the Valley of Cutting by taking away or threatening those provisions, so we can freshly recognize that those gifts originally came from him. He uses the job, parents, or savings to meet our needs, but it ultimately came from him all along. He is the one who provides the mental capacity, physical strength, and open doors to work for provisions. It does not come from ourselves or others. At times, as with Israel and Elijah, he has to meet our needs miraculously to help us know and depend totally on him and not our job or savings. As Paul said in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
God takes us to the Valley of Cutting to learn dependence. It could be through the loss of a job, a scholarship, or a disabling sickness. And in that season, he meets our needs in a variety of ways—sometimes by friends and family, a new job, or some other surprising way. He humbles us by taking away our perceived security, and then teaches us to rely on him. As with Elijah, every day God meets our needs in such a way we know it came through him.
Going to the Valley of Cutting is important because many think they don’t need God, and this is not just true for unbelievers. Though many Christians have orthodox theology, in that they believe in God, they are functional atheists in that they live their lives without truly relying on God. They believe their success is based solely on their own wisdom, educational background, work-ethic, and networking, which is why the Valley of Cutting is necessary. It teaches us our weakness and therefore need for God, even for daily provisions.
Application Question: How do we know if we have learned the lesson of dependence?
1. When we’ve learned the lesson of dependence, we guard our hearts against idolizing our means of provisions.
Again, it’s easy to start to see a job, career, education, a spouse, or parents as our providers or those who sustain us. We can tell that our hearts are idolatrous by how we respond to the possibility of our means being taken away. Often that will create anxiety or anger in the idolatrous heart.
How can we guard against idolatry?
- We guard against idolatry by always giving God thanks for his provisions and blessings, even when they are taken away. Giving him thanks for work, finances, education, family, and friends is a constant reminder that he is our ultimate provider. When Job lost his wealth, family, and status, he said, “… The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!” (Job 1:21). Are we giving God thanks?
- We guard against idolatry by holding everything with an open hand. Again, when Job says, “… The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!”, it shows that his focus wasn’t his family, status, or even his life; it was always God. He held everything with an open hand. Like Christ, we must be willing to say, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42).
- How else can we tell if we’ve learned the lesson of dependence?
2. When we’ve learned the lesson of dependence, we devote ourselves to prayer, especially in trials and waiting seasons.
First Peter 5:7 (NIV) says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” And in the Lord’s Prayer, Christ taught us to pray for our daily bread (Matt 6:11). In the valley, God teaches us to bring our needs and desires before him and to trust that he hears, cares, and will provide what is best. Constant intercession helps us depend on God, especially in difficult seasons.
Have you learned the lesson of dependence on God for daily and future provisions?
Application Question: In what ways are you tempted to depend on your job, savings, education, family, or other things instead of God? In what ways have you experienced seasons where God was teaching you that he was your ultimate provider? How is God calling you to depend on him more in this season?
The Lesson of Contentment
So he did as the Lord told him; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream.
1 Kings 17:5-6
The next lesson we learn from the valley is contentment. Where do we see this? We see this in the fact that ravens brought Elijah food in the morning and evening. Something interesting about ravens is that they are scavengers. They are large black birds who are about two-feet-tall (61 cm), with a wingspan of over four-feet (122 cm).
An Unclean Bird
In Israel, ravens were considered unclean, and therefore, Israelites were taught to despise them. To touch a raven would make one unclean—meaning that he or she would not be able to offer sacrifices at the temple. Leviticus 11:13-15 (NIV) says, “These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, any kind of black kite, any kind of raven.” So for a Jew, this might be the worst way to receive food. These were dirty animals that scavenged food even from corpses. For us, it might be emotionally equivalent to getting our food from rats, a type of scavenger we’re more accustomed to.
Torn Food
But not only would Elijah as a Jew have a problem with eating food delivered by an unclean scavenger, but he would also probably have a problem with the food itself. Imagine a raven bringing food; the food might come as a few crumbs here, a torn piece of flesh there. A raven is not a waiter at a restaurant who makes sure the food is heated and presented nicely. A raven tears food as it grabs it. For many, if the food doesn’t look good, smell good, or have the right texture, they won’t eat it. When they go to a restaurant, they say, “Oh, I don’t like this!” When someone asks, “Why?” they respond, “I just don’t like the texture,” “It smells weird,” or “It’s not hot enough!” Elijah had to eat food coming from a stinky, smelly bird that was probably torn in pieces.
Lack of Diversity
But, not only would there be a problem with the type of bird bringing him food and the manner the food came, but he would also probably have a problem with the lack of diversity. Apparently, he had the same meal every day—bread and meat. Granted, there could have been some diversity in the types of bread and meat (if God was gracious). But, to eat bread and meat twice a day for months would be difficult. Most, especially from developed nations, prefer more diversity in their meals.
It is very clear that one of the lessons Elijah was learning in the cutting place was contentment; he had to eat food from an unclean, despised bird, which probably would have been torn in pieces, with little, if any, diversity. This is a lesson God teaches all those he will use greatly, and he puts them in the cutting place to do so.
Israel
This is the same lesson God taught Israel in the wilderness. While there, they did not get the variety or quality of food they had in Egypt. God provided manna for them every day, and quite naturally, the people started to complain and murmur against God. They said, “Where are the bananas and fruits we had in Egypt? Where is the meat?,” and God judged them for complaining. What was he teaching them? He was teaching them contentment.
Paul
God taught Paul the same thing. Consider what he said in Philippians 4:11-13:
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in any circumstance. I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing. I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.
He said, “I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing.”
We often think of contentment as only being necessary for meager or poor circumstances, but wealthy people also struggle with great discontentment, even leading some to suicide. And because of this, they are constantly seeking something new to satisfy them or bring them joy. Yet, Paul said he had learned contentment in both circumstances.
Paul said this was a “secret.” A secret is something that most don’t know. Most have never learned this secret, but it is crucial if a person is going to be someone God can use greatly for his kingdom—someone who can stand up to kings, false prophets, and rebellious nations.
Missionaries / Disciples
We see this practically with missions. Many missionaries don’t last a year on the mission field because they have never learned the lesson of contentment at the cutting place. They go to a different country and experience food that doesn’t taste or smell good, and they really struggle with the culture and being away from family. They have never learned the lesson of contentment in all circumstances and therefore aren’t effective on the mission field.
No doubt being aware of the difficulties of missions, Christ said this to his disciples as they went off on missions in Luke 10:3-7. He said,
Go! I am sending you out like lambs surrounded by wolves. Do not carry a money bag, a traveler’s bag, or sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘May peace be on this house!’ And if a peace-loving person is there, your peace will remain on him, but if not, it will return to you. Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker deserves his pay. Do not move around from house to house.
Christ said when you go from village to village, stop at a house, and if they receive you, stay there. Eat whatever they give you, don’t be picky, and even if the provisions are meager and you are uncomfortable, don’t go moving from house to house. Stay where God opens the door for you. Christ was teaching his disciples the same lesson—contentment. If they were going to be used greatly by God on the mission field, they had to learn it.
This is something the church has wholly lost; they have lost the secret to contentment. Consider what Paul taught his disciple Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:6-8:
Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit. For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either. But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that.
Paul says we should be content with food and shelter. The Greek word for shelter just means “covering,” which possibly refers to housing and clothing. Paul essentially tells Timothy to learn contentment and to not chase the riches of this world.
Training
Again, in order to train us, God often places us in situations where we are uncomfortable; he allows us to have a difficult job, roommate, marriage, or church experience. Our natural desire is to quit, leave, and get out of the situation. However, we must be aware that there is a lesson to be learned, and that lesson is contentment. Godliness with contentment is great gain.
God wants to train us like he did his disciples, so he can send us out. He needs people that he can send anywhere and to any place. Right after God trains Elijah with the unclean ravens that he was raised to detest, he sent him to Sidon to a Gentile widow’s house that he also would have disliked because of his Jewish upbringing. If he was going to serve God and do whatever God told him to do, he needed to learn contentment.
For one would-be disciple that wanted to follow Christ in Luke 9:58, Christ declared, “Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He challenged him to consider the cost of following Christ—at times he might be homeless and sleep in the field. Christ needs people who have learned the lesson of contentment.
Are you in an uncomfortable situation? Do you just want to quit or run away? Most times, that is not God’s desire for you. James 1:4 says, “And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.” He has great things to teach you in that place.
Application Question: Well, we must ask the question, “How do we learn the lesson of contentment in the valley?”
1. To be content, we must learn to recognize God’s sovereignty over every situation—that he is using it for our good and his glory.
When we recognize God as in control, not ourselves, evil people, random circumstances, or even Satan, we will experience more grace to be content. Ephesians 1:11 says God “accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will.” Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”
When Pharaoh would not release Israel from slavery, Moses recognized it as God hardening his heart (Ex 9:12). When Satan attacked Job, causing him to lose his wealth and children, Job said, “The Lord gives and he takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21 paraphrase). They both saw God in control of their circumstances and the evil people they dealt with. Likewise, we’ll never be content if we don’t see God as in total control of our circumstances. We’ll find ourselves constantly frustrated at people and circumstances.
2. To be content, we must be careful of complaining and arguing.
Philippians 2:14-15 says,
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world
Complaining only makes us more discontent and tends to spread that discontent to others. When Christians do everything without complaining, they become lights in a dark world and demonstrate to the world that they are children of God. Not complaining should mark God’s children.
3. To be content, we must practice giving thanks in every situation.
First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” When we give thanks in faith, even when things aren’t good, it increases our faith in God and our contentment. As we thank God and worship him, we begin to trust in his sovereignty, even over the inconveniences and difficulties of life.
4. To be content, we must draw near to God for strength to persevere.
In Philippians 4:13, Paul stated his secret to contentment which was, “I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.”
We can be content in whatever circumstance because Christ will give us strength, as we rely on him. By ourselves, we can’t do it, but with God, we can. We can eat food we don’t like. We can persevere through a difficult work situation or relationship. If it is God’s will, he will give us strength, patience, and perseverance to overcome. He’ll teach us contentment.
Similarly, Hebrews 13:5 says, “Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.’” The writer of Hebrews says the reason we can be content is because God is with us. Therefore, in order to have contentment, we must realize that we have all things in Christ and, for that reason, continually draw near him. Like Paul said, “I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.”
Are you drawing near Christ? If not, you will be prone to complaining and arguing like the world. Contentment is a virtue, and God can only develop it by putting us in less-than-ideal situations. Like Elijah, he puts us in difficult places and situations to train us in contentment. Those who are content, God can use greatly for his kingdom, because he can send them anywhere, to do anything.
Application Question: Why is contentment so important in serving God? How can we develop contentment? How has God trained you in contentment in the past? How is he training you presently, in this season?
The Lesson of Submitting and Trusting Our Future to God
Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. Drink from the stream; I have already told the ravens to bring you food there.
1 Kings 17:3-4
Another major lesson we learn in the valley is to trust God with our future. Elijah, who was serving God in Israel, was told to go to the Valley of Cutting. He wasn’t told why, how long, or when he could leave, but eventually, after the brook dried up, he was told to go to Sidon to be cared for by a widow (v. 8-9).
Now, as you can imagine, this was probably never part of Elijah’s plan for his life. The valley was not a luxury site that everybody visited. He could hide there because it was an isolated place where nobody wanted to go. Nevertheless, it was where God sent Elijah.
When God sends people to the place of cutting it usually is a time of discomfort. For many, it is the death of a dream or vision. It is not what they expected to happen in their lives. They didn’t plan to have this sickness; they didn’t plan to go into this career field; they didn’t plan to have to deal with this heartache; they didn’t plan to have to start taking care of aging parents or a sick child, but God did.
Jesus
This is a lesson that every person God will use greatly must learn. They must learn how to let go of their future and trust God with it. It is what Christ said before going to the cross. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). Father, if there is any other way, take this suffering from me, but nevertheless, your will be done. The valley is not a place where anybody wants to go, but Elijah went willingly. He didn’t argue or complain; he just submitted to God. The cross wasn’t something Christ wanted to go through, necessarily; it was something he willingly submitted to out of love for us and submission to the Father’s will.
In the valley, people often experience the sweet discomfort of submitting to God’s plans rather than their own. They often go through stages of not knowing what is next, as God obliterates their five-year and ten-year plan. There he teaches them to trust his wise and loving hand with their future.
For example, Abraham heard God’s call and left his homeland for the land of promise. But while there, he never owned the land. Later, God revealed that Abraham’s children’s children would gain the land but only after being enslaved for hundreds of years (Gen 15). Going to the valley means learning, “not my will but your will be done.” It means sometimes not knowing what’s next. It means being faithful where God has placed us, while waiting for his Word to come.
We also see this in the life of Joseph. When Joseph was sold into slavery, then placed in prison, he didn’t know how long it would last or what was next. He had to learn to trust God with his future.
As mentioned, many times the valley means a change of direction in life. It is there that God often changes our dreams, and because of that, for many, it is the hardest trial of their life. It can be especially devastating because many prepared to go a different direction for a large portion of their life, if not their whole life. However, at some point, God takes his holy pruning scissors and cuts away because he has better things in store. God at some point says, “No. I’ve got different plans. Do you trust me?”
For me, I had dreams of playing professional basketball. On a full scholarship during my sophomore year of college, I tore a piece of my achilles. Later, at a different school, I started to develop stress fractures in both of my feet. Eventually, I had to let the dreams of playing post university go. God slowly cut away from my life, preparing me for something else.
Application Question: How can we learn to patiently trust God with our future while in the valley, being pruned?
1. To grow in our trust for God, we must learn that God’s plans are perfect and good.
Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds, for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans.”
God essentially declares, “I can see better than you. I know what you will encounter in your future and I’m preparing you for that.” The cutting season is intentional. It is a necessary preparation for our future ministry. Romans 8:28 says he works everything for our good.
Do you trust that God’s plan for you is perfect?
2. To grow in our trust for God, we must learn to not lean on our own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.” God puts us in the valley, in times of cutting, so we can learn to trust him, even when things are difficult and seemingly don’t make sense.
Are we willing to stop trusting our own wisdom and understanding?
3. To grow in our trust for God, we must learn to reject our anxieties and worries, as we rely on God.
Satan will try to use anxiety and worry to destroy us and remove our blessing while we’re waiting on God in the valley. We must learn to reject anxieties and worries, as we rely on God. Philippians 4:6-7 says,
Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Through praying about everything and giving thanks in everything, we can have peace that passes all understanding. At God’s perfect time, he will reveal to us what’s next. In the meantime, we must be faithful where he has placed us.
Have we learned the lesson of trusting our future to God? Every time worry or fear creeps in, we must pursue God harder, spend time in God’s Word and prayer. God has nothing but good things for us, and the valley is only a step towards those good things.
In 1 Kings 17:8-9, God’s word eventually came to Elijah, as God said, “Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told a widow who lives there to provide for you.” Elijah then obeys and goes to the next stage of his spiritual development.
Application Question: Have you ever experienced a radical change in life’s direction that left you lost, confused, and maybe even depressed? If so, what happened? How is God currently challenging you to trust him with your future? How do you deal with anxieties and worries about your future in the cutting season?
Conclusion
At Kerith Valley, we see God’s process of continually developing the man or woman of God. Again, in John 15:5, it says every branch that bears fruit, God prunes so it can bear more fruit. God does the same with us. He often sends us to the cutting place to train us for more.
Have you been to Kerith Valley University (aka Cutting Valley)? Have you learned its lessons?
- Have you learned the lesson of our responsibility to God’s Word?
- Have you learned the lesson of solitude?
- Have you learned the lesson of depending on God for daily needs?
- Have you learned the lesson of contentment?
- Have you learned the lesson of trusting the future with God?
Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?
Prayer Prompts
- Pray that we would grow in our responsibility to God’s Word—faithfully studying it and obeying it—and that God would remove any spiritual hindrances like unrepentant sin or spiritual apathy.
- Pray that we would trust God for our daily and future needs, that God would abundantly supply all our needs according to his riches and glory, and that God would remove worries and anxieties as we wait on him.
- Pray for grace to be content with God and his provisions both in times of prosperity and in times of need and that God would deliver us from discouraged and complaining hearts.
- Pray that God would increase our faith, that we would not rely on our own understanding, but that we would trust God with our past, present, and future.
Copyright © 2022 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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1 Accessed 11/26/20, from https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/cherith/
Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life
5. Lessons From Zarephath Graduate School (1 Kings 17:7-16)
Related MediaAfter a while, the stream dried up because there had been no rain in the land. The Lord told him, “Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told a widow who lives there to provide for you.” So he got up and went to Zarephath. When he went through the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. He called out to her, “Please give me a cup of water, so I can take a drink.” As she went to get it, he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread.” She said, “As certainly as the Lord your God lives, I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.” Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned. But first make a small cake for me and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’” She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.
1 Kings 17:7-16 (NET)
What is God’s process for preparing a man or woman of God—someone he can use greatly?
It has been said that there are two primary ways to grow spiritually. The first way is through spiritual disciplines, but the second way is through trials. God molds the men and women he greatly uses through trials. In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah challenges King Ahab—declaring that it would not rain in the land except at his word. Then, God sends Elijah to Kerith Valley where he provided food for him through ravens. The word Kerith means “cutting.” God sent him to the “cutting place” in order to train him. There he learned lessons like solitude and dependency—seeking the Lord and trusting him for provisions. But after the stream dried up, God sent Elijah to a new training ground in Zarephath, where God would meet his needs and teach him lessons through a poor widow. In the Hebrew, Zarephath comes from a verb that means “to melt” or “to smelt.”1 After sending Elijah to the place of cutting, he now was going to the melting place—a place where God was going to continue molding Elijah into the man he was called to be.
When God is preparing somebody he will use greatly, he often multiplies trials in his or her life. He first sent Joseph to be a slave in Potiphar’s household, then God sent him to prison. It was after both of these trials that God exalted Joseph to leadership in Egypt and enabled him to save multitudes. Likewise, the place of cutting and melting were essential training places for Elijah. After these trainings, Elijah will confront the prophets of Baal, call for fire to come down from heaven, bring a revival in Israel, and call for rain to return.
We don’t know much about Zarephath. We know it was a village in the Sidonian territory where Queen Jezebel was from, and it was a place of Baal worship. Therefore, it was enemy territory. Because of the name of this city, there probably was an iron plant located in it where iron would be extracted from its ore and then refined by fire to separate the metal from the dross, so it could be used for weapons or other materials. The fire would cleanse the metal from infirmities that made it weak, but also the fire melted the iron so it would be moldable.
Similarly, when God makes a man or woman that he can use, he sends them through pain and difficulties to get rid of weaknesses—sin and compromise that might keep them from completing the tasks that he has called them to complete. But, God also uses the heat of trials to make them moldable. All of a sudden, the person who previously had a fixed ten-year plan for his life, through fiery trials, is now moldable. They are submitted to God’s plan for their life. Though difficult, the place of melting is a tremendous blessing; it is there that he cleanses his people and prepares them for more.
In 1 Peter 4:12, Peter said: “Dear friends, do not be astonished that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as though something strange were happening to you.” We shouldn’t be surprised because it is a normal thing for God to send Christians into the fire. It is there where they grow more into men and women of God—people he owns, ones he can use for more.
When talking to persecuted Christians scattered throughout Rome, Peter used metallurgy terminology in 1 Peter 1:6-7. He says,
This brings you great joy, although you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials. Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold—gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away—and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
The word “proven” is used of testing or refining metal. It comes from the same word group as “tested” by fire in verse 7.2 God uses trials to test whether our faith is real and to purify our faith from infirmities.3 This is the next stage of Elijah’s development, and it is the stage that God sends all of us through to become people he can use greatly.
In this study, we will learn lessons from the furnace. With the previous study, we called it Kerith Valley University (KVU), in line with how others have named the message; therefore, this one is called Zarephath Graduate School, where we get advanced training for ministry. Have you studied there?
Big Question: What lessons can we learn from Zarephath Graduate School?
The Lesson of Bad First Impressions
“Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told a widow who lives there to provide for you.” So he got up and went to Zarephath. When he went through the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. He called out to her, “Please give me a cup of water, so I can take a drink.” As she went to get it, he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread.” She said, “As certainly as the Lord your God lives, I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.”
1 Kings 17:9-12
Now, no doubt, when Elijah heard God say, “Go to Zarephath!”, he probably wasn’t excited. As mentioned, Zarephath was in Sidon—a Gentile territory—where they worshiped Baal. It was also Jezebel’s hometown. But to make it worse, God said to Elijah, “I have already told a widow who lives there to provide for you.”
Widows in that society were the poorest of the poor. Typically, if a woman lost her husband, she would have to return to her father’s house to be provided for, resort to begging, or go into prostitution. For these reasons, they were commonly neglected and shunned by society. That is why James 1:27 says that pure and undefiled religion cares for the orphans and the widows—the most helpless. Therefore, when Elijah heard this, he couldn’t be excited about his next step. One might consider it shameful to be helped by an impoverished widow. Nevertheless, it was there that God promised to meet his needs.
When he got to the gate of the city, he saw a widow. He probably thought to himself, “This must be the one God has called to meet my needs.” When he met her, he asked for some water, which was probably a test to discern if she was the right one (v. 10). After she agreed, he also asked for a piece of bread (v. 11).
What happens next must have further shocked Elijah: The woman who was supposed to provide for his needs during the famine said she didn’t have enough for him. She was preparing her last meal before she and her child would starve to death (v. 12). The drought Elijah prayed for was not only affecting Israel but also the surrounding nations—people were in dire situations.
Common Preparation for God’s Ministers
Again, this must have shocked Elijah. Maybe, he initially thought to himself, “God, I thought you were going to meet my needs? What have you gotten me into? Why did you lead me to Gentile territory when I could have been in Tishbe with my family and friends? God, what have you done?” This might be a normal response for someone who was expecting God to lead them into pleasant green pastures instead of a melting place. However, it must be understood that this is a common experience in the life of faith—one God uses to prepare his ministers. This is the lesson of bad first impressions, which many crumble under when initially experienced.
For example, God said to Abraham in Genesis 12, “Leave your father’s house and your family and go to land I will show you. There I will make you a great nation and I will bless you. I will also bless those who bless you.” No doubt, Abraham thought to himself, “This sounds great! I will go!” But when Abraham got to the promised land, there was a famine (Gen 12:10). Again, this was probably met with shock and disbelief. Maybe Abraham thought, “God, I left my homeland for this! I don’t have anything to eat. I can’t even feed my family!” Abraham, who at that time was young in the faith, decided to leave Canaan and head to Egypt. Abraham failed the test of bad first impressions by taking things into his own hands.
When Abraham stepped out of God’s will, he entered a worse situation where he felt he had to lie to protect himself from being killed. Since his wife, Sarah, was attractive, he told the Egyptians that she was his sister so they wouldn’t kill him and take her. Abraham’s lie led to Pharaoh taking Sarah to be his wife.
We also saw this test with Israel. Through Moses, God called Israel to follow him to a land flowing with milk and honey. But after leaving Egypt, they experienced bitter water and a lack of food in the wilderness—prompting them to complain against God and want to go back to Egypt. Israel, like Abraham, failed the bad first impressions test.
With Israel, even after they made it out of the wilderness and got to the promised land, they experienced the test again. The land was truly flowing with milk and honey; however, there were giants there. Out of fear, they declared that they couldn’t conquer them and again wanted to return to Egypt—failing the test of bad first impressions.
Even Christ who was filled with the Holy Spirit after his baptism was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by Satan (Matt 4:1). When God is leading something, we tend to think everything is going to be great, and when it isn’t, many struggle with disillusionment, fear, and sometimes anger. However, the bad first impression is a common test God uses to train his disciples.
Many of us have experienced the bad first impression test before. We wanted a new job because the place we previously worked stopped being a place of joy and instead became a place of frustration. We prayed and prayed, and God finally opened the door for what looked like an ideal job. However, when we started, we found out it wasn’t so ideal. The boss was overbearing; we didn’t get along with our co-workers. When considering the cost versus benefit, we soon realized our new situation wasn’t that great. We may have even said to ourselves, “I should have stayed at my last job!”
Or maybe we prayed for some other open door—to get into a good university, get an internship, get a new house, or even get married. When God opened the door, we thought it would be amazing; however, later we found out it was difficult, and the failed expectations caused great heartache. It might have even made us regret pursuing the door or possibly made us angry at God and doubt his love. This is the test of bad first impressions. This is a common experience in the melting place. It tests the validity of our faith. Do we really trust God, even when things aren’t as we thought they would be?
Common Responses
What are common responses to the test of bad first impressions? From Elijah and the widow, we can discern two of them. When Elijah asked the widow for food, in verse 12, she replied,
As certainly as the Lord your God lives. I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.
She used the name “Yahweh” which was Israel’s covenant name for God. This suggests that she knew or worshiped the same God as Elijah, and it also may suggest that she knew who Elijah was. Ahab was looking everywhere for this man.
When she looked at her circumstance, she said, “I’m about to die, I can’t feed you.” But Elijah looked at the woman and said, “Trust God! If you feed me first, then God will provide your needs.” The woman saw her meager circumstances and impossibilities, but Elijah saw God and the possibilities.
What do we see when encountering the bad first impression test, when encountering an unexpected trial? Do we see God and the possibilities or the difficulty and impossibilities? The woman saw the impossibilities which made her hopeless. But Elijah saw the possibilities and therefore was hopeful.
What is our response in an unexpected trial? Often, the young believer only sees the trial and the potential negative effects that might result from it—causing fear, anxiety, and possibly anger at God or others. But a maturing believer sees it as an opportunity for God to do the miraculous—a time for increasing his or her faith.
How do we respond when taking the bad first impressions test? Like Abraham, do we head to Egypt? In the Bible, Egypt is often a picture of evil and worldliness. Some, when experiencing the unexpected trial, feel like God deceived them or doesn’t love them, so they run to what’s familiar—the world. Maybe they run to the bar to get drunk or to an unhealthy relationship, or to some other addiction. Instead of trusting God and persevering through the trial, they run away from him. For a season, they may even drop out of church or stop serving in a ministry.
How do we respond when encountering the first impression blues?
Application Question: How do we pass the test of bad first impressions?
1. To pass the test, we must expect it.
Again 1 Peter 4:12 says, “Dear friends, do not be astonished that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as though something strange were happening to you.” Peter said, “Don’t be astonished or think something strange is happening!” If one gets married and thinks everything is going to be pure joy, most likely he or she is in a for a big surprise. If one lands his dream job or gets into his choice university and thinks it will be smooth sailing, he or she will be shocked. God’s ultimate purpose is to make us into the image of his Son (Rom 8:28-29), and trials are a necessary part of that preparation. We shouldn’t be surprised at trials; in fact, we should expect them to come. This isn’t pessimism. It is understanding that in this world we will experience hardship, but Christ has overcome the world. And he will help us do so as well (John 16:33).
James 1:2 says, “My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials.” James says “when” you encounter trials, not “if.” Trials will come, and we shouldn’t be surprised by them. We should expect them. Typically, we’ll fail any test we’re not expecting.
2. To pass the test, we must give thanks when encountering it.
First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” And as James mentioned, we should “consider it nothing but joy” (Jam 1:2).
Giving thanks takes our focus off the trial and refocuses it on God and his purposes in the trial. He is in control. If we don’t give God thanks in the trials, anxiety, fear, and anger will push us away from God and possibly others—potentially making the trial worse and making it last longer. Failing the test commonly leads to intensifying, extending, or repeating it. Israel failed the test in the wilderness by complaining, and they failed it in the promised land by doubting God and complaining against him as well. When they failed in the promised land, it led to their wandering in the wilderness for forty years. To pass this test, we must practice giving God thanks in it.
3. To pass the test, we must persevere in it.
The normal response is to quit the trial or run to Egypt. Both of these responses come from not trusting God. Sometimes it is God’s will to remove the trial, but most times it’s his will for us to persevere through the trial. The Good Shepherd commonly leads his sheep through the valley of the shadow of death and comforts them while in it (Ps 23:4). The valley, with its shadows, typically causes fear for sheep, but God protects and guides his sheep with his rod and staff. James 1:4 says, “And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.”
4. To pass the test, we must focus on developing our faith while in the trial.
Again,1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV) says,
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
In comparing our faith to gold being purified by fire, we must remember that fiery trials come to refine our faith as well—to make it free from impurities and strengthen it. During the trial, we must work on getting rid of anything displeasing to God. When a metal is put into a fire, the fire brings out the impurities which weaken it. Trials do the same for us. What is showing up during our trial? Is it complaining or discord with others? Is it a lack of trust in God? Is it a desire to return to some sin by rebelling against God? As God reveals the impurities through the fire, we must confess them and turn away from them. God desires to purify us and make us stronger through the fire—making us stronger for his work. Therefore, in the fire, we must focus on our faith.
Certainly, there may be many practical things we need to take care of in the midst of a trial—family, finances, health, etc.—but we must realize the main thing is our faith. Through the trial, God wants to build our faith and Satan wants to destroy it. The test of bad first impressions will challenge our faith—so we must be prepared for it.
Application Question: In what ways have you experienced the bad first impressions test—where the place God led you wasn’t what you expected in a negative sense? What was your response? What sinful tendencies often show up in your life when encountering an unexpected trial? How are you working to get rid of them?
The Lesson of the Scarred and Broken Minister
Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned. But first make a small cake for me and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’ “She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.
1 Kings 17:13-16
What does Elijah learn next? In the cutting valley, Elijah learned that God could meet his needs, but in the fiery place, God showed him that he could be a blessing to others. See, Elijah told the woman who was about to eat her last meal and die that if she provided for his needs, her jar of flour would never be used up until it rained on the land.
Elijah was called to teach this woman the same lesson that he had already learned. After Elijah obeyed God by rebuking Ahab, the Lord miraculously provided daily food for him through ravens, and now, Elijah was going to help the woman learn the same lesson. Elijah essentially tells the woman: “If you obey God by providing for me, he will miraculously provide for you and your child every day.” And that’s exactly what happened. Every day the widow went into her cabinet and experienced a miracle. God didn’t give her a bunch of jars so she could store up. Every day within the jar, there would be just enough for her, her son, and the prophet to eat. It was the same miracle that Elijah experienced in the valley, as birds brought him just enough for his daily bread.
Trials Come So We Can Teach Others
This test was not only important for the widow but also for Elijah. In it, he learned that his previous trial came so he could better help others. Have we learned that? Do we understand that God sends us through trials so that we can teach somebody else and help them go through similar situations? Often, our scars from past injuries are lessons that we are meant to use in teaching somebody else. Consider what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:3-6:
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.
Paul said, “The reason I am going through these hard times is for others. God comforts me so I can comfort others. He teaches me perseverance in trials so I can help others persevere through similar ones.” This is something God teaches us in the “fiery place”—the place of melting.
In a trial, we typically become self-centered—everything is about us. It’s hard for us to realize that God’s plan for our trial is bigger than us. It’s also happening to us for the sake of others. When we’ve learned this lesson in the fiery place, we realize trials come to prepare us for a greater ministry.
Power in Weakness
With that said, Elijah also learned that he could be a blessing to others, even though he had lack himself. He was desperate, and yet God would deliver the widow through him. After asking God to remove his thorn in the flesh, in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Paul said:
But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul learned that when he was weak, he was often more effective at ministering to others, as God’s power rested upon him. Are we sick, tired, or weary? Do we have financial lack? Emotional lack? These are often times when God can move through us the most.
It was before Peter denied Christ that the Lord said to him, “When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Lk 22:32). After Peter returned from his failure, he would be even more effective in his ministry. In fact, Peter wrote a whole book about fiery trials in 1 Peter. Similarly, it was Christ’s death that made him most effective. He brought the world salvation through his death—his brokenness.
It was the fact that Paul was shipwrecked, beaten, cursed, stoned, and impoverished, among many other hardships, that made him one of the greatest apostles (2 Cor 11). God’s power moved greatly through his many hardships. In fact, many of the greatest pastors who ever lived struggled with things like depression. Charles Spurgeon had weeks where he wouldn’t get out of bed because of depression. God delights to use scarred and broken ministers.
Tips for Broken Ministers
Application Question: How can we learn the lesson of the scarred and broken minister?
1. To learn the lesson of the broken minister, we must trust that God is preparing us for a greater ministry through our trials; otherwise, we might give up while going through them or become further injured by them.
Hebrews 12:7, 11-12 says,
Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? … Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed.
If we don’t see God’s hand over our trial and realize he is disciplining us—training us to have more “peace and righteousness” (v. 11)—instead of strengthening us, the trial might break us. The writer warns us to strengthen our hands and feet, “so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed” (v. 12). It is possible for us to become further injured through our trials instead of stronger and more equipped to serve others through them. We must realize God is preparing us for a greater ministry through trials, so we don’t quit or become further injured by them.
2. To learn the lesson of the broken minister, we must be willing to serve others, even while we’re still struggling.
Some people feel like they need to be perfect before ministering to others. However, God often prefers the broken, and often breaks people so he can use them. Yes, we may be going through our own difficulties and feel like we should focus on ourselves before caring for others. However, God often moves most powerfully through a person who is struggling with depression, cancer, or even someone fighting a besetting sin. God allowed Paul to have a demon in the flesh and would not take it away, so God could manifest his powerful grace in his life (2 Cor 12:7-9). God will often do the same with us, as we step out in faith in our weakness.
3. To learn the lesson of the broken minister, we must be ready to serve others who have experienced similar trials to ours.
Did we experience a difficult church situation? We must be ready to minister to disillusioned Christians. Did we experience a lot of pain and discord in our family? We must be ready to serve others with difficult family backgrounds. Do we struggle with depression? We must be ready to help those struggling with experiencing joy or even wanting to live. Did we struggle with antagonism towards the faith and at times doubt it? We must be ready to help those who likewise are skeptical about the faith. In the melting place, God teaches us that our misery often becomes our ministry.
4. To learn the lesson of the broken minister, we must be careful of shame.
Often, Satan keeps people from being used by God in their brokenness by making them feel ashamed about their scars and brokenness, and therefore they never share their story with others. There are many people in the church who are hiding from their ministry by denying their past experience and rarely, if ever, sharing it because of shame.
Application Question: In what ways have you seen God use your brokenness or use you in seasons of brokenness? What pain are you experiencing now, or have experienced in the past, that you expect God to use in ministering to others? How does shame commonly hinder God from being able to use our difficult experiences to heal us and others?
The Lesson of Interdependence
Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned. But first make a small cake for me and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’” She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.
1 Kings 17:13-16
Not only did Elijah learn that God would use him to meet the needs of others, even in his brokenness, but also that God would use others to meet his needs. This is often a hard trial to learn because we all tend to struggle with pride, which keeps us from wanting to depend on others. But Elijah needed to learn both that he had a blessing for the widow and the widow had a blessing for him.
In this trial, Elijah experienced interdependence. This is exactly what God teaches about the members of his body—the church. In 2 Corinthians 8:13-15, Paul said this about the Corinthians who were called to help the struggling church of Jerusalem. He said:
For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality. At the present time, your abundance will meet their need, so that one day their abundance may also meet your need, and thus there may be equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”
Since the Corinthians had resources, it was God’s will for them to help others who did not. And when Jerusalem or other churches had resources, they would supply the Corinthians’ lack. There was to be an equality—a mutual dependence upon one another. God’s will is that his church would be interdependent. This means that when we have plenty, whether that be emotional, social, spiritual, or financial, God has given it to us to help and bless others. And at the same time, when we have needs, others will commonly be the answer to our prayers.
With that said, interdependence is not a license to be bad stewards of God’s resources. On the contrary, we can only bless others if we have been good stewards—not wasting God’s gifts. In Ephesians 4:28, Paul said, “The one who steals must steal no longer; rather he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need.” The person who previously stole needed to work to not only meet his needs but also to have something to share—that meant he needed to save and not waste his excess.
In the melting place, God takes people who are independent and knits them together with others—he forms them into his body. This is what Paul was teaching the Corinthians doctrinally in 1 Corinthians 12:21: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you,’ nor in turn can the head say to the foot, ‘I do not need you.’”
Likewise, the military uses trials to teach soldiers the same lesson. When men and women go into basic training, they are individuals, with their own styles and unique differences. But by intentional and rigorous training, including suffering together and enjoying successes together, they are formed into one. This is a lesson God’s disciples learn when they go to the fiery place as well. When God allows suffering to happen in a local church or the church in a nation, this often bonds them together, breaking denominational and doctrinal differences. Suffering can bond the local church and individuals in the local church.
In the valley, disciples learn solitude and dependence on God. In the furnace, they learn to depend on others. Before they entered the fiery place, they were very independent. Maybe, they went to church, but they weren’t really part of the body. In the furnace, they learn that being attached to the body and serving her is a necessity.
Application Question: How can we tell if we have learned the lesson of interdependence from the fiery place?
We can tell by asking ourselves these questions:
1. How do we respond to people who are in need—people who need someone to talk to or are going through a hard time? Are they a burden to us—where we don’t have time or are too busy to minister to them? Or is it a blessing to serve them?
Elijah and the woman learned that there was a mutual blessing through ministry. The woman learned it was truly a blessing to give because God often gives back and there is joy in it. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.” And Elijah learned that God often chooses to send his blessings through others.
2. How do we respond when we are in need or struggling? Do we keep it a secret, or do we openly share so we can receive prayer and the corresponding grace?
In the fiery place, Elijah learned he did not always need to be the one giving, that he needed others, and it was OK to ask for help. Unfortunately, many are too prideful to share their needs and problems, and therefore always lack the grace and healing God gives through his body. Through God’s body, he provides us with wisdom, love, healing, and often practical resources. To reject the body’s help is to reject God’s grace. Elijah willingly shared his need, even though he was asking help from a poor widow which would have been shameful. James 5:16 says, “So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.”
3. How dependent are we on the church?
People who have been molded at Zarephath learn, like Elijah, that they need God’s people every day. Therefore, they are faithful in small groups and church ministry not only to serve but also to be served. They realize they can’t make it on their own. They realize they need other believers and that other believers need them. Hebrews 10:24-25 says:
And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.
As mentioned before, those who have not learned this lesson probably rarely attend church and church activities or only come to receive and not to give. They are often in the pew but rarely seek to serve and bless others.
Have we been to Zarephath for advanced training in ministry? Have we learned the lesson of interdependence? Or are we still independent, lone-ranger Christians?
Application Question: What has been your process of growth in the area of interdependence upon the body of Christ—both in being served and serving others? Did you previously struggle with independence—including mere church attendance? How is God currently calling you to grow in serving others and allowing yourself to be served?
Conclusion
When preparing men and women he can use greatly, our God often multiplies trials. Like with Elijah, he takes them from the cutting place to the melting place, from Kerith Valley University to Zarephath Graduate School—to get advanced training. It is at the melting place that God gets rid of infirmities and weaknesses in our faith to make us stronger, so we can better serve others. It’s where he removes wrong attitudes and actions to make us more into his image. Have we been to the melting place to prepare for further ministry?
- Have we learned the lesson of the bad first impression? This is a common step in the life of discipleship. We shouldn’t be surprised when God leads us to difficulties. Even Christ was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matt 4:1). In the trial, we must focus on God and not our circumstance. We must trust God, even when our circumstances don’t make sense.
- Have we learned the blessing of the scarred and broken minister? God uses broken vessels to minister to others. In fact, he sends us into trials to equip us to comfort others. In addition, our weaknesses are not necessarily a vice; by God’s grace, they can be channels of blessing—channels by which God’s blessings flow to us and others.
- Have we learned the blessing of interdependence? If Elijah and the widow walked alone, they would have been in lack and would have missed much of God’s grace. Maybe, they both would have died. Sadly, many Christians often miss God’s grace for lack of depending on others. When we have learned this lesson, we will joyfully serve others and allow others to serve us as well.
Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?
Prayer Prompts
- Pray that God would help us trust him when encountering unexpected trials and that he would enable us to be faithful and thankful.
- Pray that God would use our trials and weaknesses to glorify himself, equip us, and bless others.
- Pray that God would unify the church and empower us to faithfully serve, encourage, and strengthen one another.
Copyright © 2022 Gregory Brown
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1 Charles R. Swindoll. Elijah: A Man of Heroism and Humility (Great Lives From God’s Word 5: Profiles in Character from Charles R. Swindoll) (Kindle Location 532). Kindle Edition.
Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life
6. Developing An Effective Prayer Life (1 Kings 17:17-24)
Related MediaAfter this the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. His illness was so severe he could no longer breathe. She asked Elijah, “Why, prophet, have you come to me to confront me with my sin and kill my son?” He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed. Then he called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, are you also bringing disaster on this widow I am staying with by killing her son?” He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.” The Lord answered Elijah’s prayer; the boy’s breath returned to him and he lived. Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room to the house, and handed him to his mother. Elijah then said, “See, your son is alive!” The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a prophet and that the Lord really does speak through you.”
1 Kings 17:17-24 (NET)
How can we develop a powerful and effective prayer life? Often, prayer is considered something secondary to ministry or as preparation for ministry. However, Oswald Chambers, the writer of the famous devotional, My Utmost of His Highest, rightly said, “Prayer is not preparation for the great work. Prayer is the great work!” It is by prayer that individuals are saved, relationships are reconciled, prisoners are set free, and nations are healed. Prayer is how we access God’s power and get his work done. If this is so, then we must ask, “How can we grow in prayer both individually and corporately?”
This question is especially relevant as we continue our look at the story of Elijah. In Scripture, Elijah is given as a model of prayer. James 5:16-18 says,
… The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.
Elijah was like us, and yet when he prayed for the heavens to be shut for three and a half years, it happened. He then prayed for it to rain, and it happened again. Elijah’s prayers were powerful, and James implies that our prayers can be powerful as well.
In fact, a powerful prayer life is a common component in the lives of those God used greatly. Abraham was a man of prayer—in his narrative, he is constantly seen communicating with God and even interceding for people. Moses, Nehemiah, and the prophets were also people of prayer. Likewise, when Christ was preparing weak disciples who would one day turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6), he constantly emphasized their need to pray. He modeled faithful prayer for them (Lk 11:1), taught them the Lord’s Prayer at least twice (Matt 6, Lk 11), taught them parables emphasizing their need to pray (Lk 18:1-8), took them away for prayer retreats (Lk 22:39-46), and at times rebuked them for their lack of prayer (Mk 9:19, 29). In the book of Acts, the world is turned upside down, in part, because the disciples developed powerful prayer lives (Acts 17:6). They prayed in the upper room and the Holy Spirit fell on them at Pentecost (Acts 1:14, Acts 2:1-4). They had a corporate prayer meeting after being told to no longer preach the gospel, and the building was shaken, the Spirit fell on them again, and they left proclaiming God’s Word boldly (Acts 4:23-31). They, like Christ, at times even turned down ministry because they needed to stay committed to prayer (cf. Mk 1:35-37). In Acts 6:1-4, they told the Jerusalem church members to find someone else to care for the widows because they needed to be committed to prayer and God’s Word.
God using people who were faithful in prayer is not just clear in the narratives of Scripture but also the history of the church. Martin Luther, upon being asked by his friend about his plans for the next day, said, “Work, work from early until late. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” When God raises up someone to mightily use, he trains him or her to be mighty in prayer. Therefore, as we look at Elijah resurrecting this young boy, which is the first resurrection in Scripture, we learn principles about developing an effective prayer life.
Big Question: What principles about developing an effective prayer life can we learn from Elijah’s raising the widow’s dead son?
To Develop an Effective Prayer Life, We Must Develop Strong Faith
After this the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. His illness was so severe he could no longer breathe. She asked Elijah, “Why, prophet, have you come to me to confront me with my sin and kill my son?” He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed. Then he called out to the Lord…
1 Kings 17:17-20a
Observation Question: How did the widow respond to the death of her son, and how did Elijah respond to it?
In verses 17-18, we see how the widow responded to the death of her son. Instead of trusting the God who had faithfully provided for her needs through the prophet, she accused Elijah (and by implication God) of punishing her, reminding her of the sins she committed, and killing her son. Unfortunately, when many people encounter a trial or difficult situation, instead of responding in faith by praying to God and trusting him, they get mad at God and mad at others.
How did Elijah respond when accused by the woman? He didn’t argue with her. He immediately asked for her son, took him to the upper room of the house, laid him on the bed, and began to cry out to God for a resurrection.
Here we see the first step in developing a powerful prayer life: It is developing a strong faith. Why pray at all if we don’t believe in God’s power, wisdom, and goodness—that he desires to answer our prayers and that he will always do what’s best?
Again, at this point in Scripture, there has been no resurrection; therefore, Elijah is taking a leap of faith. No doubt, he must have rationalized to himself, “Cannot the God who created the heavens and the earth, stopped the rain, fed me by ravens and through this poor widow also resurrect this dead boy?”
This is an important step in developing a powerful prayer life. We must develop our faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Also, Hebrews 11:35 says this, no doubt in describing Elijah’s great faith, “women received back their dead raised to life.” Hebrews 11 is commonly called the Heroes of the Faith chapter, and apparently Elijah is given not only as a model of prayer but also of faith. If we’re going to develop powerful prayer, we must, like Elijah, have great faith in God. It takes great faith in God to move mountains, heal people, bring revival in communities, and be used in our weakness.
Throughout Scripture, the importance of faith is often emphasized as a prerequisite for receiving blessings from God. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus taught if we only had the faith of a mustard seed, we could move mountains, which probably refers to insurmountable difficulties. And likewise, when Christ went to his hometown of Nazareth, Matthew 13:58 says he didn’t do many miracles there because of “their unbelief.” How many people don’t receive from God and can’t be used by God simply because of a lack of belief? Faith is believing and trusting in God despite our feelings or circumstances. And when there is true faith, God often rewards it (Heb 11:6).
In Mark 2:3-5 and verse 11, we see a great example of faith in Christ’s healing of a paralytic. The verses say,
Some people came bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. When they were not able to bring him in because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus. Then, after tearing it out, they lowered the stretcher the paralytic was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” … “I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.”
Even though the four men could not get their friend to Christ because of the crowds, they were willing to climb the roof, tear a hole in it (regardless of damage and cost), and lower the paralytic down so he could be healed. They demonstrated great faith in the midst of what seemed like a closed or delayed door. The text says Christ forgave the paralytic’s sin and healed him because of seeing “their faith” (v. 5). Christ rewarded their faith by healing and forgiving their friend. Likewise, when Elijah was confronted with insurmountable odds—the death of the widow’s son—he did not give up either. He demonstrated his great faith by pleading for a resurrection.
Similarly, in order to have a powerful prayer life, we also must take steps of faith by bringing impossible situations and grand requests to God. Taking a step of faith doesn’t necessarily mean that God will always answer our prayers affirmatively, but it is often one of the prerequisites for God to do so. In James 5:14-17, James encouraged the sick to seek prayers from their elders because the prayer of faith will bring healing. Certainly, God will not always heal when elders pray, but according to James, taking a step of faith by seeking prayer from our leadership, in obedience to Scripture, is often needed for Divine healing.
Likewise, in James 1:5, James encourages believers going through trials to ask God for wisdom because he gives generously; however, he then prefaces this promise in verses 6-8 by saying:
But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.
Apart from faith, we won’t receive anything from God; it renders our prayers ineffective.
Lifestyle of Faith
With that said, Scripture not only demands faith—trust and belief in God—when we bring our requests before God but also lifestyles of faith. Elijah’s bringing the dead son to God was just one step in his continual walk with God. Hebrews 10:38 says, “my righteous one will live by faith.” A lifestyle of faith is also a prerequisite for powerful prayer. Moments or steps of faith when encountering the impossible should only be parts of a faithful life which God rewards. James taught the necessity of a faithful life to answered prayer by applying it to Elijah’s effective prayer life. In James 5:16-17, he said, “So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. Elijah was a human being like us…”
There are two types of righteousness described in the Scripture. There is the righteousness that God gives us by faith in Christ so we can be saved and not punished for our sins. Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” But there is also practical righteousness, which true believers must demonstrate as an outworking of their faith in God. This is the righteousness James is talking about. In John 15:7, Christ said the same thing: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.” Christ’s words abide in us as we read Scripture, study it, and obey it as a lifestyle. When this is true, we will find that our prayers are more effective. This happens, in part, because as Scripture saturates our hearts, we start to pray God’s will and not our own. Our prayers become selfless instead of selfish.
Living in sin, and therefore apart from faith, hinders the power of our prayers. In Psalm 66:18, David said, “If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” When living in sin, David’s prayers were ineffective. To the believers James wrote, he said, “You do not have because you do not ask; you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions” (Jam 4:2b-3). Their wrong heart motives hindered the effectiveness of their prayers, and sin does the same for us.
In considering Elijah’s response to the dead son, we cannot but be struck by his great faith. Since God is honored by faith and rewards those with it (Heb 11:6), it is no surprise that God commonly moves on behalf of those who trust him supremely.
Application Question: How can we grow our faith?
1. Our faith grows by knowing God’s Word. Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes from hearing God’s Word” (paraphrase). The more we know what God says in his Word by reading and meditating on it, the more faith we will have. (1) By diligent study, we’ll know God’s promises, which we can pray in accordance with (cf. Phil 4:6-7, Matt 6:33). (2) And when praying about something we don’t have a promise on, we’ll know God’s character and will trust him when he responds with “No,” “Yes,” or, “Wait.”
2. Our faith grows through disciplined praying. Communication is essential for trust. If we are not communicating with a person regularly, we will be more prone to doubt his or her character. Likewise, when we are weak in prayer, our faith in God, especially when in trials, will be weak as well. Like the widow who had seen God’s miraculous provisions, we’ll be more prone to doubt God or get angry at him and others when encountering an unexpected difficulty.
3. Our faith grows as we repent of things hurting our relationship with God. Sin creates distance in our relationship with God and erodes trust. Therefore, to grow in our faith, we must continually repent of wrong attitudes and actions hindering our relationship with God. When we repent, God is faithful to forgive and restore our relationship (1 John 1:9).
4. Our faith grows as we develop a history with God. As God parts our Red Seas, provides refreshment in dry seasons, restores relationships, and resurrects dreams, we’ll be more prone to trust him in the various stages of life. Elijah had seen God shut the heavens, provide food through ravens, and multiply oil, so he could eat in a famine which strengthened his faith to pray for a resurrection. Likewise, as we walk faithfully with God, our faith will increase, which will allow us to experience more of God’s grace through prayer.
Are we growing in our faith?
Application Question: What are some ways that you have developed a history with God—watched him provide in drought, use bad for good, and use you in weakness, among other things? How has your history increased your faith? How is God calling you to practice and grow in your faith in this current season of life?
To Develop an Effective Prayer Life, We Must Practice Private Prayer
He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed.
1 Kings 17:19
After being accused by the widow for the death of her son, Elijah took the boy away from the mother, went to his room, and laid him on a bed before God. Why did Elijah not simply pray there with the mom? Why did he choose to be alone? No doubt, because there is tremendous power in the practice of private prayer. In Matthew 6:5-6, Christ said this to his disciples:
Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
Christ said there is a reward for those who endeavor in secret prayer when no one is watching. This doesn’t mean there is no power in public or cooperate prayer, because there is, especially when done with a right heart. But God especially rewards those who are champions when nobody is watching, when it’s just God and the person. God favors and rewards those who diligently seek him in the quiet place.
Have we developed the practice of private prayer? Do we have a place where we consistently go to block out distractions and meet with God alone? Do we go there commonly to rest in our Lord and bring our requests and fears before him? This is something God enjoys and rewards.
No doubt, this was a discipline that Elijah further developed while at Kerith Valley, the place of cutting. While there, he was isolated from the world and grew in the discipline of solitude with God. Often, God uses trials to help us develop or restore our private prayer discipline—our intimacy with him.
Example of Christ
Certainly, we see this discipline in Christ who would constantly leave the disciples and his ministry to go up on a mountain to pray (Mark 1:35). It is very easy to be busy serving God and not ever go to the mountain to be intimate with him. Christ not only constantly went to a mountain, but he even went to the wilderness to fast for forty days before beginning his ministry—undoubtedly, a season of intense private prayer (cf. Matt 4, Lk 4). God saw Christ’s discipline and rewarded him. Luke 4:13 says that Christ left the wilderness in the “power of the Spirit,” as he began his ministry. After this season of quality prayer, God began to use Christ to do the miraculous. He healed people, cast out demons, multiplied bread, and turned water into wine, all in response to his prayer and reliance on God (cf. Matt 12:28).
What about us? Have we developed the discipline of private prayer—including getting up early before our family, roommates, and neighbors to be with God? David practiced this, even as Christ did (Mk 1:35). In Psalm 119:147, he said, “I am up before dawn crying for help. I find hope in your word.”
When encountering this impossible situation, Elijah left the widow and went straight to his room to privately cry out to God; therefore, God rewarded him publicly. Have we developed secrecy in our prayer lives? Do we have a prayer closet? Certainly, we should pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17)—at all times and in all places—but Scripture also teaches the importance and power of being alone with God in prayer. Again, Christ said, “But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you” (Matt 6:6).
Application Question: Why is the practice of private prayer so important? Where is your prayer closet? How do you practice intimacy with God in prayer? How is God calling you to grow in this discipline?
To Develop an Effective Prayer Life, We Must Grow in Empathy
He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.”
1 Kings 17:21
Interpretation Question: Why did Elijah stretch out over the dead boy’s body three times?
After taking the boy to the room, Elijah stretched himself out over the boy’s dead body three times. We don’t know how long the boy had been dead, but as one might imagine, his body was probably cold. Elijah’s lips would be pressed against his lips, his chest against the boy’s chest, and his arms against the boy’s arms. Elijah could feel his cold and lifeless body.
Why did he do this? What did this do to increase his capacity to pray for him? It seems this created a form of empathy for the boy. By touching the boy’s cold lifeless body, Elijah was entering into his pain. Likewise, if we are going to be effective in our prayer life, we must learn how to enter into people’s pain and feel what they feel.
Christ’s Ministry
Certainly, we get a picture of this with Christ before he raised Lazarus from the dead. He goes to the tomb and weeps (John 11:35). He saw the pain—the effects of sin and death—and wept. For Christ, in one sense, it made no sense to cry, as he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. Why weep? In mourning for Lazarus before praying for him, Christ felt the sting of his death, the pain of losing him, and the mourning of others. Christ entered Lazarus’ pain and that of his family and friends. Only after this did Christ pray, leading to Lazarus’ resurrection.
However, this is not only true in how Christ related to Lazarus before his resurrection but also throughout Christ’s whole ministry. Why did Christ become a man? He became a man in part to relate to us so he could effectively minister to us, including through intercession (cf. Heb 7:25). It is the mystery of the incarnation. He became like us so he could understand us and be our interceding high priest. Consider these verses:
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.
Hebrews 2:14-15
For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.
Hebrews 4:15-16
So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
Hebrews 7:25
No doubt, this is the very reason many of us struggle with prayer. We only know our own problems and pain and, therefore, struggle with interceding for others. Empathy—a holy burden—is very important for being an intercessor. For this reason, we can trust that this is one of the major reasons God allows trials into our lives. He does this to break us down and make us weak so he can empower us (2 Cor 12:7-9), but he also does this to make us empathetic, so we can feel and relate to the pain of others and pray.
This is one of the reasons that people with the gift of mercy are such good intercessors. These people have a God-given ability to enter into the pain of others and care for them. This gift continually brings them to their knees in prayer for others and also to their feet to serve them.
Application Question: What should we do to develop empathy, so we can feel others’ pain and effectively pray for them?
1. To develop empathy, we should touch those who are hurting.
Oftentimes, the best thing we can do is go to a hospice or a mission trip and touch the sick, the poor, and the hurting. By doing this, we start to develop a holy burden for a person or community that helps us faithfully pray for and serve them.
In Ecclesiastes 7:4, Solomon said, “The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of merrymaking.” The heart of the wise—referring to those who love God and follow him (cf. Prov 9:10)—is in the place where people are hurting. It is there that they learn to love God and others better. However, the fool, who doesn’t acknowledge God (cf. Ps 14:1), only focuses on his pleasure instead of serving others in their pain. There is great wisdom in the house of mourning—it is good for us to go there. It is where we gain both wisdom and empathy.
2. To develop empathy, we must walk with the Lord.
Ephesians 2:4 says God is “rich in mercy.” Because of this, in the Gospels, we commonly see Christ having “compassion” on the hurting. Matthew 9:36 says, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Therefore, to grow in empathy, we must continually walk with God—the merciful one. As we abide in prayer, the Word, worship, and service, we will become more like him. In Philippians 1:8, Paul said that he actually longed for the Philippians with the “affection of Christ.” As Paul walked with the Lord, he gained his heart, and we can do the same by walking faithfully with the Lord as well.
3. To develop empathy, we must pray specifically for it.
In Romans 12:8, “mercy” is called a spiritual gift. And in 1 Corinthians 12:31 and 14:1, we are continually encouraged to desire greater gifts. Certainly, as James says, we have not because we ask not (4:2). Being merciful to others is not a gift that many pray for, but it is a gift that will enable us to both serve others and effectively pray for them. So we should pray for God to remove our hardened and often self-consumed hearts and give us soft, merciful hearts like his—ones that empathize with others, serve them, and pray for them.
Application Question: Why is empathy so important for intercessory prayer? What’s the difference between empathy and mercy? How have you experienced empathy by being with someone who was struggling or simply different from you? How is God calling you to grow in empathy so you can pray more effectively?
To Develop an Effective Prayer Life, We Must Practice Persistence in Prayer
Then he called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, are you also bringing disaster on this widow I am staying with by killing her son?” He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.”
1 Kings 17:20-21
It must be noticed that Elijah called out to the Lord twice in verses 20-21. He called out to the Lord, stretched out on the boy three times, and then called out to the Lord again. What can we gain from that? Elijah practiced persistence in prayer. We will see this again when he prays for rain in 1 Kings 18:41-45. In that narrative, he prays seven times as he waits for a rain cloud to show up.
Certainly, we see the practice of persistent prayer throughout Scripture and commands for us to do the same. With Christ, right before he was betrayed, he went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray for three separate hours. During each hour of prayer, he prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). Also, in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9, Paul shared how he prayed three times for God to remove his thorn in the flesh. He said, “I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness...” In both circumstances, God said no; however, with Elijah, God was pleased to answer his prayer. Either way, persistence is an important step to developing a powerful prayer life.
God desires us to be persistent in prayer. Persistence shows that our petition is genuine and important to us. Many people lift a prayer to God and then they never bring it back up. Sometimes, our lack of consistency shows that we are not truly concerned or only mildly concerned with what we are bringing before the Lord.
In Luke 18:1-8, through a parable about a persistent widow bringing her request before a judge, Jesus emphasized the importance of persistence in prayer to his disciples. The text says:
Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out by her unending pleas.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
In training his disciples, Jesus said that they must be like this widow by praying and not giving up. In fact, he implies that people who pray persistently will be in short supply when he returns to the earth (v. 8). He ends the parable by saying, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” The implied answer is “No.” People who demonstrate their faith by persistently praying will be in very short supply. Sure, some people will pray, but there will be very few “persistent intercessors” who turn the world upside down like Elijah and the disciples did.
We see another example of persistent prayer in the story of the Canaanite widow who approached Christ about healing her daughter who was demon-possessed in Matthew 15:22-28. In response, Christ first said nothing (v. 23), and then eventually he said “no,” because he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. However, she persisted in asking Christ, and then Christ said, “Woman, your faith is great,” and he healed her daughter (v. 28). She was not willing to give up, even when Christ seemed uninterested in healing her daughter by being silent, or when he essentially said no. This is “persistent prayer” that God enjoys. Persistence is the fruit of great faith—faith that won’t give up regardless of circumstances.
In fact, God looks for people who will pray persistently and deploys them to pray over strategic targets. In Isaiah 62:6-7, God said this:
I post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they should keep praying all day and all night. You who pray to the Lord, don’t be silent! Don’t allow him to rest until he reestablishes Jerusalem, until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.
God strategically calls men and women to persistently pray over difficult situations, people, and nations. He commands them to give him no rest until he accomplishes his will on the earth. Unfortunately, sometimes he cannot find people to persistently pray. Ezekiel 22:30 says, “I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.”
What is God calling us to continually cry out over, like Elijah? What is he calling us to persistently pray over to accomplish his will in the land? For many of our prayer assignments, we may never see the results in this lifetime. We will faithfully pray, God will eventually take us home, and he will call someone else to continue in prayer until he accomplishes his will. Christ told the disciples they were reaping where others had sown and done all the hard work. In John 4:37-38, Christ said, “‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you did not work for; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.” One day, the sower and reaper will rejoice together in heaven (John 4:36). Amen!
Are we willing to pray persistently? God looks for willing intercessors and puts them to work.
Application Question: Why is persistence in prayer so difficult? Is there something you feel God has called you to persistently pray for in the past? If so, what, and how have you seen the fruit of those prayers? In what ways is God calling you to pray persistently in this season?
To Develop an Effective Prayer Life, We Must Practice Fervency in Prayer
Then he called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, are you also bringing disaster on this widow I am staying with by killing her son?” He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.”
1 Kings 17:20-21
The last principle we learn about developing a powerful prayer life from Elijah’s ministry to the dead boy is the need for fervency. Where do we see this? As mentioned, twice in the passage, it says Elijah “called out to the Lord” (1 Kgs 17:20-21). It can also be translated as “cried out” (NIV). This not only represents persistency but also fervency. It is clear that Elijah passionately prayed for the dead child. He was fervent, no doubt inspired by his entering into the widow’s pain and touching the child’s dead cold body.
We see the importance of fervency throughout Scripture. In James 5:17, it was used of Elijah’s prayer life. It says, “Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months!” Elijah not only prayed fervently for this child but also for it to not rain and then later for it to rain in Israel. His prayer life was characterized by fervency.
We also see this with Christ’s prayers. Consider how Hebrews 5:7 describes them before his death: “During his earthly life Christ offered both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion.” This probably refers to Christ’s prayers in Gethsemane before he went to the cross. Though he asked for God to take away the cup of suffering, he clearly discerned God’s will was for him to die, and therefore, he prayed fervently to be resurrected, and his prayers were heard (Lk 22:39-46).
In addition, Scripture uses similar language about the early church praying for Peter to be released from prison. Acts 12:5 says, “So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly praying to God for him.” In fact, in James 5:16, the KJV says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
Interpretation Question: What does it mean to pray “earnestly” or “fervently”?
First, let’s consider what it is not: (1) It is not vain repetitions. Matthew 6:7 says, “When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard.” Christ commands us to not “babble repetitiously” or use “vain repetitions” (KJV) like the heathens. This means we should not use rote, mindless prayers like many of us do when praying for our meals or even when quoting the Lord’s Prayer. (2) Also, praying with fervency doesn’t necessarily mean praying long prayers. We won’t be heard for our many words. Though persistence in prayer is important, Elijah prayed for fire from heaven in 1 Kings 18:36-37 with a short, quick, effective prayer, while the pagans had prayed for hours and received nothing. (3) It is also not conjured up emotions to act like we are passionate. Some will pray in a loud manner and it will be fervent; some will pray in the silence of their heart and it will be fervent.
Therefore, what is fervent prayer? Fervent prayer is simply genuine prayer that includes effort, sacrifice, and focus. It is prayer that fully engages a person’s mind, will, and emotions. It is focused prayer and not drifting prayer. It is God-exalting and not self-exalting.
Most prayers are not fervent; they are rote and casual, and often lack a truly engaged heart and mind. There are lots of prayers that are not effective because they are not earnest. To develop a powerful prayer life, our prayers must be fervent—engaging our mind, will, and emotions.
Application Question: What is fervent prayer? Why does prayer often lack passion and instead become rote, dry, and lifeless? How can we develop more fervency in our prayer lives?
Conclusion
As we consider Elijah praying for the first resurrection in Scripture, we learn principles about having effective, powerful prayer lives. This is important because when God sought to bring revival in Israel, he found a man of prayer. Prayer taps into the power of God to bring about truly great works. Likewise, when Jesus sought to reach the world, he raised up the apostles to be men committed to prayer, even more than ministry (Acts 6:6). In order to be used greatly by God, we must be people of prayer—not talent, ambition, wealth, or influence, which many expect—but people of prayer.
How can we develop a powerful prayer life which God can use greatly to display his grace to a lost and needy world?
- To develop an effective prayer life, we must develop strong faith. Faith includes taking steps of faith as we bring problems and impossible situations before God. But it also includes a continuous faith walk with God where we practice righteousness and integrity, even when encountering difficulties. God looks for faith and rewards those who continually approach him with it (Heb 11:6).
- To develop an effective prayer life, we must practice private prayer. Elijah went to his prayer room when tragedy struck. Where do we go? Have we developed a vital, private prayer life? We need to practice stepping away from busyness and blocking all things out to be with God. There is power in private prayer. Those who continually approach God in the secret place, he rewards in the open.
- To develop an effective prayer life, we must develop empathy. Elijah stretched his body over the dead boy. He felt the boy’s lack of a heartbeat, cold lips, and lifeless body. We will never truly grow in intercession unless we develop empathy—a deep understanding and care for the needs of others. Maybe God is calling us to touch the leper and interact with struggling people to develop a love and care for them. In addition, he might be using various trials in our life to do the same—to help us feel and empathize with the suffering of others.
- To develop an effective prayer life, we must practice persistent prayer. Twice, Elijah prayed to God for healing, and as we’ll see later, he prayed seven times for rain (1 Kgs 18:42-45). Likewise, we must continually bring our requests before God, even when there is no change or things get worse. There is power in persistent prayer.
- To develop an effective prayer life, we must practice fervency in prayer. Fervency is an urgent passion for God to move. Elijah fervently cried out for the boy’s life. Christ fervently prayed until he sweat drops like blood. What are we fervently praying about?
Again, Ezekiel 22:30 says God is seeking for people to stand in the gap—people who will pray, and because of those prayers, he will move mightily to save people. Are we willing to allow God to develop us into effective intercessors? Lord, according to the riches of your grace, use us!
Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?
Prayer Prompts
- Pray for God to forgive us for our lack of praying, lack of spending time alone with him, and lack of caring enough about others to sacrifice sleep, work, and entertainment to petition for them and serve them.
- Pray for God to give us a heart and passion to pray. Pray that God would give us supernatural empathy for our family, our church, our co-workers, and our nations, and a passion to see them blessed and healed.
- Pray that we as individuals and as a church would grow greatly in prayer this year. Pray that we would not neglect our private prayer, corporate prayer, and seasons of especially devoted prayer.
- Pray for those who are dead in their sins to be resurrected to a new life—those who have rejected God to turn back to him and be saved. Also, pray for strongholds hindering the gospel and God’s will for families, workplaces, governments, and nations to come down, so God can bring transformation and healing.
Copyright © 2022 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life
7. Steps Towards Revival Pt. 1 (1 Kings 18:1-15)
Related MediaSome time later, in the third year of the famine, the Lord told Elijah, “Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.” So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord. When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.) Ahab told Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill some of the animals.” They divided up the land between them; Ahab went one way and Obadiah went the other. As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him. When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?” He replied, “Yes, go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’” Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution? As certainly as the Lord your God lives, my master has sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find you. When they say, ‘He’s not here,’ he makes them swear an oath that they could not find you. Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back.”‘ But when I leave you, the Lord’s spirit will carry you away so I can’t find you. If I go tell Ahab I’ve seen you, he won’t be able to find you and he will kill me. That would not be fair, because your servant has been a loyal follower of the Lord from my youth. Certainly my master is aware of what I did when Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. I hid one hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves in two groups of fifty and I brought them food and water. Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back,”‘ but he will kill me. But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord who rules over all lives (whom I serve), I will make an appearance before him today.”
1 Kings 18:1-15 (NET)
What are necessary steps for revival—revival in our lives, churches, communities, and nations? Some people would say there is nothing we can do to experience revival. Revival is something simply in the sovereignty of God—something that he does alone, in his timing, apart from our participation. Certainly, God is in control of all things, but he has chosen to work through humans to get his will done on the earth. In talking about ministering to others in 1 Corinthians 3:9, Paul called believers “co-workers” with God. We plant and water, but God brings the increase (1 Cor 3:6-7). Therefore, we do have a role in bringing revival both in our lives and others’.
In the context of 1 Kings 17-18, Israel has been in rebellion against God, and consequently, God sent Elijah to pray for a drought—it would not rain for three and a half years. God did this in part because Israel, inspired by King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, were worshiping Baal—the god of fertility and rain. Now, after the three and a half years, Elijah returned to confront Israel and bring a revival. At the end of 1 Kings 18, he challenges the Israelites about their doublemindedness. He says, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the Lord is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” (v. 21). Then, he displays the power of God by praying for God to bring fire from heaven to consume a sacrifice while the prophets of Baal failed to do the same. In response, Israel fell on their faces in verse 39 and declared, “The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!” Elijah participated in the process of God bringing repentance and revival in Israel.
Therefore, as we study 1 Kings 18, we can discern common steps in the revival process—how God turns people back to himself and revitalizes their spiritual lives. These steps will help us participate, as God’s co-workers, in bringing revival in our spiritual lives, church, community, and nation. Lord, bring your fire from heaven. Turn us back to yourself!
Big Question: What are common steps in the revival process as discerned from 1 Kings 18:1-15?
When Bringing Revival, God Often Allows Desperate Circumstances to Help People Recognize Their Weakness and Depend More on Him
So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria … Ahab told Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill some of the animals.”
1 Kings 18:2, 5
Early in this text, King Ahab told the supervisor of his palace, Obadiah, to go search for grazing areas to feed the king’s livestock. The king most likely took a group to survey one area, while Obadiah led a group to survey another area. The hope was to get enough food so they would not have to start killing animals. This shows how desperate Israel’s situation was. If the king does not have grass and food for his livestock, then the drought has completely decimated the poor and middle class. Through the three-and-a-half-year drought and subsequent famine, God had created a dire situation in Israel. No doubt, the desperation was helping people learn that they could not rely on their strength, education, wealth, family, government, or even the false god, Baal. All these things left them deficient, desperate, and therefore more open to turn to God.
It should be known this is normal for God when he is bringing revival in a person’s life or community. Scripture says God is a jealous God, and he will not share his glory with another. Therefore, God often painfully teaches us through trials that nothing else will truly meet our needs or satisfy us outside of him. Most times, he does this through small personal trials, but at other times, he does it through widescale trials affecting entire nations or even the entire world.
How do we see this throughout Scripture? Certainly, we see this with Jonah. When Jonah rebelled against God’s will for his life, God brought a literal storm that almost killed Jonah and a crew of sailors who were traveling by ship at sea. To save their own lives, the sailors threw Jonah off the boat, since they discerned God had brought the storm because of his rebellion. While Jonah was sinking to the bottom of the sea, he began to pray to God in his heart, and God saved him through a large fish (Jonah 2). Then, while on the land, after being spit up by the fish, Jonah 3:1-2 says, “The Lord said to Jonah a second time, ‘Go immediately to Nineveh, that large city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.’ So Jonah went immediately to Nineveh, as the Lord had said.” After rebelling initially, the trial prepared Jonah to “immediately” respond to God. In order to bring revival in Jonah’s life, God brought a trial.
Likewise, David said this about the trials he experienced in his life in Psalm 119:71-72: “It was good for me to suffer, so that I might learn your statutes. The law you have revealed is more important to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.” No doubt, while going through the trial, David thought it was a horrible experience and maybe even got mad at God, but after going through it, David could look back and say, “It was good for me to suffer, so I could learn God’s Word. Now, God’s Word is more important to me than all the wealth in the world.”
Often before the trial, we are apathetic in our relationship with God. We disobey God’s Word, skip reading it, or read it barely, and when we do read it, we get almost nothing from it. However, when going through the trial, God’s Word becomes like our daily bread. It becomes the great treasure that we seek day and night. Through the trial, God prepares the ground of our hearts to love and obey God’s Word.
Likewise, God was doing this with Israel. It was not an easy or quick process. God worked on Israel’s heart through a major trial for three and a half years. Surely, the hardness of their hearts needed a constant and extensive season of breaking. The hearts in Israel had become ingrained with the world. They loved God, but they loved the false gods and the wealth of the world as well. They wanted it all. But, by going through the trial, God loosened the grip of the world, self, and idols on their lives, so they would eventually submit to him.
As mentioned, this is not only common with trials individually but also nationally. Revivals often happen out of extreme difficulty, including persecution. The early church in Acts grew out of great suffering. In fact, in Hebrews 12:7 and 11, the writer of Hebrews said this to Christians who were suffering for their faith:
Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? … Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it.
When describing suffering, he says we should see it as within God’s hand, being used as discipline to make us holy. The writer of Hebrews does not qualify the suffering in saying some suffering comes from Satan, some from our sins, and some from God. He just says “suffering” (Heb 12:7). Also, the author of Hebrews does not minimize the suffering; he says it is “painful” and not “joyful” (Heb 12:11). However, “later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it.” Revival—renewal in our spiritual lives—often comes out of times of pain. In fact, in 1 Peter 5:10, Peter said this to Christians suffering persecution and being scattered throughout the Roman empire: “And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” God allows our suffering for a specific time period to make us stronger and develop our character, as we submit to him during it.
Consider what God said to Israel through Jeremiah when he disciplined them through captivity in Babylon. Jeremiah 29:11-14 says,
For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers. When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, I will make myself available to you,’ says the Lord. ‘Then I will reverse your plight and will regather you from all the nations and all the places where I have exiled you,’ says the Lord. ‘I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.’
While being disciplined in Babylon away from their home in Israel, if they began to seek the Lord with their whole heart, God would be present with them, reverse their fortunes, fulfill his good plans for them, and bring them back to their land. The trial, the desperate situation, was meant to draw them back to God wholeheartedly.
Are we seeing our desperate situations and those of others as opportunities for revival? Are we allowing our desperate situations to make us turn from sin, compromise, apathy, and worldliness, and turn to God with our entire hearts? Jeremiah says that when we come after God, not half-heartedly, but with our whole hearts, we’ll find God and he will fulfill his good plans for us.
Negative Tendency within Trials
With that said, consider this. Often desperate situations, instead of drawing us to God, can have the opposite effect. Instead of focusing on becoming holy before God and running after him, we can start to focus on secondary causes. In 1 Kings 18, instead of considering and repenting of his own sin and that of Israel, Ahab became angry at Elijah, as though it was his fault. In verse 17, Ahab said Elijah had brought “disaster” on Israel. Also, Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, even started to kill all the other prophets as well (1 Kgs 18:13).
Likewise, in times of trial, we commonly start to focus on secondary and tertiary causes. We get mad at roommates, friends, family, and/or our church. Certainly, they may have contributed to our pain in some way, even as Elijah did with Ahab; however, God was the one ultimately in control, using the trial for a greater purpose. Ahab saw Elijah (a secondary cause) and missed God and what God wanted to do in his life. This is why the writer of Hebrews says, “Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons” (12:7). Again, he does not qualify the suffering, whether it be persecution from Rome, conflict at work, church, or within a family. The author of Hebrews says we must see God as in control. This does not mean we do not at times seek justice or reconciliation; we do. However, we must make our main focus God and what he wants to do in our hearts through the situation. Unfortunately, like Ahab, most don’t do this, and therefore, they never grow from their trial. They may in fact just get worse—becoming more bitter, anxious, angry, and rebellious, instead of becoming more peaceful and righteous (Heb 12:11).
Do our trials make us more desperate after God or simply more desperate? Often without trials, we will never seek God with all our hearts, which as Jeremiah said, that is when we will find God, be delivered, and begin to fulfill his plan (Jer 29:11-14).
Application Question: How should we respond to the fact that God often uses desperate situations to bring revival?
1. Because God uses desperate situations to bring revival in our lives and others’, we must train ourselves to view them positively.
James said it this way: “My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials” (Jam 1:2). And in Romans 5:4, Paul said, “Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.” It’s a discipline to rejoice in trials and consider them pure joy, but we must do this in faith. We do it by giving God thanks for his purpose in the trial and praising him despite our circumstances. We also must help others rejoice and give thanks in their trials by seeing them from God’s perspective, just as James and Paul did.
2. Because God uses desperate situations to bring revival in our lives and others’, we must persevere through them, so God can complete his work in us.
Again, in James 1:4, James said this in the context of trials, “And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.” We must persevere instead of quitting, getting mad at God or others, or turning to sin. As we do so, God continues his work of perfecting us—strengthening our character and preparing us for greater works.
3. Because God uses desperate situations to bring revival in our lives and others’, we must be careful of being distracted by secondary causes, which keep us from focusing on God and being conformed to his image.
As mentioned, Ahab spent years blaming and persecuting Elijah and the other prophets because of the famine that was happening in the land, when God was trying to transform Ahab and Israel through the famine. Ahab’s being distracted by secondary causes and the famine itself kept him from focusing his attention on God—drawing near God and away from sin. Likewise, while in a trial, many focus their attention on a difficult co-worker (or co-workers), their spouse, the church, the government, or some other entity instead of where God wants their attention. For years, they miss out on God’s sanctification process in their trials because of a misplaced focus.
When God is going to bring revival, he often does it through desperate situations. How are we responding to our desperate situations?
Application Question: Why does God often use trials to help bring revival in people’s lives? How have you seen or experienced this? What steps should we take to help us focus more on God instead of secondary causes, objectives, or the trial itself during difficult seasons?
When Bringing Revival, God Often Raises Up the Righteous to Faithfully, Boldly, and Sacrificially Serve Others
So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord. When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.) … As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him. When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?” He replied, “Yes, go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’” Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution? … But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord who rules over all lives (whom I serve), I will make an appearance before him today.” When Obadiah went and informed Ahab, the king went to meet Elijah.
1 Kings 18:3-4, 7-9, 15-16
In this narrative, two righteous men are mentioned—Elijah and Obadiah. God uses both of them in rather different ways, but they are both important to God’s work in Israel. In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah boldly confronted Ahab and declared it would not rain except at his word. Then, God hid Elijah away from Ahab and Israel during the drought. For a brief time, Elijah ministered to and sustained a Sidonian widow and her son. However, while God hid Elijah, God was working through a righteous believer named Obadiah who served under Ahab. Obadiah was the supervisor or governor of the palace ( 1 Kgs 18:3).
Obadiah is an interesting character. While Elijah was a bold believer, some might think Obadiah was a timid one—one that never ruffled feathers or said anything that might get him in trouble or “canceled” in that culture. In fact, some commentators have painted Obadiah like this. They say he was probably a compromiser who would not take up his cross and stand up for God, and certainly, we have Christians like that all over the world. However, God never says that about Obadiah in this text. Verses 3-4 are the only commentary we have on his character. It says,
So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord. When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.)
1 Kings 18:3-4
Scripture calls him a “loyal follower of the Lord.” When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, he hid 100 of them in two caves—fifty each. Obadiah put his life and career on the line for others. No doubt, the outer workings of his relationship with Ahab are puzzling. How could he work for a man who was so ungodly? How could he faithfully serve a tyrant and serve God at the same time? Certainly, it must have been challenging, but somehow, he remained faithful.
With that said, we must understand this is a common thing God does, especially when bringing revival. He often puts his brightest lights in the darkest places. When God was seeking to bring revival in Israel, not only was he strengthening and growing Elijah in seclusion away from evil, God also was preparing another man by leaving him right in the midst of the evil. We should not be surprised at Obadiah because this is what God has always done. Did he not do this with David? When Israel was falling away from God because of its rebellious king named Saul, he made a righteous young boy the armor-bearer of Saul. Eventually, he became a general in Saul’s army. He would be a godly example in the midst of corruption. Certainly, God did the same with Daniel. God placed Daniel and three other godly Hebrew boys right in the midst of pagan mythology and demon worship in Babylon. In fact, these four boys probably had to study sorcery and astrology while being trained in Babylon; however, they never compromised. In fact, God even did this with Caesar. In Philippians 4:22, Paul said that there were believers in “Caesar’s household”—the same Caesar who claimed to be a god and was persecuting Christians. God often puts his lights in dark places to help bring revival amongst those who are the most hopeless.
Certainly, like Daniel, there were probably times when Obadiah had to say, “I will not eat the king’s meat and I will not worship his idols.” There were probably times when his co-workers tried to get him in trouble, but he remained faithful to God. Obviously, the king saw him as tremendously valuable because of his integrity, skills, and hard work.
As we consider both Elijah and Obadiah, we must realize that God is still placing servants like these throughout the world to affect change. Some are like Elijah. They will work in Christian organizations, churches, schools, and mission agencies. They will keep themselves largely separated from the world—speaking primarily to God’s people and strategically reaching out to the world. Most will be like Obadiah, they will be put right in the lion’s den—where evil abounds around them, including dishonesty, drunkenness, greed, and sexual immorality. And while there, they must not compromise. They must be wise as serpents in their conversations and actions and gentle as doves.
When placed in those environments, we must realize that it is not by accident. It is by God’s sovereign and gracious design. It may be difficult for us, but it is a special mercy to those around us. Though the world persecutes believers, the believers are salt and light to the world. They help stave off decay in business, education, art, media, and government sectors of the world. They are important, and God has put them there to pray, serve, and seek revival. Obadiah was a witness by his righteous life, but he also was willing to sacrifice his career and life to protect prophets throughout Israel’s kingdom. Likewise, God often puts Christians in dark areas for similar purposes to save the lost, protect believers, and pursue righteousness.
When God looks to bring a revival, he starts to prepare and raise up the righteous. He may do it in different ways and place them in different places, but he does it all so that his name may be exalted amongst his people and the world.
Application Question: How should we respond to the fact that when God brings revival, he typically raises up the righteous to help lead it?
1. Because God raises up the righteous to help bring revival, we should constantly pray for God to raise up these types of laborers.
In talking about God bringing a harvest of souls in Luke 10:2, Christ said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” Likewise, there are fields in every nation and city that are simply waiting for righteous servants. In Acts 16:9, Paul received a vision of “a Macedonian man” who was standing and “urging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us!’” In response to those prayers and his vision, Paul went. Likewise, God uses our prayers to raise up and send righteous pastors, missionaries, businessmen, educators, professors, and parents into various fields throughout the world. We need to be offering these prayers all the time—our churches, schools, and governments need these prayers. In response, God sends an Abraham, a Moses, a Joseph, a David, or an Elijah.
2. Because God raises up the righteous to help lead revivals, we must prepare ourselves to be used by God.
How do we do this? (1) We must give great attention to studying and obeying God’s Word. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul said this:
Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.
The more we know and obey God’s Word, the more God can use us for every good work. The less we know it and live it, the less he can use us. (2) In addition, we prepare ourselves to be used by being faithful with what God has given us. In Luke 16:10-12, Christ said this in the context of how we use our money:
The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? And if you haven’t been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you your own?
If we are faithful stewards of our money, God can trust us with greater riches, including the shepherding of souls. If God can trust us with our current job, he can trust us with greater responsibility in the same place or somewhere else. If God can trust us with faithfully shepherding and caring for our family, he can trust us with caring for other families. If God can trust us with our time, he can give us more opportunities to serve with our time. If we are faithful with little, we will be faithful with much. God looks for the small shepherd boy faithfully caring for sheep, even risking his life against a bear and a lion to save them, and God calls him to lead an army, then one day a kingdom.
Are we being faithful with our little?
3. Because God raises up the righteous to help bring revival, we should volunteer while recognizing our service may include being uncomfortable and suffering.
When God was looking to do a special work in Israel, Isaiah said, “Here I am, send me!” (Is 6:8). We must also be willing to volunteer, even if we know it will be difficult and thankless. Elijah had to hide for three and half years—not seeing his family or having a public ministry. Obadiah had to have a difficult boss who might have killed him because of his beliefs and acts of service. We must be willing to volunteer while recognizing that being used by God often comes with a cross. Paul faithfully served God, but it came with a thorn in the flesh that never went away as well as continual trials (2 Cor 11 and 12:7-9). As Romans 12:1 (ESV) says, we must offer our bodies as a “living sacrifice” to God. Offering ourselves as a living sacrifice means we must be willing to say to God, “I’ll go wherever you want, do whatever you want, and I’m willing to bear the cross while doing it.” Because God is raising up leaders to help bring renewal in people’s lives and that of communities, we must be willing to volunteer and bear the cross (whatever that may be) that comes with it.
Application Question: Why is it important to pray for God to raise up leaders and laborers to help bring revival? Why does suffering often come with service? How have you experienced this? What do you think of when considering Paul’s challenge to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God (Rom 12:1)?
When Bringing Revival, God Often Unifies Believers So They Can More Effectively Complete His Work Together
As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him. When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?” He replied, “Yes, go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’” Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution? As certainly as the Lord your God lives, my master has sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find you. When they say, ‘He’s not here,’ he makes them swear an oath that they could not find you. Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back.”‘ But when I leave you, the Lord’s spirit will carry you away so I can’t find you. If I go tell Ahab I’ve seen you, he won’t be able to find you and he will kill me. That would not be fair, because your servant has been a loyal follower of the Lord from my youth. Certainly my master is aware of what I did when Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. I hid one hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves in two groups of fifty and I brought them food and water. Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back,”‘ but he will kill me.” But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord who rules over all lives (whom I serve), I will make an appearance before him today.”
1 Kings 18:7-15
Another thing we must notice about God’s process of bringing a revival in Israel is how God brought Obadiah and Elijah together. God called Elijah to go and meet with Ahab (1 Kgs 18:1), but while doing so, Elijah ran into Obadiah (v. 7). Certainly, this was not by accident. God brought Elijah to Obadiah so he could prepare a meeting with Ahab.
The discussion between Elijah and Obadiah is interesting because it appears that Elijah is not a fan of Obadiah. Charles Spurgeon said this about their meeting:
I suspect that Elijah did not think very much of Obadiah. He does not treat him with any great consideration, but addresses him more sharply than one would expect from a fellow-believer. Elijah was the man of action—bold, always to the front, with nothing to conceal; Obadiah was a quiet believer, true and steadfast, but in a very difficult position, and therefore driven to perform his duty in a less open manner. His faith in the Lord swayed his life, but did not drive him out of the court.1
When Elijah and Obadiah first met, Obadiah bows as a sign of respect (v. 7), but as mentioned, Elijah does not greet him as a dear brother. He simply commands Obadiah to go tell his master, Ahab, that Elijah was back (v. 8). Elijah’s comment offends Obadiah. He asked, “What sin did I commit?” because if Ahab came to look for Elijah and he was gone, Obadiah would be killed. Therefore, Obadiah declares his merits before Elijah—that he was a loyal follower of God since his youth and that he had been hiding prophets in caves to protect them (v. 12-13). In response, Elijah does not affirm Obadiah. He simply promises to appear before Ahab (v. 15). This interaction alone does not prove that Elijah thought negatively of Obadiah; but in 1 Kings 19:10 and 14 when Elijah was hiding from Jezebel in a cave, he twice told God that he was the only prophet left. Apparently, he did not trust Obadiah’s testimony of hiding prophets. Elijah probably viewed him as a compromised believer who worked for the enemy. Nevertheless, they both were God’s servants, and they both had a role in helping bring revival in Israel.
Ray Pritchard tried to explain their differences this way, in placing them in the categories of prophet and priest. He said:
Many years ago I heard it explained this way. In the Lord’s army there are prophets and there are priests. The prophets are called by God to speak boldly, rebuking sin and calling people to righteousness. The priests are called by God to see the hurting people all around them and to minister healing in Jesus’ name. We see the dichotomy often in dealing with moral issues like abortion and gay rights. There are those who are called to denounce these sins, and there are those who are called to minister to those hurt and ruined by these sins. I have observed that the prophets rarely understand the priests, and the priests don’t appreciate the prophets. Prophets often look at the priests as soft and weak, while the priests see the prophets as harsh and uncaring. But both are called by the Lord, and both have important jobs to do. Someone has to speak out and take the heat. Someone has to bind up the wounded. Someone has to declare God’s Word boldly. Someone has to help the hurting. Someone has to stand and fight. Someone has to take care of the casualties. The army can’t be all fighters and no healers. And it can’t be all healers and no fighters. You need both, and you need both at the same time even when they don’t always see eye to eye… For every Elijah, there are a dozen Obadiahs. And the prophet needed Obadiah whether he knew it or not. For it was Obadiah who paved the way for the prophet to meet the king again.2
Certainly, these conflicts don’t just happen between those who fulfill the roles of prophet and priest but are also common amongst believers with differing views and ways of serving in general. They commonly have different spiritual gifts, temperaments, doctrines, and philosophies of ministry (how to disciple the believers and reach the world), and these differences, at times, separate them into different denominations, churches, and/or ministries. Unfortunately, these faithful but not perfect believers commonly look down upon one another.
We probably see something of this in the disciples who were angry with another believer who was casting out demons but was not part of their group. In Luke 9:49-50, the disciples share about this and Christ responds:
John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he is not a disciple along with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”
When they complain about this other disciple, Christ challenges them against this divisive, sectarian spirit. Certainly, we have tendencies towards this as well with those with different doctrines or ministerial practices. Yes, we are different, but we are not against one another. This divisiveness within the body of Christ robs the power from Christ’s church and hinders revival.
In Psalm 133:1-3, David described the power of believers walking in unity. He said,
Look! How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together! It is like fine oil poured on the head which flows down the beard— Aaron’s beard, and then flows down his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, which flows down upon the hills of Zion. Indeed that is where the Lord has decreed a blessing will be available—eternal life.
David compared unity amongst believers to the anointing oil on the priest. When the priest was anointed, the Spirit of God fell on him to empower him to serve God and others. He also compared it to dew on the hills of Zion which brought fruitfulness. Wherever there is unity amongst God’s people, there is empowerment, fruitfulness, and God’s blessing.
For this reason, when God brings revival, he often connects his differing people so they can work together to complete God’s work. This happens as churches start to gather to pray for their city. They start to work together to evangelize and care for the poor. Certainly, this was one of the strengths of the early church and why they experienced such a great move of God. The Macedonian and Corinthian churches were supporting the church in Jerusalem financially when they were suffering from a famine (2 Cor 8). When there was doctrinal disunity, the early church held a church council in Jerusalem to discuss. In response, the church of Jerusalem sent ministers to Antioch to comfort and encourage them (Acts 15). The early church was very connected and therefore was a powerful witness.
Certainly, that is one of the reasons revival often tarries in our personal lives, communities, cities, and nations. Believers and churches are too disconnected and too divided. How can a body function properly if the parts are not working together? In John 17:21, Christ prayed that his followers would be one so that the world would believe that God sent the Son. Our unity affects revival either negatively or positively.
No doubt, this was part of the reason God united these two servants who had different giftings, temperaments, and were working in different parts of God’s field. Elijah may have looked down upon Obadiah like the disciples looked down on others doing ministry outside of their group; however, they needed one another. God’s field has room for many types of workers.
When there is unity amongst God’s people, they focus less on their differences and more on what unifies them, so they can work together. Often from that, revival follows. It’s like anointing oil on the priest’s beard and the dew on the mountain. God’s blessing is there (Ps 133).
Application Question: How should we respond to the fact that God often brings revival when there is unity amongst his people?
1. Because God brings revival when there is unity, we must reconcile any divided relationships.
In Ephesians 4:26-27, Paul said, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger. Do not give the devil an opportunity.” When we are in discord with others, it gives the devil a door to attack us and others, which robs us of God’s power and his fruit. We cannot change people’s hearts, but as much as depends on us, we must seek to live at peace with them (Rom 12:18). This includes forgiving one another as Christ forgave us (Col 3:13). It also means helping others reconcile. In Philippians 4:2-3, Paul calls his companion to help two women who were arguing in the church of Philippi to agree in the Lord. They had to put their differences behind them because of the cause of Christ.
2. Because God brings revival when there is unity, we must learn to honor and work with those in the body who are different from us.
This does not mean we should be unified with those who have a different gospel (like salvation by faith plus works) or differ on important aspects of the gospel (like the deity of Christ). It is the gospel that makes us part of God’s family. It is essential to our faith; however, there are secondary and tertiary doctrines that we do not all have to agree on (such as eschatological timelines, spiritual gifts, or the role of women in ministry). We should recognize those who are part of the body and work with them on areas we do agree about—such as praying for our nation, sharing the gospel, helping the poor, and fighting against injustice. In 1 Corinthians 12:21, Paul said, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you,’ nor in turn can the head say to the foot, ‘I do not need you.’” We need one another to do God’s work on the earth. A divided body will not be as effective. Divisions hinder revival.
When God was going to bring revival in Israel, it is no surprise that he brought two differing laborers together. One boldly confronted evil and separated from it, and the other shined brightly amidst the darkness. God placed both of them in their different ministries, and they both were essential to God’s plan to revive Israel. When it was time, God brought them together to complete his work. Likewise, we must seek unity with others to help bring revival as well. Ephesians 4:3 (NIV) says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Application Question: What relationship is God calling you to help reconcile? In what ways have you seen how discord can rob believers—individually and corporately—of spiritual power and vibrant witness? How can churches start to work together to better complete God’s mission?
Conclusion
What are steps toward revival? In 1 Kings 18, we see part of God’s process of bringing revival in Israel. At the end of the chapter, Israel will repent of following Baal and declare that Israel’s God is the only God.
- When Bringing Revival, God Often Allows Desperate Circumstances to Help People Recognize Their Weakness and Depend More on Him
- When Bringing Revival, God Often Raises Up the Righteous to Faithfully, Boldly, and Sacrificially Serve Others
- When Bringing Revival, God Often Unifies Believers So They Can More Effectively Complete His Work Together
Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?
Prayer Prompts
- Pray that God would use our hardships and trials to help us recognize our weaknesses and become more dependent on God, his Word, and his people.
- Pray that God would send faithful laborers into the harvest fields of education, business, government, sports, media, and the church—that God would strengthen, encourage, protect, and use them mightily for his work.
- Pray that God would reconcile broken relationships in his church and unify them to help complete God’s mission; pray that God would unite individuals, churches, and denominations to pray, worship, evangelize, and serve God together.
- Pray that God would revive our lives, churches, communities, and nations—pray that believers would grow strong in the Lord and the lost would come to know Christ.
Copyright © 2022 Gregory Brown
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Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life