Praying for the Fire of God to Fall

Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.  -I Kings 18:38, 39 (KJV) 

Many years ago I heard a story about a pastor who was having a conversation with a rebellious young man in the community.  The youth mocked the pastor’s attempts at getting through to him, and he refused to listen to godly reasoning.  In exasperation the pastor asked him, “Son, are you ignorant or apathetic?”  The young man replied, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”  Such an attitude describes many people in the world today.  They remain in a state of ignorance regarding God and His Word and they lack any desire to change.  No one ever began to make positive changes unless he or she truly desired to do so. 

Unfortunately, ignorance and apathy have made their way into many churches.  All too often people are content to sit in the pew week after week refusing to pray that the fire of God would fall upon their lives.  When we pray for a great movement of God’s Spirit and His power begins to move among us, the results will transform us into vibrant and dynamic believers who are walking in the power of God’s Spirit.  I Kings 18 describes the challenge that took place between the prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal.  The false prophets prayed all day that their gods would consume the sacrifice they had prepared, but nothing happened.  Elijah the prophet then prayed and sought the Lord, and the fire of God fell from heaven in a miraculous display of God’s divine power.  In response the people fell on their faces crying, “The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God” (v 39).   

We often become discouraged because we wonder if the power of God will ever move in our lives and our congregation.  When this happens we do well to step back and examine our own attitudes and habits.  Are we praying for revival?  Are we praying for a great outpouring of God’s Spirit?  Are we seeking the Lord daily in prayer and a fervent longing for His will to be done?  Our efforts of earnestly seeking God will not be in vain.  God will move in each individual heart who seeks the Lord and that movement will spread into the church. 

Revival will come, but it must begin with each of us on an individual basis.  Pray earnestly, fervently, and without ceasing that spiritual breakthrough will take place – in our lives and in churches all across the nation.  Let us exalt Jesus Christ and pray for a great revival.  With one heart let us proclaim, “The LORD, he is God!”