"Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, 'There is a cloud as small as a man's hand rising out of the sea." 1 Kings 18:44 NKJV
With the drought still in action, Elijah told King Ahab that it was over - it would be no longer. Later, Elijah told his servant six times to look across the sea to check if the weather had changed, but there was nothing. On the seventh visit (he would not give up) the servant returned with the message that there was a small cloud, like a man's fist. That settled it for Elijah, he knew the rain was coming. There's a lesson here, don't give up or you may miss out. Small beginnings are good: 'For who has despised the day of small things.' Zechariah 4:10. Things will get better.
David Guzik gives a great comment on this subject:
'There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea: Elijah prayed, asking in faith for God to send the rain. Elijah obviously sensed this was the will of God, yet it was his fervent prayer that brought the rain. The evidence of the rain came slowly and in a small way, but out of this small evidence God brought a mighty work.
i. In the November 9, 1904, edition of The Life of Faith, a London newspaper dedicated to the deeper life movement, a writer named Jessie Penn-Lewis reported on a remarkable work just beginning in Wales under the ministry of men like Evan Roberts and Seth Joshua. She reported that a cloud no bigger than a man’s hand had arisen in Wales. It was a fitting description of the clear but small beginning of what became a mighty work.
ii. Charles Spurgeon used this text as an illustration of the small signs that precede a mighty work of God. He spoke of four “certain signs and tokens for good which prayerful faith clearly perceives when an awakening, a genuine revival is about to come.” Christians should regard the following things as clouds, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea:
· A growing dissatisfaction with the present state of things, and an increasing anxiety among the members of the church for the salvation of souls.
· When this anxiety leads believers to be exceedingly earnest and importunate in prayer.
· When ministers begin to take counsel one with another, and to say, “What must we do?”
· When we shall see the doctrine of the individual responsibility of each Christian fully felt and carried out into individual action.
e. Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you: This was a word of faith from Elijah to Ahab. Based only on the sighting of a cloud that was as small as a man’s hand, he knew a torrent was on the way.' Enduring Word David Guzik
i. In the November 9, 1904, edition of The Life of Faith, a London newspaper dedicated to the deeper life movement, a writer named Jessie Penn-Lewis reported on a remarkable work just beginning in Wales under the ministry of men like Evan Roberts and Seth Joshua. She reported that a cloud no bigger than a man’s hand had arisen in Wales. It was a fitting description of the clear but small beginning of what became a mighty work.
ii. Charles Spurgeon used this text as an illustration of the small signs that precede a mighty work of God. He spoke of four “certain signs and tokens for good which prayerful faith clearly perceives when an awakening, a genuine revival is about to come.” Christians should regard the following things as clouds, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea:
· A growing dissatisfaction with the present state of things, and an increasing anxiety among the members of the church for the salvation of souls.
· When this anxiety leads believers to be exceedingly earnest and importunate in prayer.
· When ministers begin to take counsel one with another, and to say, “What must we do?”
· When we shall see the doctrine of the individual responsibility of each Christian fully felt and carried out into individual action.
e. Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you: This was a word of faith from Elijah to Ahab. Based only on the sighting of a cloud that was as small as a man’s hand, he knew a torrent was on the way.' Enduring Word David Guzik
Success may be evading you at this time, but don't give up. Keep on praying; refuse to stop. Don't try to run ahead of yourself. If God is in your particular situation. He will answer your prayer. He will show you what to do.
Your business may be suffering. You may be on the brink of being made redundant at work. You may be at your wit's end with worry and confusion and don't know what to do. Sharpen your faith. Speak faith into your situation. Have the attitude that you know God is in this, 'so I won't give up'. Praise Him, yes that's right. It may be difficult to do in your situation but, come on, you need to do this! And it is all you have got at this time.
Just hang in there until that small fist arrives.
If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now:
Lord Jesus, I have sinned
I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today.
In Jesus' Name. Amen'
Copyright 2024 Grahame Howard.
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com
If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk
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