"(43) Go up now, look towards the sea'. So he went up and looked, and said, 'There is nothing.' And seven times he said, 'Go again.' (44) 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 18:43-44 NKJV
Elijah had proclaimed that there would be a drought for 3.5 years and there was. When the time arrived for this to be over, Elijah prayed again that the drought would end. He took his servant and they went to the top of Mt Carmel and looked out to sea. Elijah asked his servant what he could see and the servant told him that he could see nothing. Several times he asked his servant to do this and on the seventh time, the servant informed Elijah, 'There is a cloud as small as a man's hand rising out of the sea.' Elijah knew it had come and sent his servant, in the chariot to inform Ahab that the drought was over.
It is interesting to see that the victory came on the seventh occasion, which is a similar thing to Joshua marching his army around Jericho. Remember, the wall didn't fall until the seventh time of walking around. Some people have said that the hand would have been in the shape of a fist and that may be true. What is certain is, what was in the hand. It was the victory factor. This whole example shows us the importance of persistence. Elijah waited for 3.5 years before it was time to pray for the drought to end. He then had to wait a little longer until the hand-shaped cloud rose out of the water confirming that rain was on the way.
You may have been waiting for many years for God to fulfil His promise. Up to now, it is still a dream. But, this is not the time to give up on that dream. If God said it is coming, then it is coming, so hang in there. It may have been a dry and very tough time while you have been waiting, a time when you have been tempted to doubt and feel that you got it wrong. But it is coming nearing each day. That 'fist' on the horizon didn't explode with rain straightaway. It got bigger and bigger as it came nearer and then, it rained. This is how it will be with the fruition of your dream. It is near and coming nearing, in fact, you may have a strange feeling that the 'Fist' is on the horizon now. This means it is very near.
Allow me to give you a scripture that is most relevant:
'My beloved spoke, and said to me: 'Rise up, my love, my fair one and come away. For the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtle dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes, give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.'
Song of Solomon 2:10-13 NKJV
In other words, your success is on the horizon. That 'fist' contains the dream and blessing that you have waited for, that you have longer for all of this time. It is coming. The drought is over, spring has sprung and there is a fresh breath of the Holy Spirit coming upon you. Get ready, the dream is about to explode into your life.
Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard
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