OMBS7/ Spread JOY/ EXPECT RESULTS WHEN PRAYING

PRAYER - "Engaging God"

Elijah prophesied to King Ahab that there would be no dew or rain in Israel except by his word only. Elijah's verbal initiative engaged Almighty God. When we verbalize our beliefs, God performs miracles that will affirm our faith. God sent the drought, and also protected Elijah from Ahab and Jezebel. 

1 Kings 17:5 - "So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening."

PRINCIPALS - "The Widow of Zarephath"

During drought, God sent Elijah to a poor widow who was gathering firewood to cook her last meal. He insisted that she feed him first, although she had only a handful of meal and a little oil. He prophesied, "Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth." God will reward sacrificial giving.

1 Kings 17:16 - "The barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD."

PRINCIPLES - "When The Brook Dries Up"

After Elijah declared the drought against Ahab's idolatrous kingdom, God told him to flee to the brook Cherith for water to sustain him. While Israel suffered, God sent ravens to the man of God twice daily with bread and meat. Eventually, the brook dried up. But worsening circumstances do not befuddle God. He always has refreshing alternatives if you will continually obey him. The word of the LORD spoke to Elijah.  

1 Kings 17:9 - "Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee."

PROPHECIES - "Signs of a Prophet"

The widow who fed Elijah during famine lost her son to an illness. She felt cursed for some past sin. But Elijah took the dead child into his loft, stretched across him three times, and cried unto the LORD for the child's soul to return. Amazingly, the child revived. She then knew that Elijah was a true prophet. God will confirm His word with miraculous signs.

1 Kings 17:24 - "The woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth."

A believer's greatest growth is not ditch to ditch but it's Word by Word! Our recreated spirit is ignited with faith in God's Word, and when we walk in that Truth, we grow spiritually. From our spiritual growth, we make life choices that propel us in the direction of God's heart!

This Saturday  

Expect Results When Praying

Ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss.

– James 4:2-3

Are all your needs met today? If not, why not?

According to the Word of God, it's either because you're not praying about them at all or because when you do pray, you're praying wrong.

What does it mean to pray wrong? In many cases it simply means to pray without expecting results. Many believers do that, you know. They use prayer as a kind of spiritual wishbone. They just play around with it. This probably won't do much good, they think, but who knows? It won't hurt to give it a try.

If that's been your attitude, then change it! Start getting serious about prayer. Stop praying just because it's proper. Stop praying just because you always pray at this point in the church service. And start praying to get results.

Start praying in the Name of Jesus, according to the Word of God, and expect to receive what you ask for every single time. Isn't that a little presumptuous? No, but it is bold, and you have a scriptural right to be bold.

According to the Word of God, you have a standing invitation from your heavenly Father to "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that [you] may obtain" (Hebrews 4:16). That word obtain is a word of certainty. The dictionary says it means "to get possession of."

So pray, expecting to get possession of what you need, not just once in a while, but every time! When prayers do go unanswered, don't just wander away saying, "I guess you never know what God's going to do." Tackle the problem with both hands! Go to God in prayer and in the Word and find out where you missed it and get the problem corrected.

When you go to God in accurate, Word of God-based, Spirit-inspired prayer, you do know what He's going to do. He's going to answer you. He's going to meet your need exactly as you asked Him. Start expecting Him to do it today.

Plan of Salvation read acts 2:38