The Visible Hand of the Invisible God | Part 5 - FULL SERMON - Dr. Michael Youssef

Because people tend not to keep their promises, it is easy to think that God will not keep His promises. This is a tragedy-God always keeps His promises, even if they aren’t filled in the way that we want.
When God makes a promise, faith believes it, hope anticipates it, and patience quietly waits for it. In 1 Kings 18:41-46, Elijah witnesses the fulfillment of God’s personal promise to him and responds in humility.
Conditional and Unconditional Promises
In Scripture, there are two types of promises: conditional promises dependent on meeting certain conditions, and unconditional promises for all of God’s children. In Elijah’s case, God had made a conditional promise to send rain if God went and showed himself to King Ahab, who had threatened to murder him. After meeting that condition and the display of God’s power on Mount Carmel, Elijah prays specifically for the drought to end as revealed in James 5:17.
Elijah’s prayer illustrate biblical prayer, and how believers are to respond when they are answered:
Elijah Prayed Specifically and Obediently
God is specific and detailed, down to counting every single one of our hairs. If God is specific and detailed with us, we must be specific and detailed with Him in prayer, and pray in a way that is consistent with the Word of God.
Elijah Persisted in Watching and Praying
God is not impressed by the length of prayer, the eloquence of prayer, or the posture of prayer, but in its persistence and perseverance. Elijah prayed persistently, clinging to God’s promise to send rain. As he prayed, he sent his servant to looks for clouds seven different times. Elijah did not doubt that God would fulfill His promise, but prayed expectantly until a cloud finally showed up.
Elijah Remained Humble Before God When the Promise Was Fulfilled
When Elijah’s prayer was finally answered, he tucked his cloak and ran before King Ahab, showing humility before both God and the king. He was adamant that God and God alone received all the credit and glory for the rain.
As believers, we should appropriate the conditional promises of God by fulfilling their conditions. This requires self-examination, and asking God to help us meet those conditions.
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The Church of the Apostles - Reaching the lost and equipping the saints since 1987.
Dr Michael Youssef, Founding Rector.
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