Read James 5:16.
Elijah prayed earnestly. There is an obvious difference between saying prayers and praying earnestly. To pray earnestly is to pray with purpose, passion and surrender. To pray earnestly is to be 100% set on what you want. It is the posture of "whatever it takes."
Vep Ellis wrote a song that said this: "Whatever it takes to draw closer to You, Lord, that's what I'd be willing to do." Powerful! Many are willing to do "whatever" unless it severely limits or inconveniences them. Elijah decided that he was all-in when it came to "whatever it takes." That's why he prayed earnestly for God to send a drought.
1. When you get to the point of "whatever it takes", you should be prepared for loss, suffering or inconvenience. The drought Elijah prayed for affected him too.
2. When you get to the point of "whatever it takes", you should be prepared for provocation. When God answers your prayer, you will be held responsible for disrupting people's comforts, eliminating status quo. Get ready for verbal vomit to be spewed your way. Elijah was called "Troubler of Israel." I can hear the people: "It's him. He is the one to blame! We're in this drought because he thinks he's better than we. Seize him!"
3. What will it take to stir you out of spiritual apathy? The Church fights it because each believer fights it Monday through Saturday. Perhaps even on Sunday. Apathy is why many worship times never get off the ground. Apathy is why no one is getting saved. It is why many spectate instead of participate during the altar time. Apathy is why you don't come to prayer meeting.
There are some for whom status quo is not enough and they have been praying, "Lord, whatever it takes!" It is only a matter of time before God's answer arrives.
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