1 Kings 18:42

"I will send rain upon the earth." This does not stop Elijah from praying for rain (v. 42). He is in full fellowship with the Lord, and God has shown him His thoughts and His purpose. But to be an instrument for carrying out His ways in grace, he must depend on Him. God could easily give rain without Elijah, or through someone else. But He never puts His seal on disobedience or independence. That is what so often leaves the work of God's children barren.

The effect on the man of God is completely different. He hears the sound of coming rain, and he knows this is no time for feasting with the world. It is time to draw apart from people — to get alone with God at the top of the hill. When the world goes up to feast, it is time for God's people to go up to pray. Nature might say that if there is the sound of rushing rain there is no need to pray. But for the spiritual man it is a call from God to pray.

First, prayer that gets an answer means pulling away from the hurry and pressure of this world to be alone with God. Like Elijah we must go up to the top of the hill. As the Lord Himself instructs us, "when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father" (Matt. 6:6). How often our prayers achieve nothing because we lack the "shut door." To know we are in God's presence we need to settle our spirits, call in our wandering thoughts, and shut the door on the world.

He reaches the top of the hill, and there he goes down into the valley of humiliation… In front of all Israel, God will support and honour His servant. But alone with God, he must learn how small he is next to God's greatness… He too must remember that he is only dust, and depends completely on the mercy of God… An old teacher has said, "The lower the heart goes down, the higher the prayer goes up. God accepts broken words when they come from broken hearts."

Surely Elijah needed to eat and drink as well as Ahab! The day had been exhausting, and the servants of God get hungry and tired like other men. But the spiritual rises above the physical… Elijah rose above his bodily needs and gave himself to prayer… He who stood bold and upright before king, prophets and people now takes the lowest place he can before God. His success had not gone to his head.

Elijah now says to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain." Yes, but no ear of man on earth heard that sound but Elijah's. "The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him." And Elijah goes up as well as the king, throws himself down on the earth, puts his face between his knees, and sends his servant to look. He had heard the sound, but he wanted the testimony of sight from his servant. His servant goes and looks, but sees nothing. "Go again seven times," he says — patience must have its perfect work in every case.

"Elijah was a man with a nature like ours," and yet he had such power with God that God sent both judgment and blessing in answer to his cry. "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working"; but this only comes after long inner dealing with God, much private communion with Him, and a close walk with Him. Not all are called to be Elijahs, but all may seek grace to become diligent in prayer and intercession.