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Turning Point

Let the Rain Fall

1 Kings 18:39-45

The enemy always strikes the neck.  It is our turning point, and where we are most vulnerable.  For thousands of years man has gone for the throat.  A knife to the jugular yields quick results.  Beheadings have always happened, and will continue until the end of the tribulation.

We’ve seen it in America:

– On 9/11 our enemies went for the very neck of who we are, financially, politically, militarily.

– An innocent immigrant woman, Iryna, from Ukraine, stabbed in the neck.  No one helped.  When Daniel Penny saw such violence, he restrained the perpetrator with a choke hold around the neck.

– Charlie Kirk, a conservative voice and watchman, shot in the neck.

It was fatal. In Scripture, the neck is more than flesh and bone. It’s the connection between authority and action. It’s where the breath and the voice flow with freedom of speech. To strike the neck is to take out the very bridge that carries life and truth.

The ‘weak’ and the ‘watchman’ were both targeted. What a picture:

The weak represent the vulnerable, the outsider, the ones God commands us to protect and defend. When Iryna was attacked, it was more than violence against one woman — it was hatred and cruelty toward the stranger, a spirit of rebellion against the pursuit of happiness.

The watchman represents the truth-teller, the voice crying out in the public square, warning of danger and calling a nation back. When Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck, it wasn’t just about silencing one man. It was an assault on truth, freedom of speech, and the prophetic role of watchmen in America.

Together, these two attacks show us where we are as a people. America is standing at the neck — the place of decision.

Will we harden our necks like Pharaoh, stiff with rebellion and pride, resisting God until judgment falls?

Or will we bow our heads like Nineveh, humbling ourselves before God and finding mercy? When will we reach our turning point? [thoughts from Jeff Caldwell]

It has been a somber week in America.  As a church, we have been fasting and praying for revival.  The very word ‘revive’ means to wake up and come back to life.  God keeps sending us wake up calls.  This must be our ‘Turning Point.’

Here’s mine:  I am Tyler Robinson. [Kirk’s killer]

Not actually, but I might as well be. I’m just as guilty.

My sin led to the death of an innocent one (Jesus).

But there is a difference:

On Earth, the real Tyler will receive justice without mercy.  But I have been set free because Christ took my punishment.

Neither of us deserve a pardon. Yet I received one.

Jesus bled and died for my crimes, yet He willingly gave His life in hopes that I would be forgiven.

Charlie Kirk would say that Tyler could be redeemed, and go to heaven after this life has ended. Charlie gave his life, wanting even his enemies to find peace.

I am glad Mr. Robinson has been caught. I couldn’t escape either.

As for me : I am Tyler.

Justice has been done. This is my turning point.

I walk free.

We have been reminded again how much we are hated.  And Jesus said don’t worry, they hated me first.  You know, there are some who say that the church is on its way out. And in a way they’re right. Jesus has called the church out. The word ecclesia, that translates church, means a called-out body. He called you and He called me. Not only has He called us out, He has sent us out. And soon and very soon He’s coming to take us out.

We’ve been thinking about revival. And some people say, “What do you mean by revival?” Let me tell you what revival is.

1.     It is a great awakening. The sleeping church is awakened.

2.     Revival is a consuming fire. God’s people will be ablaze for Him.

3.     It is a manifested glory. God’s glory will fill the church, and glory days will come when we have revival.

4.     It is cleansing judgment. Sin will be judged and repented of. We get our hearts right with God.

5.     It is a demonstrated power. God’s miracle-working power will be made manifest.

6.     It is a transforming renewal. It will be like a sunshiny day, like a spring after a cold, hard winter.

7.     It is a divine visitation. God will be shown to be present in the midst of His people. And when we meet together, we will be conscious of the presence of God in our midst.

8.     Revival will be like a refreshing rain. Remember last week we talked about the fire falling. But after the fire came the flood. The cleansing fire and then the cooling flood. It had not rained for three and one-half years.

1 Kings chapter 18, verse 41: “And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up and drink, for there is a sound of abundance of rain.”

verse 42: “So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times [seven seasons of prayer this man had and sent his servant seven times]. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said [the servant said], Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare the chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And it came to pass in the meanwhile, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.”

It was showers of blessing. After the cleansing fire, the cooling flood.

When sin is judged, then we can have revival. Now this man, Elijah, prayed, and I want to mention some character qualities, some characteristics in this man’s life that I want.

Integrity

Now, in many ways, Elijah was an ordinary man. Don’t get the idea that the people in the Bible were made of different stuff than we’re made of. Don’t get the idea that they breathed a different air than we breathe. These were ordinary people through whom God did extraordinary things.

James chapter 5, verses 16 and 17: “…The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

And then he goes on to say, “Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.”

Then he prayed again and it rained.

Now the part that I want to get out of this passage in James is that he was an ordinary man. He was a man of like passions. I read in the Bible where he was discouraged. I read in the Bible where he was afraid. And yet, he prayed because his heart was clean, his heart was pure, and God heard his prayer. Do you know the reason that many of us don’t get our prayers answered? I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but it’s sin. It’s sin. The prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Now I want to ask you a question. Is there any sin that is worth God not hearing your prayer? The Bible says if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

Sincerity

In verse 42 Elijah got alone with God in order to pray. He didn’t pray to be seen of people. He went up to the top of Mount Carmel. He withdrew himself from the crowds. He went to be alone with God. Jesus warned us not to pray to be seen of men. We don’t put our prayer life on as a show. Here’s this man of God who goes in sincerity to pray. He knew that he was not heard for his much speaking. What better example could we have than Jesus Himself.

Luke 5, verses 15 and 16, the Bible says, concerning Jesus, “But so much the more there, went there a fame abroad of him [that is, Jesus was on everybody’s lips]; and great multitudes came together to hear Him and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.” Now verse 16 is almost hard to believe. “And He withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.” Now you think about it. Miracles are being done. Multitudes are coming. Jesus has all this fame. But more important than miracles, more important than healing, more important than preaching to the multitudes was getting alone by Himself. Jesus like Elijah, got alone.

Mark 1, verse 35, speaking of Jesus. “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Do you have the sincerity to get alone with God? You need to set aside a solitary place. I don’t know where it may be. It may be your automobile. It may be outside. It may be your bedroom. You may have to go into the bathroom to get yourself alone with God. And in our quiet place the world is shut out and we are shut in with Almighty God. Sincerity.

Humility

Notice the posture of the prayer. The Bible says here in verse 42 that he “….cast himself upon the earth and put his face between his knees….” This man did not strut in the presence of God. Now he was bold as a lion. We told you before that when he faced Ahab, he put his finger in the face of Ahab and said, “Look. I’m not the one troubling Israel. You are.” Did you know this: that the man who can kneel before God can stand before kings? He was a man, a humble man.

Now sometimes people pray, “Lord, make me humble.” Well, He could, but you wouldn’t like it. That’s a foolish prayer to pray, “Lord, make me humble.” The Bible says, “Humble yourself, therefore unto the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” That’s 1 Peter 3, verses 5 through 6.

Fervency

Notice the passion of the prayer.

Verse 42: “….he cast himself down….” This is not sort of a now-I-lay-me-down-to-sleep prayer. Here’s a man who is filled with fervency. That’s the reason James said, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Many of us have sort of a take-it-or-leave-it attitude toward our prayer. Many people could not tell me what they prayed for this morning. Little platitudes, but, here’s a man who cast himself down and he prayed with fervency.

Do you pray with fervency? God does business with those that mean business. We need to pray like Jacob who said, “O God, I will not let You go unless You bless me.” Do you wrestle with God? It’s ok.

Epaphras, in the Bible, was one of those people, and Paul said, “Epaphras is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you always laboring fervently for you in prayer.” Laboring in prayer. Prayer is not easy. I’d rather preach for an hour than pray for half an hour. Prayer is work. Prayer takes fervency. Jesus prayed in the garden until His perspiration was blood.

Hebrews 5:7

Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Consistency

Notice the persistence of this prayer.

verse 43, “And he said unto his servant, Go up now and look toward the sea. And he went up and looked, and there was nothing. And he said, Go again….” Here was a man who was persistent. He sent him seven times! And the Bible teaches persistency in prayer so that we might have a constant prayer life. Suppose when Elijah said to his servant, “Go look,” the servant came back and said, “Well, there’s no rain.” And Elijah said, “Well, just as I thought. I might as well stop praying.” But he didn’t do that.

Colossians 4, verse 2 says, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving”.

Continue in prayer. We’re praying for revival, but are we willing to pray through? The Bible teaches that the Lord sometimes waits.

Isaiah 30 and verse 18: “And therefore will the LORD wait; that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted….”

Now God doesn’t do things when we snap our fingers. But we are to pray and keep on praying. This man saw, after a while, a cloud. It looked like a man’s hand. And he went back and told Elijah on the seventh time, “Well, I see a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand.” Somebody has said that was Elijah’s hand pressing against the heavens and saying, “O God, hear my prayer.” Guess what happened next? Do you pray and keep on praying? Do you pray until God gives you what you want, or until you have the answer in your heart, or until God says, “No, you’re praying for the wrong thing?” God help us to pray until we reach our turning point.

Now here’s the last thing I want you to notice with me: That if we have all of those things in our heart, God will give the victory. If we will pray like this man who prayed down fire from heaven, then we can pray down the floods. And we’ll not have the floods until we have the fire, until we judge our sin. Have faith in God when your prayers aren’t answered. This can be our turning point.

[w/ helps from Adrian Rogers]