Psalm 99:1 The Lord reigns; Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved!
During the time of King Ahab, the Israelites assumed a lifestyle of sin. It was so deeply rooted in them that they were blinded to their mistakes.
Even 3 years of drought did not lead them to seek God and His forgiveness. It was then that God told Elijah to go back to his homeland and challenge the prophets of baal and asherah.
The venue was on Mount Carmel and the challenge was to set fire to a sacrificed bull with nothing but prayer. The prophets of Baal prayed, danced and shouted in vain.
Later that evening, when the prophets of baal were too tired to carry on, Elijah called the people of Israel to the altar that he had built for the Lord. He dug a trench around it and told the people to pour water on the offering until the trench was full.
But, wait…
How did people agree to pour water on the altar when there was no water to “waste”, considering the three years of drought that had plagued Israel?
Firstly, the Israelites understood that sacrificing a bull was symbolic of a sin offering from the time of Moses.
Secondly, they were witness to the impotency of Baal in the presence of the God of Israel from morning to late afternoon.
Thirdly, by evening they were ready to give anything in return for the forgiveness of their sins. They were desperate to restore their relationship with the God of the Bible.
Elijah went near the altar and prayed “Lord, you are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Prove that you are the God of Israel and that I am your servant. Show these people that you commanded me to do all these things. Lord, answer my prayer so these people will know that you, Lord, are God and that you will change their minds.” – 1 Kings 18: 36-37.
Then fire came down from heaven and burned the sacrifice and everything around, including the wood, the stone and the ground around the altar. It also dried up the water in the trench. When the people saw this, they fell down to the ground, crying, “The Lord is God! The Lord is God!” – 1 Kings 18:39.
That day the people of Israel were moved into revival. They recognised the almighty power of our God.
Even today, desperation is the key requirement to experience revival, because revival is too precious to squander on people who aren’t desperate for it.
It will endow you with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and reveal God’s plan for your life.
Are you desperate for revival?
