We revisit the story of the confrontation between Elijah and the false prophets of Baal on top of Mount Carmel (1Kg 18).
The country has been suffering from draught for more than three years. This was according to Elijah’s word as a sign of God’s judgment upon the people who have forsaken God. It was also a judgment because of the corrupt leadership of King Ahab and his wicked wife Jezebel (in other words, it is like Warri, Nigeria)
Elijah is the only true and faithful man of God in this story. There are three groups of people that he meets in this Chapter.
The first one is Obadiah, whose name means ‘The Servant of God’. He represents the comfortable Christians. He provided food and shelter for the persecuted prophets but he still works for Ahab. With all his labor for God, he was not on the side of Elijah during the mighty confrontation the next day.
The second person Elijah meets is King Ahab. He represents the backsliding Christians. He still believes in Jehovah God but he has compromised his faith by false religions, imported especially by Jezebel, his wife.
The third group are the false prophets of Baal and Asherah ‘who eat at Jezebel’s table’. They are invited by the king to withstand Elijah and prove their worth. It is interesting that Elijah invites them but he does not encourage them at all. He mocks them and disgraces them. There is no mercy, no ‘altar call’ for them. The only way God speaks to these false prophets it is thru the fire of judgment. They are all killed down the slopes of Mount Carmel.
The last group, who meets with Elijah, is the people of God. They have also backslidden and compromised their faith. They still believe in the existence of God but they doubt His power, provision and His promises. It is for their sake that God sends Elijah to confront the devil in their presence. Listen to Elijah’s question:
‘Elijah came near to all the people and said: How long will you halt and limp between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him! But if Baal… then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word’ (1Kg 18:21, AMP)
This is the best description of doubt. The word ‘halt’ in Hebrew means to waver, to vacillate between two opinions, to sway to and forth due to lack of balance, to dance, to limp, to spare something and jump over. It means to hesitate, to stop in mid motion, as a sign of fear, weakness or backsliding. The doubter’s mind is divided into two. It is a complicated, insecure mind. Today, we call this mind -set as ‘inferiority complex’.
The question is this: what is your inferiority complex? In what area of your life you feel insecure, timid or self-conscious? The root of it is doubt! You have to see this revelation, with the help of the Holy Spirit. If not, you cannot be free and strong. No ‘positive confession’ can eradicate the feelings of inferiority if doubt in the power of God is still resident in your heart.
When confronted by Elijah, the doubters keep silent. They do not say a word. This is the classical reaction of religious doubters. They remain passive and do not take risks. They do not utter a word! The Hebrew meaning of this word is a message, a counsel, a decree, a judgment, work or a song. Doubters cannot be true leaders. They are cowards and refuse to take a stand for God. It is only the fire of God’s judgment that will wake them from this religious slumber and bring their hearts back to God!
Lord we need Your fire!
Elijah tells the false prophets to pray for fire on their sacrifice. One of the titles of Baal is the God of thunder and fire. With all the noise and prayers, fire refuses to come. Now it is Elijah’s turn to prove that Jehovah is the Living God, El Anah Esh (the God that answers by fire). Elijah needs a miracle from God. What does he do?
*HE REPAIRS THE BROKEN ALTAR
When you pray for revival, for any miracle, you have to go back and search for any broken places and fences in your life. Look at the quality of your relationship with God, your marriage and your relationships with others. God looks for repairers of broken places (Is 61:4; Ez 22:30, 31)
You need a mind set to be able to repair broken things. In the US people throw away things easily. They are not patient enough to repair them. They replace them with new items. It applies to anything, the refrigerator, the marriage or friendships. In Nigeria people repair broken things. There are people called ‘obioma’ who carry their sowing machines on the shoulder going about mending torn clothes. The shoe repairers are also very busy. God bless Nigeria!
Jesus came to heal the broken hearted (Is 61:1). You need that fresh revelation and His healing touch before you proceed to pray for more revival.
*HE FILLS THE JARS WITH WATER
You need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Pray specifically for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. It has to be a desperate prayer. Reject doubt and trust the promise of God that he will give you the Holy Spirit (Lk 11:13).
*HE PRAYS AND THE FIRE COMES
You need to know Jesus as the Baptizer with fire (Mt 3:11). Fire is God’s answer. When fire came to the altar of Elijah, it was very clear that it was God’s work. It was not magic. It was open heavens and God coming down. When the doubters saw the fire, they praised God and Elijah shouting ‘The Lord is God!’ (In Hebrew: ‘El-ijah!’).
This fire confirms and establishes you as God’s servant!
*HE KILLS ALL THE FALSE PROPHETS
You need to trust God for complete deliverance from all evil spirits. All covenants with evil spirits have to be confessed and destroyed. Deliverance is not the end; it is a means to the end, which is the miracle of revival!
*HE REMAINS IN HUMBLE, PERSEVERING PRAYER- LOOKING AHEAD
All the success so far did not make Elijah proud. He continued to pray trusting God for the miracle of rain. He looks at the future, not doubting God’s power. Against all odds of disappointment and the doubts of men, the miracle shall come!
*FINALLY, THE MIRACLE CAME: THE BLESSED RAIN ON THE THIRSTY LAND!
(As we said this, big heavy rain started falling outside, making great noise! Was it coincidence? I believe that it was an encouragement for us to trust God even more)
So these are the five steps that you should follow as you trust God for your miracle:
Repair, Fill, Pray for fire, Deliverance and Pray for Rain!

“Confess therefore your sins (of doubt) one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.
Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months. And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit” (Jam 5:16-18)

Holy Spirit, touch thru me!
Holy Spirit, love thru me!
Holy Spirit, work thru me!

May God grant your miracle for nothing is impossible with God!
May God grant you revival!
All the glory shall go to God alone!
In Jesus name, Amen!