1 Kings 18:41-46
In 1 Kings 18:41-46, and 1 Kings 19, the Bible recounts the story of Elijah and his confrontation of the prophets of Baal, Ahab and Jezebel. The passages indicate that the sound of end-time revival rain is not the rain but something more intense. God always come bigger in each generation in the same way a sea tide increases and gets stronger in capacity. Thus, we must be hungrier for the end-time flood revival of God in our churches and communities than being satisfied with some few trickles of God’s power and manifestations. From 1 Kings 18, we can classify believers in the end-time into three groups. First, the Elijahs earnestly wait in ceaseless prayers and persist in faith for the mighty rain of revival. Second, the Servants who are critical, and doubtful and undermine the pockets of revival and manifestations of the spirit. Third, the Ahabs are complacent and unambitious believers who care less about spiritual things but idly await the fruits of revivals even at the dew level.
The end-time revival as symbolised by the rain that fell during Elijah’s era had three stages – thick cloud, dew and heavy downpour. However, the three stages are connected to the sound, the move of Spirit which required Elijah’s sensitivity.
Sensitivity is a quick response to God’s Spirit’s inner nudge and prompts before its manifestation in the physical realm. It is tuned by continuous intimacy in the place of prayer, the word and prompt obedience to the Holy Spirit’s voice. Note, that every great manifestation of God starts as a sound. From the creation story in the beginning to the end of age, the glorious rapture of saints will be heralded by a sound. The gentle brooding of the Holy Spirit upon the deep and dark waters at the beginning of creation, the angelic trumpet that ushered the glory of God on Mount Sinai where the tablets of laws were given to Moses, the choral company of angels that brought Good News of the birth of the Messiah to the watching Shepherds and Mary and the sound of the Holy Ghost at the Upper Room which filled Jerusalem to the trumpet blast of the Archangel which will jolt the dead saints from their graves back to life as they prepare the Bridegroom in the Sky.
The sound of God in the end-time revival epitomised in the promised flood in the days of Noah requires careful and trained spiritual sensitivity for believers. It is the foretaste and the sign of God’s commitment to his promise of an outpouring prophesied by Prophet Joel and Peter (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:17). It will trigger the mighty waves of God’s glory, power and net-breaking harvests across the nations.
Many Christians will demean, discard and become critical of the sound. But, with more intercession and continual prayers from saints, the sound will become a dew and turn into a mighty rain. The greatest weapon of the enemy in the end-time will be prevalent complacency, discouragement, slumbering and quitting on the verge of spiritual breakthroughs. If Elijah had quit praying at the sixth hour during deep intercession for rain, there would not have been a deluge of God’s answer – the heavy clouds of rain. Hence, his acts would not be recorded as a faith exploit for believers in James to teach about persistent prayer (James 5:17).
We must be prepared for the flood – the rain of God’s revival in the end-time to prevent the promised blessing from becoming a burden, the Spirit’s moves become the church’s moans, and the Spirit’s supply becomes the snare and His rains become our reins. Elijah cautions Ahab to hitch his chariots and run to the gates of Jezreel before the promised rain stops him.
The end-time revival has a dual purpose, first, it is a confirmation of God’s commitment to the church and a time of refreshing for wearied saints/ministers who have survived spiritual draughts. Second, it is a sign of judgment on evil and Satanic agents and their activities, especially prolonged reign and influence over the world systems. The mighty rain that fell during Elijah’s era after three and half years was a sign of relief and judgement against the predominant Baal, the Canaanite/Phoenician god of rain and fertility whose influence was serviced by the witch-queen Jezebel and her wicked husband Ahab.
The deluge of God’s mighty revival will certainly fall before Jesus’ second coming. Can you hear the rain? Have you responded to the Spirit’s call to pray for the rain? How desperate and prepared are you for the rain?
Ayokunmi Ojebode
Mansfield, Nottinghamshire