The Call to Urgent and Earnest Prayer in 2025
From
Spurgeon’s Commentary on the NT, with revisions by J Masters 23/06/25
Reading:
1Kings 18:41-46
‘Elijah
was a man subject to similar passions [feelings, faults, afflictions] just as
we are.’ (1Kings
18:41-46; James5:17)
This
fact was made very clear and evident on the occasion to which our text refers.
Otherwise he seemed, in most things, to be superior to the ordinary run of men,
a sort of iron prophet - what if I call him the prophet of fire? - the man
whose whole life seemed to be a flash of flame - a mighty, burning, ecstatic
love and zeal towards the cause of his God. But Elijah had his flaws, even as
the sun has its spots. Strong man though he was, he was sometimes obliged to
faint, even as the sun sometimes suffers an eclipse.
But
see the effect and outcome of his prayer:
‘And
he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it did not rain
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.’
Whenever
and wherever there is this abounding and earnest prayer, there must be
abounding blessing before long.
And
note the nature of his prayer, where he went to pray, and the condition of his clothes.
He was not in some fancy auditorium or at some prayer conference with nice
seating and a banqueting hall outside. He was climbing Mount Carmel, a rugged
and exhausting climb, his clothes covered with dust and soot, his feet maybe
blistered from the long journey to such a place. And up that steep and arduous climb,
under a scorching sun in a clear sky, he threw himself to his knees on that
hardened earth with his head to the ground, and began to intercede, to pour out
his soul to God for rain to come and the glory of Jehovah to be revealed to the
nation. This was no ‘five-minute-wonder’ prayer meeting, but imploring his God,
and praying through until a cloud (even a little cloud about the size of his
hand) was spotted over the sea by his servant Gehazi.
Baal’s
worshippers may pray to their god (whatever that ‘Baal’s name may be these days
within the many religions of the world – and sadly, also in many churches and
denominations), and he will not answer them; they may cut themselves with stones and cover his altar with their
blood, scream and fall on their faces, protest and complain in the highways,
but Jehovah (the LORD God Almighty) always looks to the earnestness of those his
own people who are called by his name, and will surely avenge his own elect,
though he bear long and patiently with them.
According
to Psalm 37:4, he will give those who delight in him the desires of their
hearts. May we see - as we have seen it throughout the long and amazing history
of the church - may we see it renewed among us - may we see it in every part of
Christendom, in every church and chapel in Wales, in every church in London and
Great Britain, Papua New Guinea, India, throughout the whole British
Commonwealth, and in America, and wherever in the world there are believers - a
deep and sobering anxiety for souls, such passion for the unconverted that will
not allow believers to be quiet, but will give them a heavenly conviction to
exercise a fervent pleading with God which will stir up his strength and cause
him to make his arm bare in the sight of all the heathen.
Now,
if we ask in believing faith, we are quite sure to ask with certain expectancy.
We shall go up to the top of Carmel to look out and scan the horizon for the
cloud, the sound of the abundance of rain, if indeed we have believingly and
earnestly sought for the rain.
We
shall send Gehazi, even seven times if at first he sees no signal of mercy, and
we shall continue in importunate (determined, unrelenting) prayer, firmly
believing that Jehovah Almighty God, who cannot lie, will, as surely as he
lives, and himself always as good as his word, fulfil his promise to those who
trust him.
