God is about to do something that He has never done before

One of my favorite Bible stories is found in the Old Testament. There, I read about the prophet Elijah. They were in the middle of a huge drought and Elijah went to the top of Mount Carmel to pray for rain. Previously, the Lord had told Elijah that rain would come to the land (1 Kings 18:1). So Elijah dropped to his knees and prayed persistently and actively, expecting God’s promise to transpire.

As he was praying, Elijah told his servant, “to look toward the sea” for a sign of rain. The servant went up and looked. He said, “There is

nothing.” There were no clouds in sight.

Elijah, empowered by his unwavering faith, spoke to his servant, “Go again!” Yet, the servant came back uttering, “There is nothing.”

Is what you are striving for taking a long time to come to fruition? Are you frustrated because you have had a seemingly long season of life where you feel as though nothing has

worked out? Has it been one challenge after the other, after the other? Now, are you ready to say, ‘forget it,’ and walk away and quit?

During this time of challenge, it would have been easy for Elijah to lose his patience, get sidetracked and think, “If it were going to materialize, it would have already happened.” Then, Elijah could have become so disheartened that he stopped his pursuit.

However, there were no ‘giving up’ thoughts on Elijah’s mind. Keeping on, Elijah understood that if you want to see results and receive a victorious breakthrough, you have to be willing to put action to your faith. He saw beyond the present moment and let his faith guide him onward.

After six negative reports of no rain, Elijah still believed that the rains were forthcoming. Perhaps, Elijah knew that when your breakthrough and the outpouring of victory is the closest, that is when diffifficulties may come upon you the most. So Elijah continued confifidently praying, waiting, and expecting. He kept sending his servant to look to the sea, for Scripture tells us, “Seven times Elijah said, ‘Go again.’” Nevertheless, there was no rain.

Still, Elijah hoped and anticipated big things from God, even though there were no apparent signs of anything happening. And he did not cease in his request or allow the outward circumstances to affffffffffffect his inward assurance that the answer to his prayer was on the way.

Thereafter, miraculously, the servant saw a little something. The Bible says, “Then it came to pass the seventh time that he (the servant) said, ‘There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!’” (1 Kings 18:4344). The sky became dark with clouds, and there was rain.

In His time, God poured out His blessings upon the land. Elijah’s prayers had prevailed and God’s answer had come. And what God has been able to do in the past, He can still do today. Thus, don’t abandon hope. Pray and persist with steadfast faith, and know that God will come through for you. God hasn’t brought you this far to leave you here.

Catherine GalassoVigorito