A Cloud in the Clear Blue Sky!নমুনা

DAY 5

“Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.” 1 Kings 18:46

The sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling… a storm came.

Why did a storm come?

Elijah prayed for rain.

Sometimes the answer to our prayers appears to be a storm. However, the storm is actually life-giving. The storm is preparation.

The rain started falling on their way to Jezreel. Jezreel means “May God Give Seed.”

What comes from seed???

New life!

It hadn’t rained in three years, and before they were given seed, they were given a storm to blow away the debris, wash away anything that needed to be washed, and prepare the soil for planting.

If they were given seeds to plant on ground that hadn’t seen rain or dew in three years, do you think that seed would have grown or died?

God knew what was needed for life.

He knew that the only way to give us salvation was allowing his son to die. He knows that sometimes we need a storm to come through and wash away the lies, the doubt, or whatever it might be that we’ve made agreements with instead of His Words.

Sometimes it’s to wipe out whatever we put before Him. He will have no rivals. (Nahum 1:2-15)

Sometimes He sees what will destroy and He loves us too much to watch that happen. So maybe the storm was necessary to remove something that would have destroyed you.

He allows the storm to prepare us for holistic healing - mind, body, and soul. (Mentally, physically, & spiritually)

Sometimes the very storm we are frustrated with, we prayed for. We just hoped the journey would look like picking lilies in the field and not being caught in a downpour.

The last thing I want to point out is “The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab.” Ahab was riding in a chariot and yet Elijah ran ahead of Him. When Jesus ascended into Heaven He gave us a gift, the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit is our counselor, our comforter, and our guide. You are never walking alone. Jesus actually says greater things will we do than he did, and it’s because he was leaving us Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is living within us, which means we have authority. The same authority that Elijah had to pray for rain and rain came, and the same power that Elijah had that he could run faster than a chariot, we have!

When we come out on the other side of the storm, we now have authority through the words of our testimony and the blood of the lamb to plant seeds of life into other people’s situations.

I may not see my cloud in the clear blue sky yet, but Jesus has sent me people who have seen their cloud, experienced the downpour, and are now on the other side to speak life and pray with authority over my situation.

I had to ask for forgiveness for my disappointment and now I wait in expectation. I will see my cloud in the clear blue sky. I will receive the promise God has spoken over my life. And one day when I stand in the promise, I will with all authority speak life over others who are praying for their clouds in the clear blue sky!

Don’t lose Heart. Keep Going! God is at work.

I want to end with a prayer.

Father,

As each person reads these words, you heal things in our hearts and minds. God, you are using the storms we are going through, the things that feel so painful and maybe so endless, to bring healing, restoration, and reconciliation. Lord, do a transformation of our hearts and our minds. Draw us into intimacy with you that we have never experienced. Strengthen our faith and our authority, and our trust in you. God, you do not let anything go to waste; everything is purposeful, and I thank you for that purpose! I thank you for each person who has read this devotional. I pray you are using these words to bring healing anointment, planting seeds, and rising like the cloud out of the sea, FAITH, that they will see the cloud in the clear blue sky. I pray they know they can rely on you and that all your promises are yes and amen. I thank you for this time together over the last five days. Amen

The last thing I want to leave you with is as we close the fifth and final day.

Can you hear the sound of rain?