2. 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink…
1 Kings 18: 40b – 42a
40 …Elijah had [the prophets of Baal] brought down to the Kishon Valley 
and slaughtered there.
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”
42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink…

3. 16 “…The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
James 5: 16b - 18
16  “…The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
17 Elijah was a human being, just like we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”

4. is it to see Elijah portrayed as a normal person like us?
How encouraging
is it to see Elijah portrayed as a normal person like us?
Within Elijah’s story, we can find at least
4 Qualities that lead to Effective Prayer that we should follow.

5. 1.) Effective Prayers are Humble Prayers
1 Kings 18:42
“So Ahab went off to eat and drink,
but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel,
bent down to the ground
and put his face between his knees.”

6. express reverence to God.
“It struck me recently
how much worship found in Scripture is ‘Facedown’ and this is the ultimate physical posture to
express reverence to God.
The point being that when we really face up to the glory of God, we find ourselves facedown in worship and submission.”
- Matt Redman

7. 2.) Effective Prayers are Specific Prayers
1 Kings 18:43a
“Go and look toward
the sea,” Elijah told his servant.
And he went up
and looked.
“There is nothing there,” he said.

8. Sometimes, in our desire to sound holy or like we have it together…we can give wishy-washy, wimpy, and
vague prayers.
Name your need.
Call it out to God.
He is mighty to act.
Hebrews 4:16

9. 3.) Effective Prayers are Persistent Prayers
1 Kings 18: 43b – 44a
43 “There is nothing there,” [the servant] said.
Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
44 The seventh time the servant reported,
“A cloud as small as a man’s hand
is rising from the sea.”

10. Cookies…Math Tests… and Persistent Prayer

11. Jesus spoke often about the importance
of the persisting in all parts of our faith, including our prayers.
There are some prayer requests
that we make that will only be granted
if they are prayed for persistently.

12. 4.) Effective Prayers are Expectant Prayers
1 Kings 18: 44b – 45
44…So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab,
‘Hitch up your chariot and go down
before the rain stops you.’”
45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling
and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.

13. Umbrellas… Fog… and Expectant Prayer

14. Linked closely with Jesus’ call to
persist in prayer
is His command
to pray in faith…
believing in
the loving,
all-sufficient
power of our
Heavenly Father.

15. 4 Qualities of Effective Prayer
1.) Effective Prayers are Humble Prayers
2.) Effective Prayers are Specific Prayers
3.) Effective Prayers are Persistent Prayers
4.) Effective Prayers are Expectant Prayers

16. Questions to Ponder:
Do you currently have a faith-filled, consistent prayer life?
What specific prayer do you need to bring before God with persistent faith?
What is one prayer that you have consistently prayed? If there is not one, who or what should you commit to praying for?