Sunday Sermon by Pastor Rajesh Mathew, 24 Nov 2019, The Cornerstone Church

James 5:16-17 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 7 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

There is a prayer that does not avail, there is a type of prayer that avails and there is also a type of prayer that avails much. (Avails mean profits/ gains or benefits)

What type of prayers won’t avail?

Any soulish prayer that is made against you or black magic or witchcraft will not avail against you. This morning, the charms of hell and black magic are broken. Evil prayers against you or your families won’t avail. Anything against the Word of God will be broken off in the Name of Jesus. It shall not come against the church in the Name of Jesus. These are the prayers that will not avail.

What is the prayer that avails or prospers?

The prayers that you make to the Father in the Name of Jesus. That is where the Holy Spirit will work. When you pray according to the Word and when you pray after repenting of your sins, heaven gets your attention.

The prayer of Elijah availed much. The prayers that bring fruit.

Prophecy: The church is moving to a place of fruitful prayers. People will come to your homes and to you for your prayer. People will believe that heaven answers your prayers. They will come and knock at your doors to ask you for your prayers. Your prayers will be effectual.

This book was written by James, the brother of Jesus.

John 7:5- For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

The scripture says that the own brothers of Jesus did not believe Him but somewhere along the line, James must have had an experience that caused him to believe in Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:7- 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.

James is called the apostle with a camel’s knee. He was changed into a man of prayer.

If people in the church are on their knees, they don’t need to bend before any man or any demon. The heavens will not allow you to bow before men.

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. What does that mean?

1 Kings 17:1- 17 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”

The Bible doesn't say anything about Elijah’s background, his family name or the name of his parents, his ancestry or genealogy. Nothing is written about him.

But God made Elijah a miracle worker and a history maker. His identity was of a man who served the Lord and stood for Him

Some have served the Lord in the past but have not continued to stand. But those that served Him and still stand before Him. Let that grace come upon you this day. May you serve Him and stand before Him all the days of your life. His relationship with God was his identity.

That which makes you different from others should be your relationship with Jesus Christ.

John 11:1- Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

A village was known by this family, a village of Mary and Martha. That which separated them from others was their relationship with Jesus. Their home was the place where Jesus visited and dwelt. Even to this day, Bethany is called the town of Mary and Martha. Open up your homes for the Lord.

It is not your qualification or achievements. Your uniqueness should be based on your relationship with Jesus.

John 2- Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding of Cana

• Nobody knows the name of the bride or groom or what they wore or what food was served at the wedding feast. The only thing that we read about that wedding feast was that Jesus came there. That which sets you apart or your marriage apart is that the Jesus is in it.
• It is not the clothes you wear, the car you drive or the house you have built, but the fact that Jesus dwells in your marriage and your children have been dedicated to Jesus is what sets you apart. Miracles happened at the wedding because Jesus came there.

Mark 2:1- And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house.

The house in Capernaum was not special because of its architecture, furniture or the bathroom fittings, flooring etc. The only thing that made that house special was the presence of Jesus. Our homes should be unique because of the presence of Jesus

Manger----People usually keep have the mangers behind their homes where nobody can see but only because of the reason that Jesus was born and was laid in a manger, people world over place this manger in front their homes!

Your quality and preciousness is determined by the presence of Jesus in your life

• Even that donkey got into the town amidst celebration because Jesus sat on top of it. Even if you are a donkey, the one thing that will set you apart is that Jesus is in your life.
• What separates you from other people should be your relationship with Jesus Christ. Not your car, your clothes, your hair style, brands, and perfume you wear but the fact that you are a carrier of Jesus Christ. Not your eloquence, qualification, and education.
• If you want answers to your prayers, you need to realise that you belong to Jesus

You are wearing a saree as expensive as 15,000 rupees. Suddenly someone else walks in wearing a 2 lakh rupees worth diamond studded saree. This makes your saree valueless. But if you serve Jesus, your value will never diminish but will be enhanced.

Elijah's identity was that of the one who served and stood before God. That was his confidence.

Elijah was not saying this in church but in the palace of the most wicked Ahab and Jezebel. People can praise God in the church but can you do so in the place where there is opposition or in the midst of people who mock you, in your colleges and work places?

If you have a relationship with Jesus, may you have the courage to declare your faith. Don’t wear a suit or a saree to meet Ahab and Jezebel!

Paul says I know whom I have believed.

Paul in the book of Corinthians talks about 55 afflictions and dangers he went through. I have seen dangers in my countrymen, false countrymen, false brethren, storms, much pain and strife but in the midst of all this I know whom I have believed.it was his confidence. Your identity boldness was that.

Prophecy: God will change the ways of ministry in the church. Many ministers of the gospel will be raised up here. God about to change this church as a healing hub, people will change this place to a healing revival centre, and not one who comes here will go back without the touch of the Holy Spirit. There will be a healing revival.

The level of a nation was changing due to Elijah's prayers. A nation was returning to Jesus

4 STAGES TO MAKE YOUR PRAYER FRUITFUL AND PROFITABLE

1. The first place where Elijah prayed: TISHBI

• This was the first place where Elijah prayed. Tishbi is a place east of Jordan.
• It was not a known place, but Elijah made it a known.
• When he prayed there, he received a revelation. What was the revelation? Elijah understood that if people leave the Lord and go after other gods, heaven will shut its doors, heaven will
  become like bronze. The book of Leviticus 26 talks about what happens if one goes after other gods, heaven will shut its doors and there won’t be rain.
• When he prayed at Tishbi, God gave him a Mission. He became a man with a mission. God gave him a mission to go into the palace of Ahab.

In the New Testament, Peter received a mission to go to Cornelius’s house.

Paul says he went by revelation to Jerusalem after 14 years.

• When he prayed, he received courage to go to Ahab’s palace. Lot of people walk around timidly. God is removing you from a place of timidity and shifting you to a place of courage.
  In Tishbi, you will receive courage from the Holy Spirit.
• Anecdote: A pastor received a mission from God to go to North India. He had the mission but did not have the courage to go. So he did not. Someone else, at a later point in time, offered the same pastor an opportunity to go the US for ministry. He said yes to this, though it was not a mission given to him from God.
• God is removing your timidity. No matter what comes against, may you stand in great courage. Receive this courage in Tishbi. Courage not to do what you want to do but to fulfil
  the mission God gave you.

Elijah received Revelation, Mission and Courage at Tishbi

May the Lord give you a mission, revelation and courage as you seek His face in Tishbi. May you be courageous to establish certain businesses, step into new countries, expand your business to nations,

2. The second place where Elijah prayed: CHERITH

Elijah went to the brook of Cherith.

1 kings 17:4- And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

• The Lord commanded the crows to feed Elijah at the brook of Cherith. Even before Elijah reached there, God had already commanded the raven. If you are ready to obey what God has commanded you, HE will arrange for provisions to be sent beforehand for you.
• More than the fact that Elijah trusted in God, God trusted in Elijah. God knew he would go to Cherith obeying him. God could trust Elijah. Let a similar grace come upon some of you to become people whom God can trust. Be a vessel in God’s Hand
• Elijah knew that God would honour him if he went to Cherith as HE had commanded him to. Learn to obey God at any point in time. Don’t do things according to your whims and desires but according to what God tells you.

The bible talks about three types of ravens:

The raven that was sent out from Noah's ark. It left and never came back. It sat and lived off carcasses that was scattered on the earth.

The raven that plucks out the eyes of people (if they don’t obey parents as it’s said in tales!).

The raven that fed Elijah with bread. The nature of a raven, generally, is that it would never share a piece of bread it has but would usually devour it alone. But this raven responded to God’s calling. What does this mean? It means that when you are called by God and walk in your calling, God will change your nature. God considered the raven faithful, changed its nature and used it.

Do you have a calling from God? God will change your nature in time to walk in your calling.

Cherith means to cut off or to cut down- It is a place of transformation. Fruitful and profitable prayer is the kind that separates you.

Abraham said to the workmen, “you stay here while I go up to the mountain to worship”. There was a separation. Fruitful prayer is that one that separates you from everything else. It is your time alone with God. It is a time where u speak to Jesus.

Paul Yonggi cho, was called by the President's Secretary on the hotline. He responded saying, “I'm talking to my President, My God. First my time with God”. If pastors are not answering your call or responding to your messages, remembers that they are talking to God.

When you are on your knees talking to Him, no one should be entertained to come into to that place

3. The third place where Elijah prayed- ZAREPHATH

• It means a “smelting place” usually referring to the process of extracting metal from its ore.
• In Zarephath the widow was commanded to give what she had. She was, in fact, preparing to die. God extracted her from fear unto faith. The prophet said to her, do not fear.
• In prayer, certain things that are within you are extracted and changed into something useful. She was extracted from poverty to abundance. God was raising up a faith filled woman.

Prophecy: Your prayers will become praise reports before the year ends!! Hallelujah.

In Acts 13, when the church in Antioch prayed, God separated the apostles there.

4. The fourth place where Elijah prayer-MOUNT CARMEL-

Carmel means God’s vineyard. Vineyard is a place where grapes are grown only for rich superior wine. God was expecting something superior from Elijah's life. HE desired to answer Elijah’s 16 second prayer and send down HIS fire from heaven. This 16 second prayer brought revival to a nation. Such times of revival are ahead in India. In prayer such superiority will be released. A mighty move of the Holy Spirit and revival fire will be released upon the church in India!