Sunday sermon by pastor Rajesh Mathew, 20 March 2022

James 5:17-18- 17 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. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

• I hear the sound of abundance of rains. The Lord is going to send Holy Ghost rain upon your lives. You need learn to show your faith by actions.
• For the last 3.5 years nothing may have happened in your life but if you are ready to pray again, the things that did not work, failures, curses, difficulties, dryness, God will remove and take you forward. The Holy Spirit is sending this prophecy over the church.
• It was a time when rain was needed urgently. There was dryness, people had hardships and lack of blessings for 3.5 year. Everything was dry, famine, no joy, no food but when Elijah prayed God opened the heaven and sent forth His rain. The rain of blessings upon your life.

The Holy Spirit is saying- If you start to pray, the blessing of rain that you have never experienced will be revealed over your life. The blessing of rain will be sent over your life from the heavens.

• That land saw no fruit. People sowed, worked hard but it did not bear fruit. There was difficulty and curse all around. Yet nobody prayed. Though nobody prayed, the prophet said, I will pray. At least when you are faced with difficulties, you need to pray honestly.
• After 3.5 years, people had expectation and hope but nothing had happened. But after 3.5 years there was change in their lives, in the season, in the nation, in the weather, in the climate. After a long wait of 3.5 years, there was going to be a change!
• The most difficult Christian discipline is waiting on the Lord in his presence. However, if you do so, you will be strengthened and you will mount up with wings like eagles.

If you know you are waiting on the Lord, you will not be the same, you will not leave this place the same way you came in.

Some people are waiting to be married, some are waiting for a child, some are waiting for prosperity, some for peace at home, for a change in their lives. I do not know what you are waiting for but if you have been waiting in God’s presence, your season is about to SHIFT!

Say it- MY SEASON IS ABOUT TO SHIFT. I WILL SEE CHANGES. I WILL SEE GOD SENDING FORTH RAIN UPON MY LIFE.

When Elijah prayer again, everything changed.

Certain things heaven will hold back till you pray earnestly.

• Everyone prays but the Word commands us to pray earnestly. Pray with focus. Pray looking into His promise. In the Name of Jesus. The Bible doesn’t lie. • One more thing I would like to say- All the people would have prayed. But Elijah connected to the prayer of the people.
• Every child of God has the right to the answer of prayer. No child of God is a second class citizen. Are you a child or God? Are you walking with Jesus? Then you are not a second-class citizen. In the Book of James 2, we read, when you are in trouble, you pray in the name of Jesus. You don't need another mediator.

SECRET 1

But there is one more truth in the Bible.

Ephesians 4: 11 - And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.

• God created the five-fold office. If you just connect with these people, heavens will open up. People prayed but Elijah’s prayer connected with that prayer.
• God is one who places people in that position of authority. There God will pour more grace, authority and power.
• Pastor is not just a title. There is a grace within it. Apostles have a particular anointing. Pastors have a unique anointing. Elijah had a special anointing upon his life. People prayed and Elijah connected to that prayer and brought the rain down.

Acts 5:12- 12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.

• God began to work signs and wonders and through the hands of the apostles God did signs, miracles and wonders. Through their hands God worked.

You need to understand the grace and anointing God has given you. if you understand that your season will change.

Your season will change when you connect with the anointed. Don’t think that you can get hold of everything by praying alone. You need to connect where you need to and you will see miracles.

SECRET 2

One more spiritual secret- Anointing has the ability to break yokes and burdens.

• There is a burden that you are carrying, whatever it may be. If you want that to leave your life, you need to connect with the anointing and to do that you need to find someone with the anointing. Not just a title but a person with an anointing. According to your faith, God Himself will step in and bless you.
• There are levels in the spiritual realm. There are levels even in the demonic world. There is a hierarchy in the demonic world. God has released different levels of grace and anointing in His church to deal with principalities in different levels.

Anointing is not to shine but to break off yokes. It is not to grow your name and become famous but to show forth the glory of God.

• In the midst of this congregation, God is raising up certain men and women of God. If you are one of them, lift your voice and give a shout unto the Lord.

Acts 19:11-12- 11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

• There are miracles and then there are special miracles. God's spirit will meet with you. There were miracles and then through the apostle’s special miracles. If you are not envious, give glory to God.

Special miracles through the hand of God. God is changing the levels of certain people. • Heaven responded to the prayer of the man of God

There is Man and then there is a Man of God. When the mantle of God’s anointing comes upon you, man becomes a man/woman of God.

It's going to rain miracles. It will rain blessings of God. Heavens will pour out blessings and anointing.

James 5:18- MSG Bible- 18 Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.

• If you are waiting for the rain, declare, let there be showers of rain in my life. Something will grow in your life- say it to your neighbour. No matter who tries to suppress and oppress you, the church of God will grow!
• Let there be a faith action. Let it rain!
• You won't be disappointed. If you look around, you will be disappointed but HIS favour and blessing homes from an open heaven.

When the rain falls, earth has to respond. Rain is a facilitator. It is a sign of God's backing.

• It is God saying, “I have got your back. Go forward in your job, career and business, ministry courageously. Take that I will support you”. Declare this- I have got the backing of God with me.
• Just when you felt that there is no way that I could move forward and everything that I trusted in fell apart. The devil almost destroyed your family but God made it stronger.
• This morning the one asking you to move forward is not a bus conductor but the Lord Himself. I have got the backing of the Lord upon my life. He is backing your effort.

Your family life will grow. The Lord is saying to somebody that the devil thought he can destroy your family.

You won’t be planted and be forgotten you will grow. Your effort won’t be forgotten.

It will rain. What has been absent for 3.5 years will appear. Even if you are backslidden, you will reappear for the glory of God. Declare this- What has not been answered in your life for many years will appear again. Dryness will leave.

God will spoil you with His blessings

WHAT MADE THE RAIN POSSIBLE?

1. ON YOUR FEET, EAT, DRINK AND CELEBRATE BY FAITH

1 Kings 18:41-42- 41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Up on your feet! Eat and drink—celebrate! Rain is on the way; I hear it coming.” 42-43 Ahab did it: got up and ate and drank. Meanwhile, Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bowed deeply in prayer, his face between his knees. Then he said to his young servant, “On your feet now! Look toward the sea.” He went, looked, and reported back, “I don’t see a thing.”

• Up on your feet. Eat and drink and celebrate! Not waiting for the rain to come to celebrate but God is saying, if you have the faith and if you have heard God’s voice, arise and celebrate.
• Don’t give up Ahab! Replace Ahab’s name with yours.
• Why should you celebrate? Because rain is on the way. Throw a faith party. That is even before your business is set right or your prayer is answered.

Throw a faith party to celebrate the goodness of God. Invite me and I will come. Verses 42- Ahab did it but we think too much.

• God can never send rain until you trust him and obey Him. But if you believe and obey, then you will see your blessing.

I need to thank God in advance for the healing, for the deliverance, for the breakthrough.

2. REPAIR- BE A UNFIER AND NOT A DIVIDER

1 Kings 18: 30- Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So, all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” 32 Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.” 34 Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time; and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time.

• Repair. You can also use the word repentance. Elijah built the altar. Look at the person sitting next to you and say turn to God. Turn back to God.
• Elijah took 12 stones representing the 12 tribes. He built an altar with the 12 stones. This represents unity, you should be able to forgive, don’t be a divider but be a unifier.

Declare this- I will be a unifier and not a divider. Whatever may be trying to divide your life, let that leave in Jesus Name.

3. SACRIFICE

• Elijah then poured water. And it was at a time where there was acute scarcity of water in the land. It speaks about sacrifice.
• The widow has very little flour. And the prophet asked her to use that little flour, make him a bread and give it to him. Sacrifice. The lady had nothing. Only if you are ready to give can the Lord bless you

When you are ready to give even the very that that you lack, then you will see the rain come. What was needed so much, but you pour it out. That is sacrifice.

Genesis 22:16-17- 16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— 17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.

Because you sacrificed, I will bless you

Psalm 106 says those who sow in tears, will reap in joy.

• You can sow with tears and without tears. If you have a lot, you can sow without much tears but if there are eras that means it is costing you something. • But if you sow with tears, you will reap. It doesn't make sense but it is faith. You can’t understand this in your mind. Givers will never lack. No rain, no vegetation but a giver will never lack.

Givers will never lack

• When Ahab obeyed the word of the prophet, God sent rain.
• Go home today and eat together. It should be a prophetic meal. It doesn’t make sense but it is true. Go and eat together and say God will send my rain.

My rain is coming