The secret behind prayers that are like "a single stroke of the Spirit"

In Christian/ prophetic circles, the sense is that we are living seriously close to the end days; and that as people of God, we need to arise. To me, that means growing in intimacy with God ... from which flows the anointing from Him to fulfil the purpose for which He has created us. As time is short, each of us in the body of Christ (with our different gifts) needs to be positioned where we can make maximum kingdom impact. And we need to be obedient (meaning brave, faithful, secure in the Lord's ability to hold and help us) when He calls us to an assignment greater than ourselves. In the last days, the darkness will be unprecedented; but so will God's glory ...

Elijah was called to a giant-sized assignment. He was called to a spiritual battle against the false prophets of Baal. He called for a very public showdown at Mt Carmel between the God Almighty and the false Gods that the people of Israel were worshipping.

In a public showdown, where he was clearly outnumbered, Elijah needed to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God would show up. This is what transpired in 1 Kings 18:36-37

"At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."

Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

At Mt. Carmel, Ps Peter Tsukahira said something that pierced my heart. He said Elijah's prayer from 1 Kings 18:36-37 was like a "single stroke of the sword of the Spirit" ...

How many of us yearn for this ... that we know so clearly what God's will is for a person or situation that when we pray, it is like a "single stroke of the sword of the Spirit"?

David Davis in his book "The Elijah Legacy" helped to crystallise the secret to Elijah's confidence, and the authority he wielded, at that showdown on Mt Carmel.

He writes: "The courage of Elijah was a great challenge to us. To what can we attribute the courage of a single man publicly standing against an entire nation? We don't know that Elijah was naturally courageous or confrontational. I believe the answer can be found in the prophet's simple prayer on that memorable occasion.

He implored "the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel" to hear and respond to him, because "I have done all these things at Your word" (1 Kings 18:36).

Every word and action of Elijah on that day was dictated and directed by the Lord. God told him specifically what to do - the 12 stones, the trench, all of it. Prophets walk in the power of a word not their own, but from God. "Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path." (Ps 119:105)

The source of Elijah's courage was his absolute obedience to a word from God. He knew that God watches over His word to perform it. The prophet had also been refined for over 3 years since giving his last public prophetic word. In the Lord's economy, purity always precedes power. Elijah heard, obeyed and prayed a simple prayer, and God manifested his presence."

At a superficial level, Elijah seems like one of God's superheroes. One of these men destined for outsized assignments - a rare breed. But actually, what Elijah achieved is not outside what God calls each and everyone of us to do ... which is to know His voice, and be absolutely obedient to a word from God. Every word and action of Elijah on that day was dictated and directed by the Lord. God told him specifically what to do. Prophets walk in the power of a word not their own, but from God.

Were it be that we too, are people who hear God's voice, and only do what He tells us to do. That alone is what enabled Elijah to pray a prayer that was like a "single stroke of the Spirit".

Is it any surprise that God answered?