Power of Prayer

Greetings from rainy, soggy, Oregon,
Yesterday I commented on prayer and how do we pray? In the night last night and this morning when I woke up I thought about different prophets, men and women in the Bible who prayed and God answered most of them instantly with amazing results.
Take Elijah for instance,
I Kings 18:37-38
37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
To me this is a simple prayer that Elijah prayed, but look at what the Lord did;
First He heard Elijah
Second He turned the people's hearts back to Him
Third The fire of the LORD fell
Fourth it consumed the burnt sacrifice
Fifth it consumed the wood
Sixth it consumed the stones
Seventh it consumed the dust
Eight it licked up the water that was in the trench.
There was absolutely nothing left of the sacrifice or the altar.

This amazes me that Elijah prayed such a short prayer and God did such a miracle; but then I went back a verse and therein lies the answer
36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
Elijah had such a relationship with God he knew God would not let him down. I know if I am to be the effective woman God wants me to be an if I want to be used of God to have miracles happen then I have to spend time in the Word and in prayer. I want to see changes this year in the family, and friends not only spiritually, but financially and physically as well. In order for that to happen I (and anyone else who feels called) needs to develop a closer relationship with the Lord.

God Bless You!Joy