Listen, Obey, Pray

1 Kings 17:22
"Then the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived. "

What does it take for the Lord to hear our voices?
Elijah listened for and to the voice of the Lord (1 Kings 17:1-2). When the Lord spoke, he boldly went before king Ahab, risking his life, and proclaimed the Word of the Lord. Elijah obediently followed all that the lord commanded him to do without regard for his own life, security or safety.

If God is to hear and heed our voice in prayer, we first must hear and heed His voice in His Word.

While this trial and miracle had a profound impact on the widow (v. 22), I don't believe it was done for her sake nor her son's. This miracle was done to teach Elijah this lesson and prepare him for the trial to come, to face king Ahab and the prophets of Baal. By this, Elijah learned to pray and call upon the vary character of God in asking God to honor His own Word and demonstrate His presence (17:21 & 18:36-37). By this, both the widow and the people of Israel would believe that the Lord God of Israel still lives (17:1, 12 & 18:15).

When I face trials I first listen, then obey, then pray. Only then can I pray with confidence, knowing that God hears my prayers.

Proverbs 15:29 "The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous."

James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

1 John 5:14-15 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."

Lord, teach me to listen and obey that I may pray with confidence, knowing that You hear me. Amen.