Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
1Ki 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”
2Ch 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”
2Co 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Jas 5:16-18 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
In Ephesians 2:10, the apostle Paul painted a word picture of God’s purpose
for us: “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.”
Regardless of your age or social status right now, your life is a light and a book—not to be put on the shelf somewhere but to be seen by those around you! It is a light that reflects Jesus in you and a book that God wants others to see your life story and your stand for Him.
God has placed each of us in a particular home, family, and community. If you and I are going to influence the culture in which God has placed us, we must embrace three biblical convictions:
- God is alive and active in the culture. We see this conviction demonstrated by the Old Testament prophet Elijah. When he stood before evil king Ahab, he said, “As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand” (1 Kings
17:1). Elijah wasn’t serving a set of ideas; he was serving the living Jehovah
God. God is alive, and He’s still active in our culture today. - We are God’s representatives to the culture. In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul wrote, “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us.” Our calling as God’s ambassadors is to articulate the King’s message clearly and boldly to those around us.
God is still looking for men and women, like the prophet Elijah, to be His spokespeople to this world, and He promises to give His power and protection to those who stand with Him. The Bible says God “strongly support[s] those whose heart is completely His” (2 Chronicles 16:9). - God is able to change the culture. As this world continues to deteriorate and darken, we can get discouraged, feeling as if we’re not making a difference. The prophet Elijah, too, went through periods of loneliness and discouragement. But as we seek to carry out God’s purpose for us to influence our culture, we can rest assured that we’re not alone in this mission; we’re partnering with God!
- We can trust in the power of God’s Word to change people.
- We can depend on the Holy Spirit to work through us.
- And we must practice the power of prayer.
James 5:16–18 says, “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 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 earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.”
Elijah reminds us that one believer—empowered by the Word of God,
the Holy Spirit of God, and regular communication with God—can be a real world changer.
The same is true for you. (Jeffress)
