Elijah believed the drought was over. By faith and acting on God’s command, he proclaimed that the rain was coming. Then he confidently, prayerfully, patiently and persistently awaited manifestation of his faith proclamation. The moment Elijah got news about the smallest cloud that had gathered in the cloud, he knew that the process for the miracle he’s been expecting was completed. His miracle was full.

Can you think of times when news about clouds gathering may not be exactly good news? Like being all prepped and ready to go out for a picnic with some friends, or when armed with farm tools to till the ground and start planting, or when you simply want to hang washed clothes on the line on a sunny day after many days of rain. But it wasn’t the case this time; the rains were needed and so represented good news….

“Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you“1 Kings 18:41‭,44 NKJV.

Winning faith is the faith that believes a thing, speaks it and takes actions towards manifestation of the faith proclamation.

And this is exactly how we’ll put an end to the season of drought that has pitched tent around us for so long. We believe by faith that God has called an end to this season of drought, we accept God’s promise of rains and just like Elijah, we bow to the ground, put our face between our knees and pray, wait, remain expectant, check 7 times and over, until we see the cloud…even its smallest bit. Halleluyah!

How best can we translate the ‘cloud as small as a fist’ miracle to our present day realities? – a flicker of movement from a previously paralyzed limb. -a score of 60/100 in maths from a 4th grader who you’ve been making faith confessions to move up in her grades from 30/100 to 90/100. A 60% score and a 50% increase, is similar to ‘a cloud as small as a fist’-

when a spouse who’d not want to hear anything ‘Jesus’ let alone ‘Christ’, suddenly starts humming continuously on gospel music, rejoice and be exceedingly glad because that is ‘a cloud as small as a fist’. Oh! but it is not exactly as small as it seems, no, it is only an obvious tip of a full and complete miracle.

Elijah’s servant, saw a small cloud {at the 7th look}, but Elijah knew an abundance of rain was nigh because The Lord had spoken it.

I try to take morning walks as often as possible. One of such mornings I observed how the sun emerged from behind the clouds. The first visible sign of the rising sun are the rays which illuminate the clouds around it thereby giving the yet to be visible sun away. And then a tiny part of the sun peeps out of the clouds and gradually but steadily, the full sun emerges and shines brightly.

Question: At what point in the emergence of the sun, did the sun become fully formed? At the time the rays become visible or when we see the tiny portion that peeps out of the clouds? Or is it when the full sun emerges?

Things to know about this cloud;

1. The small visible cloud does not signify the beginning of the process of manifestation of a faith project rather it shows that the faith project is fully complete. It’s a done deal.

2. The appearance of the clouds, no matter how small, tells us it’s time to make adequate preparations for the rains,….for the full manifestation of our faith proclamation.

3. It tells us to prepare for celebration because the rains will surely pour down, our miracles are surely here. Halleluyah!

What do you do while waiting for the cloud to appear?

1. Be expectant. Be alert. Be sensitive. Don’t miss the small cloud because of it’s size. Don’t just make a faith proclamation and then go to sleep. No. Ask God for the actions to take to mix your faith with works (thereby making your faith more effective) and also for what do to stay focused, alert and expectant.

2. Persistently and patiently look out for the cloud. Elijah sent his servant 7 times! Don’t get used to the status quo or become comfortable with it. Don’t lose faith. Don’t give in to hopelessness and don’t give up.

3. Don’t ignore or overlook the small cloud when it shows up. Don’t call it irrelevant. Show no disdain over the small cloud. If you have a spouse who doesn’t think your birthday is anything special and you’re trusting God for a behavior change from him, please do not laugh at him if on your next birthday he buys you a cupcake! Realize and recognize immediately that the jinx is broken and your miracle is full and complete. Praise God and thank Him.

4. When the small cloud becomes visible to you, begin to make preparations to receive and welcome the heavy rains. Don’t be caught unprepared or unawares. Don’t suddenly feel that your once uncaring spouse is now paying too much attention to you.

Recognize that God has completed His work and own it.

Prepare for the heavy rains. Prepare to accommodate your full miracle. Praise God forever! I see the cloudsAnd I see the rains. Halleluyah!

Drought is a prolonged period of abnormally low rain leading to a shortage of water. Drought characteristically causes famine (because vegetation cannot grow, the ground is difficult to till and crops generally wither/fade). Food and power supply are in short supply during drought. The ecosystem is distorted, pollution, fires are more likely to happen and economic losses are huge. Hunger, sicknesses/diseases, deaths are also common. 

Obviously a period of drought brings untold hardship on men and women, livestock and vegetation diminish, efficiency is lost, unproductivity is paramount, the labors of ones’ hands are without reward, and there’s a constant hovering of the shadow of death. 

So when Elijah pronounced a season of drought to Ahab, it was more than just an absence of rain. Elijah knowingly or unknowingly ushered in sustained feelings  of exhaustion, desperation, despair, great suffering, desolation, feeling of helplessness and emptiness on samaria {1 Kings 17:1}.  The kind of feeling you get from laboring without wages, praying and waiting on the Lord without manifestation of expected results, from serving faithfully and yet seeming unrecognized and definitely appearing foolish, or investing resources without corresponding profit/success.

It is beautiful and quite encouraging to note that God sustained Elijah by the Brook Cherith and through the Widow of Zarephath just as we find He promised in Isaiah 58:1, but truth remains that there was massive destruction of lives and property, there was sadness, grief, and hopelessness. 

Why couldn’t Elijah call of the drought seeing its many negative impact on all, including himself? Pride? Nonchalance? Selfishness? Honestly, I know not, but I am glad God intervened, directed Elijah to return to Ahab in Samaria, and to await an end to the drought as he sends the rains. 

In this New Coming Season, in the New Coming Year, be encouraged and excited because The Lord has put an end to the drought in your life. Doesn’t matter what form it took, doesn’t matter how long it’s stayed around you, doesn’t really matter its intensity or the damages it’s caused before now.  The Word of The Lord is – The Drought is Over. The famine is gone. The Rains are here. 

Life is here. Growth is here. Productivity is here. Increase and profit are here. Healing is here. Your joy and fulfillment are here. Your wages are chasing after you. 

Halleluyah!