The Spirit of Elijah

Written by ronda on March 26, 2023. Posted in Phoebe Connections.

Malachi 4:5-6

Look, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome Day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.

During the reign of the evil King Ahab, Elijah destroyed the prophets of Baal by calling down fire from heaven to consume his sacrifice before the Lord, proving He was God. Elijah then slayed the prophets of Baal. His mission was to destroy the high places Israel had established for other gods. John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah, calling people to repentance and preparing the way for Jesus to minister to Israel.

There will be, however, another Elijah to prepare the way for the second coming of Jesus. This Elijah will turn the hearts of the fathers toward the children and the hearts of the children toward the fathers. In other words, we will have to assume responsibility for what we birth, and children must learn to pay proper respect to their parents. Such a move will bring great healing to a nation now plagued with the effects of a fatherless generation.

Many of our children today are growing up in a fatherless household. Some have no male role model whatsoever, while others have multiple stepfathers who come and go during a lifetime. Many men have abandoned their role as father to their children, and mothers have been left to fend for themselves. Sadly, some of these mothers turn to man after man in search of someone to take care of them. The children grow up with no real sense of respect for men but with a need for a true father. When this void is not filled, a curse comes over the lives affected, and many of these children grow up to live self-destructive lives and repeat the cycle of fatherless homes.

Thank God for the spirit of Elijah that turns hearts of the fathers back toward the children and the hearts of children to their fathers! This is a restoring work within the family that enables them to live fruitful, productive lives that glorify God. When we see families being restored to operate the way God intended, we know that Jesus is coming soon! Those who respond to this restoring work will be ready for Him.

Pray for the spirit of Elijah to do a restoring work to families today. Every one of us knows someone affected by the curse of our fatherless generation. The spirit of Elijah brings wholeness to fragmented lives by pointing them to the coming Christ. God never meant for us to live broken, defeated, self-destructive, “less than” lives. Christ came to bring life and to bring it in abundance. Dare to ask for restoration today, and know that Jesus is coming soon!

Have a blessed day!