It was because Elijah was a man of large faith that God could use him in this grave crisis in the history of Israel. 157 As he prayed, his faith reached out and grasped the promises of Heaven, and he persevered in prayer until his petitions were answered. He did not wait for the full evidence that God had heard him, but was willing to venture all on the slightest token of divine favor. And yet what he was enabled to do under God, all may do in their sphere of activity in God's service; for of the prophet from the mountains of Gilead it is written: "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months." James 5:17.

Gud kunne bruge Elias i denne alvorlige krisetime i Israels historie, fordi han havde en stærk tro. Mens han bad, tilegnede han sig i tro Himmelens løfter, og han blev ved med at bede, til hans bønner var blevet besvaret. Han ventede ikke, til han havde fået et fuldstændigt bevis på, at Gud havde hørt ham, men var villig til at vove alt, så snart han øjnede det mindste tegn på bønhørelse. Alle andre kan på deres respektive plads i Gudstjeneste gøre det samme, som Gud satte Elias i stand til. Der står nemlig om profeten fra Gileads bjerge: "Elias var et menneske under samme kår som vi, og han bad en bøn om, at det ikke måtte regne; og det regnede ikke over landet i tre år og seks måneder." Jak. 5,17.