I have what I call LANDMARK PRAYERS. They are a list of important prayers that are timeless and I have prayed them over and over again. After the conclusion of the 10th anniversary of First Love Assembly, Lagos, the list grew by one or two more items. I started praying that I will not fail to appropriate all that God has ceded to me, and not to fall off from where He has placed me. Elijah almost fell short of both prayers. By the time Elijah was succumbing to the pressure of the moment, calling for an end to his life, God had a different plan for him. Rather than a miserable end, God had planned to translate him to heaven without seeing death! Pressure can becloud us to the great plan of God for our lives. It is important that we don’t jump to conclusions when the environment is cloudy. We need clear minds to take informed decisions on all major issues.

“Pressure can becloud us to the great plan of God for our lives…When we tarry in the presence of God, we obtain direction and strength to pursue.”

God also had plans to sustain His work in the land long after Elijah must have been gone; an important element that the prophet did not think about. He was just looking for a way of escape; but God was thinking of continuity. That was why he was told to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha. These ones would carry on where Elijah left off. Elijah had thought that his work would come to an end; but God gave him new assignment. Of course, new strength was given to him. Elijah’s timeout with the Lord reshaped his perspective and imparted him with strength. When we tarry in the presence of God, we obtain direction and strength to pursue.