John the Baptist was called to prepare the way for Jesus. He did not take an individual person and tell him he had to stop doing one thing and start doing something else. No, he proclaimed that Jesus was coming for a people who were committed to the cause of Christ, a people who would surrender absolutely to him.
The Lord spoke to Zacharias regarding John, “And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous — to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17, NIV).
Jesus was coming for a people prepared — not a building or a program or even a movement. God wants a body of believers who are truly devoted to the things that bring us together — faithful servants who are filled with the Holy Spirit and the power of Elijah.
We read again of Elijah in James: “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” (James 5:17-18).
The Word of God says that Elijah was a man just like us, yet he did things that were way out of the ordinary. But we read further in James: “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (5:19-20).
Having faith to stop the rain or pray rain down, as Elijah did, is powerful, indeed. But saving someone from death is even more wonderful and, according to James, Jesus has given all, that’s you and me, who walk with him the power and authority to do just that.