The Elijah Task

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Twenty-five years after the release of his ground-breaking book The Elijah Task, co-authored with his wife, Paula, a sequel comes from the powerful pen of John Sandford. In Elijah Among Us, he outlines a biblically rooted discussion of prophetic history and functioning, both how to instruct prophets and commission their office and how to inform the church about prophetic ministry. Sandford wrote this follow-up book because he sees a strong and even dangerous overemphasis in the church on the "giving of personal words," which is only one role of the prophetic office. The first section of this book develops a history of the prophetic office, how the office metamorphosed from one of warning into proclaiming God's gentle and merciful side, and becoming burden-bearers. Second, Sandford sets forth the working functions of prophets, explaining how they serve in twelve major roles, including bringing blessings, healing, warning of impending judgment, giving protection from tragedies, and offering direction, guidance, or confirmation. Readers will gain crucial knowledge of a widely misunderstood topic, helping them be discerning in these strategic end times. Authoritative and compelling, Elijah Among Us is a timely and vital work for the Body of Christ.

Michael O'Brien presents a thrilling apocalyptic novel about the condition of the Roman Catholic Church at the end of time. It explores the state of the modern world, and the strengths and weaknesses of the contemporary religious scene, by taking his central character, Father Elijah Schäfer, a Carmelite priest, on a secret mission for the Vatican which embroils him in a series of crises and subterfuges affecting the ultimate destiny of the Church. Father Elijah is a convert from Judaism, a survivor of the Holocaust, a man once powerful in Israel. For twenty years he has been "buried in the dark night of Carmel" on the mountain of the prophet Elijah. The Pope and the Cardinal Secretary of State call him out of obscurity and give him a task of the highest sensitivity: to penetrate into the inner circles of a man whom they believe may be the Antichrist. Their purpose: to call the Man of Sin to repentance, and thus to postpone the great tribulation long enough to preach the Gospel to the whole world. In this richly textured tale, Father Elijah crosses Europe and the Middle East, moves through the echelons of world power, meets saints and sinners, presidents, judges, mystics, embattled Catholic journalists, faithful priests and a conspiracy of traitors within the very House of God. This is an apocalypse in the old literary sense, but one that was written in the light of Christian revelation.

Prophecy is cherished by many as one of the fivefold ministry gifts described in Ephesians 4:11 and foundational to the life of the church. Yet prophetically gifted people have a reputation of being different and difficult to live and work with. Understanding Prophetic People, written by a prophetic pastor who grew up as the son of a prophetic pastor and leader, helps readers better understand, relate to, and even minister to prophetically gifted people. R. Loren Sandford answers fascinating questions such as, What is it like to grow up as a prophetically gifted person? What is the difference between adrenaline and anointing? Who validates authentic prophetic ministry? How does a pastor rightly relate to a prophet? This rich resource seeks deeper understanding and wisdom on issues of foundational importance for prophetic people and everyone who loves God's gifts.

An analysis of the intertwining tales of Elijah and Ahab--mercurial prophet and Machiavellian king--this book is an accessible treatment of one of the most dramatic and well-known episodes in the Bible. In contrast to the popular image of Elijah as a courageous wonder-worker who calls down fire from heaven and ascends to heaven in a fiery chariot, this book contends that the prophet was a deeply conflicted man, torn between a burning idealism and a deep disillusionment over his failure to achieve his ideals. Despite his profound sense of failure, Elijah's struggle against the paganizing regime of King Ahab and his queen, Jezebel, managed to save monotheism from eclipse, and in so doing alter the course of human history. This work further proposes that the tale presented by the Bible is more than an account of an ancient battle between two historic figures: it is a paradigm of the struggle between the ideals of human dignity and justice, and the alternative of expediency in the pursuit of power, a conflict that pervades human life to this very day.

The life of Elijah has gripped the thought and imagination of preachers and writers in all ages. His sudden appearance out of complete obscurity, his dramatic interventions in the national history of Israel, his miracles, his departure from earth in a chariot of fire all serve to that end. ‘He comes in like a tempest who went out like a whirlwind,’ says Bishop Hall; ‘the first that we hear from him is an oath and a threat’. Judgment and mercy were mingled throughout Elijah’s astonishing career. It is fitting that the lessons which may be drawn from Elijah’s ministry should be presented afresh to our generation. History repeats itself. The wickedness and idolatry rampant in Ahab’s reign live on in our gross 20th century’s profanities and corruptions. False prophets occupy large spheres of influence and truths dear to our evangelical forefathers have been downtrodden as the mire of the streets. A. W. Pink clearly felt called to the task of smiting the ungodliness of the age with the rod of God’s anger while at the same time encouraging the faithful remnant. With these objects he undertakes the exposition of Elijah’s ministry and applies it to the contemporary situation.

There is no question the world is fractured. Nations, families, and individuals all experience a broken and fallen world in which Satan maintains strongholds of power. But believers are to become free, whole, and mature in Christ. John Loren Sandford and Mark Sandford bring understanding and reconciliation between the disciplines of deliverance and inner healing. They correct misunderstandings, identify abuses, and present direction for using both ministries effectively. With clear, informative chapters and multiple appendixes full of scriptural references, Deliverance and Inner Healing is the one-stop source for both theoretical and practical application of deliverance and inner healing today.