Elijah was the one that was the vessel that God used in that hour to deal with the nations, with Ahab, and with those miracles that had occurred.  The sobriety of it comes now.  The desire is one thing, the sobriety of, “Now it’s on me,” is something else.  He approached the Jordan and took on that mantle.  In humility he did not say, “Where is the God of Elijah?  I’m now the man.”  But “Where is the God of Elijah?”  Always realizing that the lesser is blessed of the greater.  Don’t be distracted by anything that’s temporal.  We could go through and talk about the great men of God.  How about Gideon?  “Hail thou mighty man of valor.”  If we sit here, and part of what causes us to pause is a recognition of our inabilities, then you’re in a good place because we can’t do it.  This is God’s work.  “Hail thou mighty man of valor.”  We won’t go through the whole story.  You all pretty much know it.  He was fearful, and God called him out.  He gave a statement to Gideon that unlocks a lot of the doors of faith and prayer for us, “Go in this thy might…have not I sent thee?”  Amen?  It’s the sending.

When we respond, “Here am I,” He will send us. We know because the Scriptures make it very clear in Mark’s Gospel that He will go with us, and He will confirm His Word with signs following; amen?  Paul does not indicate anywhere that there should be tolerance of mediocrity.  In Luke 13, verse 23, one of his disciples came and said, “Lord, are there few that be saved?”  And he responded and said, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many…will seek to enter in and shall not be able.”  Strive to enter in at the strait gate.  We’ll make it when we strive, when we seek with all our hearts, when we crucify ourselves daily.  Let’s stir up that which is in us; amen?  In this hour, do you want to be great for God?  Now, we can hear that in two different ways.  Do you want to be great?  That’s not what I’m asking.  That’s not what I’m saying.  Do you want to do something worthwhile for God?  Do you want to be the best you can be for God, whether we get any benefit from it or not?

I was with the pastors.  They’re the only ones I’ve talked to about this, and I shared with them the goal that I had for giving toward this book project.  They’re the only ones that I’ve ever spoken a number to.  I’m not looking for a blessing; I’m looking to be obedient.  The purpose that’s being spoken of in not letting the left hand know what the right hand does, is doing it for the purpose of recognition.  It’s doing it to get honor from men.  It’s not speaking toward asking people to pray with you and believe with you that God would be glorified; amen?  Those are things that need to be.  If you’re running around, you know, trying to impress people with it that that is one thing.  If you’re believing for people to join their faith with you, then we’re talking about something else.  The point I’m trying to make from that statement is this.  If you’re doing it for a blessing, the blessing won’t come.  You can keep it as secret as you want, the blessing won’t come, if you’re doing it for the blessing.  But if you’re doing it for the glory of God and the purpose of God, then He takes these things and multiplies them, many times over, for His glory.

Father, we thank You.  We want to be great for You.  We want to be David’s mighty men.  We want to be Gideon and his 300.  We want to enter in, Father, to a place that Elijah knew.  Carrying that mantle puts a target on our back, in the heavenly realm, in the spiritual realm, but let us boldly say when asked, “Are you one of them?”  “Yes,” gladly.  So, I will boast in the Lord.  So, Father, make it real in our lives.  I ask You to stir some of us, to realize that we have been apathetic, that we have not been giving it our all.  We have not stretched forth striving to enter in at the straight gate.  So, help us to stir up the gift, and we’ll give You all the glory, all the honor for it, Father.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.