DO NOT MISS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TOTAL VICTORY...
SETTLING FOR LESS THAN THE BEST
By Wade martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I. HERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THE WILL FOREVER CHANGE YOU...
THE JOURNEY WILL BE TWISTED, BUT YOU WILL TRAVEL FROM AN
UNKNOWN FARM BOY TO ONE OF THE GREATEST PROPHETS OF GOD
EVEB KNOWN IN HISTORY...
A. OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT ALWAYS KNOWN AS OPPORTUNITIES...
OFTEN WHAT WE CALL ADVERSITY IS REALLY A HIDDEN OPPORTUNITY...
B. THE OLD PREACHER IS TIRED...
HIS EMOTIONS HAVE BEEN PLAYING GAMES WITH HIM...
C. Elijah has had great victories, but the pressure and stress has been so very great.
Elijah's message was UNPOPULAR and because of this ELIJAH HAD MANY ENEMIES...
D. Elijah was SHELL-SHOCKED and BATTERED on every side.
1 Kings 19:14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because
the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy
prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
E. ELIJAH CRIED IN DEPRESSION... I AM THE ONLY ONE...
SO GOD HAS TO CORRECT HIM
1 Kings 19:18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed
unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
II. OPPORTUNITY MAY TAKE THE FORM OF FOLLOW THE LEADER...
FIND THE MANTLE... SPEND YOURSELF TO REALIZE WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNTY
IS HIDDEN HERE...
A. WHILE ELIJHA WAS TIRED AND NEARING THE END OF HIS MINISTRY...
GOD KNEW WHAT ELIJAH NEEDED... A GREAT OPPORTUNITY ARISES...
B. FIND A STUDENT. THIS MENTOR CAN HELP YOU, AND LEARN AND FOLLOW GOD.
NO MAN CAN EVER BE A SUCCESS WITHOUT A SUCCESSOR.
C. Today a young man wakes up... He eats breakfast... He prepares for his
menial daily chores... BUT HE WILL NEVER EVER BE THE SAME...
1 Kings 19:19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing
with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and
cast his mantle upon him.
D. THE YOUNG MAN HAS NO IDEA OF HIS JOURNEY AHEAD...
ELISHA HAD TO BURN THE BRIDGES BEHIND HIM...
1 Kings 19:21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and
boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat.
Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
E. ELISHA: THE MAN THAT SEIZES THE OPPORTUNITY...
Elisha was the UNDERSTUDY of a great man of God, ELIJAH...
Elisha was plowing in a field when an old man came around and INVITED him to a
NEW OPPORTUNITY....
Elisha agreed to follow the OLD MAN .... ELIJAH then mentored the YOUNG FARMER....
to be one of the greatest PROPHETS to ever serve God and his nation.
III. THE OPPORTUNITY MAY AT TIMES APPEAR TO BE AIMLESS... DON'T QUIT...
AS WITH ANY OPPORTUNITY ... THIS TOTAL VICTORY CAN NEVER MATURE
IF YOU QUIT... YOU WILL FACE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO QUIT AS
YOU WILL FACE TO SUCCEED...
A. So many years pass... ELIJAH LEADS, ELISHA FOLLOWS...
B. Often Elisha says: I DO NOT LIKE THIS... I can do it better...
This does not make sense to me...
C. AFTER YEARS OF FOLLOWING ELISHA SENSE A "PARADIGM SHIFT" IS NEAR.
A NEW OPPORTUNITY BITHS BY FAITHFULNESS TO YOUR OLD OPPORTUNITY.
1. GILGAL
THIS TWISTED JOURNEY COMES TO GILGAL...
CIRCLE, AROUND AND AROUND, ROLLING STONE... NOT ESTABLISHED...
UNFAITHFUL, LITTLE PROGRESS...
2 Kings 2:1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a
whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
a. HERE IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO QUIT IF YOU WANT TO:
2 Kings 2:2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me
to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not
leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
b. I HAVE COME TO FAR... I CAN'T QUIT...
2. BETHEL
Elijah says: I have to GO TO BETHEL... YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GO...
THERE IS A FEELING OF EXPECTANCY AND ANOINTING GROWING...
BETHEL MEANS HOUSE OF PRAYER, DEVOTION, STUDY, FAITH TO CHURCH...
2 Kings 2:3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said
unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And
he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
a. ELISHA you have been faithful, you can quit now...
Elisha says: I HAVE BURNED ALL THE BRIDGES...
I HAVE NO DESIRE TO QUIT NOW...
2 Kings 2:4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to
Jericho. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they
came to Jericho.
b. OTHER'S SEEM TO KNOW THERE IS A GREATER ANOINTING...
3. JERICHO: Many learn to PRAISE AFTER the miracle...we must learn to shout before
the miracle...
THE JOURNEY IS DEEPER THAN ROLLING STONES AND PERSONAL DEVOTION...
SWEET FRAGRANCE. WORSHIP, PRAISE, JOY, DEEPER LOVE...
A. SURE, I HAVE LEARNED THERE IS A GREATER THAN THIS OPPORTUNITY...
2 Kings 2:5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him,
Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered,
Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
B. Is it easier to not quit as you mature?
Is it harder to PLOD ON?
2 Kings 2:6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan.
And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
C. SON, SAYS THE OLD PREACHER, YOU HAVE COME A LONG WAY,
THE JOURNEY GETS HARDER... YOU CAN QUIT IF YOU WANT TO...
4. THE STRANGE TWISTED JOURNEY NOW BRINGS US TO THE JORDAN RIVER...
JORDAN: DEATH, SELFISHNESS GOES OUT THE DOOR, NOT MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY,
YIELDED, HAVE THY OWN WAY LORD, COMPLETE TRUST...
A. The crowd seldom follows through the Jordan...
AFAR OFF...
2 Kings 2:7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two
stood by Jordan.
B. YOU DETERMINE AT WHAT DISTANCE YOU TRAVEL IN YOU OPPORTUNITY...
IV. WE SELDOM SEE THIS STRANGE TWIST IN THE ROAD IS GOD BECAUSE THE OPPORTUNILY
SLOWLY OPENS, WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE CROWDS... WE LOVE APPLAUSE.
FINALLY WE SEE GOD IS IN THIS...
THE JOURNEY:
1. GILGAL
2. BETHEL
3. JERICHO
4. JORDAN
V. REMEMBER THE MANTLE BACK ON THE FARM?
THE OPPORTUNITY APPOACHES CLOSER AND CLOSER...
A. ELIJHA IS A GOOD TEACHER...
ELISHA IS A FAITHFUL STUDENT...
2 Kings 2:8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they
were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
B. Every journey has a starting point and the OPPORTUNITY BRINGS A RELEASE...
VI. WHAT DO YOU WANT... WILL YOU SETTLE FOR LESS?
WILL YOU CLAIM THE BEST? TOTAL VISTORY CAN BE YOURS...
BE FAITHFUL...
A. OUT OF THE TREASURE OF YOUR HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKS...
B. Your tongue has life and death... Will you release death?
2 Kings 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what
I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion
of thy spirit be upon me.
C. Will you accept ALITTLE and COMPROMISE?
D. YOU REALLY ASK A HARD THING...
THE ANSWER IS CONDITION FOR A TOTAL VICTORY...
VII. DOUBLE PORTIONS CAN COST YOUR DREAM! CONDITIONAL?
THEY MAYBE EXPENSIVE, BUT THEY ARE WORTH IT ALL...
2 Kings 2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am
taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
VIII. WILL YOU PICK UP THE DOUBLE PORTION OF GOD?
WILL YOU ALLOW THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SLIP BY... UNCLAIMED?
A. HAVE YOU EVER WATCHED ON TV, WHERE THEY SELL LUGGAGE AND STORAGE
LOCKERS BECAUSE SOMEONE LEFT THEIR PROPERTY UNCLAIMED...
B. Satan laughs every time your LOCKERS are claimed by some one else...
2 Kings 2:13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by
the bank of Jordan; [14] And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters,
and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted
hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
IX. TODAY THE QUESTION IS NOT WHERE IS THE GOD OF ELIJAH...
THE QUESTION SHOULD BE: WHERE ARE THE ELIJAH'S OF GOD...
A. MANY ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING, BUT THEY WILL NOT BE FAITHFUL AND
FOLLOW THE JOURNEY...
B. FIND YOU A PLACE NEAR THE HEART OF GOD AND FOLLOW...
C. OTHERS WILL KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL AND FOUND THE JOURNEY
SWEET...
2 Kings 2:15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said,
The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the
ground before him.
CONCLUSION: God has a plan... You are not an accident. Your journey may seem twisted.
The problems before you never caught God by surprise. Look at JOB'S JOURNEY...
MANY YEARS THE JOURNEY MADE LITTLE SENSE...
IN ONE DAY THERE WAS A TURN AROUND...
Job 42:10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave
Job twice as much as he had before.
IN ONE DAY THE JOURNEY CHANGED...
Job 42:16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons,
even four generations. [17] So Job died, being old and full of days.
IN ONE DAY MOSES TWISTED JOURNEY IS FOREVER CHANGED...
1. FIRST 4O YEARS MOSES THOUGHT HE WAS SOMETHING...
2. FROM 40 TO 80 MOSES WAS IN THE DESERT AND THOUGHT HE WAS NOTHING...
3. NEXT 40 YEARS, 80 TO 120 MOSES LEARNED: GOD WAS EVERYTHING...
Exodus 3:4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of
the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
[5] And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou
standest is holy ground.
ARE YOU READY?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
NEXT LESSON: JOASH SETTLING FOR LESS THAN THE BEST...
The new King was searching for ways to strengthen his POLITICAL POWER to make
His Kingdom stronger. Some one told him about ELISHA...
