EXPECTATION, POTENTIAL, THE MANTLE!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Part #1)
God is looking for opportunities to reveal Himself to mankind. Seems we want to yield to opposition and limit the HAND OF GOD… we are weak, BUT GOD IS STRONG! God’s eyes are running to and fro looking for opportunities to REVEAL HIS LOVE AND POWER. God is not reluctant to help His people.
Looking for a perfect heart.
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
2 Chronicles 16:9 (MSG) GOD is always on the alert, constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to him. You were foolish to go for human help when you could have had God's help. Now you're in trouble—one round of war after another."
OPPORTUNITY: a good chance, amount of time something can be done, a good chance to advance, break
POTENTIAL: Existing in possibility, capable of development, a chance something will develop, the ability that someone has that can be developed, capable.
ANTICIPATION: Visualization, expectation, Looking forward, A FEELING OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, the act of preparing for something,
Blessed is he who expects nothing, he shall receive exactly what he was expecting.
I had a friend named Rebecca Arnett that would often state: NO SADDER WORDS OF PEN OR TONGUE, THAN THE WORDS: WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DONE…
COME WITH ME AND LET US WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE TO A TERRIBLE TIME IN HISTORY TO SEE THE MANTLE OF OPPORTUNITY.
THE OLD PREACHER’S NAME WAS ELIJAH. THE WAS A DARK EVIL TIME IN THE GOVERNMENTAL RULE OF ISRAEL. THE KING’S NAME WAS AHAB. AHAB’S WIFE WAS VERY EVIL, HER NAME WAS JEZEBEL.
God spoke to the MAN OF GOD, He need support to help him in the ministry.
Elijah also need to train be his SUCCESSOR. No man can be a success until he has a successor to pick up the torch and reach forward beyond his days.
THE PRESSURES OF MINISTRY WERE CRUSHING THE OLD PREACHER. ELIJAH SAID: I AM THE ONLY ONE SERVING GOD…
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.
ELIJAH WAS TIRED AND HE WAS BATTLE SORE. The spiritual condition of the nation was backslidden and sin abounded everywhere. GOD NEED ELIJAH NEEDED A HELPER AND A TRUSTED FRIEND.
POTENTIAL BURN OUT? GOD SEES HOW TIRED AND ALONE THE PREACHER FELT, TODAY THERE WILL BE A CHANGE. IN ONE DAY THE ELDER ELIJAH GOT UP, SAID HIS PRAYERS AND ATE BREAKFAST. THIS IS GOING TO BE A NEW DAY.
Elijah had been walking alone in ministry and the load was very heavy. At times ELIJAH FELT THE PRESSURE and he felt he was walking alone. IT IS TIME TO GET UP, ARISE. God was leading the old preacher in a new direction. GOD HAD A PLAN.
God knew the ANSWER… Elijah look over there --- WHERE? Over there, see that young, strong man? See he is plowing! That is hard work! THERE IS A YOUNG MAN WITH POTENTIAL!!! The old preacher immediate RECOGNIZE GOD IS IN THIS TIME? THIS PLACE? THIS MAN? Elisha! Elisha, TIME TO ARISE!
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.
THIS POTENTIAL IS FACING GREAT DANGER… EXCUSES… THERE IS MORE TO ELIJAH’S MANTLE THAN A PIECE OF FANCY MATERIAL…
1 Kings 19:20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO BURN THE BRIDGES BEHIND US… WE MUST MAKE THE DECISION TO FOLLOW THE PLAN OF GOD. Elisha will spend many years following and serving Elijah.
GOD NEVER REQUIRES ALL FROM EVERYONE, BUT THERE ARE TIMES GOD’S MAN MUST TRUST GOD ENOUGH TO LEAVE FAMILY, HOME AND HOPES AND TO TRUST THE MAN OF GOD, AND THE GOD OF THE MAN. ELIJAH NOW HAS TO RELY ON GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT TO CONVICT AND CONVINCE THE YOUNG MAN THAT GOD HAS A PLAN THAT WILL REQUIRE COMPLETE SACRIFICE.
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.
ELIJAH SAW GOD’S HAND RELEASE ELISHA’S CALL, THE POTENTIAL OF ELISHA WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME. This day is THE DAY THAT STARTS THE RELEASE OF A LONG JOURNEY of trusting. Elisha we have to FOLLOW THE LEADER. For many years ELISHA becomes a volunteer SLAVE. Elisha will have to trust ELIJAH notas a man, but as a MAN OF GOD. Elisha may shed many tears as he REACHES HIS POTENTIAL… No Elisha will reach BEYOND his potential into the REALM OF DIVINE POTENTIAL.
1 Kings 19:21 (NLT) So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.
ALL THE BRIDGES HAVE BEEN BURNED? Total trust? Complete surrender? Do you think this is easy? Smooth sailing? Down hill? If you do you will never accept the MANTLLE OF POSSIBILITIES?
GOD’S MANTLE IS REAL, YOUR POTENTIAL IS ONLY LIMITED BY YOUR WORDS AND DEEDS. I THOUGHT THE MAN OF GOD HAD THE PLAN OF GOD? I THOUGHT GOD HAD THIS ALL WORKED OUT? WHAT KIND OF MESS DID I GET INTO? MY FIRST EXPERIENCE AS A SERVANT BECOMES A LONG SHOT ---
33 TO ONE??? WHY DID I BURN THE OXEN AND GIVE THEM AWAY? WHY?
1 Kings 20:1 And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
TO REACH OUR POTENTIAL THE FIRST LESSON TO LEARN IS THE HARDEST LESSON --- FACE THE GIANT! BEN-HADAD AND 32 OTHER KINGS?
WE MUST LEARN TO KNOW WHO GOD REALLY IS! GOD IS GOD! OUR POTENTIAL UST KNOW DESPITE THE ODDS, WE MUST LEARN TO TRUST GOD AND THAT GOD IS GOD.
1 Kings 20:13 And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
God teaches the Ben-hadad and the Syrians something that day… They learned WHO GOD WAS… In one day Israeli forces destroyed 100,000 footmen plus a wall fell on 27,000 men that were left.
GOD USED THE PROPHETS AND ELIJAD AND ELISHA TO REVEAL GOD CAN…
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.
CONCLUSION: God is looking for a lace to show himself strong. Are we inviting the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s plan? God wants us to trust His Promises… We have 3 questions of credibility: 1. CAN GOD DO THIS? 2. CAN GOD DO THIS FOR ME? 3. WHEN WILL I EXPECT GOD TO DO THIS FOR ME? We handcuff and limit the move of God. We let the past dictate the future?
2 Chronicles 16:9 (NLT) The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.”
2 Chronicles 16:9 (MSG) GOD is always on the alert, constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to him. You were foolish to go for human help when you could have had God's help. Now you're in trouble—one round of war after another."
You can, IF YOU WANT TO…God has a plan, a clear plan… GOD IS OMNIPOTENT AND OMNIPRESENT... We see that humanity has the finite mindset that often has trouble seeing DIVINE POTENTIAL. WE OFTEN ACCEPT THE COMPROMISE PARALYSES OF OUR MIND AND OUR FAITH. Yes, God is able to do whatsoever we ask, in the name of His Son, that His will might be done… Sing it… We must LET GOD ARISE, BUT WE MUST ARISE ALSO. Elijah and ELISHA ACCEPTED the MANTLE of God’s potential and released obedience and faith in action. Are we willing to SELL all for the PEARL OF GREAT PPRICE?
Psalm 68:1Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
