Applause

It is natural for every man who wants to manifest God’s plan to be inquisitive at every stage in life. Such people are always cautious about getting convictions from God at each point. There are times in life you just feel most sincerely to yourself you don’t understand how your life is going. It looks gloomy, confusing and shady. This is because you have taken time to look deep into your innermost self and feel a wide lacuna in where you are and where you ought to be. You feel you are not celebrated as much as you are giving out. Let’s take a lesson from Prophet Elijah.

Elijah is a powerful man of God who did so much for the Lord. He is an instrument in God’s hand to establish His power here on earth. This man was given two of the three authority office that men could operate in as God’s representative before the coming of Jesus Christ- kingship and priesthood. He commanded the authority of a king and a prophet. He operated in these offices with power. He manifested God’s power bringing the son of the widow back to life. He spoke the word of the Lord that the pot of the widow kept flowing with oil. The king of the country as at the time feared him and detested him because this man of God will always confront him with the truth. You can imagine how strong he is for a man to be bold enough to face a king. He had kingship authority upon him which explains the strength.

Just after a major event of bringing down fire from heaven upon a wet altar and publicly disgracing and ending the lives of hundreds of prophets of Baal, he was confronted by the wife of the king, Jezebel, who happened to be a lead character against the activities of Jehovah.  Jezebel sent a letter to Elijah that he was coming for his life.

Personally, I would have thought the man of God was just going to smile and ask God for what to do or just go ahead to decide what kind of discipline is worth for this woman. In contrast to my thought, the scripture recorded that he took to his heels into a cave. At a point, the man of God began to plead for God to take his life; “I have done enough” he said. This is so disturbing to me; how a man of great exploit and strength suddenly becomes a fidget.

Do you remember when David defeated Goliath? What followed was a song of praise about David’s victory that Saul became jealous of David. And here is Elijah who did the miraculous and also destroyed hundreds of Baal’s prophets with no celebration following.  Elijah just slaughtered about 850 prophets of Baal; he should naturally not be threatened by one Jezebel. He became weak because no celebration followed the powerful event. The man of God just finished a crusade where all the witches and wizard there just surrendered their life to Christ and all that could come after was another battle without any form of acknowledgement of his just concluded victory.

The Lord saw his predicament and asked him what the problem is. Elijah began his treatise explaining how zealous he had been for the Lord, all the exploit he had been able to perform. He then said what was instructive: “I only I am left and they seek my life, to take it away”. He believed after the mighty display of God’s power slaughtering all the prophets of Baal and bringing down fire from heaven, there should have been no reason why all and sundry should not automatically come to the acceptance of what he says as the supreme. There should be a form of applause.

At this point the Lord transferred the grace upon him into three other persons. Elijah could no longer go on with the assignment. Immediately after Elijah was instructed on the transference of the office grace, the Lord then revealed to him there were thousands of prophets who had not bow down to Baal. This was how effective Elijah’s ministry had been because prior before the event we were told of only 100 prophets who Obadiah kept in the cave after Jezebel destroyed the prophets of the Lord. (1King18:3). 

However, because of “lack of celebration” that followed the exploit, he lost his joy.

You may not be exactly at the peak of your performance now. In fact, you may have given all that is your best but no commensurate celebration following. One thing should be your focus- the assignment. As long as it is about God and you are in Him, there is no missing of the road. Prophet Elijah felt it was time to give up since he didn’t see a physical representation of his exploit. However, it was a plantation that was due for harvest in a short time.

Can you imagine all your effort towards the success of an event in your organization and at the end no form of complement? You just solved a long pressing challenge at your place of work and it didn’t come with promotion or you have been a blessing to someone who has failed to reciprocate? You may even be at a state where you feel after all your devotion to God, nothing is happening. Notwithstanding, maybe it’s not time to tell God to take your life! (Quit)

Friend, be not discouraged with the level of celebration you may be witnessing now. Avoid making the applause the benchmark for the estimation of your victory. What has God called you to do? Do it as unto Him and not to man.

Enjoy your week.

Be Innovated

Olufemi Ibitoye

@toyeolufemi