What If?

In the Book of 1 Kings, chapters 17 and 18 we read about the life of Elijah. Elijah had incredible spiritual power. Elijah prayed that it would not rain, and it didn't. Elijah prayed that it would rain, and it rained. Elijah prayed and made people wealthy supernaturally. Elijah raised dead people back to life. Elijah prayed and sick people were made well. Elijah prayed and well people were cursed with sickness. Elijah prayed fire down from heaven. And finally, when it was Elijah's time to go, he prayed and chariots of fire came down and took him up to heaven. Take the time to sit down and read 1 Kings 17 & 18, it is a great read that will take no more than 15 minutes. Then Elijah's disciple Elisha followed after him and did twice as many miracles as Elijah! There are many other examples in the Bible of people with incredible spiritual authority (Jeremiah, Daniel, Samuel, David, Peter, John, Paul).

How did these people, men and women like you and I, get such spiritual power? Think about it. Of the billions of people who have lived since Adam, why and how did these get such authority? Was it something they were born with, kind of like a musical ability? Was it something they learned, like a PHD? Was it something that was imparted to them supernaturally?

I know that answering a question with another question is frustrating, but here goes...

What if a man or women devoted every waking and sleeping moment of their whole life from birth to death to the purpose of the God of this universe? Every ounce of energy, forsaking every other interest including food, sleep, friends, family, clothes, houses, ... everything fully devoted with all of the passion in them to the things of God. This makes me think of the early Catholic tradition of Monks and Nuns. But I am talking more of the former discussion. Was that what happened to these men of God? Did they devote every ounce of their being, forsaking everything else to God? And if so, is that why or how they obtained such power and authority?

Ok, so now another question to answer the question which answered the first question!

What If? What If... someone today were to do just that. What if someone were to devote every ounce of their being to pursuing the things of God. Would they see the spiritual authority that these men saw? Wow. It would only take a lifetime to find out!