Transform Your Ordinary Life into an Extraordinary Life

How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.
–1 Kings 18:21

This week we are looking at seven choices Elijah made that unlock for us the secret for spiritual success. Yesterday, we saw that Elijah understood his purpose, influenced his culture, waited on God’s timing, and was “all in” for God.

Fifth, Elijah practiced the principles of powerful praying. Survey the Scriptures, and you will discover that the men and women who made the greatest difference in God’s kingdom were those who learned how to pray effectively. There are many things you can do after you have prayed, but there’s nothing of significance you can do until you have prayed. Prayer is the beginning place for making an eternal impact, and Elijah is an example of how to pray persistently, precisely, and powerfully.

Sixth, successful people learn how to handle bad days. Elijah was a normal person who battled despair, depression, and doubt. One moment he was on top of Mount Carmel doing battle with hundreds of false prophets, and the next moment he was curled up in a fetal position wanting to die. We all go through times like that, don’t we? Maybe you are going through a bad season of life; you are battling with discouragement right now. Bad days can consist of anything from a sore throat and a flat tire to tests of our faith like the loss of a job, the loss of a loved one, or the loss of your mate. Elijah’s life reveals his secrets for handling those bad seasons of life.

Finally, significant people live with the end in mind. Elijah knew his time on earth was limited. He knew he wouldn’t be here long, and he lived his life with that end in view. Elijah didn’t know that God would catch him up into heaven just like He will do with Christians during the rapture, but he knew his time was limited, so he wanted to make sure he left a legacy of faith. That is why he trained Elisha to carry on the work after he was gone. If you want a spiritually significant life, you will learn the truth that God’s work goes on long after you are gone, and you will make sure that you pass on your faith to your children, your grandchildren, and others who will be faithful in standing for God. These are Elijah’s seven principles for spiritual significance.

Somebody has said that one courageous person with purpose makes a majority. That was true of Elijah, and that is true in our day as well. God has given us a rescue mission, and only when we understand and build our lives around God’s purpose will we transform our ordinary existence into an extraordinary life. Are you ready to start living it?

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Choosing the Extraordinary Life” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2017.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.