Whatever It Takes
Esther 4:16
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Years ago, when I was in high school, we had a music teacher who asked each student to either form a group to sing in or sing a solo at the school. My friend and I chose to sing the song, Whatever It Takes. This song is simply states that whatever it takes for God to use us, we are willing for that to happen. The teacher stopped us and cautioned us about singing this song. She said that is a big statement to say, whatever it takes. She told us that we don't know what God will do to use us, so we had better be careful about singing such a song. Though she was not trying to discourage us from singing this song, she was warning us that there is a price to pay for God to use you.
Throughout the Scriptures, I have found that the price for God to use you is that there must be no boundaries that you will go to for God to use you. Several times in the Scriptures, we see people willing to die for God to use them. Esther said, if I perish, I perish. For the sake of saving her people, she was willing to die if necessary.
There are several people I find who put their lives on the line or were willing to die for the cause of Christ. David asked when he faced Goliath, Is there not a cause? Paul stated, none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself. Rahab the harlot put her life at risk for the sake of saving the spies who came to spy out the land of Canaan. The four leprous men put their lives at stake and said, if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. Jonathan and his armourbearer put their life at stake for the sake of trying to save their nation from the Philistine army. Most of all, Jesus gave His life for the world to be saved. Nobody has ever been greatly used by God, who was unwilling to give everything for their cause.
My friend, if there is no sacrifice, there will be no purpose for God to use you. God wants to see what your line is to determine whether He will use you. If you are unwilling to give your all for the sake of Christ, He will not be willing to put His power upon your life to use you mightily. Let me share a couple thoughts about this truth.
First, God wants to see your investment before He invests His mighty power in your life. The reason most people never see God do anything in their lives is because they have no investment with their own. Too many people want a feeling, and nothing else. They want to go to church and have a warm, fuzzy feeling that comes from a song service or an emotional preaching service, but they don't want to put their life on the line for the sake of Christ. God will never use you if you have no investment in His cause.
Second, whatever line you draw is the line that God will never go beyond. The question I ask is, are you willing to put your life on the line for God to use you? Do you really want God to use you in a mighty way? If you really want God to use you, you must be willing to put your whole life on the line if that is what it takes. Every person whom God has used burned their dreams, and was willing to do whatever it takes to be used by God. You will never be used mightily by God until you are willing to say, whatever it takes.
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