SITUATIONS VACANT

When you're not happy with your job, or are out of one altogether, you start looking in the Situations Vacant. You scan through the list until you find one that appeals to you and then send off your CV. I believe that God has an advert in the Heavenly Herald and is now recruiting for a very big job that's being displayed all around the world. The Job is for the Elijah Ministry and it's to "Prepare the way of the Lord."
Malachi 4:5 says that God will send Elijah the Prophet before the 2nd Coming of the Lord and He's wanting recruits to do the job. How do we know it's now the time? - Because the curse is devouring the earth and where is the Elijah?

Recently we were in New Zealand where they were filming the latest Tom Cruise film. "The Last Samurai." Hundreds were chosen for all the jobs that were available, from delivering water to putting on the makeup, it was a very big operation.
You might say. "I'm not qualified for this job in the Elijah Ministry." "I'm no good, too old, to big or too young." God couldn't care about those things, as all He's wanting is a people who are available and keen. He will give you "On the job training" and He's saying right now- COME.
Matthew 20:16 says "Many are called, but few are chosen." Though 1000s apply for the Elijah Task not many are chosen for the part. Many get saved, but how few become over-comers, fulfilled and really showing forth the life of Christ. Jesus said that the works He did will we do also.

In Judges 7 we read of Gideon who was called to choose an army to fight the Midianites. Of the 32,000 men that applied only 300 made it because they weren't afraid and weren't careless like the others. God's eyes are roaming through the earth to see those whose hearts are strong towards Him. The call is going out. "Whom shall I send, who will go for us?"

The Job Description is to prepare the Way of Lord. Elijah was an O/T Prophet with a powerful miracle anointing that enabled him to call the nation to repentance. The ministry wasn't just for one man either, as it was passed onto Elisha after him, and the anointing doubled. Israel turned back to God through this ministry and the Prophetic was restored. Many years later John the Baptist was also called to be God's Elijah to call back the nation and prepare for the 1st Coming of the Lord. He was a Vanguard chosen from birth. John fulfilled his mission and is now dead, but Malachi 4:5 tells us that there is still another Elijah coming before the 2nd Coming of Jesus. It won't just be one Holy Man speaking to Palestine but a Holy People speaking to the world. The job description has grown. The N/T emphasis is on Body Ministry and not a one-man Band anymore. It's a team that God is looking for, a whole cast of people from the leading lady down to the tea lady.

Do you feel like there's something more to life? Are you unhappy in your part of the Body? Are you restless? Is there a cry rising up in your heart - "Where is the God of Elijah?" Do you sense a calling on your life that makes all you do seem empty? Maybe you are called to the Elijah Task and you won't be happy until you fulfil this God given call.
Jeremiah 1:5 says that God ordained Jeremiah as a Prophet to the nations and he couldn't fit into anything else. He was ordained for the job and would have been a square peg in a round hole if he left his calling. Those who are ordained for the Elijah Task to prepare the way of the Lord will not be happy until they are doing what they were designed to do from birth.

So many people are depressed because they have no vision (and people perish for a lack of it.) We need a big vision for the future. If we set our sights too low it's not enough and we will end up depressed. The world won't satisfy our cravings, for its all 2nd best. If you are happy with the way things are then maybe you aren't the right person for this job. Those called will not rest until it all happens.
Maybe you are setting your sights too low? You may look at your track record and your abilities and say I can't do it. Jesus says that we must come to Him and He will make us fishers of men. He will make us into … He will do the making, we just need to make ourselves available. When his Spirit comes on you, He could send you to Jerusalem, Judeah, Samaria and the ends of the earth. He could give you a world-wide ministry.

One qualification for this job is the need to be a relative of the Lord. John the Baptist was a cousin of Jesus. Christians are far greater than that, as Jesus is our brother and not just a cousin. Jesus said that John was a great Prophet but even the least in the Kingdom was greater than John. He was great but he wasn't born again like we are. We even have Christ in us.

Elijah was just like us too but what made the difference for him was his earnestness and prayer and that's what we need too. James 5:17.

There is a call going out to the ends of the earth as we near the end of the day. There is not much time left to heed the Masters' call. Some have got tired of waiting and others have failed the test, but who will be chosen? God may call you to do unusual things too like he did to John, who wore a camel skin coat and ate locusts and wild honey. It was something that he alone was called to do, for Jesus never did that. You may be asked to do something unusual too if you can receive it. If you can receive it this is the Elijah who is to come.

It's really exciting to think that just as the martyred John was a type of the coming Jesus who was to be killed by men, so shall this future Elijah be a type of the victorious coming King. It says in Malachi 4 that we will tread down the wicked under his feet in the day of God's power. This Elijah people will be calling the shots in that day. They will also be voices and not just echoes as so many are today. They will be a people who are hearing from God and not just getting information from books and tapes.

The coming Elijah will be able to turn the hearts of men. They get right to the heart of the man and not just tickle the ears. This ties up with Joel 2:28 where it says that God will pour out of His Spirit on us before the Great Day of the Lord's Power and Psalm 110 that says that God's people will be willing in that day. God will do something great in the hearts of men to turn them to back to God when the Elijah Ministry kicks in.

Do you hear the call going out from the mouth of God? "Who shall I send, who will go for us?"