Are You Willing to Pay the Price?

God has continually brought me to the place where he asks me whether I am willing to pay the price to be used by him. Sometimes this question comes during times of prayer and sometimes it comes while I am reading scripture. Recently God used the book, "The Anointing" by Benny Hinn to ask me that question.

We are so used to God's grace that talking about paying a 'price' seems like bad theology. Yet as I read of people that God used mightily in the past to renew his church it seems that they paid the price. I think of Wesley, Edwards, Finney and Moody right on down to Billy Graham. Each of these men paid a price. The price it seems was total surrender of themselves. They became instruments that God could use. Their own comfort or agenda was no longer important. Balance in their lives was no longer important. Rather total surrender to Jesus was important. This meant that they eliminated from their lives things that might not have been 'sinful' but were not expedient. It meant they spent significant amounts of time in prayer and seeking God. It meant radical obedience in all areas. It meant passion and zeal. It meant being willing to be misunderstood and criticized.

I admit that I struggle reconciling this idea of total surrender with what I have been taught about living a balanced life. I also am aware of areas of failure in the lives of these 'mighty men of God' (Wesley's marriage comes to mind). Yet I can not get away from the conviction that there is a price to pay to be used by God. The question is asked succinctly by Benny Hinn, "Are you willing to pay the price for the anointing?"