The Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name....” (Acts 9:15 ESV)
The Lord must have an instrument, a Daniel
instrument, whether personal or collective, that moves out towards God for His
testimony. He must have a Nehemiah with a heartache over the people because of
the breakdown of the testimony. He must have an Ezra who is not for a moment
compromising with anything contrary to the mind of God. He must have the Esther
instrument who flings fear to the winds, and goes, taking life in hand, to
besiege the throne for the life of her people, for the deliverance of the people
of God from the threat of the enemy. Oh! What those prayers wrought! And,
beloved, the burden of the Lord must come on our heart in like manner if
we are to be effective instruments for the Lord in His end-time activities; we
must be exercised in a very deep way with the interests of God. We must hold
back nothing that will count for the Lord and His interests. You would be
surprised how the Lord would come through if you gave Him a chance.
The whole thing begins with a recognition of
the need, and the burden of these things upon our hearts. When we are really in
it by the urge of the Holy Spirit, the common features found in these Old
Testament instruments will be found inwrought in us; and we shall be
found an abandoned people unto this ONE THING – the Lord's burden and heart
concern for His testimony in His people.