1 Kings 21:25
But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
There are two men in the same story that represent two sides of right. The first man is Ahab, who the Scriptures say, he did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD. The other man was Naboth, who was told to name the price that he would sell his vineyard to Ahab, but Naboth was unwilling to sell out his heritage for anything. This decision not to be a sell-out cost him his life, but at least he kept the character of his name intact.
There are too many who, like Ahab, are willing to be a sell-out. Balaam was a sell-out who was willing to sell out his good name for fortune. Judas Iscariot was a sell-out who was willing to sell out the Saviour for thirty pieces of silver. Ananias and Sapphira were sell-outs when they kept back part of their commitment to the church for personal gain. Alexander the coppersmith was a sell-out who, for the acceptance of the crowd, was willing to sell out the Apostle Paul. Oh, the Scriptures are filled with sell-outs who, for a price, were willing to sell out righteousness for compromise and unrighteousness.
However, the Scriptures are also filled with people who would not sell out their character, testimony, or heritage for anything. Stephen was not a sell-out who could have changed what he said to save his life, but he found doing right was of more value than anything the world could offer. Peter was no sell-out when he was threatened imprisonment and death if he didn't stop preaching the Gospel of Christ. The three Hebrew children were not sell-outs who could have simply bowed to the golden image, but they would rather do right than sell out the God who eventually delivered them. Daniel was no sell-out who would not sell out to the government’s demand not to pray. These and many more who chose not to sell out are the heroes of our faith who we look to for examples of how to live.
My friend, you are sure to be a sell-out if you seek man’s acceptance more than God’s approval. Many have chosen to sell out their heritage for the sake of being in the popular crowd. Many preachers have sold out to politics because they wanted to be accepted by the political crowd. Many believers have sold out the Saviour for promotion on the job or the opportunity to make wealth. Many have sold themselves out to physical pleasure to live adulterous or fornicating lifestyles only to find in the end that these lifestyle never satisfy.
If you will not be a sell-out, you must set aside your desire to be accepted by man to be approved by God. It takes faith not to be a sell-out. It takes courage not to be a sell-out. It takes strength not to be a sell-out. It takes a willingness to be alone not to be a sell-out. Those who were not sell-outs were those who often had to stand alone for truth, and some even endured hardship and torture for the sake of not selling out their character, heritage, and God.
One may ask, what is the benefit of not selling out? The benefit is God uses those who do not sell-out to do the miraculous. Always remember that God has never done the miraculous through one sell-out, but every miracle God worked through a life was a person who chose not to sell out. There is only one thing worthy of selling out to, and that is to sell yourself out to God for Him to use.
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