I believe that Elvis Presley was blessed with the gifts of God.
"But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things." (1 John 2: 20)
He had Holy Spirit charisma pouring all over him, enough that the President of the United States was willing to clear out his calendar so that he could spend a hour with the King of Rock and Roll.
When you walk in the favor of God, kings and princes of the earth will make way for you:
"And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me." (Isaiah 49: 23)
Elvis Presley's mother was a Pentecostal, and she believe in the gifts of the Spirit, that Jesus, who is the same "yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13: 8) still performs miracles.
Jesus promised the same to His believers:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." (John 14: 12)
How do we do these works? By the Power of the Holy Spirit:
"God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost. . ."(Hebrews 2: 4)
One report indicated that Elvis Presley laid hands on a sick back-up singer, and she recovered. Whether these reports are true or not, all Glory must go to Him who give us all power.
I also believe that Elvis Presley's life ended all too soon. I believe that he, like many believers in the Body of Christ, was not firmly established in the gift of righteousness, and even as Elvis sang Gospel songs into the wee hours of the morning, this man could find no rest for all that he did.
I believe that he felt guilty about sins that he had done in the past, and for that reason, he resorted to drugs to find peace.
Yet in Christ, we all have peace:
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14: 27)
This peace is a gift, yet the devil and his messengers go out of their way to distract us from who we are and what we have in Christ:
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1 Peter 5: 8)
Yet faith is all that it takes to take down the enemy:
"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." (Ephesians 6: 16)
This faith we receive as a gift because of our life in Jesus:
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2: 20)
Faith takes, besides, and we take in abundance of grace and righteousness (Romans 5: 17)
Too many believers, though, do not stand in righteousness nor do they actively receive God's grace, and thus they fall prey to attacks -- lies, fears, worries -- in their lives.
Jesus told his disciples then, and we need to still hear this now:
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6: 33)
I believe that Elvis Presley was not actively receiving the gift of God's righteousness in his life, so he fell prey to empty attacks from the enemy and his minions. All the drug use and gospel-singing in the world could never give him the peace he was looking for, because in Christ he already had it!
It is sad that his life was cut short all too soon. It is still sadder that men and women chose to believe that he is still alive, that aliens abducted him, or that he still haunts the lands of Graceland. The same God who blessed him with the grace to swing and sway millions with his voice -- this same Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, sending forth His Spirit of favor and fervor to a dying world desperate for life and that more abundantly. When men and women know and believe that God's gift of righteousness is fully extended to a dying world, which grace we can receive by faith, then more men and women will know the freedom and life that will allow them to live and reign in life like Kings.
Even though Elvis died all too soon, his example can still bless millions, for the grace of God goes beyond the death of one man.
Beloved, live like the King that Christ Jesus has made you to be, and do not let the enemy distract you with fear and shame for one more minute for living out the life that He lives in you!
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