2 Kings 2:9-10(KJV) 9And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. 10And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
(This week we had Pastors Tom and Joy Collins from Detroit, Michigan with us. They blessed our church with some wonderful words and some great ministry. You can find their messages on the web at www.Livingwordgreene.com in the media section of the web site. I will be commenting on their messages in this week’s blog.)
Yesterday we looked at the transition between Elijah and Elisha. Elisha served Elijah many years in a capacity similar to what we might call a butler. Inevitably, the time came when Elijah was going to pass off the scene and Elisha would take his place. No matter who we are, the day will come when we must pass on the work or ministry to the next generation. Often this happens in stages. However, it always happens. If we cannot accomplish the transition, what we accomplish in life ends with us. This is never the will of God.
A smooth and effective transition depends on both generations. If the older generation will not release what they have to the next generation, there is no transition. If the younger generation tries to take what the older generation has, the younger ones will find that they have to build the same things that their fathers built. By the time they do that, they will be at the point of passing the work to the next generation. Noting new will have been gained. No new ground will be taken for the Kingdom of God.
The only way for each generation to build upon the other is for the young to recognize the wisdom of the old and for the old to impart that wisdom to the young. Elijah and Elisha managed to do this very well. They did it so well that Elisha’s ministry was twice as effective as Elijah’s ministry. Yesterday we studied the cities they traveled through during their transition journey and what they signified. Today I want to look at the attitudes each man showed that produced the smooth transition.
First, let me say that I am not just talking about those in ministry. Each of us has a role that we play in church and in life. Whether it is in ministry, business, or as a worker in the church, there will be transition in life. No one is born knowing how to be a father, mother, husband or wife. Even in the roles of family, we all have the responsibility to see that the next generation goes farther and does better than we do. This applies to everyone.
During their journey, we see Elijah and Elisha going from one city to the next. Two things happen in each place. First, Elijah says to Elisha, stay here. Elijah gives his successor the opportunity to stay in each place. Each place was a good place. Each place would have been a good location for Elisha to have a ministry. However, none of these places represented the fullness of what the Lord wanted for Elisha. Elijah could not choose for him. If Elisha wanted everything God had for him, he was going to have to choose to go all the way with Elijah. Elisha’s response was the same each time “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!”
The second thing we see is that in each city there were sons of the prophets who came out to speak with Elisha.
2 Kings 2:3(NKJV) 3Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”
Why would Elisha tell these young men to keep silent? I believe there is more to what they said than just a statement that Elijah was about to leave. I believe they are trying to tell Elisha that he should take his place. Indeed, he was about to take his place, but it was not yet time. Elisha understood that if he was going to be all that God wanted him to be, he needed to stay with Elijah until the very end. Elisha was in no hurry. These young men were well meaning, but if he had listened to them, he would have missed something very important.
We come to today’s verse. Elisha has stayed with Elijah the whole time. It was not by command that he crossed the Jordan with his father in the faith. He had every opportunity to stay behind. He had opportunity to make his own way. He chooses instead to follow the man of God. When they reach the other side of Jordan, Elijah asks Elisha what he wants.
Elisha could ask for many things. He could ask for Elijah’s anointing. He could ask for Elijah’s mantle. He could ask for Elijah’s blessing on his ministry. What he asks for reveals his heart. “And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.” He did not ask for what Elijah had. He asked to be twice what Elijah was.
Sometimes we can look at those who go before us and want their power or anointing. What we need is to understand what made them what they were. If we can build on their character and their integrity, we will have their anointing. If we do not build on those things, we will have nothing at all.
Elijah says, “This is a hard thing you ask.” Then he tells him what he must do to get his request. Elisha does not have to perform any great feats. He does not have to study a particular text. He does not have to do anything that we might associate with obtaining a hard thing. He just has to be there until the very end. He has to see his “apprenticeship” through to the final moment.
As we come to the end of the story, we see that Elisha does exactly that. As they are having their final conversation, the chariot of God swoops down between them. Elisha’s father in the faith and his mentor is taken up in a whirlwind to heaven. Elisha cries out, “My father my father.” Again, we see his heart. He does not say, “I made it to the end! Where is my reward?” His concern was for the loss of his father, not for the position he now held.
The mantle of Elijah falls from the chariot. Elisha takes it up and his first act is to part the Jordan river they had just crossed. He cries out, “Where is the God of Elijah.” He did not cry out, “I’m the man now. Let’s go God.” Instead, he acknowledges that it was the training and love of Elijah that makes it possible for him to step into the ministry God has for him.
I believe we live at the edge of a great move of God. I have precious fathers in the faith around me. I have sons and daughters in the faith as well. I know I cannot accomplish the will of God unless I give the proper place to both. I am holding on to my fathers. They have seen things I have not. I am doing what I can to thrust forth my sons and daughters. I know they will do more than I can.
Look around you. The devil would love to divide the generations. He would love to see us caught up in methods and preferences. Instead let the sons cry out, “Give me a double portion of your spirit.” Let the fathers pour into the sons. Together we will fulfill our destiny together.
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