When the prophet Elijah began to make his journey to his final destination on earth, Elisha (his “prophet” in training and closest friend) relentlessly followed him to the very end. Even though Elijah “released” Elisha from his responsibilities, Elisha dared not leave his friend and God’s prophet. After having seen the incredible anointing God had placed upon Elijah, Elisha knew that one of two things would happen once Elijah was taken up into heaven: The end or the beginning of his own ministry would occur. Wanting so badly to “have” what Elijah had, Elisha asked for a “double portion” of God’s anointing. However, it wasn’t Elijah’s to give – regardless of how much he wanted his friend to continue on in his shoes. The only way Elisha would receive the anointing was through God – not man.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”
11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
The empowerment of God’s anointing never comes through man but only through our faith in Him. Elisha spent the greater part of his life relentlessly pursuing God through serving Elijah in his ministry. So often, when we see the anointing on someone’s life we instantly want “what they’ve got”, don’t we? Unless God ordains His will in our lives will not receive God’s will for our lives. Notice how God (not Elijah) controlled whether or not Elisha would receive the anointing? In the spiritual realm, only God could open Elisha’s eyes to see Elijah’s spirit ascending to heaven. Even more amazing is how God allowed Elijah’s “garment” to fall away from him as he ascended, to be used once again in the ministry of God’s newly appointed prophet Elisha.
The beauty of this scripture comes through how we see God always remaining in control of our destiny and how He honors our hearts desire(s) when we seek Him. The anointing we seek only comes through God, our daily discipline for seeking His will in our lives and our obedience to follow Christ. To be “anointed” by God is to be made ready to serve God fully in the anointing. Elisha faithfully “served” Elijah and was made ready through his obedience to God.
If you’ve been seeking God’s anointing, asking Him for a “double portion” remember the obedience of Elisha and how he relentlessly followed, obeyed and served God’s anointed leader, Elijah, before God entrusted him with the anointing.Thought to live by: Our obedience is a vessel for God’s anointing.
“Who’s your Daddy? Knowing God as Abba Father” Pat Ferguson, Author. Copyright © 2012; All Rights Reserved.
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