Elijah means My God is Yahweh/YHWH
Elisha means God is my salvation
Elisha may have been walking with Elijah, but he was following God.
Elisha knew that God was his salvation, but he also knew that Elijah knew God.
So he stayed close.
Very close.
As I read through 2 Kings many things stand out to me but this was a section that seemed to hover off the page….
2 Kings 9-10
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.”
You have asked a difficult thing
You have asked a difficult thing
You have asked a difficult thing
How often have we asked for a double portion, not understanding that we have…
Asked for a difficult thing?
Difficult for who?
Difficult for God?
Surely not.
Nothing is too difficult for God.
Difficult for Elijah?
No, a double portion was not Elijah’s to give.
You can’t give away double of what you don’t have.
If you have one apple, you can’t offer someone two.
This request would be difficult for Elisha.
Difficult for him to carry.
Double the warfare.
Double the work.
Double the persecution.
In exchange for DOUBLE THE ANOINTING.
You see, Elijah had told Elisha 3 times to leave him.
Why?
Because he or the Lord, or both were testing his resilience.
Would Elisha stay close?
Would Elisha remain faithful?
Could Elisha carry more?
He proved he could in his obedience to God by never leaving Elijah’s side.
and don’t miss this, 10 continued….
“yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”
Elijah was saying to Elisha…
“If your spiritual eyes are open, it will be granted to you. If not, you can’t carry it.”
Through God, Elijah did eight miracles.
Through God, Elisha did sixteen.
Elisha’s miracles not only double Elijah’s, but they seem to parallel and multiply them in their themes, details, and context.
The Lord says in scripture that we have not, because we ask not. However, we also have not because WE CAN CARRY NOT.
Have we crucified our flesh?
Have we gotten off the fence?
Have we put both feet in the kingdom?
Can we stand under the criticism, the naysayers, the liars, the gossipers, the heresy hunters, and the Pharisees?
Do we buckle?
Do we retaliate?
Do we respond?
Or do we keep walking – silent – knowing that God is our salvation and defender knowing that everything works together for those who love God
Does the chariot of fire sound fantastical, like something out of a Hollywood movie?
Or do we believe that it’s right here, right now, and filled with heaven’s army that is warring with us and for us?
It doesn’t say in scripture that ALL could see Elijah being taken up.
It said that ELISHA could see Elijah being taken up.
HE HAD SPIRITUAL EYES TO SEE.
In fact – as you read on the chariots appear again. This time Elisha asks for his servant’s spiritual eyes to be open so that he can see the chariots around them, warring for and with them.
2 Kings 6:16-17 KJV
And he answered, Fear not: for they that are with us are more than those that are with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray You, open his eyes, that he may see.
We are that servant.
Are your spiritual eyes open?
Can you handle a double portion?
Can you carry the weighty things of God?
Ephesians 1:19
19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him.
Do I believe God?
Things I have asked myself today.
And then the thing I asked of God…
Ready me Lord, so I can carry more of You into this desperate and dying world.
To learn more about Heidi and her Kingdom passion, visit Kingdom Come Home
Featured Image by Nicolas Jægergaard from Pixabay
