So Elijah went from there, and found Elisha son of shaphat he was flying with 12 yoke of oxen and he himself was driving the 12th pair, Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him, Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah let me kiss my father and mother goodbye he said and then I will come with you go back. Elijah replied what have I done to you, so Elisha left him and went back he took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them, he burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people and they ate then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.
This is years later Elijah and Elisha have walked together for a while 50 men from the company of the prophets went and stood at the distance facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan Elijah took his cloak rolled it up and struck the waters with it the waters divided to the right and to the left and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
When they had crossed Elijah said to Elisha tell me what can I do for you before I am taken from you, he said let me inherit, a double portion of your spirit, Elijah replied you have asked a difficult thing Elijah said.
When I am taken from you it will be yours, 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.
Elisha saw him no more, then he took hold of his garment, Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan this is critical he took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the waters with it and said where now is the lord, the God of Elijah? He struck it, when he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left and he crossed over, stayed there.
I want to read that again he took the cloak that had fallen from his teacher and struck the water with it and said where now is the lord the God of Elijah. The question we always want to know is what is, what I am being taught effective for me? Will it work for me, it’s nice to hear about it and to get sermons about it and to shout about it, but in the back of our mind there is a mental block that says that’s nice for you but will it work for me so when Elijah says, where is the god of Elijah he doesn’t even call him the god of Elisha, he calls him the god of his teacher, where is the god of my teacher and then he took what he had and struck the water and it divided to the right and to the left and he crossed over.
Pastor T.D Jakes teaches us on the subject it will work. It’ll work if you work it.
The text before us has been one of the most abused texts, in the old testament in some cases it’s not just abused, it’s been misunderstood, but whether it’s misunderstood or misappropriated, it has been the catalyst through which a spirit of covetous entitlement has stopped us from grasping, the power and the intent of the text itself this is not about blabbing and grabbing, this is not about coveting what somebody else has and getting up under them so you can get an opportunity.
Pastor T.D Jakes say it is my hope to share insight, that will contextualize the powerful and brief relationship, underlying brief relationship through which God, in his providence passed the mantle and the mission from one man to another, to accomplish his purpose, not their agenda, it is about what God has purposed to do not what you have decided to do God has purpose accomplished his purpose and agenda by using these two men, who walked together for a brief six years.
This isn’t about the transference of property or platforms, nor is it a background deal where influence is conveyed, it’s not about ego and ambition, this is about the will of God’s eternal purpose it isn’t about the ambition of one generation for the goods of another, he wasn’t asking Elijah for his stuff, this is deeper than that, God chose Elisha to be a prophet in Elijah stead.
It is the mysterious influence of the holy spirit and his ability to transfer the unction of the holy spirit’s work throughout ages for his glory and it is not about Elijah’s ambition ego or career, because of God’s ability to use whomever he chooses, his work has never been void of a representative.
God will always have somebody, from Moses to Joshua from Elijah to Elisha from Saul to David from David to Solomon; God’s purpose will always have a successor, no man being moved will stop God from doing what God is about to do, God will find somebody else and use that person for his glory and his honor do. No Elijah is irreplaceable it doe not matter how gifted you are, never allow the devil to make you think that you are so gifted a speaker, a teacher, a singer, a draftsman, a doctor, a philosopher, an engineer that God doesn’t have somebody else in the wings who can do what you do like you do or better than you.
pastor T.D. Jakes says, It only takes a glimpse of God’s glory to motivate us to move, but our “yes” requires sacrifice. Are you willing to work it to get from here to His there? Are you humble enough to serve when it means not making a name for yourself? Or are your feelings getting in the way of what He put in your hand? It’s not about our mantle, but God’s mission. God can take you from nothing to suddenly, but He has to find you working it in the meantime. Passing the test doesn’t always mean winning, but staying — even when we don’t feel like it.
