If you could ask for whatever you want (knowing it would be given to you), what would you ask for? In other words, if God appeared to you and said that you could have one request, a blank check if you will, and He’d give you whatever you requested, what would it be? When asked such a question, the first thing that enters ours minds reveals our priorities. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 NKJV). Here are a few scriptural examples of when this actually took place. As we look at these examples it will give us an idea of where our motives and priorities are and where they should be.
A double portion (2 Kings 2:9). “Elijah said to Elisha, Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you? Elisha said, Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me. So he said, You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so” (2 Kings 2:9-10 NKJV). Let’s look at the context or background which led up to Elijah’s offer and Elisha’s request. Context is always imperative to a proper understanding and exegesis of scripture. There are a few things which preempted Elijah saying this to Elisha.
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He was a worker. When Elijah found Elisha, he “was
plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him” (2 Kings 19:19 NKJV). He
was a hard worker. Plowing with twelve pair of oxen could not have been
an easy job. Jesus Likewise chose workers. The disciples were busy
working when Jesus called them (Mark 1:16-20). They put all they had
into what they were doing. Though Levi was dishonest, he was still a
hard worker. Paul said he labored more abundantly than all the rest (1
Corinthians 15:8-10).
The scripture says, “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11 KJV). “And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:11-12 KJV). Elisha, likewise, was hard at work when Elijah called him.
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He was a servant. Before Elijah called Elisha to
follow him as his disciple, Elisha was plowing. Jesus said, “It shall
not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let
him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him
be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28 NKJV).
Elisha was a servant first before he received his double portion.
It was said of Joshua that he was,”Moses’ servant” (Joshua 1:1 NASB). Jesus said, “If you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own” (Luke 16:12 NKJV)? Paul wrote concerning Jesus, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:5-11 KJV). Disciples are always servants first. Elisha was plowing behind twelve pair of oxen when Elijah called him. Then “he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant” (1 Kings 19:21 NKJV).
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He gave up (left) all. “Elisha turned back from him,
and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh,
using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate.
Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant” (1 Kings
19:21 NKJV). Elisha gave up all he had to be Elijah’s disciple, he
sacrificed all he had and burnt all bridges to his past. There was no
turning back. He slaughtered the oxen, burnt the equipment and therefore
there was nothing at all left to go back to. He was committed to the
Lord’s service from this day forth. There was no turning back.
Jesus’ disciples did no less. James and John left their fishing business, including the hired servants, and followed Jesus (Mark 1:20). They stood to inherit a very lucrative business. Jesus was being followed by a large crowd of people. He gave them three requirements of discipleship, without which He said, they could not be His disciple.
- He was told to hate those close to him. By this, He was not telling them to literally hate anyone, but that He must be number one in their lives, above and beyond all others.
- He had to take up his cross. The cross was a sign of death. Jesus was saying we must die to ourself – all our ambitions, and put Him first.
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He had to forsake all (possessions). When we become
His disciple all we have becomes His. From that point on we are merely
stewards of those things which He has given us. All we have belongs to
Jesus (Luke 14:25-31). Elisha sacrificed all he had when he began to
follow Elijah (1 Kings 19:19-21).
As a note of encouragement, when we forsake all and follow Jesus, the return we receive far out weighs what we leave behind. Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30 NASB).
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He followed with resolve. Elijah told Elisha that he
was going on a long, difficult journey to Bethel, Jericho and Jordon.
Each time Elisha responds by saying, “As the LORD lives, and as your
soul lives, I will not leave you!” (2 Kings 2:2, 4 and 6 NKJV). He was
determined not to leave his side no matter hold difficult the journey
was. Are we such a committed disciple? Do we have such a resolve as to
not leave our mentor’s side even when things are hard? What about when
our pastor is facing criticism, complaint and division, will we stay at
his side? Elijah had such a commitment no matter how difficult the
journey.
Elijah told him, “If you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” We must continue following our mentor, and not let anything detour us if we expect to see the answer to our request. Shortly thereafter, Elijah was taken away in a whirlwind. His mantle fell on Elisha, and he received a double portion of Elijah’s anointing. Elisha performed twice the miracles as that of Elijah.
