A Double Portion of Anointing

“. . . Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.”  II Kings 2:9

It would be difficult to understand and appreciate what a double portion of the spirit of God represents if you don’t understand the effectiveness of the measure of anointing of God upon Elijah.  Elijah the Tishbite, popularly known as the Prophet of Fire was not known before.  Nobody knew how and when he was anointed as a prophet of God.  His prophecy was not known or reported in the Bible before he made an unheralded appearance before the idolatrous King Ahab to prophesy a prolonged drought in Israel.  (I Kings 17:1)  But one thing important that we must learn from this is that, the anointing of God does not require advertisement, it is the manifestation of the anointing of the man of God that announces the power of God in him.

Elijah was raised to be a voice of judgment against the detestable abomination of idol worship in the kingdom of Ahab, because those who worshiped Baal believed he was the god that brought rains and bountiful harvests. After the prophetic judgment of the king, the word of God directed Elijah to hide by the brook of Cherith before Jordan. (I Kings17:3-4)  God made His divine provision available for His servant, Elijah through ravens (unclean birds) to ensure that he did not partake of the judgment of Ahab. The brook that served as drinking water for Elijah became dry but the divine provision of God did not. It only shifted base.

Again a divine direction from God led Elijah to the widow of Zarephath. (I Kings 17:9-16I Kings 17:9-16
9. Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."
10. So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?"
11. As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
12. As surely as the Lord your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread - only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug.  I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it - and die."
13. Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said.  But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and them make something for yourself and your son.
14. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.
15. She went away and did as Elijah had told her.   So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
16. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.) There were two overwhelming disasters slated to strike the household of the widow.  But God had taken care of the disaster before it striked.  However, it required only a step of faith for the accomplishment of victory. Firstly, the famine in the land was so devastating that the widow was preparing the last meal for herself and her son. Elijah confronted the widow with his needs and also gave her prophetic instructions on how she should meet those needs. The widow of Zarephath believed in the word of the man of God and did according to the directive of Elijah, her barrel of flour was not exhausted and her cruise of oil did not dry up. The second disaster was during the sojourning of Elijah with the widow, her son became sick and died. The widow cried to the man of God, Elijah carried the child to his hiding place in the roof-top of the house of the widow and place him upon his own bed and prayed to God that the soul of the child may come back to him.  God heard the voice of Elijah and the child was revived.  A great lesson here: the salvation of the household of the widow was part of the calling of Elijah.  As always, the required cost of salvation is faith.  The widow took the step of faith, God manifested His mercy upon her.  She attested to the truth of the word of God in the mouth of Elijah and the divine anointing upon him. “. . . now by this I know that thou art a man of God . . .”

The mercy of God endures forever. The word of Elijah that brought forth a judgment against Ahab became a padlock of nature that locked off rain in the kingdom of Ahab.  At the fullness of time, in a spate of three years, the awesome mercy of God that endures forever prevailed over the judgment, but the faithful God did not override His servant Elijah in forgiving the kingdom of Ahab. “Go, show thyself unto Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” I Kings 18:1 God that directed Elijah to hide from Ahab also directed him to appear before Ahab to unlock the padlock of nature so that rain may fall in the kingdom of Ahab.  The re-appearance of Elijah in the presence of Ahab did not only bring forth rain, it also brought a dramatic and devastating judgment upon the four hundred and fifty idolatrous prophets of Baal.  His appearance brought glory to God and established in the hearts of the people of Israel that God of Elijah answered prayer with consuming fire from Heaven. 

The power of light challenged the power of darkness.  A sacrifice of bullock upon wood without lighting the burnt-offering with fire, was agreed upon.  One for the King of Glory, Almighty God and the other for the lord of darkness, the idol god of Baal.  The four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal were asked to call the name of their god and Elijah would call upon the name of his God.  The God that consumed the sacrifice with fire should be exalted and reverenced. (I Kings 18:23-24I Kings 18:23-24
23. Get two bulls for us.  Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it.  I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it.
24. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The got who answers by fire - he is God.")  The prophets of Baal called on their god from morning till evening their lifeless idol god did not respond but the very moment Elijah called on his God, fire came from Heaven and consume the offering of Elijah. You know the details of the event.  I Kings 18:31-41I Kings 18:31-41
31. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel."
32. With the stones he built an alter in the name of the Lord, and he dug trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
33. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood.  Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood."
34. Do it again," he said, and they did again. "Do it a third time," he orderedd, and they did it the third time.
35. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.
36. At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.
37. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."
38. Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
39. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The Lord - he is God! The Lord - he is God!"
40. Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal.  Don't let anyone get away!" They seized them, and Elijah had them brought to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.
41. And Elijah said to Ahab, "Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain."

PERSONALITY OF ELISHA

Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmehola was busy plowing in the farm with twelve oxen. Elijah the Tishbite was passing by and he his cast mantle upon Elisha. That was the form through which Elisha was anointed. What followed his anointment determines his personality qualities. I King 19:19-21I King 19:19-21
19. So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat.  He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair.   Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 
20. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and amother good-by," he said, "and then I will come with you." "Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?"
21. 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 are.  Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.

The bible does not reveal the type of life Elisha was living before he encountered Elijah. But his response after his anointing pointed him as an individual that had been walking with God. Immediately after Elijah cast his mantle upon him, he ran after Elijah and forsook the farming activities and the oxen. It reminds us of Abraham the father of faith who followed the finger of God to the Promised Land and also Simon Peter, the way he forgo the fishing boat to be fisher of men when Jesus Christ bade him to come. In obedience to the leading of God, Elisha only made a passionate request from Elijah, “let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and mother and then I will follow thee.” Elijah granted the permission.

Again much is not revealed to us in the Bible about the master/servant relationship between Elijah and Elisha. But the perseverance of Elisha in staying with his master Elijah at the crucial moment of his life, when he was about to be taken away, which we all believed was borne out of deep love and loyalty in service for his master that made him to say, “As the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.” (II Kings 2:2,4,6) They were so attached to each other at that moment so much that he would not allow any distractions to bother him. Their relationship was so cordial and honorable that Elisha called Elijah “my father.” Further, if we consider the insincerity and greediness of Gehazi the servant of Elisha, who went behind his master to Naaman to collect the gift that Elisha rejected, you will appreciate the loyalty of Elisha to his master Elijah.

The spiritual lesson of Elisha’s journey with Elijah began in Gilgah. Gilgah was a place of faith. It was the headquarter garrison of Israelites when they got to the Promise Land before they conquered the inhabitants of the land. Gilgah was the place where the manna (What is it?) stopped falling for the Israelites because by faith they knew that the abundant provision of the land they will conquer will sustain them. In Gilgah, Elijah the spiritual father of Elisha pleaded with him, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” This response is interpreted, “I have been faithful to you up to this moment, I will not leave you now when you are about to be taken away from me. I will be your faithful servant to the end.

So they journeyed on to Bethel. The history behind Bethel – When Jacob was running away from his brother Esau after he had robbed him of their father’s blessing, Jacob was so weary and tired of the long journey. He slept and used a stone as a pillow. Bethel was a place where the heaven opened unto Jacob in his dream, and he saw angels ascending and descending into heaven. When he woke up he made an altar unto God and called the place ‘Bethel.’ In Bethel, there were sons of prophet like Elisha. They asked Elisha, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” Again the sons of prophets in Bethel, were living in the comfortable zone of vision. These leaders of tomorrow who were sensitive to the things of future knew what the future hold for Elisha in their vision. The question is interpreted as, “Do you know that the spiritual covering over you, which is your spiritual father was about to be removed you today?” Elisha responded to the sons of prophets who were dwelling in the comfort zone of vision but never dream of moving forward, “Yes I knew; hold your peace!”

Elijah again implored Elisha his servant and pleaded persuasively, “Elisha, stay here please, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho.” Elisa responded as before, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” Jericho was a place of spiritual warfare. Jericho was a well fortified city protected with tall and strong wall. The city was impenetrable by any natural forces. It was where God arose in His mightiness and gave Israelites victory when the fortified city wall crumbed like a pack of card and the Israelites forces went in against the Jericho forces and conquered them. The spiritual warfare sons of prophets in Jericho reminded Elisha like the sons of Prophets in Bethel did, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” Elisha responded to the sons of prophets who were dwelling in the comfort zone of spiritual warfare victory but never dream of moving forward to the next level of their spiritual growth, “Yes I knew; hold your peace!”

At Jericho Elijah pleaded again to convince Elisha to stay, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan.” Elisa responded as usual, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” However, the scripture revealed that Elijah could not convince Elisha to stay behind while Elijah moved on to the next level. Both of them went on. Fifty sons of the prophets stood at distance watching while Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan. This reality always occur when men of focus are moving on to the next level, some bystander individuals who are contented with their mediocre comfort zone will stand at the edge of their breakthrough while others are zooming on. We wonder what was stopping these people from moving on? One of the reasons is the fact that they were traveling in group in the spiritual journey and they compared their spiritual notes with each other that was why they were at the same stagnant level. When it comes to the issue of spiritual calling, it is the relationship between you and Almighty God that called you that matters.

I have found out that a single person traveling alone travels faster than group travelers. In a group traveling some will stop at different time for lunch, some will stop at different to ease themselves, or some may decide to quickly make a phone call to someone while others are stretching themselves – bottom line there exists distractions and delays in group traveling. But a single individual on the spiritual journey stays on course of the calling, hopes for the manifestation of the calling and focus on the author of life for the achievement of the calling. And so Elisha journeyed on in his calling with Elijah from Gilgah a place of faith. The experience of faith in the Lord and in the leadership of his master, Elijah led him to Bethel a place of vision. Elisha now equipped with divine vision, and with perseverance he saw the need to proceeded with his master to Jericho the place of warfare. Staying focus in the time of trouble revealed to him the spiritual victory of warfare and this led him moved on to the next level, the Jordan – a place of open Heaven! In Jordan Elisha received his mantle of a double portion of anointing of his master, Elijah. In Jordan he began his fulltime prophetic ministry.

THE MYSTERY OF THE JORDAN

Please note that something strange is included in the statement Elijah, and it is the article ‘the’ that came before Jordan. This article revealed that Elijah knew something unique with the place called Jordan. Jordan is a place of transformation. Jordan is a place of transition. Jordan is a place of miracle and lastly Jordan is a place of open heaven.

Jordan was the place where God confirmed the leadership of Joshua and honor him in the presence of the Israelites. The Levites that carried the Ark were asked to lead Israelites at the bank of River Jordan. The moment they set their feet in the river, the river divided into two and the children of God walked in the midst of River Jordan on a dry ground to the other side of the river.

At Jordan, Elijah rolled his mantle and struck the water and the water divided into two and both men, Elijah and Elisha crossed over on dry ground. After they crossed the Jordan, Elisha was still stocked with Elijah. Elisha is a good example of children of God that focus on Him. When we focus our eyes on an object we see the object clearly.  Focusing in relation to the things of the Spirit involves looking beyond the surrounding physical difficult situation to God of possibility who can solve all problems.  The Bible directed that we should look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrew 12:2)

The moment of reckoning has come.(II Kings 2:9-11II Kings 2:9-11
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 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 whirlwind.) Elijah was now convinced of the faithfulness and the determination of Elisha to move to the next level in the spiritual ladder. He told him, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Strange, Elijah did not beg Elisha this time around. Instead, it is the other way round. It was as if Elisha was presented with a blank check when Elijah his master told him to ask what he could for him before he was taken away. Elisha was an individual that would not settle for less. This should not be interpreted as ‘greediness’ because a spiritual conscious child of God who wants to attain higher spiritual level should not settle for less. Paul did not settle for less, he said, “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection …” In the midst of no time to think, within a split second, Elisha made a tall order and it was an excellent choice.  He asked for a double portion of anointing of his master. “Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.” Solomon asked for wisdom.  Elisha responded and said, “Please let double portion of your spirit be upon me.” A faithful son who knows his salt, who also knows his father always make a tall order having known the capacity of the abundance of the father. At times I considered his request as ‘asking for too much.’  Again I would ask myself, “Is there anything like asking for too much from God of infinite power who has all things in abundant?  Brethren, if you are in the shoe of Elisha, what will you ask God to do for you?  And do you know that Jesus Christ has engraved your name in the list of the people that will possess double portion anointing like Elisha when He said “greater things will they do in my name …” “You have asked a hard thing,” Elijah said, “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.” Elijah and Elisha were both spiritually sensitive. They understand the things of the Spirit.  The only required price that Elisha was to pay for the tall order is ‘focusing.’  Focusing unto God will make you behold victory in the midst of troubles. Elijah told Elisha, “If you can see me when I am taken from thee you will get it,” because in a split of a second while a faithful child of God is still focusing, spiritual will superimposed physical and the manifestation of the power of God will take place. As they were going on in the Jordan, the heaven opened. A chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire and separated the two of them; Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisah saw the moment of transformation, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” That was how far he could describe the moment. He picked the mantle of Elijah that fell off when the chariot of fire lifted him up by the whirlwind.

An important need arose in the prophetic ministry of Elisha. (II Kings 6:1-7) Their dwelling place became too small for the man of God and sons of the prophet. Urgent expansion was needed. The prophetic needs of expansion required a prophetic insight. The sons of the prophets, student prophets in training who will become the spiritual giants of tomorrow behold solution to the problem. The need was gigantic but their focus upon solution was awesome. They took the first giant step of faith. In the course of their prophetic training, they knew that the ministry of their master began in the Jordan, the place of open heaven. They presented the first proposal of prophetic solution to the pressing problem to their spiritual father, they said, “Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole, and let us build a place there for us to live.” It was like the sons of the prophets were saying to their spiritual father, “Let us go back to the beginning in order to solve this problem.” The proposal received the approval of Elisha. They thought of someone to lean on in case there was problem on the way and their father in the Lord fit in perfectly into the picture and they requested that Elisha go with them to the Jordan. He agreed.

In the Jordan while they were cutting the tree, the axe-head fell into the river. We do not need anybody to explain this scenario to us that the water was deep and the sons of the prophets could not risk diving into the water to retrieve the axe-head. The servant felt so bad about it. He cried out of concern. “Oh my lord, it was borrowed.” But Elisha was at the scene. He told the servant to cut a stick and threw it where the axe head fell. The iron float on the water but the stick sunk. In the Jordan, the place of open heaven, the anointing of open heaven override the law of gravity and caused the lighter stick to sink and caused the heavier iron axe to float to exhibit the glory of presence of God. 

Wherever a miracle occurred, there was an already open heaven that influences the miracle in the spiritual realm before its manifestation in the physical realm. Elisha recognized that there was an open heaven in Jordan. When Naaman came to him for healing his leprosy, he told him to bath in the River Jordan seven times. Reluctantly, the noble man obeyed and his leprosy was healed in the Jordan.

Centuries after miraculous phenomenon of Jordan, John the Baptist chose River Jordan among all the rivers and ocean in Israel to baptize people in the River Jordan without himself knowing the spiritual connotation of open heaven that Jordan represented. Through this uncommon act of cleansing of sin, so many people were delivered before it became one of the important doctrines of Christianity to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ was baptized in the Jordan in order to fulfill all righteousness that existed in His time by John the Baptist his forerunner. Immediately, heavens open and Holy Spirit manifested in form of a dove descended and settle upon Jesus Christ in the Jordan in confirmation of the revelation that had earlier been revealed to John. The voice of the Father in Heaven saying, “This is my Son, whom I love: with him I am well pleased,” (Matthew 3:17) in order to endorse the Sonship of Jesus Christ.

RESEMBLANCE OF POWER

There is a remarkable resemblance between Elijah and Elisha.  Their names sound alike and the main events of their lives run almost the same way. It is like one was the carbon copy of other.  They were both powerful voices of the judgment of God to the wicked and abominable kings and people of Israel.  There were also channel of blessing to the children of God in Israel.  They all played important roles in the nation of Israel.

Elisha asked for a double portion of the spirit of Elijah and it manifested in his ministry.  The following reflected the power but it did not end there.  

ELIJAH	ELISHA
Just before Elijah was taken to Heaven by the chariot of fire he smote the waters of the river Jordan and passed over on dry ground.  II Kings 2:8II Kings 2:8 8.Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it.   The water divided to the right and to the lefr, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.	After Elijah has been taken up Elisha took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and smote the waters and river parted into two. II Kings 2:14II Kings 2:14 14. Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him 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 prophesy of Elijah unlock the key of nature and rain fell after three years of drought. I Kings 18:41I Kings 18:41-45 41. And Elijah said to Ahab, "Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain." 42. So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. 43. Go and look toward the sea," he said to his servant.  And he went up and looked. "There is nothing there," he said. Seven times Elijah said, "Go back." 44. The seventh time the servant reported, "A cloud as small as a man's hand is rising from the sea." So Elijah said, "Go and tell Ahab, "Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you." 45. Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.	Elisha prophesied water filled the ditches of the valley for the people to drink and their cattle. II Kings 3:16-18,20II Kings 3:16-18, 20 16. and he said, "This is what the Lord says; Make this valley full of ditches. 17. For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. 18.  This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also hand Moab over to you. 20. The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.
The anointing power of God in Elijah increased the food store of widow of Zarephath I Kings 17:14I Kings 17:14 14. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: "The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land."	Elisha through the anointing of God increased the oil of a widow to pay her creditors. II Kings 4:3-4II Kings 4:3-4 3. Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. 4. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons.  Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.
Elijah raised from death the only son of widow of Zarephath. I Kings 17:17-24I Kings 17:17-24 17. Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill.  He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18. She said to Elijah, "What do you have against me, man of God?  Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?" 19. "Give me your son," Elijah replied.  He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20. Then he cried out to the Lord, "O Lord my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?" 21. Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the Lord, "O Lord my God, let this boy's life return to him!" 22. The Lord heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life retuned to him, and he lived. 23. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house.  He gave him to his mother and said, "Look, your son is alive!" 24. Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth."	Elisha raised the only son of the Shunammite from death. II Kings 4:32-36II Kings 4:32-36 32. When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. 33. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. 34. Then he got on the bed and lay upon the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hand.  As he stretched himself out upon him the boy's body grew warm. 35. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out upon him once more. They boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. 36. Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, "Call the Shunammite." And he did.  When she came, he said, "Take your son."
Elijah pronounced judgment of God upon king Ahab for possessing the vineyard of innocent Naboth.I Kings 21:19-22I Kings 21:19-22 19. Say to him, "This is what the Lord says, Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?"  Then say to him, "This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood - yes, yours!" 20. Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy!" "I have found you," he answered, "because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. 21. 'I am going to bring disaster on you.   I will consume your descedants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel - slave or free. 22. I will make you house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin.	Elisha made a pronouncement of death upon Benhadad king of Syria. II Kings 8:7-10II Kings 8:7-10 7. Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben Hadad king of Aram was ill.   When the king was told, "The man of God has come all the way up here," 8. he said to Hazael, "Take a gift with you and go to meet the man of God.  Consult the Lord through him; ask him, 'Will I recover from this illness?" 9. Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him as a gift forty camel-loads of all the finest wares of Damascus.  He went in and stood before him, and said, "Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent to ask, 'Will I recover from this illness?'" 10. Elisha answered, "Go and say to him. 'You will certainly recover,' but the Lord has revealed to me that he will in fact die."
Elijah called fire to consume the unbelieving two captains of fifty with their fifties. II Kings 1:9-12II Kings 1:9-12 9. Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men.   The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "Man of God, the king says, 'Come down!'" 10. Elijah answered the captain, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men. 11. At this the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men.  The captain said to him, "Man of God, this is what the king says, "Come down at once!" 12. "If I am a man of God," Elijah replied, "may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.	Elisha called vengeance upon forty-two children that mocked him and two she bears from the wood consumed them. II Kings 2:23-24II Kings 2:23-24 23. From there Elisha went up to Bethel.  As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you bald-head!" they said. "Go on up, you bald-head!" 24. He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two fo the youths.

The difference between their powers and their life style was that Elijah lived a solitary life, most of the time hiding because of his enemies and came out of his hideout only when God bade him.  There was no record in the Bible that Elisha ever lost courage and ran away from his enemy.  Elisah performed a greater number of miracles than any other prophet mentioned in the Bible except Moses.  In the list of his miracles is the healing of Naaman leprosy (II  Kings 5:10-14); the feeding of hundred people with twenty loaves of bread (II Kings 4:42-44); the rendering of the poisoned pot of pottage harmless (II Kings 4:40-41) Elisha caused a borrowed iron axe to float when he commanded that a stick be cast into the river (II Kings 6:6). Although he was not taken up to heaven by the chariot of fire like his master, Elijah, but at the point of his death, the anointing power of God was still abound in him.  He prophesied and issued commands unto King Joash about the defeat of the Syrians.  II Kings 13:14-19.  After the death of Elisha, his double portion anointing of God was still active in that when a dead man was about to be buried, and the enemies invaded the town. Hurriedly the prople cast the dead body into the sepulcher of Elisha  and when the body touched the bones of Elisha the dead body revived and stood up on his feet. II Kings 13:20-21

APPLICATION

In applying the thought on this study upon our lives, we should set a higher goal in our Christian life journey. God is not looking for weaklings.  In fact, Jesus Christ challenged and assured us in his promise of double portion of anointing.  He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works that these shall he do; because I go unto my father. And whatever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:12-13 Our faith may take its course from the past miracles but it must transcend the reachable possibilities. Our faith in God concerning the past miracles should only be a launching pad to the miracles yet to be experienced by man because if it was not existing before, God can create the miracle, just for you, to meet your need if you can exercise faith like Elisha. There is a precedent to substantiate this claim. Moses never looked at the problems he always focused his eyes on God.  God made manna available for his children for their forty-year journey in the wilderness.  God bye-passed the course of nature and caused water to gush out from rock in order to quench the thirst of Israelites, His people, in the wilderness. He made the Red Sea parted into two in a dramatic salvation of Israelites at the detriment of their enemies.  Jesus Christ raised Lazarus from death four days after he had been buried.  The shadow of Peter healed the sick at the gate called Beautiful.  God asked Serah the wife of Abraham, at the age of ninety years of waiting for the child of Promise, “Is there anything difficult for God to do?”  At the appointed time God proved Himself in the situation. If you focus your mind on your problems, you will only see defeat but if you look beyond your problems and needs and you focus on God you will see salvation and breakthrough.

God is tired of seeing His children parading themselves with old miracles. When we do this, we are implying that He can no longer do new miracles better than the times of old.  God wants to do new things in the lives of individuals who are ready to challenge Him to prove His Mightiness.  Elijah challenged Him and said, “Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.” I Kings 18:37 Fire of the Lord fell from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the people fell of their faces and they said, “The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.”   God proved Himself in the life of little David, he killed the mighty and renown giant warrior, Goliath, in the valley of Elah.