Click here for scripture: 11Kings 3:11-1411.
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 own clothes and tore them apart. 13. He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 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 Spiritual power of God is not something one obtains by teaching or learning certain principles. However, the example of faith is something people can see in others observing how they live in believing God, His word and power.
The important thing about growing in faith is not so much how much faith someone has, but rather the object in which faith is placed. There comes a time in Elisha’s training when he moves from what he has learned from Elijah to what he learns from God.
When I went on my first airplane ride, I was quite nervous. I had seen others fly. I had heard their experiences. I watched as planes would go up and down, but this idea of being in the sky with something that weighs tons didn’t seem to make any sense. I also understood about gravity.
Learning a bit about aerodynamics helped in understanding. But the time came when I needed to get on the plane. I did what I could to help lift the plane in the air by pulling up on the arm rests on the seat. I thought about the point of no return, where it is too late to turn back - one either flies or crashes. I prayed to the Lord for safety. After a while people walked about the plane, some just stood and some visited with friends. The stewardess was delivering drinks and then passing out food.
If I had no faith in planes, regardless of how safe they were, I would not have experienced their benefits personally. If the plane I was to get on was faulty and had no gas, no matter how much faith I had in it, I would be in danger for the object of my faith was deficient.
Elisha learned about God by watching Elijah live out his faith. The time came when Elisha did not just go through the motions, but took that step from the faith from his friend to personally trusting in God and learning along the way more about Him. The more we know the Lord, the more faith grows until we trust and obey.
People can go to classes, Bible study groups and training seminars for many years and some do, but that does not assure anyone of the power of the Holy Spirit. One learns more about God, but the time comes to exercise faith, not in what one knows, but in the person of Christ and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. One is far more likely to discover God's power while on your knees and in personal communication with the Lord from the Bible.
Elijah was translated to glory in a unique and dramatic way no one else on this earth ever has been. The Lord takes him to heaven in a whirlwind separated by a fiery chariot with horses. Elisha tore his clothes, expressed grief, picked up Elijah’s mantle and returned to the river Jordan believing God placed His hand upon him. He exercised his faith by taking this mantle of Elijah, strikes the water and God parts it, just like he did with Elijah.
Elisha was not to go in the power of Elijah, or in the wisdom, or in the intelligence, or in the experience and training that he had from Elijah, but in the power of the Lord and the wisdom of God, and the leading of the Spirit. He knew Him whom he trusted.
Application: Go today in the power of the Lord in all you do
Prayer: Father, thank you for the gift of Your Holy Spirit. Guide me in the way I should go.
