2 Kings 2 | The Persistence of a Good Disciple

Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here please, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. (2 Kings 2:2)

Training the next generation must be the great goal of the church. In fact, in order to survive, it must be the goal of any organization or family on earth. If mentoring and training does not occur, any church and any organization is one generation away from extinction.

Not only must there be a mentoring practice among the current generation, there must be a hunger to learn from the next.

WANTING MORE

One of the great pictures of this relationship that led to the seamless transition in Israel’s history is found in Elijah the prophet and Elisha. Elijah was a man greatly used by God. But coming up behind him was a man named Elisha. There was something in the heart of Elisha that made him hungry—hungry for more of God, more from his mentor, Elijah, and more power for ministry. He would not leave Elijah’s side. He clung to the relationship to receive all he could to be equipped to lead others.

Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” (1 Kings 2:8-9)

There does not seem to be in Elisha a selfish motivation in that request. It was a genuine desire to be all God could make him to be for God’s glory. God loves to answer such requests, and He answered it for Elisha, granting him to the same power and recognizable anointing that had been on his discipler.

The baton was passed with God’s blessing and anointing. The result was that Israel had a man of God to lead them and Elisha had received what he needed to be that man.

ARE YOU HUNGRY?

Physical hunger is an essential drive placed in us by God Himself. Without it, we would die from malnourishment in a matter of weeks. What is true in the physical is also true in the spiritual. If you are not hungry spiritually you will never grow. And if you never grow, you will never be used by God to grow others. The work of God will end in your generation as far as you are concerned.

Evaluate your life. Cry out for God to create in you a great passion for him. Find an Elijah to mentor you and stay with him, gaining all you can. And ask God to give you a double portion of His power for the sake of God’s kingdom.

Lord, thank You for the many people who have mentored me. Thank You for their faithfulness to keep investing in me right up to the end. Give me a hunger for more of You. Let me never stop growing. And Lord, if You would be so gracious, give me a double portion of Your Spirit and power so that I might glorify You and serve the generation behind me.