Contending For The Double Portion 9-27-09
Contending For The Double Portion
9-27-09
Double Services
· Why? Reach more—Good Steward
II Kings 2:1
· Principle released that LEADS us on our journey
Inheritance Moment Ripening for Elisha
· Define Mentoring Relationship between Elijah and Elisha
o Background—Jezebel/Ahab—Prophets of Baal—Depression—etc.
· Window of opportunity—chairos—Fullness of Time—moment
Explain what was about to happen to Elijah
· Something within Elisha—and in all the prophets KNEW
· The moment was ripening
· A shift/change was coming
· God was in this thing
· The question was
o Were you going to be in the MIDDLE of the new thing God was doing
o Or dragging behind trying to keep up
· Elisha understood there was an inheritance that was to be conferred—released
· And something within him was stirred up
· Saying, I want it—I want that mantle—that inheritance
· And I don’t just want it in the way others have had it
· I want the Double Portion
What is the double portion -- why would we contend for it?
Most of us in large families know the double portion as that extra helping of Ice cream
· That isn’t what we’re talking about This AM
The double portion is a term in scripture
· That describes living in a place of God’s FAVOR and BLESSING -- that’s TWICE the norm of the best.
· Define ‘Anointing’
Interesting—in this passage of scripture God playing a bit of treasure hunt with us
· Will we seek after it
· Find it
· Seize the day
o Wanna be the kind of Church that seizes the Day
o YES to Growth—YES to Harvest
Or will we passively motor forward in the ‘same old, same old’ of daily life . . . .
The testimony of Elisha, here is a testimony of a hunger and testimony
· To see God ‘take him to the next level’
· It’s a testimony of one who SOLD OUT to being a ‘God Chaser’
Why does God allow the treasure hunt to happen?
God’s motive
· Father’s good pleasure to GIVE you the KOG
· Not Willing that any should perish
But looking for someone who will ‘stand in the gap’ for the generation
· Who will seek—with ALL their heart
Some of you have seen miracles
· Hunger for more of God
· THAT hunger—is the hunger for the double portion
· WE have Watched God at the River do AMAZING things
Something inside Elisha hungered for something MORE
· How did Double Portion Affect Elisha?
• If you Study—find -- but heard he did TWICE the miracles of Elijah (recorded)
· Didn’ walk in Depression/Fear
· Did DOUBLE the miracles— EXCEPT raising someone from the dead. II Kings 13:21 Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet. [a]
• HOWEVER: after buried -- someone’s CORPSE touched his bones -- raise back to life!
• The PROMISE still RESONATED in his life -- that DEATH couldn’t even stop
• That’s the double portion.
• That’s what we need
· Works BEYOND Death!
But there was a JOURNEY that Got him there
Now WHY would we want to talk of the double portion -- what does that have to do with us at the River?
• Transitional season -- important to study -- learn from transitional seasons in scripture
• TG: Burying Moses -- embracing the Joshua anointing --
• Transitionary word
We ARE transitioning into a new season.
Practical application of the double portion
• we need the double portion anointing to fulfill our assignment
Let’s look at the circumstances around Elisha getting a hold of that double portion.
Elijah and Elisha’s stories are the context for this term:
Elisha
Let’s look at this journey
Two things Elisha Did
· PUSHED PASSED Obstacles
· —Pressed Forward in the new Anointing
PUSHED PASSED—Inconvenience
When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. [b]
2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “but do not speak of it.”
4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”
And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” he replied, “but do not speak of it.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”
And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
7 Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan
• Tested to get to double portion
• First Elisha had to stay near his Master
• Even in the INCONVENIENCE
There’s an inconvenience going to two services: Inconvenient increasing capacity
· Why would we do it?
· Greater Impact
· Harvest
· Well done good and faithful servant
· Faithful in little—Lord over much
Key: didn’t let inconvenience
• Keep his eyes off the master
Three places
•
Bethel – Literally Means House of God – visitation
· Was a KEY place in the history of Israel
· Where Jacob/Abraham/others had MIGHTY visitation of God
Elisha Decided he didn’t want to be Stuck in the OLD Visitation
· That will BLOCK the Double Portion
Jericho -- Past victory -- Establishment/victories remembered
· Victories Lost
· During Elijah’s time—Ahab/Jezebel/idolatry
· Jericho REBUILT in
· I Kings 16 :34
34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.
[c]
· Although Jericho HAD BEEN a place of victory WON
· It’s very EXISTANCE—turned it into a place of VICTORY LOST
Elisha COULD have stayed in the place of Victory Lost
· But he wouldn’t walk INTO the double portion anointing!
· Those places where you LOST GROUND
· You lost your Victory
· The Defeat—now stands as an arrogant reminder—you lost
Could have stopped Elisha—but it WOULDN”T
Jordan
• ENDED at Jordan -- Place of CHANGE -- transition into new season
* Take promised land -- circumcision
* Baptism of Jesus
* Identity revealed
Elisha said, I’m going back to the place where CHANGE happens
· New Beginnings
· The place of Double Portion
Personal Application
· You are going to have to get past being stuck in old visitation
· Or stuck in victories lost
· If you want to be in Double portion
· Develop application
I’m moving PAST invconvenience
· Keeping eyes on Master
· Not stuck in yesterday’s visitation
· Or in victories Lost
· My future is in FRONT of me—not BEHIND me
· I’m leaving those things behind—I want the NEW THING
PUSHED PASSED— the test of the RIGHT truth -- wrong TIME
2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “but do not speak of it.”
4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”
And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” he replied, “but do not speak of it.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”
And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
7 Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan
Prophets kept coming out
• speaking truth
• But it wasnt’ the time to look at THAT truth
• Needed to watch the Master
· Tenacious FOCUS!
Ever have someone meet you in battle
· Speak the EXACT WORDS you don’t need to hear?
· Speak WRONG Truth?!?
· Can’t afford to LOSE FOCUSE
2:2
• Stay here
• I will not leave you
Bethel
• Prophets came out Prophesied TRUTH
• v3 -- I know it’s truth But I can’t look at it right now
• It’s NOT time to speak about it
But it’s inconvenient making room for more
· We will have LESS in service
· It will be different . . . .
Why?
• He had to keep watching the Master
There can be REAL THINGS happening all around you
· Coming against you as you step into double portion
• But have to WATCH the Master
• Whatever is true -- good report Phil 4:8
• Paul -- in PRISON -- not in a field of flowers
• Paul understood the POWER of watching the Master
• Couldn’t aford to let your SETTING set the tone
If you want Double Portion
· Need to WATCH your TESTIMONY
· Confession!!
· Focus
· Watch Master
· But it doesn’t make sense—all 3 places—Bethel, Jericho, Jordan
· It’s inconvenient
· Don’t like it
FINALLY v 9
8 Elijah took his cloak,
· Symbol of AUTHORITY—office
rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
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.”
[d]
You gotta watch master
· Keep eyes on—
· You got this before, Elisha—at Bethel, Jericho—now at Jordan
· Now more than EVER—watch Master
· For Double Portion
Why Eyes on Double Portion?
I want new season to INCREASE, not DECREASE
· Go farther
· Is 54 spread out to right and left
· I want to reach MORE for kingdom
· Talking with Alex Davis
o Amazing testimony
o Where he was—where he is now
o That’s why—more to be reached!!
· Harvest waiting
o YL banquet last week
o 500 youth a week—many never reached
o Harvest time!
We watch master—we see His Heart for Harvest
· So we pray for double portion to reach more
· We see ourselves hit capacity
· Ho to make room for more?
· Double
Was this SELFISH
· No—Lamb worthy of the REWARD for His suffering
· Greater works than I’ve done—you will do (Quote)
God’s heart to ADAVNCE his Kingdom
· When you press past incoveneinec
· Press past right truth—wrong time
· Keep eyes on master
· Pressing in for Double Portion
· God takes you to NEXT LEVEL!!
· But it’s WHAT we ALL want for our spiritual sons/daughters
• Go FARTHER in God than we’ve gone
• To take FURTHER Ground
PUSHED PASSED—Supernatural Distraction
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 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. [e]
Whirlwind/Chariot
· Way I read it
· Didn’t go up in Chariots of fire but in WHIRLWIND
· If he would have gotten caught up in WATCHING chariots—would have missed out on Double Portion
· When you are pressing
Supernatural encounter
· When you are pressin ing for Double Portion
· You will face spiritual battles—scripture Clear
Disclaimer—Chariot of Fire was GOD as well
· UNDERSTAND—
· But we face battles when we’re pressing in for Double Portion
· Enemy doesn’t ant you to go there
· Doesn’t want CHURCH to go there . . .
Spiritual warfare
· Wake up to it!
· Offense/disappointment/sickness
· Nothing makes me as angry—mocking spirit—‘sure it’s warfare’
· But can’t engage wrong battle
But He STILL simply watched the Master.
Some of us have been facing some transition places in our lives
• But when we quit watching the master -- we lose the double portion.
How many of you know that you NEED to walk in the double portion in your life?
There’s a big job before us as a church
There’s a HUGE need in our city.
And IF we’re going to walk in this place that I believe God is calling us to -- then we need the double portion anointing.
We need to be contending for the double portion.
Do you want it?
Are you willing to pay the price?
Pushed Past (distraction/inconvenience/etc.)
THEN: Pressed INTO Pick Up the NEW Mantle
13 He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah[f]
WEAR the new Mantle
· Mantles were meant to be WORN
· Spiritual Significance
· Wear the ID
o Officer/soldier in uniform
o ID released
o Need to WEAR the mantle
o Scheme of enemy—NOT wearing the mantle
o Develop
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. [g]
Use it as a we address obstacles—as a tool
Move Forward into Double Portion
----
[a]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (2 Ki 13:21). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[b]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (2 Ki 2:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[c]The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version.) (1 Ki 16:34). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[d]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (2 Ki 2:8-10). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[e]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (2 Ki 2:11-12). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[f]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (2 Ki 2:13). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[g]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (2 Ki 2:13-14). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.