Higher Calling

1 Kings 19:15–19 KJV 1900

15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. 19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

2 Kings 3:11–12 KJV 1900

11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. 12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

2 Kings 3:11 NKJV

11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?” So one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.”

Higher Calling

Preaching “Higher Calling”

I want to thank you all for coming this morning. I realize that Saturdays are sacred times that you have for getting things done and spending precious moments with those that you can’t really spend time with, throughout the week. I hope that when we are finished today, you will view your time spent as an investment and not time wasted.

It was earlier this year that God began to speak to me concerning the vision for today. I don’t know that I will be able to fulfil all that God spoke to me concerning what we should accomplish, but we are going to try.

I have now pastored this great congregation for 13 years. Long enough that I think I’ve gained the right not be considered a novice, yet I still have much to learn. However, there is a growing awareness within me that there is much that I must do and more that we will together accomplish. In many ways I have been selfish…some of that I will cover today. It was not my intent to be selfish, rather it has been my desire to never abuse the role that I have been called to serve.

Yet, I realize that anointed men and women of God never come to be in isolation. It has always been the way of God that great anointing is like a stream or a river flowing from one generation of leader and then to the next. Joshua never would have stepped on the promised soil of Canaan had it not been for hand of Moses upon his life. The great Pastor of the church at Ephesus Timothy would have been just another man had it not been for the tutelage of Paul. And as we will speak at length today…Elisha might have remained a farmer in the fields of Abel-Meholah had it not been for his walk with the prophet Elijah.

It is my duty and my desire to transfer what God has placed upon my life, not just in part, but in greater measure to those that are in this room. I know that in some way every Sunday when I stand in this pulpit, I am transferring some part of that anointing…but today it is an intentional ...

I want to focus on the transfer of anointing. In this first, introductory setting, I want to lay the groundwork for the sessions that will be taught.

If you boiled it all down, this really is the purpose of this conference today. To see those that are in this room rise to the higher calling that has been placed upon your lives. I see the enemy destroying the modern church (not just Living Hope) through an apathetic, lackadaisical approach to ministry and the call of God.

However, there is something demonstrated in this transfer of anointing from Elijah to Elisha that I believe provides for us a template of increased passion, elevated anointing and a higher calling.

We are all aware of The WHO concerning this chronicled account of the anointing being passed from one man to another

…Elijah the Tishbite…a man that had been anointed to prophesy to Israel and to confront the evil of Ahab and Jezebel. And now that anointing will be transferred to Elisha, a young man that we first find plowing in the fields of Abel-Meholah.

WE are all aware that of the WHAT concerning the transfer.

We know Elisha, the second generation was blessed with a double portion anointing.

We are all aware of the WHEN.

We know that it was when they crossed the Jordan and Elijah was lifted into the chariot and carried away, that his mantle feel and Elisha gathered the prophets cloak and was indued with a higher calling.

We are even aware of the WHY…

God had spoken to Elijah in that he would anoint Elisha in his stead. And that because Elisha was there when Elijah was carried away, he was able to receive the double portion anointing.

HOW did Elisha receive this higher calling upon his life?

HOW did Elisha receive this higher calling upon his life?

HOW, out of all of the prophets that were studying in Elijahs schools of ministry, was Elisha the one that would be lifted to an elevated anointing?

I want to know…because if we are truly in ministry for the right reason, average isn’t an option! Just going through the motions and maintaining is not an option if you are really in ministry.

If I can understand HOW it was that Elisha set himself apart from those that would continue to minister at the level they always had and position himself for a higher calling, then principally, I too will be able to position myself for a greater purpose and an increased anointing…

But I believe we have assumed some things concerning the transfer of anointing from the elder Elijah to the younger Elisha that simply aren’t accurate and will result in potentially powerful ministries being little more than the 50 prophets that we find in vs. 7 that the Bible said “stood to view afar off”.

Here are some of the key findings that I discover as I study this relationship that will end with a double portion anointing.

The greater investment was made by Elisha

Perhaps it is just me, but I have always kind of pictured a Mr. Miyagi and Karate kid relationship between Elijah and Elisha. I perhaps just assumed that Elijah was spending time pouring into his protege Elisha:

Time ensuring he was well versed in the Law of Moses.

Time ensuring he was trained in how to clearly hear the voice of God

Time educating him in the ethics of a prophet.

Yet, the truth is the only sure evidence of Elijah investing in the development and the anointing upon Elisha is the very first encounter between the two where Elijah cast the mantle upon Elisha.

We can assume that there additional opportunities taken by the great prophet, to insure the proper molding of the younger prophet. But any assumption of this would be purely conjecture on our part.

What I do fine clearly stated, is that at least 4 times the elder prophet tells the younger to go back or stay here…

Elijah offers Elisha ample opportunity to walk away from the higher calling and the greater anointing!

1 Kings 19:20 KJV 1900

20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

1 kings 19:20-

If there are 100 commentaries, there are 100 different opinion as to what this statement Elijah is making, means. The consensus is that he is telling him, God has called you…what you do with it now is up to you!

Can I tell you that what you do with the calling is up to you!

The following three things are what

Many are called, but few are chosen!

It is not the calling that is placed upon Elisha that will determine that level of anointing, but rather it is his response to the calling.

three ways that Elisha responds:

1. Elisha pursued

As we read above, Elijah tells him to go back! If you want to go back home…go on back!

Then in 2 kings chapter 2, 3 times the elder prophet says to Elisha “stay here, while I go on”. In Gilgal, in Bethel and then in Jericho.

It would appear that the elder is more intent upon discouraging his protege than he is on developing him.

I don’t believe this to be the case…I don’t believe the elder prophet is bent on discouraging the younger…rather he is identifying an unshakable and unchanging truth…

A higher calling cannot be obtained without an elevated pursuit.

The double portion that Elisha received was not the result of an elder investing time, effort and energy into pouring into him…rather it was the result of a young man that desired a greater anointing and refused to “go back” to “remain or stay” but pursued until it became physically impossible for him to pursue any longer…(I believe if he could have climbed into the chariot of fire with Elijah, he would have).

I believe that we have developed, in the modern church culture, a paradigm that isn’t Biblically accurate. The burden of developing ministries is placed upon Elijah. It becomes the job of Elijah to create opportunities to train and instruct. To develop and equip.

While I am thankful that other churches have decided to join us today for this time of teaching and training, the burden for this conference was birthed out of my desire to see the men and women of this local church to develop an Elisha like passion to relentlessly pursue after the higher calling!

Here are just a few points that I would state before we break into the teaching sessions for today (and I want to say that I am thankful to have my wife sharing in this burden and the delivery of what God has laid upon my heart for this conference.

2. Elisha poured

During the ministry of Elijah, it is evident that he had spent time pouring into the prophets that were gathered in the cities of gilgal, bethel and Jericho. A more exhaustive study throughout the old testament, would let us know that these were schools where prophets would be trained.

They would go there to be poured into by the likes of Elijah and other prophets.

These sons of the prophets that came out to Great elisha and Elijah as they passed through their cities, were no doubt men that Elijah had spent time pouring into. Undoubtedly, he had spent time teaching and training them.

And, These prophets were evidently pretty good at what they did, the sons of the prophets at Bethel come to Elisha and let him know that Elijah is about to be taken from him…the investment of Elijah had obviously paid off as these prophets had correctly ascertained that Elijah was soon to be taken.

Yet, when it came time for Elijah to be taken into the heavens, those that had been poured into, stood afar off.

they had been poured into…but at the time when the elder would pass along a mantle they stood afar off.

But it was in 2 Kings chapter 3, when the king of Judah is looking for a prophet that can give him a word from God, that the servants recommend Elisha…and their referral of Elisha is based upon one qualifying attribute…he poured water on the hands of Elijah.

The portion of the anointing is determined by who does the pouring

Those that ingest, by simply waiting to be poured into will be like the sons of the prophets that stood afar off.

Those that invest, by pouring water on the hands of those that lead them, will open themselves up to a greater level of anointing.

a quick cultural study on what this phrase that describes Elisha as “pouring water on the hands of Elijah” would let us know that in that time and culture utensils like forks and knives weren’t used. Meals were consumed using nothing but ones hands. And so, at the end of each meal, the hands would have to be washed. Usually a pitcher and basin were used for this. The hands were held over the basin while a servant poured water on them.

The expression in the text-verse, “used to pour water on the hands” shows that Elisha performed the work of a servant for Elijah.

When others pour into us, we are positioned for ministry…but when we pour into them, we are positioned for another level of ministry....a greater depth of anointing.

To discuss. I have witnessed the abuse and manipulation of servitude.

NLT 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.

As a result of this, I have been hesitant to call people to true servitude. Come to church work day if it works out in your schedule. Serve the ministry as you feel is necessary.

Yet, I have come to understand that this level of leadership is producing apathetic and lethargic ministry. There is no double portion for those that will not serve.

2 Kings 2:9–10 NLT

9 When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.” And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.” 10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.”

9 When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.”

And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.”

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.”

again, the burden of the higher calling is placed upon Elisha...

3. Elisha Positioned himself

2 Kings 2:9–10 NLT

9 When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.” And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.” 10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.”

again, the burden of the higher calling is placed upon Elisha...

The measure of the calling is dependent on the distance YOU ALLOW there to be between you and Elijah.

It wasn’t up to Elijah to mind the gap between he and Elisha. if it is his responsibility, he is doing a really poor job at it.

Again, it appears that, if anything, Elijah is creating distance…when what he is really doing is testing desire.

If you feel like you are distant from the ministry…close the gap! people say, well you’re busy pastor. Yes, I am …and so are you and you and you and you! but I promise you that if you ask me to get coffee with you are get lunch with you…im not going to tell you no!

No, I don’t have time to respond to the call to pastor the church, minister in the doors that God has opened, and come over and play uno with you…that is true....but I do have time to make myself available to you!

I realize that that much of what we are going to talk about today may come across as self-serving…and so be it.

I can’t go any longer watching ministries in this church that are intended to be Higher callings to just stand afar off.

Elijahs greatest investment in Elisha was allowing him to come close enough to serve him. It was this nearness that made Elisha a candidate for a higher calling!

The last thing that I will state concerning the (1) pursuit of Elish (2) the willingness of Elisha to serve (3) the refusal of Elisha to allow distance between himself and Elijah.

His perspective of Elijah:

We find three insights into his view of Elijah:

The outside perspective of the role that Elijah played in his life was that of his master. IN both Bethel and Jericho when the sons of the prophets came to Elijah, their declaration to Elisha is “don’t you know that your MASTER is going to be taken from you”.

Elisha had served so consistently and so clearly that others viewed his relationship to be that of a servant.

his request was a double portion of the spirit of Elijah…not the works…but the spirit. The word spirt is the Hebrew word Ruach which in other places is translated the breath of life. I’ve watched you Elijah…i’ve watched the way you deal with others. I’ve watched the way you respond in situations. I’ve watched the power that you have with God. I want the inheritance of the life that you have lived…not just the miracles…but everything about the man that you are!

As Elijah is being taken away in the chariot of fire, Elisha cries out “my father, my father”. The request for a double portion was not a request to do twice as many miracles..a double portion was the blessing passed from a father to his eldest son. Elisha’s perspective of Elijah was that this man is my spiritual father…Reverence, respect, relationship.

Why is this so important? you will not pursue. You will not serve and you will not ensure there is no distance between you and a man that you don’t feel that way about.

Now…what I’m not saying is that I don’t have a responsibility to pour into you all. I do. The , verses 11 and 12 template for the new testament church is clearly that the five fold ministry is there to equip the saints.

However, the higher calling will only come to those that are pursuing, serving and refusing to allow distance between themselves and the anointed man of God.

let me also say that my wife is also a part of my anointing. I understand ladies that it would be inappropriate for you to ensure there is no distance between you and I. Even if motives are accurate, the perception is not. My wife, is an incredibly and powerfully anointed lady. Her gifts of discernment and prophesy have saved me from more than one terrible decision.

We do desire to pour into you! We desire to raise up a double portion generation of ministers within this church. But we can’t do all of the pouring!

throughout the sessions today, we are going to be sharing principles of a higher calling ministry…as well as practical elements that will apply to those that are pursuing a higher calling here at Living Hope. If aren’t a part of this church, the practical elements, you can do with them what you want…

It is my desire to raise up and inspire a generation of men and women in this church that are powerfully anointed and doing great things in the Kingdom of God.

That is what today is about! It is about the awareness I have that God is calling so many in this church to a greater level of anointing.