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.
Joyce Meyer says, “New level, new devil.” Growing in our faith can be difficult especially when we just had that hilltop experience at a convention or a special service at church. You might have been miraculously healed from something or baptized in the Holy Spirit. You left that place on cloud nine, only to step into the car and the devil comes out of nowhere and begins his attack. Did you really get healed? Did you really speak in tongues? New level, new devil.
We drop into this story just as Elijah had been taken into heaven by a whirlwind and Elisha was given a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elisha returns to Jericho where there are other prophets of God. James 2:17 says, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” You have to put some action to your faith and Elisha is about to have a test.
As Elisha enters Jericho, the test begins. As he confidently walks back into Jericho, the other prophets bow down before him. Seeing that he had the same spirit of Elijah, they taunt him by saying that he should send 50 strong men to go look for Elijah because maybe God had taken him away to a mountain top or other far off place. Elisha first says no but he succumbs to their taunting (verse 17) and he says to send the men out.
The men are sent off to look for Elijah while Elisha knows good and well that he is in heaven and not here on earth. Here was the man who just parted the Jordan river hours before and knows he has a double portion of Elijah’s spirit and these prophets from Jericho seem to shake his resolve. Of course, the men came back and did not find Elijah.
After second guessing what he saw and giving into the prophets of Jericho, the people of the town came to Elisha about the water in the poisoned well. Elisha then goes and performs a miracle purifying the well.
Perhaps the best part of the story is when he is leaving the city and a bunch of young boys come out and start calling him “baldy” and taunting him. Elisha then curses them in the name of Lord and bears come out of forest and mauled forty of the young boys. Elisha was under a test right from the beginning.
Sometimes your faith will be tested. Not only will it be tested, but it will be tested in places that are the weakest. Being a sidekick is one thing, but when you become the hero it is a new ball game.
Elisha had just received a double portion of Elijah’s spirit and the prophets of God seemed to be testing agents about his faith in the Lord and what he saw. The town water was bad and Elisha purified the water testing the very power of God flowing through him. Then young boys made fun of Elisha’s appearance which tested his resolve. All this happened less than a week after his mentor, Elijah, went up to heaven.
What are your weak areas of faith? Have you been under the gun or backed into a corner of past mistakes? Maybe you are standing on the promises of God for your own life or your family and so far nothing has changed.
Today, the Holy Spirit wants to say to you believe in the words of Jesus in John 14:27 “peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Satan would like nothing less than to rock your faith and he will start with the simplest most vulnerable issues of your past, maybe even how you look. Rest in the peace Jesus gave us. Pray for the peace that only Jesus can give you. Stand up and fight today and don’t let Satan steal from you what God promised in the Bible. Elisha had to step it up moments after Elijah left. Your time to step it up is now! Put some action to your faith and believe. Start speaking your faith and watch God move.
Prayer: Father, sometimes we can get attacked from all sides. Being attacked can rock our faith and cause us to back slide into a zone of comfort where Satan wants us to be. Your Word tells us to go and preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons, and walk with authority in Jesus name. Help us to strengthen our faith, stand on the promises of your Word, and to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:13) In Jesus name we pray, amen.
Let It Go 
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