Dear People Who Keep Company with God,
You have heard me say that much of what the Lord has been doing with our church was getting us from where we were spiritually a year ago to where He desires us to be at an accelerated pace. I believe that this time of acceleration has prepared us for a time of promotion.
It is in God’s heart to promote His people (Deuteronomy 28:13) and He is careful to prepare us to succeed in the new places He desires to bring us into. The Lord has been revealing to me some keys for promotion from 2 Kings 2:7-14. It is the story of Elijah being promoted to heaven and Elisha being promoted into Elijah’s place as prophet of the Lord.
Elisha and Elijah had come to the Jordan, which represents a low place; actually the Jordan River is the lowest place on the earth. This is the first step, if we are to be promoted we must crossover those low places again. Every river requires us to step down to get into it, as we step down into the River of the Holy Spirit we place ourselves in position to receive promotion (James 4:10).
And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” (2 Kings 2:9-10). Next we are to ask the Lord for promotion, do not let false humility and religious mindsets get in the way of what the Lord wants to do for you (James 4:1-3), the Father wants to bless and enlarge each of us. Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (2 Kings 2:11). It is interesting that Elijah and Elisha continued on and talked, it is so important right now for us to continue on in what the Lord is doing and more importantly with our personal relationship with Him. That is how we walk into the ‘suddenly’ of an open heaven atmosphere. This is not a time to settle or draw back, press into Him!
I have actually seen drawings of Elijah going to heaven in the chariot of fire, the artist fell into the trap many of us will if fail to continue on with Him. Elijah went to heaven in the whirlwind!
And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over (2 Kings 2:12-14). With his promotion in hand Elisha’s first assignment was to go back to the Jordan, the low place. If we are to truly walk in all that God has for us we must continually embrace a child like heart as lifestyle.
Many Blessings, BW