Maximizing Divine Encounter III

1 Kings 19:19 NKJV
So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.

Beloved,
In continuation of our discussion about maximizing encounters, let’s consider another Bible personality who encountered God through a man of God. Today, we are zooming in on Elisha, the son of Shaphat.

After the Lord told Elijah that Elisha would succeed him as a prophet, Elijah approached Elisha, who was plowing in the field, and threw his cloak on him without a word. Can you imagine the scene? It probably would have made little sense to most people. But Elisha was spiritually sensitive enough to discern the move of God and he followed Elijah immediately.

Now the big question is this: why didn’t God communicate Elisha’s future directly to him? Why did God reveal Elisha’s future to a man of God with whom he had no relationship?  Well, the fact is that although it seems random from human perspective, it was in God’s eternal program for Elisha to be discipled by Elijah. The key to activating that destiny program was Elisha’s attitude.

As an accomplished business tycoon with a flourishing business, Elisha could have disregarded the encounter as a fluke and continued with his business operation which would have been understandable human response. Only heaven knows the ridicules Elisha must have endured for his decision to abandon everything to go pour water on the hands of a Elijah. Many times we read the Bible and we don’t stop to ponder what must have been going on within these personalities who went broke to follow God. Elisha is to Elijah what the Apostles were to Jesus. He literally left everything based on the word of one prophet! He did not just leave the business; he burnt it all so that he had nothing to go back to! Right there, I believe that was the day he got the double anointing credit in his account in heaven although he must go through the discipleship process to have it manifested.

The kingdom of God is a kingdom of order and strong structure; you don’t break ranks. So Elisha must become Elijah’s assistant to become the carrier of double of Elijah’s anointing. In the kingdom there is no resurrection without death! Elisha must part with his old lifestyle although it wasn’t a sinful one. Not doing so would distact him. Trying to serve his business and Elijah at the same time would have would have made him lose at both ends. If he didn’t follow Elijah he likely would have lived a great life as a very rich man of his time and died without fulfilling his destiny.

Elijah did not disregard his encounter with the anointed as nothing. He forsook all and followed correctly. Beloved, I urge you also to not take for granted any encounter with God or His anointed.

I commend you to God and to the word of His grace.

I call you blessed. I call you NATIONS.