Permission

Today I want to speak about the importance of permission and respect for God-appointed leadership.

In the passage we read from Second Book of Kings 6:1–7, we see that Elisha was the prophet appointed by God and he was leading a group of prophets. These prophets lived and learned under his leadership.

In the same way, the Bible shows us that God appoints leaders in His church. There are pastors, apostles, teachers, and other leaders whom God places in positions of responsibility.

For example, the Bible says in Ephesians 4:11:

“It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.”

Another verse says in Hebrews 13:17:

“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.”

This shows us that leadership in the church is not something man simply creates; God appoints leaders to guide His people.

Of course, we also know that there are some self-appointed leaders and pastors. But the Bible tells us that believers should discern through the Spirit of God. Jesus Himself said in Gospel of Matthew 7:16

“You will know them by their fruits.”

So, when God truly appoints a leader, and we choose to serve under that leadership, we also carry a responsibility.

The Example of the Prophets

Let us look at what happened in Second Book of Kings 6:2

The prophets came to Elisha and said that the place where they were staying had become too small. They wanted to go to the Jordan River and build a larger place to live.

Now think about this carefully.

These men were also prophets. They could have easily said:

“We are prophets too.”

“We can pray ourselves.”

“We can make our own decision.”

“Let us just go and do it.”

But they did not have that attitude.

Instead, they came to Elisha and asked for permission.

They understood something very important:

By respecting the leadership God placed over them, they were respecting God Himself.

Today many believers struggle with this principle.

We may belong to a church, have a pastor, and be under spiritual leadership, yet when it comes to making decisions, many people choose to act on their own.

Some even say, “I know how to pray. I can seek God myself. I don’t really need to go to church. I don’t really need to be part of a church.”

Others feel that going to church or being connected to a local body of believers is not very important.

Because of this mindset, people sometimes say:

“I will do what I think is right.”

“I do not need to ask anyone.”

“I am doing God’s work anyway.”

But this is very different from the attitude we saw in the prophets.

For example, sometimes there may be a celebration or wedding in the home. Instead of informing or inviting their pastor to be part of it, some people simply invite someone else to preach or lead the prayer without even letting their own pastor know.

Sometimes a person may receive an invitation from another church to preach or minister, and they accept it without informing or seeking guidance from their own pastor or church leadership.

There are even situations where someone starts attending another church, or invites another pastor privately to their home for prayer or ministry, while their own pastor does not even know about it.

Sometimes people even begin a new ministry or spiritual activity on their own.

Instead of seeking guidance, counsel, or permission from the leadership God has placed over them, they simply move forward with their own decision.

But the prophets in this passage showed a very different spirit. Even though they were prophets themselves, they still came to Elisha and asked for permission. This shows humility, respect, and understanding of God’s order.

The Bible shows us that God is a God of order. In First Corinthians 14:33 it says:

“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”

And we also see this principle even in the family. The Bible teaches that there is order in the home as well. In Ephesians 5:23 it says:

“For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church.”

This does not mean one person is more valuable than the other. It simply shows that God establishes order so that things function properly.

In the same way, God places leadership in the church so that His people can be guided, protected, and supported.

And that is exactly the attitude we see in the prophets. Even though they were capable men and prophets themselves, they still chose humility. They came to Elisha and said, “Please give us permission to go.”