INTRO
ƒ{ As we continue in our series, I would be remiss if I didn't suggest
o That the #1 key to survival is investing in relationships
o Everybody's going to need somebody sometime
o If you're a self-made man, you haven't made much
o Lean on me when you're not strong.
ƒ{ I want to look beyond friendship and consider
o Power Relationships
ƒ{ It may be hard for our western culture to grasp this.
ƒ{ But it will help you become a survivor.
ƒ{ Because many of the things God does in our lives he does through people
EXAMPLE: Nobody has ever gotten a check sign by Jehovah Jirah
God uses people and relationships
ƒ{ Sometimes Spirit filled people
o Get so focused on God that we forget people
ƒ{ You can't disrespect people
o And get where you are going
ƒ{ Many are hindered in God's plan for them
o Because you kill God's messenger
„X Or people He wants to use to get there
ƒ{ I want you to understand a spiritual law of power partnerships
ƒ{ One of the things that's keeping you down
o Is you're not connected to the right partnerships.
Here are some power partnership principles you need to be a survivor:
1. All Good Things Flow From Relationship
* When God found you...he found you alone
* When He saved you...he saved you alone
* But He called you into the family of God
* 2 are better than 1
2. A Power Partnership is God's Blessing for Transition
* There are some transitions you will never make without someone's help
* I know you are talented, smart, etc
„X 1 set 1000 to flight
„X 2 send the legions fleeing
A. David
o Has to make a transition from shepherd boy to King
o So God brings a power partnership
„X Not a brother
„X Not a peer
o But someone who is higher
o A Samuel -- has already anointed a king
o If you keep hanging out with
„X Broke
„X Negative
„X Average
„X Lukewarm
* People
o Ask yourself; "Where are they taking me?"
o It's no problem having them as friends
o But you need a POWER RELATIONSHIP -- PARTNERSHIP
o When David failed...
o Another prophet, named Nathan, came in and helped him through repentance
o Jonathan -- transition out from Saul's table.
o Someone is always there to help David at the next level of transition.
B. Joseph
o Baker and the Butler
C. Paul (Paul's Conversion)
o A street called straight
o There was Ananias to help him get the scales off his eyes
o Barnabus became the bridge that got him into the church
o To begin to preach the gospel
D. Ruth
o Naomi
o Enabled her -- I will not go back!
E. Abraham
o Melchizedek
o Melchizedek blessed him
„X Before Abraham went to the next level
3. Dormant Potential can be Unlocked by the Right Relationship
* Somebody else has already been on the level that you are trying to go to.
* 1 Kings 19
* Elisha -- potential for greatness but plowing a field
* Elisha recognized this was a potential for a power partnership
* Elisha recognized that Elijah was at a higher level
* One of the reasons so many people never climb higher
o Is because we don't believe anybody is on a higher level than we are
* There are some people who are:
„X Smarter
„X Richer
„X Wiser
„X More favored
* Than YOU
* Not because God loves them more
* But because His anointing is on them in that area
* Probably because they've been through something
* To have power partnerships you have to resist the temptation to:
o Equalize
o Minimize
* Quit tearing people down
* If you kill the messenger because they are not perfect
o Then you will miss their message!!!
* If your insecurity raises up
* You won't follow
* And you never go up!
* So, Elisha follows Elijah
Note the 4 place he follows him through:
1. Gilgal (verse 2)
ƒ{ The place of sacrifice
ƒ{ The place the flesh was cut
ƒ{ Power partnership will require sacrifice
ƒ{ You can't have power partnerships on your time
ƒ{ If you're going to meet, someone important will tell you when to show up
ƒ{ If you are called to meet with the president and he set a time
o You can't call in because you had to get a hair cut
ƒ{ When you want what's in someone, you have to start at Gilgal
EXAMPLE: Pastor Leon Crawford
Tommy/Mathew Barnett
ƒ{ Your ego is keeping you in the wilderness
ƒ{ Power partnership is not a pal
o To compliment you
o Tell you how good you are
„X That's a friend
ƒ{ I'm talking about someone who will put a demand on you and risk upsetting you
ƒ{ Spiritual leaders do a disservice in the body of Christ when we don't press on you a bit.
ƒ{ Fruitfulness comes from discomfort
ƒ{ Elijah said; you stay here, the Lord called me
ƒ{ Appointment with lady; said, "I don't know why I came here"
2. Bethel
ƒ{ House of God
ƒ{ New Testament -- A house of prayer
ƒ{ When you have a power partnership
ƒ{ You have to pray for it
ƒ{ Elisha poured water on Elijah's hands
ƒ{ Prayer will refresh your leader
ƒ{ That will ultimately help you!
ƒ{ One day you'll be down and you'll need someone to be fresh
3. Jericho
ƒ{ Walls of protection
ƒ{ Protect your power partnership
ƒ{ Protect the one over you
ƒ{ I know where I am going and if you don't protect me, you're not coming with me
ƒ{ Build a wall around it!
4. Jordan
ƒ{ A place of separation and definition
ƒ{ Separation into the next level
ƒ{ They were trying to define what they didn't understand
ƒ{ Separation into the next level
ƒ{ Notice in each place
o They were the sons of the prophets
o They kept telling Elisha
o That Elijah was leaving
o They were insinuating that Elijah was treating Elisha like a slave
EXAMPLE: I would drive that far to church
I would give my money
I wouldn't work in the nursery
ƒ{ At Jordan
o They both went over
o And the sons of the prophets had to stay behind
EXAMPLE: Skip
His friends said don't listen to that pastor
But eventually we crossed over and they're not here!
ƒ{ Elisha didn't start his journey with a double portion in mind
ƒ{ When they got to the other side
ƒ{ Elijah says:
o You made sacrifices
o You prayed
o You protected
o You crossed over
ƒ{ What do you want?
ƒ{ If you see me when I go up (verse 10)
ƒ{ As Elisha watched Elijah go up
ƒ{ Elisha got the double portion
ƒ{ When Elijah went up
o Then Elisha got what he wanted
ƒ{ The world says; "If I can put you down, I look bigger."
ƒ{ God says: "If you will get the other up, you get what you want."
ƒ{ I can't get mine until you get yours.
ƒ{ Elijah dropped the mantle for Elisha
o Because he went to a new level and didn't need it
o But Elisha did
ƒ{ Push the one in front of you!
