PORTIONS
Job 31:2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
Ps 142:5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
Ec 9:9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
Lu 15:12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
Lu 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part (portion), which shall not be taken away from her.
Someone said that life is like a bucket of KFC chicken; you are never quite sure what your portion will be until you reach in and pull it out.
portion = part, inheritance, allotment, share
EARTHLY PORTION
Some of us are blessed with more and better than others. We take the good with the bad. But God gives us grace to deal with what we receive.
EVERLASTING PORTION
All of us have access to the wonderful gift of eternal life.
ELECTABLE PORTION
Life is full of choices. We must accept the responsibility of choosing correctly.
If life gives you lemons, are you going to pucker up and suck on those sour things, or will you add some sugar to it and make it palatable?
Then the Bible speaks of DOUBLE PORTIONS. Twice as much, twice as powerful.
By NATURAL ORDER --the eldest son of the family was entitled to a double inheritance of his father.
Dt. 21:17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.
MERCY IN TRIBULATION -- An extra selection of blessing given to attempt to minimize the grief.
1 Samuel 1:5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.
Elkanah gave a greater portion to Hannah due to her barrenness.
RECOMPENSE FOR FAITHFULNESS--stay the course and don't get bitter; God will reward.
Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Job had twice as much after his trial as he ever did before.
JUDGMENT--There will be a double portion of the wrath of God upon Babylon and her followers.
Rev. 18:6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT--Elisha received it and you can too.
2 Kings 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
Ro 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
Elijah had a hearty portion of the Spirit of God in his own life and Elisha saw the difference that it made. Thus, Elisha began to crave it for himself.
I believe he observed and saw how the Spirit enabled a person to do great things for God, and he wanted it even more.
I believe that he perceived how the Spirit empowered a person to minister to the needs of others, and he desired it all the more.
I believe that he came to realize that the Spirit residing in a person shapes and molds that person to become so much like God, so he boldly asked for a double portion of the Spirit that he had seen at work in the life of his master, Elijah.
Elisha could have asked for many other things, but he hungered for the most important.
Double portions of many things are obtainable if you are willing to pay to get them. Unfortunately, they all too often do not satisfy for very long.
A double portion of the Spirit of God will also cost you something. You will have to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. You have to make the will of God the most important priority of your life. There must be an unstoppable hunger for more of God.
Elisha received that "double portion" and went forth doing twice as many miracles as Elijah had accomplished.
What would you do with a double portion of God's Spirit?
There are many who have never even tasted of the first portion of His Spirit.
What are you waiting for? He has already made the invitation.
Ps 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
There is a portion available just for you.
