Trail to the Double Portion
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
Text: 1 Kings 19:19 ... and Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon Elisha.
This mantle of of God will not be a one time experience but a process and a journey of many years.
I ponder today a poor attitude: JUST ENOUGH, NOT FOLLOWING THE LEADER? We are on a journey where are you headed? WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU FOLLOWING?
We are on a journey, many tests will come. Will we learn and stay submitted?
May we be determined that God’s plan is MORE THAN a spiritual thimble full to just barely make it?
I here the physical prosperity doctrine preached on a daily bases by our TV media.
But I am not talking about more toys to play, I am pondering "TOOLS" to work and accomplish God’s Heart, not some ear scratching, pleasure motive of entertainment.
It is time we grow into the eternal.
Recently, I had a dream, Jesus was crying. Jesus had just finished hearing one of His Elite deliver a sermon on "Claim your Jet!"
The crowd had gone wild, and was jumping in praise.
I asked Jesus, "Why are You so sad?" He replied, " My number one request from my people ask for Cadillacs, Continentals, and SUV’s, then after this prayer my people go to sleep."
Jesus eyes were so broken, I awoke and cried, " God, may my heart be broken for what breaks your heart. May my tears be for lost souls?"
We seek healing today to alleviate pain.
We reach for the pain pill bottle and then the olive oil bottle if the pills don’t work?
The motive of healing must be more than pain relief. This is good but there is more.
Peter’s mother-in-law was healed and she got up and ministered.
Today after very real moves of God, we go to the steak house, and laugh.
Where is the ministry? Where is the testimonies?
There was a neat young man working out in the field. An old man passing by saw the young man and liked the traits the young man displayed.
The old man knew no minister had completely fulfilled his call without training a successor. The torch must be passed to others with work ethics and zeal, but a desire to study and learn more.
Many young people want to be used of God but they refuse to follow and submit to authority and teaching.
It is hard to let an old man teach you when you know everything anyway?
This young man was different from most. For many years this young man would follow the old man.
It appeared the young man would never have his own field?
It did not take long for the young man to see the "HUMAN SIDE" of the old man. But somehow this young man knew in his heart there is an anointing here.
The young man never agreed with everything, but yet he stayed submitted and grew a "servant’s heart."
God set on the edge of His throne and watched the beauty grow in this young man.
The young man learned to shut up and watch God’s plan unfold.
The young man learned that the old man seemed to be in the dark, and all of a sudden God’s plan developed and the wisdom of the old man unwrapped before his eyes.
The young man learned an awl and respect for God and God’s man. The young man submitted and quit trying to launch his own ministry and submit.
2 KINGS Chapter 2.
One day, maybe the young man was preparing the bed for the old man to sleep.
The old man had seen the raw, ignorant boy grow.
The old man caught the vision and saw this boy was the next generation.
The old man said, "Boy, what do you want from God and me?" The young man looked skyward and said, " Sir, I love you and have learned so much, MAY I BE BLESSED ENOUGH TO HAVE A DOUBLE PORTION OF THE SPIRIT THAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU? PLEASE?"
The man of God was so pleased his student had learned and his student’s ladder would extend beyond his Master’s talent.
God leaned back on the throne pleased. The young man did not asked for trinkets and treasures, the man had learned a lesson that a double portion of God is the most valuable tool and goal that could ever be sought by God’s people.
The old man warned the young man, there is still some following ahead.
This double portion will cost more.
The anointing flows, and the young man declared: he was willing to pay anything and exert all his effort to attain the perfect will of God for his life.
The old man warned him, you must STAY WITH ME, like it or not, understand it or not.
If you STAY WITH ME, God will honor your effort and submissiveness and you shall achieve your dream and request.
I ask you to remember, this young man had already followed this old anointed man beyond what any other individual or training minister ever thought.
But God had a plan. There is a clearly marked trail to follow with an attitude of submission.
At each place in the trail the young man was given the opportunity to not progress. He remained determined.
1) The trail of the anointing leads through GILGAL.
But, I want to stay here at Gilgal? No this is just a stop on the journey.
Gilgal means restlessness, rolling stone, surface, easy, no root system.
We know a rolling stone never grows moss?
The young man had to go beyond the mentality of pleasure and seeking emotional highs. The work of God learns there are seasons of floods and drought, yet God still rules. Young man leave Gilgal and don’t look back.
2) The trail of the anointing leads through BETHEL.
Bethel is the House of God, the Altar of the Most High.
Bethel is burying yourself in the Word of God.
Listening, learning.
Realizing the path must not bypass God’s House.
Many young people think they can bypass faithfulness, they will be students of Nintendo and return to Gilgal.
Don’t tell me you want to be a missionary to other lands, when your own pastor cannot count on your commitment? ?
3) The third anointing trail was through JERICHO.
Jericho means sweet fragrance. Praise. Worship.
This stop can never be found by complaining and fault finding.
God’s people will always be known as children, they appear to refuse to grow up.
We praise anyway.
The trail of Faith cannot always be seen or felt. We must praise anyway.
Few find the beautiful path of PRAISE. We visit there occasionally, but we must learn God inhabits praise.
4) The last lesson is learned at JORDAN.
Jordan is death. Self-surrender.
Quit chasing trophies and applause.
Humiliation. Giving the precious.
Jordan teaches WAITING, PATIENCE, FAITH, TRUST.
Self denial is a daily process and must be renewed daily.
God required Abraham to lay his dream, his son on the altar.
The prodigal son said, "Dad, give me ..." as he left. His trail taught him a new attitude, ... "DAD, MAKE ME ..."
THE DESIRE OF ELISHA’S HEART WAS FOUND AFTER THIS LONG PROCESS WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
THE QUESTION IS NOT: ----WHERE IS THE GOD OF ELISHA, --- THE QUESTION IS: ---WHERE ARE THE ELISHA’S OF GOD?
REAL GROWTH FOLLOWS THE SAME AGE OLD PATH. WHERE ARE YOU?
His servant,
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
Enlarge my hands, teach others?
