Here is the continuation of Pastor Don’s Friday Bible Study

So we saw that Elisha was going to help Israel’s King because of Judah’s King Jehoshaphat. And saw that when one is spiritually weak it is good to have alliances.

2 Kings 3:15 “But now bring me a musician.” Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

Pastor Don pointed out that it wasn’t  a voice, a spirit, a foot, but His hand. Some of today’s Christian music lyrics have the idea of only wanting to see God’s face, that is not always what is best for us, sometimes we need God’s hand working in our situation. It is stupid to just want to seek the glory of God, but not the work of His hand. The hand of God is what the Glory does: prosperity, power, destruction of strongholds. Where God’s face goes, His hand also goes.

We think that when we ask to only see His face we are being so humble, but at times God’s hand is needed. So often we say or sing stuff that we don’t think about.

It was not possible for Moses to see God’s face, there would have been too much glory for him. And yet, because of his relationship with God, when he died, Moses was not diminished, he died strong and with his sight and all of his faculties.

God’s hand touches everything we do, and we do not want to turn down a blessing from God. When God acts in our lives, all the glory goes to God.

If you are in a situation where you need to hear from God, you need to know how to get into a position to hear from God. Elisha knew that he could get in such a position if the musicians play. We need to figure out what we need to get our Spirit ready to hear from God. Is it praying in a particular place, taking a long walk, listening to music, playing music. When the warfare is on, you need to be able to get into God’s presence. Is it singing, listening to a teaching tape, reading the scriptures. Whatever it is, that is where you need to be. (Heather’s note, God does not need us to be in a particular place to hear from Him, but we sometimes are more receptive in certain situations).

What God is doing in our lives is helping us to learn to change our modus operandi. When a tough situation would come on before we got saved, we might choose to go and drink, take drugs, or vent our anger in an unacceptable way. Now we have new weapons of warfare and we need to seek those out. When a situation is tough, we may be tempted to fall back on the old ways, so it is important to establish the new habits with God.

For Elisha, music helped him to hear from God. There is no record that Elijah needed music, or Samuel or John the Baptist. But each of us has our particular way of contacting our Spirit and linking to God.

King David did use music, he used to write Psalms and hymns to God. Jeremiah had scribes that wrote things he said into a book.

When our earthen vessels need to be filled, when things seem dried up and barren, when trouble comes, we need to draw on the juices (living Water) of God. If we do not fill up with God, satan will be more than happy to fill up our empty vessels with things that do not glorify God and will only bring greater troubles on us.

We will always have pressures in life, that will not abate with salvation. So we need to be ready when that disaster comes, so that we don’t go crazy or lose our peace. We don’t want to get into another distraction that the devil provides.

We need to renew our mind and take every thought captive. If we go to God and get a message from Him, then we will be in better position for warfare. Seek after the Lord, get into a place of worship, and wait for a Word of Wisdom or a Word of Knowledge, then we will have the information to be effective.

2 Kings 3:16-18 And he said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ For this says the LORD: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain: yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’ And this is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.

It is a SIMPLE MATTER for God. The problems that we think are so big, really are simple matters for God. And so often, when God gives a word of Knowledge or Wisdom, it doesn’t seem to make sense to our senses. In a dry and barren place, to dig ditches does not seem the best solution. God will always change circumstances so He gets the glory. God will do a new thing so that He gets the glory. God rescues us at the time to rescue us, and He gets the glory.

So often, after we have prayed to God for intervention, we then say, it wasn’t God. Pastor Don told a story about a man who desperately needed a parking place in front of a building and prayed to God for it, after the place was available and he pulled in, then he thought to himself, “I didn’t need God, it just opened up for me.”

Sometimes God will permit difficulties to help us get out of our stuff. God will not always do what we think He ought to do to get us out of our situation. God does not always follow our suggestions, He knows the best way. So often we ask God for a miracle, then take the glory for God, when he comes through for us.

Sometimes God will tell us to do something that looks ridiculous or illogical to test if we will obey Him. Dig ditches in dry areas doesn’t make sense if we are seeing things through circumstances, but God knows what is beyond our limited vision. When we think our problems are so big, often God is waiting for us to let Him handle the problem.

2 Kings 3:19 Also you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.

 God gives them the victory over Moab, but they also have work to do. God will empower them to do it, but we do not sit back and wait for God to do it all. We participate as God tells us to. There is always a part that we have to play in a miracle of God. (Heather’s note, I am glad that He loves us so much to let us play a part).

2 Kings 3:20 Now it happened in the  morning, when the grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom and the land was filled with water.

The grain offering kicked off the blessing of God. What if they heard the word of the prophet and had not given an offering, we can’t be sure that anything would have happened. We need to step out in faith. We will see the same thing happen in chapter 4. God does great for us, but it isn’t fair that we only ask Him for things, but never give back to Him. (Heather’s note, I once saw a illustration of a picture of an office in heaven with piles of prayer requests on one desk, and another desk with one letter in an inbox. The angel tells the visitor that that one letter was a thank you note to God. That many people request things from God, but very few thank Him.)

Then we went through a few verses quickly because it was near the end of our study.

2 Kings 3:21-23  And when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to bear arms and older were gathered; and they stood at the border. Then they rose up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood. And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely struck swords and have killed one another; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!”

SO:

2 Kings 3:24-25  So when they came to the camp of Israel, Israel rose up and attacked the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they entered their land, killing the Moabites. Then they destroyed the cities, and each man threw a stone on every good piece of land and filled it; and they stopped up all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees. But they left the stones of ir Haraseth intact. However the slingers surrounded and attacked it.

 So the did not do the complete job. (Heather’s note, seems that this is a pattern of the Israelites, to not do ALL that God commands).

2 Kings 3:26-27 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not. Then he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering upon the wall; and there was great indignation against Israel. So they departed from him and returned to their own land.

This is an example of how Edom was evil. The Edomite king was willing to sacrifice his son for a chance to win the battle.

This also shows how important it is to pick your allies. Jehoram asked Jehoshaphat and the Moabites to ally with Him. The Moabites saw that the battle was fierce, and returned to their own land. The Edomites did not believe that God was able. Elisha would not have helped if it wasn’t for Jehoshaphat.

That is why we need the strength of the Body of Christ, for the sake of a righteous man in the Body of Christ, those who are weaker can be carried along until they grow stronger.

Pastor Don also pointed out that sometimes the need of a few outweigh the needs of many. We need to help each other out.

Hoping that this blessed you, it gave me a lot to think about.

Heather

We have watched Israel, God’s people, mess it up by not fully obeying God. Partial commitment will eat you up and destroy you. You cannot vacillate between full and partial commitment, bad things happen.

Pastor Don reminded us that there was the Northern Kingdom – called Israel and the Southern Kingdom – called Judah. The Northern Kingdom had been living in sin, in idol worship, and Jehoram, who was the son of Ahab and Jezebel is going to set about doing some reforms, but we will see it is not complete. Partial worship and conviction is not what God wanted in His children.

This chapter occurs after Elijah has been taken up to heaven and Elisha has taken on the mantle of Elijah.

2 Kings 3:1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.

Jehoram is the king of Israel – the Northern Kingdom – its capital was Samaria.
Jehoshaphat is the king of Judah – The Southern Kingdom.

2 Kings 3:2-3  And he (Jehoram)  did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father and mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he persisted in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin; he did not depart from them.

Pastor Don talked about the Jezebel (Jehoram’s mother) spirit. He said that it attacks the head of the church and destroys the work of God. That behind every Jezebel is a weak Ahab, an Ahab that does not control the evil of the Jezebel. He also pointed out that a Jezebel spirit does not just have to be a woman, a man can also have a Jezebel spirit. Jezebel would not have been able to do what she did if Ahab had told her not to do it, but he permitted her to do what she did as long as he benefited from her actions.

The Jezebel spirit is a spirit of idol worship who seeks to destroy men and women of God, and whoever is in leadership by lying, deceit, or any means necessary to take down the house. It is a destructive spirit that comes against God’s work. And sometimes the spirit looks like it is coming from a VERY spiritual place, saying very spiritual things, but the end result, the fruit, is destruction. The fact that the Jezebel spirit can look so spiritual makes it hard to identify in the Body of Christ.  Words give way to insidious undermining of leadership, critical comments, negative statements. They are usually quick to identify “hypocrites” but they themselves are hypocritical.

The Ahab spirit creates Jezebel and permits her actions. He does not step into the role of spiritual head of the family, and does not give correction or control the tongue of the Jezebel spirit. He permits Jezebel to reap havoc as long as he gets the rewards. Remember Jezebel lied to get a piece of property for Ahab.

The Jezebel/Ahab spirit takes more pride in destroying a church than in building a church. If there is a Jezebel spirit in the church, they have to be dealt with strongly because their Ahab will not do anything.

Ahab and Jezebel did great destruction in the nation of Israel. And, just like today, when there is a Ahab and Jezebel spirit, God will send a prophet to speak truth to the people. And if they do not listen to the prophet, then God will send correction.  The prophet will speak the Word of God and bring the power of God to correct the problem. An example is Elijah and the 300 prophets of baal, who were destroyed.

Jehoram did evil in the sight of God but not as great an evil, but then there is that word NEVERTHELESS, he still persisted in the sins of Jeroboam. He did right some wrongs, but did not go all the way. (Heather’s note, 2 Kings 12 talks about Jeroboam building two golden calves and giving the people idols to worship and shrines in the high places, and ordained sacrifice to the idols.) We have to remember that God’s word will not return void.

2 Kings 3:4-5 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheepbreeder, and he regularly paid the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams. But it happened, when Ahab died, that the king of Moab rebeled against the king of Israel.

After Ahab’s death the covenants and contracts and agreements with the Moabites broke down. Ahab’s life put a curse on Jehoram’s, for what the father does is passed down to their children. Someone asked why, this was so, that the parent would see this happen to their child did not seem fair. Pastor Don pointed out that many are more hurt by what happens to their children and the mistakes that their children make, than if the same thing happened to them. (Heather’s note, like father/like son, kids watch what we do and say and then imitate it, the kids probably would have imitated their father, and continued on doing the same sort of evil in God’s eyes.)

But this kind of generational curse can be broken when someone steps up and does what is right in God’s eyes. If a parent doesn’t discipline their children (not brutal discipline, but correction), the kids will grow up to disrespect the parents, and their lack of discipline will impact their future lives and the lives of future generations.

If a father spent most of his parenting life as a drunk, and gets sober, he may still see that his kids follow in his footsteps of drinking. But God has given us a way of changing things. Galatians 3:13-14  Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

When Jesus steps in our lives generational curses can be broken. Forgiveness can stop the curse. Parents are only free if they have fully repented. And even though Jesus freed me of my sins, some of us still have guilt and sadness for what went on before. In Revelation 22 we are told God will wipe the tears from or eyes. If we do not deal with these past issues on the earth, we will deal with them in Heaven.

There are things that we wish we never did, and we want God to completely wipe away these things, so that satan can no longer tempt us to do these things. We need to let God clean us completely, not hold onto any sins. God has given us his word to vicariously show us what happens when we do not let God completely cleanse us, when we hold onto old idols and strongholds. Far better to learn by watching what happens to those in the Bible, than by experience.

Jehoram did not go far enough in cleansing what Ahab and Jezebel did, he did not remove all the idols.

2 Kings 3:6 So King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and mustered all of Israel. Jehoram mustered Israel, but he did not do all necessary, for there were still idols in the land. His incomplete work still left a curse in the land.

2 Kings 3:7-11 Then he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebeled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” And he said, “I will go up; I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “By way of the Wilderness of Edom.” So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched on that roundabout route seven days; and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. And the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?” So one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.”

Moab turned against Israel. Jehoram made a smart decision of going to Jehoshaphat to ask for help. Jehoram did not know the LORD, his parents disobeyed, rebeled, and fought against the LORD. He did not know how to enter into warfare (spiritual) with Moab, so he went to Jehoshaphat for help. He did try to ally with the Edomites, but that would also be an unholy alliance for they were idol worshippers. They were led into a dry place, no water.

Fortunately the godly king Jehoshaphat realized that they needed to ask God. Most of us act, get into trouble, and then blame God for the trouble we brought on ourselves by not asking God first. If we don’t do what God tells us to do, we cannot blame God for the result.We can get tied up with the wrong things, and we have to realize our bad choices are not God’s fault.

Jehoshaphat realized that with spiritual warfare, we need to ask for a prophet. If we cannot hear from God directly, find someone spiritual, with an anointing, to help guide you.

So many want to just study the milk of the word, but what we need is the meat of the word – Word that has teeth. We also need to grow enough to properly digest the meat of the word, to analyze ourself in light of the Word, and with those around you chew on the word, digest it, and let it soak into your spirit.

Pastor Don then pointed out that we need to investigate business ties and associates, to make sure that they are acting in a godly fashion, to know that all are operating from the same principles. Jehoshaphat realized you don’t go to war without checking with God.

2 Kings 3:12-13 And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. (Elisha) Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

Rough words for Jehoram, Elisha knew what Jehoram’s parents (Ahab and Jezebel) did, and he wanted nothing to do with him, telling him to go to the idols his parents worshipped.

2 Kings 3:14  And Elisha said, “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at your , nor see you.

This shows how important right alliances are, if you are on shaky ground spiritually, make sure you are allied with someone who is doing right. Because of Jehoshaphat, Elisha will help Jehoram. It is important to take the time to position ones self before the time of testing, so that you can prosper and advance. Sometimes the pressure will be turned up on us to see if we are walking the Christian walk. Ignorance is not bliss in war.

I will continue this Bible Study by Pastor Don tomorrow,

Hoping you have a blessed day.

Heather

I have to apologize for not posting for a few days, this has been a tough week for me, with a few out of the ordinary challenges – sort of living out the 2 Kings 2 experience in my life. I covet your prayers as I walk this out. Talking with Pastor Don on Friday helped me to put some of the things into perspective. The kids are asleep, it is Saturday, so perhaps I will get a block of time on the computer.

I am going to put Friday’s study up before Wednesday’s because Pastor Don spent more time on 2 Kings 2 yesterday. Wednesday’s study was 2 Kings 3.

To recap a bit, Elijah’s mantle has passed to Elisha who was his mentee. Elisha asked in verse 14, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” and struck the waters with Elijah’s mantle, parting them just like Elijah did previously. This is the only time that Elisha will ask where God is because he needed confirmation that the glory of God had passed to him.

The 50 watching prophets then question Elisha, not believing that Elijah has been taken up to heaven. They insist on sending out a search party in case God lifted Elijah up and cast him somewhere else. They search for three days and conclude that he is nowhere to be found. Elisha stayed in Jericho (the place of victory) and when the men returned, said, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

Pastor Don pointed out something important here. He said that sometimes the prophet will permit the people to do something he has an answer for. Sometimes people come to a prophet to hear what they want to hear, and are not listening to the advice of the prophet, so he permits them to go through something, for he knows they are not ready to receive the truth. Pastor Don said that sometimes in counseling he sees that situation. That people have to make the mistake before they are ready to listen.

2 Kings 2:19  Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.

God uses a miracle to confirm and affirm Elisha in the eyes of the people.

2 Kings 2:20  And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.

 God gave Elisha a Word of Wisdom and a Word of Knowledge, in the form of a simple solution. Sometimes God has a solution that doesn’t look like a solution, or that you don’t think will work. God is looking for obedience. To do something stupid to prove you believe, and then God heals you.

Pastor Don talked about a time where he pulled out his achilles’ tendon, and was facing impending surgery. He was on a church camping trip, hurting and saying to himself, “By His stripes I am healed.” over and over again. God told Pastor Don to run and he would heal him. Pastor Don knew that those first few steps would be excruciating, and that he would end up on his face if it wasn’t the Word of God. But Pastor Don did what did not seem logical, he ran, and was healed. This was later confirmed by his doctor, and gave Pastor Don a chance to tell the puzzled doctor who decided that surgery wasn’t needed about the healing power of God. The surgeon still suggested Pastor Don wear a support boot, but Pastor Don did not wear the boot which is hanging in his garage as a testimony of God’s healing. In the logical mind, running with a torn achilles’ tendon does not make sense.

God doesn’t always make sense, he wants us to step out into the air and find something there.

2 Kings 2:21-22 Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’” So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

The prophet Elisha spoke a word of prophesy over the water.

Pastor Don asked us, “What if Elisha said that the waters were not healed.” The waters would not have been healed. If Elisha did not obey God’s command and say what God told him to say, God would raise up another prophet who would be obedient to Him. God looks for obedience in His servants.

When, in verse 14 Elisha struck the water and God confirmed that the manifest glory of God had passed from Elijah to Elisha, God gave Elisha the power to act. It meant that God was using and trusting Elisha.

Pastor Don then pointed out that politically we are AMBASSADORS for God on the earth. We are not citizens of the world, but Ambassadors from Heaven. We speak for our King (God). If the Ambassador speaks in His authority as ambassador, God backs him up, even if God did not give the person the exact words to say. A king appoints an ambassador who is qualified for the job, and the king puts his trust in the ambassador to handle the situation in a manner that the king would want it handled. But the king does not micromanage all that the ambassador says or does, he trusts the ambassador.

The only time that the king does not have to back up the ambassador is when the ambassador’s words are contrary to the words of the king, in our case the Word of God.

When we speak a word over our children, God will back us up. Will we speak blessings or cursings over them? That is why the Bible tells us to watch what words our unruly tongue speaks.

God will withdraw His hand from us if we speak against God. A good example of this is Balaam, who was used as a prophet for God, and chose to give the enemy ideas of how to defeat the Israelites. He was tempted by the riches of the enemy, and God could not honor that. Balaam’s motive for prophesy was the wrong reason.

Pastor Don used an example of a local church who invited a prophet in to speak, a prophet who claimed to speak from God. He offered to prophesy for the people for $29.95 and people could use mastercard to pay. Some people in the church went to the “prophet” for prophesy, paying the money. The pastor was horrified, but let it go on. Afterwards he spoke strongly to the “prophet” and told him that he would NEVER speak in his church again and that he would warn other churches about him. The pastor had let the “prophet” do his thing and those who were fooled by the “prophet” pay for their “prophesy”, and then spent a month of sermons instructing and correcting his congregation about the error of what those who paid did. He told them that he had taught them better, and they should have not paid, but if they were stupid enough to pay, it was a costly lesson they would not soon forget. Someone asked what happened to that “prophet” and Pastor Don assured us that God would deal with Him.

So many people come to church looking for signs and wonders. You cannot grow from signs and wonders. Some pastors fall into the trap of making sure that there are always signs and wonders and a show for the congregation, to keep them returning. When the pastor wants to teach something of substance, or wants to correct the congregation using the Word of God, the people move to the next church which promises signs and wonders.

2 Kings 2:23-24  Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up you baldhead!”. So he (Elisha)  turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the LORD. And two female  bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

Someone pointed out that mauling was not killing, but it sure taught those youths a lesson. Pastor Don patted his head which has some thinning hair and said, keep that in mind. In seriousness though, the youths were putting down a Prophet of God. They should have been honoring him. Touch not the Lord’s anointed.

Someone asked, that sometimes people use these Biblical examples to question the goodness of God, for why would a good God let bears maul youth?

Pastor Don said that some pastors only want to preach about a good God, a gospel of love, and ignore the aspects of God mentioned in the Bible that are sterner and tougher. They do not want to mention the correction of God.

Pastor Don said that he does not want to worship a God who does not have teeth and is declawed. An impotent Lion of Judah. And yet at the same time we want the armies of Saul, the Jerichos, the Goliaths won. If God was declawed, Goliath might not be taken down because he might get hurt.

We want God who tells the Truth. A good God who blesses goodness and punishes evil. God, who justly judges. At times that means that you may die young, die a horrible death if you are doing evil. Our Good God sees to it that good prophets are honored.

We want God to do the ultimate good for us, even when it doesn’t seem to our senses to be so good.

Pastor Don asked us how the masterminds of evil, the Hitlers, etc. are able to get away with doing such evil things. He said that good people, by their inaction or refusal to speak the truth, give evil people tacit permission to do what they do.

It is evil to let evil go uncorrected and to give evil permission to do what it wants. You have to have courage to identify evil and correct evil. We need to know the simple truth – God is good, the devil is bad. Don’t forget correction begins at the house of God, and we are the temples of God.

Culture collapses if we do not punish evil, if we don’t tell the truth. Ananias and Sapphira died and were dragged out for lying to the body of Christ.

Love in action protects the weak, and prevents the strong from hurting the weak.

Then Pastor Don repeated this twice, “The Master’s plan is to give you the ability to make your plan.”

Pastor Don, in answer to another question regarding why people who have died, if Heaven is so wonderful, would choose, given the choice to return to earth. Pastor Don told the person that some people choose to return for various reasons, others choose not to return. He pointed out that at times we want to hold onto our earthly life. From our limited vision, the earthly life seems to be the best place to be. But eternal life is far better than the best that life on earth can offer us.

Yet, he has talked to people who have chosen to come back to their bodies, when in that twinkling of an eye they found themselves in heaven. He has also read stories of some who have gone through this. Sometimes the Lord comes to the people and asks them what they want to do. Some choose to return because the Lord shows them the good that can happen if they return and share what they know with others, and they choose to make that sacrifice even when there is pain involved in the recovery process on earth. Choices between staying in heaven or returning to earth is beyond our comprehension. But some parents choose to return so that their children’s salvations can be attained, one woman chose to return to continue her work on housing for Israelites, EB came back and shared his experience with people so that they would know God and be saved. We love the earth so much that we want to stay here, but Psalm 90 lets us know that it “ain’t all that.”

Another person pointed out that Deuteronomy 30 talks in detail about the blessings for obedience to God and cursings for disobedience

God is with the people. When people want to do what they want to do they pretty much tell God not to bother them. When something bad happens as a consequence of their actions or disobedience, then they want to blame God. Even Adam blamed God for the wrong choice he made to eat the forbidden fruit.

God gave us the authority to rule the earth, and we make bad choices.

Another question brought out the fact that the Passover is a marriage betrothal ceremony. And he pointed out that when a Hebrew family was to give their daughter in marriage, they would break bread with the prospective husband. The girl, who would have already investigated through family and friends the credentials of the prospective husband, at the betrothal ceremony she has the final say about whether or not wedding plans would go forward. She would either drink the cup of betrothal, or she would turn the cup upside down and refuse to drink. Judas ate the bread at the table, but did not drink the cup of wine at the last supper. He refused the offer of the groom. Jesus’ last words were that he would not drink the next cup of wine until he shares it with us in heaven. And He told the group the same words that the groom would tell the bride. That He was going to prepare a place for her, and would come back to take her to the place He prepared. Weddings in that day happened in the dark, where the groom would come for the bride shouting loudly and making lots of noise to take her to her new home. The bride was expected to be ready for his coming. Just as we are to be ready – just like the 12 virgins in Matthew 25, six were ready, six were not. The groom came at midnight. The rapture will be when Jesus comes back to take His bride home.

We know that there will be terrible times after the rapture, and we are to try and bring in as many to Christ as possible, so that they do not have to live through these tough times.

2 Kings 2:25 Then he (Elisha) went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

Mount Carmel means fruitful field. Samaria means hedge with thorns, watch station, about to take heed. Elisha went to where God’s protection was. Pastor Don mentioned that we want all to get to this place of protection under God, to not give up on family and friends even if they continually reject your words to them. Keep speaking the truth and praying for them. Keep planting the seeds for God’s word does not come back void.  Pastor Don said that it takes far more faith to be an atheist.

Mount Carmel was where Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal. So God took Elisha to a place of great victory. We are the watchmen on the wall. A Christian life is a better life than any life we can choose as a non-Christian.  The Church may fail us, people may let us down, but Jesus will never fail us.

Pastor Don pointed out to the gardeners in our group that the beginnings of a garden are not pretty. Plants are torn out by the roots to prepare a field. To start a good garden you have to kill stuff.

Then we went to a few verses of 2 Kings 3, but I will combine those few verses that we read with the lesson from Wednesday.

Hoping your Saturday is blessed!

Heather

All four gospels mention the Baptism of Jesus, so we began by looking at each of these accounts.

Mark 1:7-11 And he (John the Baptist) preached, saying, “there comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

John the Baptist was a wilderness prophet who baptized the people to cleanse them of sins. He was considered a prophet by all the people, not just Jesus.

Matthew 3:11  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

The people repent of their sins and are baptized in water. This flies in the face of what Jewish tradition thought of baptism.

A question was raised about Messianic Jews, and Pastor Don pointed out that they were Jews who accepted Jesus – New Testament Jews, Completed Jews. They are not taking on a new faith, they are adding Messiah to their faith. We are grafted in Jews. In the Old Testament God stated that his purpose was to make the the Israelite’s  life so attractive that it would attract gentiles to worship Him. For He wanted all to come to Him. Christianity at its root is Jewish, our Messiah was a Jewish Carpenter. Approximately 70,000 Jews a year accept Yeshua as the Messiah. They have seen the 300 plus prophesies about Yeshua have come true.

John the Baptist clearly states that he was not the Messiah, not the Prince of Peace, that he just gave the baptism of repentance.

Living life in a selfish way leads to the heavy weight of sin. When we die, God shows us our lives and we will say, “I wish I had made other choices.” We all make dumb choices. People come to church not only to worship, but to pull out some weeds in their lives, to feel the love of God. To put us into position to receive the good things of God that He has planned for us requires repentance.

The baptism of repentance is with water, the promise in faith that follows the baptism of water is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 3:16 John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Notice again that Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire.

John 1:30-34 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me. I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

God had promised the Israelites a Messiah to come as early as the book of Deuteronomy. Jesus made a promise that he would send a comforter, that we would be baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire. It is a different baptism than the baptism of repentance.

Baptism for the Israelites at that time consisted of a bath called a Mikvah (Sp?) and it was used to initiate a gentile into the tribe of Israel and before a wedding. Men were circumcised as a sign of the covenant of Abraham. So they were puzzled when John the Baptist started baptizing people. They probably thought that they were favored by God and did not need to repent of sin. John was doing something that was unusual and unpopular with the powers that be.

Someone asked how, being Jesus’s cousin that John did not know Him. Pastor Don pointed out that travel in those times was difficult, so people did not see each other often – as cousins they might have crossed paths at the High Holy Day visits to the temple, but have little social contact outside of that. Also, John may not have known that Jesus was the Messiah until God revealed it to Him.

We have seen in all four of the gospels that there was a baptism of repentance with water, and that the promise of God, to send the Messiah, was fulfilled. But people were not filled with the Holy Spirit until they were born again. The Holy Spirit rested on Jesus, but not on the disciples until after Jesus died and rose again, and after He went to His father, then the Comforter (Holy Spirit) came to those in the upper room.

Many Christians believe that being born again and receiving the Holy Spirit are simultaneous, but this is not shown in the Bible, it is a separate baptism, not of water.

Pastor Don then pointed out that people who argue faith questions have not read the Bible through. There  is no way to read the Bible through and not be impacted by God. People can be scientifically accurate, details accurate, and have it be just head knowledge, without making it all the way to the heart. Some people think they are born again because they made a decision for Christ in their minds, but the decision was an intellectual decision. Only when the person also decides with their heart are they born again, then they are never the same, for the fire of the Holy Spirit will burn away all that is not of God.  It purifies and cleanses a person.

When the Holy Spirit comes, you can never be the same and if you go back to a life of sin, you will not be content with it, the Holy Spirit will not let you rest in the life of sin.

John 3:5-6  Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.

Remember that water is also a metaphor of the Word as well as H 2 O. We can see that if we look at Ephesians 5:18-19  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing, and making melody in your heart to the Lord.  or 1 Peter 2:1-3  Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

 We are born again by the enduring, imperishable Word of God. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.  We hear the Word of God and it washes us.

Jesus did not baptize anyone with water, He baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire. Paul only physically baptized a few people, he too baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Does that mean that we don’t need water baptism to be born again? The thief on the cross was not baptized in water, but he was born again. Water baptism is a external sign of an inward change. It shows a willingness to be obedient. In a way it is for us a test by God, for if you are not willing to obey God in the little thing of water baptism, you are testing how far you can disobey God and get away with it.

Jesus baptized with the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit shows us how we are not as yielded as we think. Jesus knows how hard headed we are.

Luke 11:1  Now it came to pass as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

The disciples are just like us, wanting God (Jesus) to show them shortcuts. They wanted a prayer to memorize, but if we look at Matthew 5, 6, and 7 we see that Jesus gives a whole discourse on prayer, not to have repetitious prayers, to pray in secret, etc. So what Jesus will teach the disciples here is a model prayer. Jesus will tell them to pray in THIS manner, not pray these EXACT words from memory. The first part of the prayer we know as the Lord’s Prayer starts out with acknowledging that God is God, and that His name is hallowed. Realize that God is in Heaven and we are still on earth. God is able to take care of our needs. Later, we are reminded that for God to be able to operate fully in our lives, we need to forgive. Blessings of God can be withheld if we disobey Him and do not forgive those who need forgiving by us. Remember, vengeance is God’s. Only He can justly judge and deal with an infraction.

We are unholy, and sinful, in need of forgiveness ourselves. Only Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice for our sins makes us able to go boldly to God, to be righteous IN CHRIST JESUS.

We also need to remember that Jesus taught the disciples this prayer BEFORE He was crucified. And at that time His kingdom had not come on earth. He defeated satan through death on he cross and His resurrection. Then He commissioned us, His disciples, for now we are ambassadors of His kingdom on earth.

Remember it is satan’s purpose to keep us in unforgiveness and disobedience, because then we are not in the right position to receive His blessings. We have been delivered from death and the grave because of His sacrifice. And Jesus would not have needed to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses” for Jesus did not sin. Jesus would also not lead us into temptation, He will permit temptation and tests to come across our paths to try us, but He will not lead us to sin. And so often it is not, “The devil made me do it,” it is we who choose to disobey. But Jesus’s sacrifice for us has delivered us.

Regarding our victory, Jesus already did it, we don’t do anything but accept His gift. Remember that Jesus told God that He had not lost anyone whom God had given Him.

When the Holy Ghost rises up in us, fire burns out what is not of God.

Luke 11:9 So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find, knock, and it will be opened to you.

We can ask the Holy Ghost’s help to know what to ask, what to seek, and where to knock.

Luke 11:10-13 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Amplified Bible Luke 11:13 If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him!

Notice, CONTINUE to ask Him. As we continue to ask, we will see greater and greater Holy Spirit fire and experiences. It is not just ask once and that is enough, but CONTINUE.

Two of John the Baptist’s disciples asked John if they could follow Jesus. John knew that Jesus must increase and he must decrease.

The Body of Christ needs to ask, to get all that the Holy Ghost has to offer.  Many have never asked Jesus to baptize them in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit baptism.

We, in this day and age, need the Holy Spirit so much. Just look at the situation in the world. As things disintegrate more and more, we will need to rely on the Holy Spirit. When Christians start being persecuted, when they refuse to take the mark, when things that we take for granted are not available to us, such as penicillin, or when diseases arise that can’t be fought with medicine that we have today, we will need the healing power of the Holy Spirit.

We need to have boldness in the day of judgment, knowing that perfect love casteth out all fear.

Praying for you,

Heather

If you look at my links box you will see In His Name Ministries and Living Word Chapel links. Through these you can find resources from Pastor Don and learn a bit more about our church. In His Name Ministries puts on a TV program on TBN and on a local channel that highlights Pastor Don’s sermons. At this link on the Left Side, when you space down (after the “Say Amen schedule) there are a few TV shows from Say Amen that you can watch online if you want to hear Pastor Don teach live. These are from Sunday services. There are also ways to get copies of his teachings for they are on CD’s or tapes, so if there is a topic you want, feel free to contact the church and they will gladly get it to you.

Part two of Friday’s Bible Study

2 Kings 2:15-16  Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him. Then they said to him, “Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, lest perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send anyone.”

This shows that Elisha saw in the Spirit what the fifty prophets did not see, the chariot of fire which carried Elijah up by a whirlwind into heaven. They were not with Elisha in the Spirit, so they depended on their senses. And now they are wanting to search for Elijah with their senses. They were also calling into question Elisha’s word. He tells them DO NOT SEND ANYONE, but then gives into them. But with their senses they also saw the power of Elijah manifested through Elisha.

2 Kings 2:17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send them!” Therefore they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him.

Fifty men saw a tremendous miracle and did not believe. They had not gone with Elijah to the desert place. Jesus was also not believed.

2 Kings 2:18  And when they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

Elisha stayed in Jericho instead of getting angry at their unbelief. Jericho is the place of breath, quick understanding, the Holy Spirit. He did not leave his place of understanding. Pastor Don also mentioned that Jesus knew the hearts of men.

2 Kings 2:19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.

(Heather’s note, the word “bad” in Strong’s is RAH which means naught, bad, disagreeable, malignant.) They were in a desert place, that the water was bad and the ground barren. Not only in the physical, but water is also a symbol of the Word of God, and they are saying that there is not a good Word of God in the area, and barren means lack of fruit (spiritual fruit too). They are saying that a change has to happen, that the spiritual word is barren. We can see this also in the church today, for many leaders are watering down the Word of God, giving out bad Word, not the complete Word, or compromising on the Word of God. The leadership in the churches have not come together, they are going their own ways.

2 Kings 2:20 And he said to them, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.

New bowls denote offerings, and we know that Jesus said that you are the salt of the earth. Salt heals, it is abrasive at times, and it adds flavor to food. It preserves food as well.

2 Kings 2:21 Then he went out to the source of the water and cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘I have healed this water, from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’”

 He went to the SOURCE of the water. (Heather’s note, the source of the bad word of God). Pastor Don said that when God heals, He does it good.

2 Kings 2:22 So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

God gave this great miracle through Elisha because Elisha was willing to survive the loneliness, rejection, and difficulty of the Jordan. We want the miracles without being willing to walk the walk.

2 Kings 2:23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you bald head!”

He went to Bethel, which we learned was the meeting place with God. A place of confirmation. A place we return to when God has done a work in us. Bethel is the house of God.

2 Kings 2:24 So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the LORD. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

It is here the Elisha learns that even his casual words have power, to be careful of idle words. But it also shows that one should not speak ill of a prophet, but to honor them. Touch not the Lord’s anointed. There is a bit of prophetic in this also, because in the last days two witnesses will come down to speak God’s truth to the people, and they will have power to destroy any who come against him for 3 1/2 years – if you divide 42 by 12 you get 3 1/2. (As lass pointed out, the 12 is 12 months in a year, and we see 42 and other representations of 3 1/2 years in Daniel and Revelation). They will speak curses to those who oppose them and do many of the same miracles Elisha and Elijah did.

Female bears protect cubs, so it speaks of the protection of Israel. After the 3 1/2 years, the remnant will make its way probably to Petra, which is a place that is easily defended.

2 Kings 2:25 Then he went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there be returned to Samaria.

Mount Carmel means fruitful field, garden land, Samaria means watch station. He went from the place that had the bitter water to a garden place.

Mount Carmel was a place of victory. It was where Elijah had God rain down fire to defeat the prophets of Baal. It was the place where the people saw the miracle – the prophets of Baal were challenged to set up an altar and have their god consume a sacrifice, but after a day of praying, song and dance, cutting themselves, etc, nothing happened. Elijah built a simple stone altar, put the sacrifice on it, wood around it, and soaked the wood with water. One request to God, and God consumed all, the sacrifice, the wood and the water. It caused the people to remember that God is God.

When we get through our difficulty, through our test and trials, God will come to us after the Jordan, Gilgal, etc, and will meet you, sometimes with signs and wonders.

People want to believe you don’t have to go through these challenges or to the places God has sent you to go, and will try and stop you, but go and meet with God. He will confirm His will through you.

Now Elisha was ready to go to the fruitful field, for the harvest was ready for picking.

Praying your day is blessed and that you have a fruitful week.

Heather

Pastor Don has been teaching a most remarkable series on 2 Kings 2. Here are the links from the start of the teaching until present.

Introduction
2 Kings 2:1-5
2 Kings 2:6-9
2 Kings 2:9-18

Good news, we finished the chapter on Friday, but there are so many places we could have lingered. God’s Word is so rich, and really encourages us.

We did a quick review for those who came on Friday but missed the other Bible Studies, going quickly over GILGAL, where sins are rolled away, the place where Joshua had the people circumcised so that they would be in the Promised Land with all the promises of God’s covenant with Abraham. Gilgal means rolling, wheel. It was at Gilgal that the Mana stopped. As we grow in God, God will require more from us, not less. We move from Mercy to Grace where God gives us the power to do what He wants us to do. He wants us to learn to stand in our faith that we have developed because of our relationship with Him.

Then Elisha and Elijah went to BETHEL, which means house of God. It is the place where we made our decision to follow God. It is where we meet God, like Jacob did when he laid his head on the stone and had the dream of the ladder with angels going up and down. When we are challenged in life, we need to go back to our Bethels so that we can get grounded in our faith again.

JERICHO means breath, fragrance, quick understanding. This is where the Holy Spirit works in us to give us quick understanding of situations. There are times in our lives where we need quick understanding, revelation and discernment. It is here at Jericho where the Holy Spirit is active in us that we find such understanding.

JORDAN – you descend into the Jordan, it is a boundary, a meeting of the enemy, difficult and struggling times. So often after the high point of contact with God, we end up in the wilderness – it happened to Jesus after His baptism when the Spirit of God affirmed Him as Son of God. Pastor Don also pointed out that when we are strong in faith, satan then looks for the weakest link in your family to attack – it can be your spouse, children, parents. Elijah took his mantle, ADDERETH (Glory) and struck the water to cause him and Elisha to cross over on dry ground.

Elijah, even though he was going to meet God, had to walk through the whole process again, and Elisha chose to accompany him although at every stage of the game Elijah told him not to come with him. Elisha did not leave Elijah’s side, so went with his mentor through the stages. Elijah was taken up in a fiery chariot, and Elisha saw what happened, so Elisha received the double portion of Elijah’s glory that he asked for. Now we continue with:

2 Kings 2:14 Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

Elisha only asked, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” once. He had crossed over into the dry place. For a mature saint when we are crossing over the dry place it is usually when we are believing God for something or someone. When we need healing from depression, healing from illness, spiritual growth. When we put our need on the table, asking God for help, so often it seems that we are in a dry and barren place. The desert awaits us, and we need to keep making our confession of faith. Pastor Don pointed out that no one can go with us into the wilderness but our mentor, not those who we are discipling. Pastor Don also told us that we should take someone with us into this wilderness, not go it alone if at all possible. If we get stuck in the Jordan, in the wilderness, and do not get beyond it the waters will not be held back forever and we can end up drowning in our challenges.

No one likes tests and trials. When we go into the Jordan, what has been sown into us through teachings and the Word of God, is what we bring with us. Satan will look for weakness in us our our surroundings, and send discouragement and attack. In the desert place the believer is faced with reality, whose voice will the believer listen to? God’s or satan’s? It is the place where the thorns in our flesh bother us. Where our co-workers, family, people around us, throw obstacles in our path. Discouragement will come when you exercise your glory, your mantle. (Pastor Don in a writing that has not been published yet, talks about the ripple on the pond, where when you cast a small stone of faith onto a pond, ripples form. Those ripples spread out over the surface of the pond and those ripples attract the attention of those who want to stop your faith.)

Why do we have obstacles? It is where we grow, in those desert situations. If the obstacles are not being removed we need to go back to Gilgal, to see what still needs to be rolled away. Is there hidden sin? What needs to be cleaned up in our lives? Bitterness? Hatred? You need to roll those away with God’s help, to do what you need to do, or they will keep following you and you will face obstacles.

It seems peculiar that when the people reached this hard place the Manna stopped. But it is a greater blessing that God is giving by letting the people work with their own hands to do the work and gather in the crops.

Pastor Don was asked if it was perpetual cycles, and he pointed out that as a believer develops they will be quicker at going back to Gilgal to roll away the reproaches, and that as they grow closer to God there will be fewer and fewer reproaches to be rolled back. We need to realize that the opportune time is NOW for asking for forgiveness for an offence that we made. God wants to give us a double portion of His blessing, but just like a good parent, He cannot bless disobedience.

Elisha, when he asked where the God of Elijah was, was testing what Elijah gave Him to make sure it was from God and that he could wield the double portion.

Pastor Don pointed out that we will all have moments of weakness, of depression, but that we need to set limits on this. Make a decision that we will not stay in the depths of the Jordan for an extended stay. If you are suffering burnout, if satan puts you in a position where more is going out than coming in, you need to get back to Him and recharge, reclaim the glory that is passing out. You need to realize that the dry place really is a place of victory, but the circumstances may not make it seem so. And if you go for help, be careful who you pick to counsel you. You do not want someone who will tear you down, or make you sink lower, you need someone who can edify you, encourage you, walk alongside you as you come up out of the low place, the wilderness.

When Peter walked on the water, he did well. Peter asked Jesus to tell him to walk to Him, and Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water, until he looked at the circumstances, then he sunk. So often the sinking into circumstances is progressive, a bit at a time, until you are overwhelmed. Peter called out to Jesus and he was there to extend His hand and raise Peter up. Had Peter not called out to Jesus, the result might have been different.

In the desert places you have to be careful about whom you reach out to. For whatever challenge we have, God gives us grace and we do it. The desert place will either kill you our you will use your mantle. The Holy Spirit will be there to guide us, and God will send mentors. God wants us to succeed and move forward, if we don’t we move back to Egypt land (the ways of the flesh and the world).

So many believe that when we receive Jesus into our lives, problems cease, that everything will be hunky dory, but it is not the case. There will be trials and tribulations. We will be challenged, and it is a place of growth and maturity. After Jesus was baptized the Holy Spirit led Him to the wilderness.

Welcome to the wilderness. If the trials were easy, what glory would that be for God? The victory would be cheap. Remember that in the wilderness the Holy Spirit will help us, we have human mentors and helpers, don’t go there alone! So often, like Elisha, when the trials come, we start asking, “Where is God in this?” God is there, even when we don’t perceive Him. We may not know where He is, but we can trust that He is there.

Someone wondered more about Elisha, and Pastor Don took us back to the call of Elisha.

1 Kings 19:19-21 So he (Elijah, after escaping Jezebel, overcoming depression, hearing God in the still small voice, and realizing that there were others who also did not bow down to Baal) 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. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” So Elisha turned back from him and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

1 Kings 19:16 Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.”

God told Elijah to anoint Elisha, so Elijah obeyed God and put his mantle over Elisha. Elisha had a choice at that time, he could either follow Elijah or stay where he was. Pastor Don pointed out that the Holy Spirit in inspiring this word, shows a picture not only of what actually happened, but also spiritually too. It is no accident that there were 12 oxen – for that represents the 12 tribes of Israel. When Elisha asked to go and kiss his parents, Elijah basically told him, I did what God told me to do, I did my job, how you respond to that is your choice.

It wasn’t until 2 Kings 2:14 That Elisha had ownership of the mantle. And the parting of the waters that Elisha was able to do with the mantle was the confirmation from God that the anointing had passed from Elijah to Elisha.

Elisha had received the anointing with signs and wonders, but he walked with Elijah for a long time first. David waited 17 years for the anointing that he received from God came to pass. He had to wait until Saul died to become king.

I will cover the rest of the verses tomorrow, so that this is not too long. I hope you have a blessed Sunday.

Heather

When the Spirit of God is moving in a person often there is a conflict with the spirit of man in the person. The flesh does not want to be dominated by the spirit.

Sometimes when the Spirit moves in a a person’s life, the people around them are puzzled by how it is expressing. In order to know how to respond to the Spirit’s move one of the most important things to have is discernment.

There are people who come to church and put on their church attitudes much the same way that they put on their clothes, and when church is over they go their own ways and do things the way they did in the flesh, taking off the holy attitudes.

Everything that we think is spiritual isn’t always spiritual. Sometimes the soul (mind, will, emotions) is what are manifesting, not the Spirit of a person.

When someone says or does something in our presence we can get a word picture. We don’t always label the action correctly, for when we look at a situation we come with our own biases.

When the presence of God is moving, not everyone interprets this movement correctly. There is a vast continuum of how people respond to the movement of the Holy Spirit and the presence of God.

Ananias and Sapphira felt the movement of the Holy Spirit, and sold property, holding back some. Their lying ended up causing their death.

When the disciples cast out the spirit from the woman because her prophesying was interfering with the sharing of the gospel, the woman was healed from this divining spirit, but her masters were angry because they lost their source of income.

In any given situation where the emotions are high and the Holy Spirit is moving, there can be all sorts of reactions. The Holy Spirit will use the same situation to touch many lives.

Pastor Don said that if someone from Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, Brooklyn, and Ohio were watching a news program about the Middle East there would be varying responses to what was being said on the news. And when we watch what the Holy Spirit is doing, we too can have varying responses.

The Holy Spirit will minister to each person differently. The only exception would be if someone violated the Word, for then the power of God would not agree with that. But when the Spirit is working in a person’s life, those who are present have to have Discernment of Spirits to correctly interpret what is going on.

Sometimes when the Spirit moves, the healing process causes torment in the person that the Spirit is moving within. And what got the person in trouble is expressed. Over time, the Holy Spirit will cause the person to come full face with what caused the situation. And then either healing will come or the person will go back to the old ways. The only way to see the effects of this Holy Spirit encounter is to see the fruit of what happens as time goes by.

Never judge what the Spirit is doing in a person from the outward appearances of what is going on. Wait to see the fruit of the experience, for then you will be able to tell if it is really the person acting in the Spirit, of if the person is simulating acting in the Spirit but is really acting in the flesh.

We should never debase a person who is seeking to be transparent or put them into a position to be baited further by the devil. The Power of God will make you tell the truth, and then satan will set traps to pull the person back into the old ways, often using righteous brethren as tools.

God will give us opportunities to confess sins in different ways and forms. We need to remember that when we confess our sins like 1 John 1:9 says, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. So often in church, when a person is honest and sincere in confessing their sins, the self-proclaimed righteous ones come and beat down the person. (Heather’s note:  I will get the sermon tape and share the notes from last Sunday’s sermon – Judgment and Justification which Pastor Don mentioned in this Bible study. I seldom get to Sundays at Living Word because my husband and family go to a different church and I attend with them.)

We need to heighten our spiritual discernment so that our emotional responses are filtered and we can then realize that when a person has been transparent, what did I really see? How did God perceive it. Was it flesh or was it the Holy Spirit working a healing in the person?

God can sanctify anyone if they yield to Him. (Heather’s note, I can attest to that!) If you get out of hand, God can sanctify that too.

Pastor Don mentioned that he is sometimes accused of being soft on sin, but that is not the truth. He is not soft on sin, but he does love the sinner. One time, in a Bible study, he mentioned that God can change a child molester or murderer. One of the members actually left the church, she could see that God could change a murderer, but not a child molester. (Heather’s note, a few years ago a statement like that would have given me pause given the abuse in my past, but when I see the miracles God has done in my life and in the lives of others, I do know that He can change any person who yields to Him.)

When someone is transparent and confesses a sin, God can use that confession in many ways. Pastor Don pointed out that besides forgiving the sinner, God will also use it as an opportunity to test the congregation. Will the church act in love? Will they condemn? Will they make the sinner jump through hoops to gain acceptance? Will they be so condemning that the sinner is pushed out of the congregation?

God wants to get us to a point where a, “go through, is a go through” when you go through the valley of the shadow of death, not a permanent campground.

We also need to realize that our physical conditions have spiritual components. Pastor Don mentioned how every spring and fall he got serious allergic attacks as a child. Finally he had enough Word of God in him to speak against the attacks, and at some point God revealed to him that the attacks coincided with they yearly time that he spent at summer camp as a child and the return from summer camp.

Someone asked a question about if partial disobedience was disobedience, and Pastor Don pointed out that it was. For a Biblical example he used King Saul, who did not obey the words of God and destroy all in a particular battle that God told him to destroy, and because of that Saul lost the anointing. When we choose to partially disobey we are making an idol of ourselves. WE are deciding what to obey and what not to obey – putting our feelings above the Will of God. And then Pastor Don pointed out that so often the church forgets that there is not only a sin of commission but also sin of omission.

When we are not doing right, when we are in a state of sin, breakthroughs can be withheld by God. God cannot bless disobedience. When our children are disobedient, we do not give them gifts for their disobedience. God, because of His great love for us, cannot reward our disobedience.

We closed by reading Philippians 4:4-9  Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

(Heather’s note) It always amazes me how God works. Sometimes, when Pastor Don gives us a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes, so to speak, in a situation I am amazed. God is so remarkable in how He handles situations. It is so easy, in the flesh, to totally mistake what is going on in the Spirit. I keep praying that He gives me discernment. I have such a respect for the difficult situations pastors face. But what I love the most about Pastor Don, is that if something puzzles a person, if something doesn’t feel right and a question is asked, Pastor Don explains things so that there is no confusion. I am praying that you have pastors like Pastor Don who are willing to answer hard questions, who are willing to share. And I also pray that if something is confusing in a church setting that you would consider going to the pastor or your elders for an explanation. Far better than mulling things over in the flesh.

Have a blessed day.

Heather