God In Our Anointing

"So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” " (1 Kings 19:19-20)

Elijah had done nothing to Elisha, but the anointing that was on his life did something. As a matter of fact, the anointing stirred Elisha so much as to want to kiss his past goodbye and dive into a new and exciting life with the Holy Spirit.

The anointing that's on a prophet is the most important thing the prophet has. Yesterday during prayers, the Lord led our pastor to talk about our salvation as the walls that surround and protect a city (Isaiah 26:1), and encouraged us to wear our salvation and allow it to lead us and to expand our limits.

Elijah may not have realized until Elisha told him that what had happened turned his life upside down. Elijah was too cautious, because he relied on the anointing to do what it does every step of the way. He was not ready to make any promises or consider it any achievement. Elijah did not want to have any say in it, but leave it completely to the Spirit of God to make out of this call, as God was the original initiator of this whole thing with Elisha. It was a prophecy declared by God (1 Kings 19:16) and it was to come to pass through God's anointing, using Elijah as His vessel.

We usually read the story and put ourselves in Elisha's shoes. I want to look at it this time from Elijah's perspective. At every step Elijah would tell Elisha to stay behind. He would tell him that the Lord had sent him to go to Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho and finally Jordan. Elijah was not testing Elisha. God was! Elijah was simply obeying. This is very important. It is very important for us to understand that the way we behave under the anointing, allows God to do what He wants to do.

Let me give you the proof of what I just said. When they had finally crossed the Jordan river, Elijah asked Elisha his final wish and what he could do for him before he was taken to heaven and Elisha asked for a double portion of his anointing (2 Kings 2:9). Elijah answered that his request was a difficult one. Difficult for him, but not impossible for God. Elijah knew that he was unable to grant that wish, because Elisha had desired more than he had. It was something that only the God of His anointing could do. It was something that could only be given from Heaven, only when heaven would open and Elisha would expect to receive it from there, the right way.

In Christ, we are called to be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19), by clothing ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14). 

The apostle John puts it this way:

"But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things […] Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him." (1 John 2:20, 24-27)

If we try to remember the smallest experiences we had with the Lord and how that anointing taught us a new truth regarding Christ's salvation and victory, we will find the encouragement to dive in this new life and experiment more with a life surrendered to the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Some find prophets rude, others find them out of touch with reality. I believe that the truth is that they are walking ahead of the rest, ahead of servants like Elisha, ahead of kings like Ahab, faster than chariots, stronger than the demonic, manifesting the true power of holiness. We, the Church, can bear testimony to Jesus, only with the Spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10)