Lesson 10 - Elijay, Elisha And The Anoiting

LESSON 10

Elijah, Elisha, and the Anointing nd it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. (1 Kings 19:13-19)

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1. Elisha was called (see 1 Kings 19:16). 2. Elisha was a warrior (see 1 Kings 19:17). God must see the spirit of a warrior in you. • A battle takes place before the inheritance is given. • Deuteronomy 2:24 says: “Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.” 3. He was a worker (see 1 Kings 19:19). AN EVIL SPIRIT OPPOSES ELIJAH Elijah was so anointed that he literally shook the nation, yet a spirit can oppose a man of God.

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Elijah had just seen a major move of God and the prophets of Baal destroyed on Mount Carmel, but there was a controlling spirit of witchcraft in the land that drove the man of God Elijah from Mount Carmel, the Promised Land, to Mount Sinai. Elijah did not fear the king or the officers of the king, but he did fear the king’s wife, Jezebel, because of the demonic spirit in her. We know from Ephesians 6:12 that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Just because you are anointed, you are not immune to opposition. You can be driven out of the will of God. Just because you are anointed, it does not mean you will always be a man or woman of faith. There will be discouragements. There will be times when you even question whether or not God wants you to go on. Elijah the prophet had to flee, and when he fled, the Bible says he came to Horeb, which is the tip of the desert of Sinai, the same location where God gave the law to Moses. Let’s look at this story, which we find in 1 Kings 19:1-18: And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord GOD of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant,

LESSON 10

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ELIJAH, ELISHA, AND THE ANOINTING

thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. We learn several lessons from this account: 1. Elijah fled because of discouragement. 2. Elijah left his servant behind, knowing he had to be alone with God. 3. Elijah was so discouraged that he wanted to die. 4. Elijah knew angelic assistance. 5. When he arrived at Horeb, Elijah was met by the Word of the Lord. 6. A strong wind that rent the mountains passed by, but the Lord was not in it. 7. A great earthquake passed by, and the Lord was not in it. 8. A fire burned, and the Lord was not in the fire. A sound = no voice A noise = no voice A vision = no voice 9. Elijah covered himself in his mantle when he heard the voice. 10. He was commanded to go back and anoint Jehu and Elisha.

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ELIJAH ANOINTS ELISHA First Kings 19:15-19 tells us the story of when Elijah anointed Elisha: And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. We learn from this passage: 1. Elijah departed and anointed Elisha while plowing and praying. 2. Elisha ran after Elijah and showed no reluctance. 3. Elisha wanted to bid farewell to his parents, and as a result, Elijah said, “What have I to do with thee?” 4. Elisha returned and burned his farming instruments, renounced his past, and forsook it. 6. Elisha went after Elijah. 7. Elisha ministered to Elijah. Elisha received two mantles: 1. While plowing 2. When Elijah ascended to heaven on the fiery chariot A mantle, or robe, was used over other garments. In Ruth 3:9, the mantle speaks of someone’s personality and rights: “And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.” Remember, to be anointed means the presence of God is in your life, and the fruit of the Spirit is evident. Do not go by a person’s gift. Signs and wonders are not enough. The anointing is God’s very power and presence.

LESSON 10

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ELIJAH, ELISHA, AND THE ANOINTING

Elisha was anointed because: 1. He was called. 2. He was a warrior. 3. He was a worker. 4. He gave up his personality and rights. 5. He ran after Elijah with no reluctance. 6. He burned his farm instruments and renounced his former life. 7. He became a servant of Elijah.

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