Life Beyond "Jordan"
Text: 2 Kings 2:1- 15
Excerpt: “Yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours- otherwise not” 2 kings 2:10.
Let us take a moment to go over the story of Elisha. Remember the call of Elisha (1kings 19:19-21), while he was plowing with 12 yokes of oxen. This does not only signify a hardworking man but also a wealthy man. Despite all of these, he left all of these to follow Elijah. No wonder out of all the sons of prophets he was the only one that went with Elijah on this seemingly unending journey. First, here are a few reflective insights from key points in Elijah's journey with Elisha:
Gilgal: A place where the Israelites were circumcised (Jos. 5:1-9). A place where their reproach was taken away. A place that could be likened to when we first believed. When our hearts were circumcised and the reproach of sin was removed.
Bethel: A place of God’s presence, it is a place of worship. Let us recount the story of Jacob (Gen 28: 18-19). This is the experience that follows our conversion, the ecstasy we experience when we fellowship with believers, when we discover new revelations from the word of God. How sweet does this feel?
Jericho: A place where the wall of hindrance was destroyed, a place of miracle, a place of praise (Josh 6). It is a place where we experience God’s miracle face to face. When we know the reality of the miracles of God, when we see, we hear and we feel it personally, what the Lord is doing. A place where our faith is fortified.
Jordan: What does Jordan stand for? It is the pace of anointing, a place of service. It is the place where we are no longer on lookers but actors in the work of God. Elisha received a double portion of anointing upon Elijah after crossing Jordan (2King 2:9) Elisha performed the first recorded miracle right at the bank of river Jordan (2King 2:9).
What does it take to Jordan and beyond? - DETERMINATION!
Be ready to get out of your comfort zone… Elisha would never have been a son of the prophet in the first place if he were not willing to let go of all he had and followed Elijah. In addition, he was willing to embark on a journey that he had no idea where it was going to end. Let us look at the life of Abraham too, he would never have been the person he was if he did not heed the call to leave his comfort zone (Gen 12:1-4)
Desire more of God …. Elisha could have stopped at Gilgal, maybe bethel or at the most, Jericho but he persevered to the end of the journey (Phi 3:10, Matt 5: 6)
Have a goal …. Elisha was not ready to settle for just anything, he had his eyes on a goal that looked difficult to achieve (2King 2:10). He asked for the double portion of Elijah. (2King 2:9)
Do not be discouraged, rather tap into God’s strength … If we look at situations and circumstances around us, we may be overwhelmed, and discouraged. Consider Elisha and the sons of the prophets, the type of discouragements their prophecies would have been, but he was willing to go on. We can say like Joshua and Caleb: we are able to go up and possess the land.
What is the risk of not going beyond Jordan?
Life beyond Jordan is the purpose of God for us. Anything less could mean disaster. Apart from the fact that we are not operating in Gods full potential, we also stand the risk of backsliding and sinning. Consider Lot… It took an angel to pull him out of Sodom. As if that was not enough, he decided to settle in a cave, when the Lord wanted him to dwell in Zoar. (Gen 19: 15, 30)
Now let us come back home. Are we still at Gilgal? Perhaps we are in Bethel and we have allowed the excitement of our new discoveries to blind us from the fact that there is still a higher mark that we can attain. We can only be our best when we have gone beyond Jordan, when we have seen the chariot of fire. That is when we can be of real service to the Lord. When our faith, endurance and love for the Lord have been tested. That is when we can enter into our promised land. There is always a higher ground to break, as noted in the words of a famous hymn:
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven’s table land,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground..
Contributed by Adebobola Nathaniel
Text: 2 Kings 2:1- 15
Excerpt: “Yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours- otherwise not” 2 kings 2:10.
Let us take a moment to go over the story of Elisha. Remember the call of Elisha (1kings 19:19-21), while he was plowing with 12 yokes of oxen. This does not only signify a hardworking man but also a wealthy man. Despite all of these, he left all of these to follow Elijah. No wonder out of all the sons of prophets he was the only one that went with Elijah on this seemingly unending journey. First, here are a few reflective insights from key points in Elijah's journey with Elisha:
Gilgal: A place where the Israelites were circumcised (Jos. 5:1-9). A place where their reproach was taken away. A place that could be likened to when we first believed. When our hearts were circumcised and the reproach of sin was removed.
Bethel: A place of God’s presence, it is a place of worship. Let us recount the story of Jacob (Gen 28: 18-19). This is the experience that follows our conversion, the ecstasy we experience when we fellowship with believers, when we discover new revelations from the word of God. How sweet does this feel?
Jericho: A place where the wall of hindrance was destroyed, a place of miracle, a place of praise (Josh 6). It is a place where we experience God’s miracle face to face. When we know the reality of the miracles of God, when we see, we hear and we feel it personally, what the Lord is doing. A place where our faith is fortified.
Jordan: What does Jordan stand for? It is the pace of anointing, a place of service. It is the place where we are no longer on lookers but actors in the work of God. Elisha received a double portion of anointing upon Elijah after crossing Jordan (2King 2:9) Elisha performed the first recorded miracle right at the bank of river Jordan (2King 2:9).
What does it take to Jordan and beyond? - DETERMINATION!
Be ready to get out of your comfort zone… Elisha would never have been a son of the prophet in the first place if he were not willing to let go of all he had and followed Elijah. In addition, he was willing to embark on a journey that he had no idea where it was going to end. Let us look at the life of Abraham too, he would never have been the person he was if he did not heed the call to leave his comfort zone (Gen 12:1-4)
Desire more of God …. Elisha could have stopped at Gilgal, maybe bethel or at the most, Jericho but he persevered to the end of the journey (Phi 3:10, Matt 5: 6)
Have a goal …. Elisha was not ready to settle for just anything, he had his eyes on a goal that looked difficult to achieve (2King 2:10). He asked for the double portion of Elijah. (2King 2:9)
Do not be discouraged, rather tap into God’s strength … If we look at situations and circumstances around us, we may be overwhelmed, and discouraged. Consider Elisha and the sons of the prophets, the type of discouragements their prophecies would have been, but he was willing to go on. We can say like Joshua and Caleb: we are able to go up and possess the land.
What is the risk of not going beyond Jordan?
Life beyond Jordan is the purpose of God for us. Anything less could mean disaster. Apart from the fact that we are not operating in Gods full potential, we also stand the risk of backsliding and sinning. Consider Lot… It took an angel to pull him out of Sodom. As if that was not enough, he decided to settle in a cave, when the Lord wanted him to dwell in Zoar. (Gen 19: 15, 30)
Now let us come back home. Are we still at Gilgal? Perhaps we are in Bethel and we have allowed the excitement of our new discoveries to blind us from the fact that there is still a higher mark that we can attain. We can only be our best when we have gone beyond Jordan, when we have seen the chariot of fire. That is when we can be of real service to the Lord. When our faith, endurance and love for the Lord have been tested. That is when we can enter into our promised land. There is always a higher ground to break, as noted in the words of a famous hymn:
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven’s table land,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground..
Contributed by Adebobola Nathaniel
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