Double Portion – #12 When we pass by, how do others perceive us? Here’s what one woman saw about Elisha. Read 2 Kings 4:8-10. Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, and she persuaded him to eat food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat food. She said to her husband, “Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God passing by us continually. Please, let us make a little walled upper chamber and let us set a bed for him there, and a table and a chair…

Double Portion – #11 How much do you expect from God? As we look at the next step in Elisha’s journey, we see him addressing a widow with a credit problem. Read 2 Kings 4:1-7. Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord ; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the…

Double Portion – #10 God fulfills his promises. Read 2 Kings 3:19-24. Then you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and fell every good tree and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.'” It happened in the morning about the time of offering the sacrifice, that behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. Now all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. And all who were able to put on armor and older were summoned and stood on the border. They rose early in the morning,…

Double Portion – #9 Oh, that’s nothing. Often when we are asking God for things, we completely underestimate all that he is capable of doing in every situation. Read 2 Kings 3:13-18. Now Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What do I have to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” And the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the Lord has called these three kings together to give them into the hand of Moab.” Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat…

Double Portion – #8 What is your reputation? How do people know you? Let’s see how people know Elisha. Read 2 Kings 3:9-12. So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days’ journey, and there was no water for the army or for the cattle that followed them. Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?” And one of…

Double Portion – #7 After you have just save a city, what would your next actions be? For Elisha, he dealt with disrespect. Read 2 Kings 2:23-25. Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord . Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number. He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from…

Double Portion – #6 Now the Elisha has taken Elijah’s place, what is the first thing he does? You like to response to a plea from the local people. Read 2 Kings 2:19-22. Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my Lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.” He said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. He went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the Lord , ‘I have purified these waters; there shall…

Double Portion – #5 Elisha picks up where Elijah left off. Read 2 Kings 2:13-18. He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord , the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over. Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him…

Double Portion – #4 Why did I name this series double portion? Because when we start studying the life of Elisha, we must first start by studying the life of Elijah. As Elijah was teaching and training and leading Elisha, he came to the point where it was time for Elijah’s ministry on Earth to be over. What Elisha asked for during that time changed the course of the rest of his ministry. Read it 2 Kings 2:7-12. Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. Elijah took his mantle and folded…

Double Portion – #3 We skip ahead a bit until the next time we see Elisha. Now, rest assured, he has been with Elijah throughout all the various miracles and messages that Elijah has shared. But now we see him mentioned again in 2 Kings 2:1-6. And it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to…