I grieve every time I hear people pray Elisha’s “double portion” prayer, especially preachers during an ordination service, youth camp commissioning, or even trying to invoke and incite revival in a meeting. You know the one from 2 Kings 2:9.
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.”
Why must we try to sound so spiritual, attempt to cajole God to give us more anointing, or even worse conjure up the body into an emotional frenzy? For a moment just consider the very foolishness of this common practice.
Why would we want a double portion of Elijah’s spirit and anointing? We have the fullness of the Holy Spirit, in Christ Jesus. How dare we water down the same Spirit and power that raised Christ from the dead, which lives and dwells in us (Romans 8:9-11)? Is it that we don’t truly believe or lack faith in the Son who gave us ALL authority to go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all He commanded us (Matthew 28:18-20)? Jesus declared the works He did and greater we will do (John 14:12-14).
We don’t need a double portion…we don’t even use the portion we’ve been imparted and entrusted with. Let me remind us before we continue to pervert the Spirit and anointing for our own rhetorical pleasure…
GOD’S LOVE is ENOUGH! – CHRIST GRACE is ENOUGH!
The HOLY SPIRIT’S POWER is ENOUGH! – STOP THE MADNESS!
