Passage: 2 Kings 2:9-15

The Big Idea

Elijah, the master, was taken up to heaven, and Elisha, the servant, was left to carry on the work, just as Jesus ascended and left His church to continue His mission. Elisha received a double portion of the Spirit through humility and faith: dying to self (pictured by the Jordan) and keeping his eyes on his master. Then he picked up Elijah’s mantle, struck the Jordan and asked, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” and the river parted. The Jordan pictures death, and its three miraculous partings picture God’s three victories over death: Jesus’ resurrection, our new spiritual life and the coming resurrection of our bodies.

Where We’ve Been

The relationship between Elijah and Elisha was master and servant.

While Elijah was here, he did amazing works for God. Then he was supernaturally taken to heaven.

It’s the same with Jesus and us. Jesus did His works, then ascended to heaven, and He appointed His followers to carry on His work, acting in His name and continuing His mission.

We also saw that Elisha went through many tests of love, devotion, faithfulness and patience. We should expect to be tested too. The secret to passing was a close relationship with, and dependence on, the master.

Now we come to Elisha’s first miracle: crossing the Jordan.

What Made It Possible: A Double Portion

What did Elisha receive that enabled him to do miracles? A double portion of the Spirit!

Right before Elijah was taken, he asked, “What can I do for you before I’m taken away?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be on me” (2 Kings 2:9).

This shows us a supremely important lesson.

Humility is the key

Humility is the soft soil the Spirit grows in, the empty cup the Spirit fills.

Elisha knew there was no way he could do what he was called to do without amazing help. Amazing grace. It’s the engine in the car.
He knew he was weak, insufficient and unfit. Willing, but not able.
So he asked!
He humbled himself and acknowledged his need.
He knew the power he needed was spiritual.
God told Zerubbabel, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” and promised that mountains of opposition would become level ground, and the temple would be finished with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” (Zechariah 4:6-7).

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).

Grace is God’s power given to ordinary people, God’s life given to the spiritually dead, God’s love poured into our hearts.

Do you feel ordinary? Spiritually dead? Thirsty in your heart?

Then you qualify! You can hope in His grace. Hope doesn’t disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5).

Our deep need has to be felt. We have to be fully convinced of how much we need Jesus.

If we’re not, that’s pride. God resists the proud until they’re broken enough to receive with open hands.
When we’ve honestly concluded we have nothing to offer on our own, we combine that humility with faith.
We trust Him to supply everything we need through the promises of Jesus.

So what’s required to receive the Holy Spirit’s special help and power? How do we receive grace? Humility and faith.

What it looks like

Elijah struck the Jordan with his cloak, and they crossed on dry ground. When Elisha asked for the double portion, Elijah said, “You’ve asked a hard thing. But if you see me when I’m taken from you, it will be yours” (2 Kings 2:8-10).

The story shows humility and faith in two pictures:

Death: humility.
– It’s pictured in crossing the Jordan.
– Throughout Scripture, crossing the Jordan pictures passing through death into new life.
– The servant of Jesus must die to self! That’s the way of humility.
– Dying to self-pleasing, self-seeking and self-sufficiency.
Keeping his eyes on the master: faith.
– “If you see me…”
– He must be the only One we look at. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

These two ideas, death and looking, humility and faith, come together perfectly: I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

If you want the Holy Spirit to use you, humility and faith are the keys.

The First Miracle (2:12-14)

Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father! The chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more. He tore his clothes in grief. Then he picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him, went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He struck the water with it and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he struck the water, it divided, and Elisha crossed over.

Elisha is heartbroken. He’s grieving his master. Even a man of God isn’t immune to hard days.
Elisha needs to get back to his friends. He can’t swim it. He has no boat. The Jordan is a real barrier.
He goes straight to the river and stands on the bank.
He looks the problem in the face.
He doesn’t minimize it or ignore it.
God often brings us big problems to show us what faith He has given us.
He uses the mantle.
When the cloak fell at his feet, he knew God had answered his request for a double portion of the Spirit.
Now he’s tested: will he use it?
Solomon asked for wisdom and was immediately tested with two women claiming the same baby (1 Kings 3). Jesus was filled with the Spirit and immediately led into the wilderness to be tempted (Luke 4:1).
If God fills you with His Spirit, what will you do? Settle into comfort? Or serve with all your life, heart and strength?
He really uses it.
He doesn’t idolize the cloak or admire how nice it looks.
He strikes what’s in his way. He tells the river to move, like telling a mountain to be cast into the sea (Mark 11:23).
He does exactly what he saw his master do.
For years he walked with his master; now the Spirit comes upon him with power for ministry.
And his ministry looks exactly like his master’s: he parts the Jordan.
Lesson for us: if you want to be used by the Lord, let Jesus be your pattern for ministry. (Gayle Erwin’s book The Jesus Style explores this beautifully.)

Elisha split the waters and walked across. The God of Elijah showed up, proved He was with Elisha too and rewarded his faith with the supply of His Spirit.

What Does It Mean?

Why would God put this in the Bible?

The Jordan pictures death. And three times in the Bible the Jordan is supernaturally parted: by Joshua (Joshua 3), by Elijah and by Elisha (2 Kings 2). I believe these picture three victories over death:

Jesus raised from the dead.
The church raised from spiritual death.
The future resurrection of our bodies.

When Elisha asked, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he was asking for proof that God was with him too. And he went straight to the Jordan to find it.

Do you want to see God work in your life? Do you want proof that God will do everything He said? Go to the Jordan!

Look at the tomb where Jesus was buried. It’s empty! Jesus has risen. God has forgiven your sins. That’s the promise fulfilled in His victory over death.
Look at the church! A bunch of ordinary, flawed people Jesus has saved and forgiven, and now their lives are alive with love and good works! It’s real! It’s proof that God not only forgives you but now uses your life for His glory, partnering with us in His kingdom.
Look ahead to the resurrection. It’s going to happen, just as the Bible says. And it proves God will wipe away every trace of the curse for His children.

Victory over death is a miracle. It’s the first miracle.

Everyone dies. That’s one of the most obvious rules of the universe.
It’s a consequence of the first sin, and we all face it.
But God gives us three pictures of His victory over death. He’s practically throwing evidence at us!

Living the Miracle

Our job is to live out this victory over death in front of other people, so they can see it and believe.

Our lives should be miracle-centered. Keep talking about this miracle. It’s a huge ministry:

Jesus rose from the dead! Victory over death!
The church is alive with His Spirit, serving on His resources! Victory over death!
We will all rise again! Victory over death!

When these become the topics of our conversation, God will use us to bring people to Himself.

When the prophets from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha,” and they came to meet him and bowed before him (2 Kings 2:15).

People will recognize their own lifeless way of living.
And they’ll be drawn to servants of God who live in victory over death:
no fear of dying;
no fear of wasting life on dead things;
no fear that our sins aren’t forgiven!

Filled with the Spirit

What have we learned?

The first miracle to understand in a Christian’s life is victory over death.

Crossing the Jordan is an essential moment for every believer.
We can’t serve God without this miracle.
We die to ourselves (our desires, dreams, plans and systems), and God raises us up and gives us new life in and only through Jesus.
He becomes all we live for, the Master and Supplier of everything we need.
What’s required to receive this “double portion,” this power for service? Humility and faith!

You may have heard it called being “filled with the Spirit,” “the Spirit-filled life,” “the victorious Christian life,” “New Covenant living” or, in some traditions, “the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” That’s what we’re talking about.

Where was Jesus baptized? In the Jordan! There the Spirit descended on Him like a dove (Matthew 3:16). Did Jesus know His Father before that? Of course! But on that day He was anointed with the Spirit, and only then did He begin His public ministry.

Some of us have never experienced that empowering. We need the Holy Spirit to come upon us and equip us (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8).

How?

Come to Jesus.
Ask for it (Luke 11:13).
Believe it.
Wait for it, in worship, prayer and the Word.

This is real. It’s not a joke or a theory. It’s a miracle we need. Who will stand up and say, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah? Where is the God who promised me life over death? I’ll wait for Him! I’ll call on Him!”

Grace Takeaway

It changes everything. Are you stuck? Weak? Is any part of your life spiritually dead? The same God who parted the Jordan, raised Jesus from the dead and will one day raise our bodies is ready to give you life today. Throw yourself completely at Jesus’ feet. Come to Him, ask, believe and wait. He’ll give you life, power and grace.

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Elisha’s First Miracle: Victory over Death