06/01/2023 - IT SHALL BE SO FOR YOU

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So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 2 Kings 2.10

We receive salvation by the Lord’s grace, without the slightest effort. Then He gives us His Holy Spirit. This is so that we can understand His Word, do His work, and have the blessing revealed to us. But it all happens by faith. Whoever wants to attain a greater blessing knows that he must make an effort to take possession of it: And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force (Matthew 11.12).

Those who are spiritually sluggish, never fast, even if the flesh is ruling over them. If an illness befalls them, they don’t seek healing from God, and immediately undergo the surgery advised for their ailment. Why don’t they seek the Lord, since Jesus has assured them that they will be healed? If you ask anything in My name, I will do it (John 14.14). Do they really believe in the Most High or do they play with faith? Be vigilant!

After hearing from Elisha that he wanted twice as much anointing from the Lord, Elijah told him that this was a tough thing. The prophet was happy with Elisha’s request, because this way the work would grow a lot. However, the disciple would have to do something big to receive it: to see the master when he was taken from him. This would not be easy, for that work would have as its author the One who is perfect. This condition would prove that the pupil was prepared for the ministry.

Elisha could not take his eyes off Elijah; otherwise, his graduation would not take place. We must act like the servants of the past: Unto You I lift up my eyes, o You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress. So our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us (Psalms 123.2).

God’s promises are conditional: once we fulfill the conditions, the Most High performs what He has promised. If Elisha saw when Elijah was taken, his request for his replacement would be granted. Christ spoke thus: You are My friends if you do whatever I command you (John 15.14). Elijah was clear: if Elisha did not witness that moment, he would not have twice the anointing.

Great tragedies in the world take place because people are uninformed about what God says in His Word. Many people despise the Gospel because, in the religion in which they were raised, nothing special happened. How can someone claim to have the call to minister the Word and not pray believing that God works as in the past? Woe to those who do not love Jesus: they are not following His commands!

We must stop playing with faith! Whoever does not cry out to the Lord for people to be healed, delivered and saved receives the following divine rebuke: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves (Matthew 23.15). Beware! Watch and pray!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares