Mar 26, 2016 /

Why God Used Elisha

Many young people want to be used by God but don’t know how God could use them. Listen as Billy Ingram explains how to be used of God.

So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

1 Kings 19:19-21

Here we find the man of God, a prophet named Elijah, coming to a younger man, a farmer named Elisha. Elijah was a man who had seen supernatural miracles in his life and ministry—droughts ended in answer to prayer (1 Kings 18:41-46), dead people raised to life again (1 Kings 17:17-24), fire called down from heaven (1 Kings 18:18-40)! Indeed, Elijah was a man God had used in great ways!

The older Elijah threw that rough mantle over the shoulders of the younger Elisha. What Elijah was communicating was the call of God upon Elisha’s life. God wanted to use him, too. Though the call was clear, Elisha had a responsibility to respond appropriately—and he did. He accepted the call of God and for nearly a decade he accompanied the older Elijah, served him, sat at his feet, and drew from him all that he could. As a result, he was blessed and used of God during that time.

After Elijah went home to be with the Lord, however, Elisha continued to experience tremendous blessing by God. The powerful acts of God that were displayed through the ministry of Elijah were undeniably manifested through the life and ministry of Elisha.

The reason why God so mightily used him can be found in Psalm 62:11 when it tells us, “Power belongeth unto God.” It is God that is all powerful. God, however, does not give his power arbitrarily. While God delights and desires to give it to whomsoever he will, He will only give it when certain conditions are met that are spelled out in the Word of God.

There are three basic ingredients as to why God used Elisha and how God can use you.

Elisha was a surrendered man.

[Elisha] said, “Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.”

And he said unto him, “Go back again: for what have I done to thee?”

And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen.

1 Kings 19:20-21

Elisha, like every single man or woman ever used of God was far from perfect, but God used him because he was a yielded, consecrated, surrendered man. He was not only willing to surrender by abandoning his possessions and place of security but he executed this act of surrender. There was no doubt about his surrender when he burned his plows and killed his cows—it was evident!

Surrender is a willingness to do anything and obedience in everything. Surrender is the only right response to God’s claim upon your life. If you’re not living in surrender you’re not responding properly to the claim that God has upon your life.

Elisha was a steadfast man. 

Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal…So they went down to Bethel….So they came to Jericho.

And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, “Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day?”

And he answered, “Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.”

And Elijah said unto him, “Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan.”

And he said, “As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.” And they two went on.

2 Kings 2:1-6

Elisha followed his master for nearly 35 miles through arduous terrain, even when everyone else told him to stop it. He did not burn out brightly and quickly, but was willing to follow the man God had placed in his life and finish the assignments given to him, despite the distractions and difficulties.

There is a need for God‘s people to burn bright with God‘s power. The amazing thing about the burning bush that Moses encountered was not that it burned but that it burned without going out. Too many Christians will burn for God only for a short time and then burn out completely and give up.

Out of his surrender was a life of dependance upon God. It is God’s responsibility to enable me, and if God will enable me, by the grace of God, then I’m going to be willing to do anything in obedience. That will result in a life of steadfast obedience. When you faint it means you are relying upon your own strength and your strength is small. You can’t do it, but God can. You can experience the enabling grace and power of God by depending on Him to make you steadfast in your obedience to Him.

Elisha was a spiritual man. 

And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee.”

And Elisha said, “I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me”…

He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

2 Kings 2:9, 13-14

Elisha had spiritual desires because he wanted a double-portion of Elijah’s spirit. Furthermore, he had a spiritual dependence, because we see he was depending on the Lord. When Elisha came to the waters of Jordan, he didn’t say, “Where is Elijah?” he said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?”  and God replied, “Here I am, I’m going to part the waters.” Do you have some waters that need to be parted? They can be if you will depend on God to do it.

We are either a spiritual individual or we are not. Spirituality can be defined in two ways. It can be defined by our desire. Elisha wanted the power of God. Spirituality can also be defined by our dependence. Spirit filled believers are individuals who depend only upon God; they see God use them in supernatural ways.

Today, you must recognize that the ingredients in Elisha’s life are the basics of Christianity, and they can be found in your life and in mine. You can be surrendered, steadfast, and spiritual as you depend upon God’s grace and power to use you. No one who has experienced the abundant, enabling, revived, normal Christian life has any regrets, because they see that the Lord God of Elijah is still here to manifest His supernatural power today.

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Billy Ingram (@evangelistbilly) serves as the Pastor of Canaan Baptist Church in Covington, GA, a board member of Minutemen Ministries, and a former team leader of The War. He and his wife, Christy, have three children, two pit bulls, and a Harley.