The Elisha Principle

Revival through Sonship

TIM RUSH II

A Kingdom Moves Book

DEDICATION

To Dad – I can’t wait to go fishing again.

To Harold – You made this book possible.

To my future children – Daddy loves you with all his heart.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To Charmayne – I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach.

To Mama – Thank you for fighting so hard for me.

To Charlene – Thank you for your patience, encouragement and coaching.

To Harvest Assembly – Thanks for believing in me.

To Victoria – Your artistic eye never ceases to amaze me.

Foreword

By Harold Moore

This morning I received an iMessage from my oldest daughter who is at college in Dallas, some 1,200 very long miles away.  She and I try to connect once a day, even if it’s just by iMessage or text.  In her message she asked if I would be willing to FaceTime a friend of hers.  This young man and I had met once, but he had heard about me through my daughter. He was asking me, through her, if I would be willing to talk with him. No agenda. He felt the need to connect with an older, spiritual man, and he didn’t feel there were a lot of older men with wisdom in his world.  Surely, I mused, there must be a wise, old sage somewhere among the six-plus million residents of the Dallas metroplex! But for some reason, I apparently was someone he wanted to connect with. And to him, with what I'm sure was birthed by inflated stories from my daughter, I seemed like “a cool guy."

I'm not so sure about the "cool," and at times I am uncomfortable wearing the “wisdom” badge, but I thought – here is a young Christian man who is looking for connection with an older, spiritual man and seeking that connection 1,200 miles away. He probably does not fully understand the “why,” in making the request but my guess is that he has tapped into a felt need most of us guys have – the need to connect with the influence and wisdom of a father and to receive an inheritance that can be passed down from father to son.

I've witnessed this scenario many, many times – young guys, trying to rise above their age and circumstances, facing the daunting challenge of doing it on their own, without an inheritance and without the blessings of a father.  Some, but not all, come to the realization that life could be better, richer and safer with some help from a dad.

The events of this day reminded me of the time Tim sat down with me and literally asked me if I would be his spiritual father. I remember saying, "Yes," as it seemed the natural next step in our growing relationship.  I believe neither one of us fully understood what we were committing to.  Tim, to some degree, understood his need for a spiritual father.  I, on the other hand, was beginning to understand an increasing passion to leave a legacy – first to my natural family but also to others.

We were in uncharted territory.  However, the pattern, the promise, and the blessing of a spiritual father and son relationship had been set spiritually and recorded in God's Word. We were beginning to discover that truth. Our relationship grew and continues to grow through the process of living life.  Looking back, I know I have become a better father because Tim has been a great son.  I am, like a dad, so very proud of him and his work.

The Elisha Principle is, in part, a fruit of Tim's discovery and walk through our spiritual father/son relationship. He has done a masterful job of communicating spiritual principles and making a strong call for men to rise up and to connect with spiritual fathers. Spiritual wealth, power and revival await a generation who live out these principles.

Whether you are a son longing for a spiritual dad or an older man wanting to pass on a blessing to another generation, your journey begins when you turn the page.

And now, I have an appointment to make with a young man in Dallas.

Prologue

I Need a Father

A Spiritual Orphan

All I wanted to hear from him was “I love you.” All I wanted him to do was teach me. Standing with my back to him, I watched a father and son fishing from a rickety rowboat. They looked happy and connected. I thought to myself, I want that for my dad and me. We stood on the fishing pier in silence, looking at the seagulls hungrily circling for scraps; the gentle breeze stirred phantom movements in our fishing poles. Most of our relationship was spent in silence in front of a TV. This time was no different. We simply traded the TV for a pier.

By now, I had come to know Christ. It happened when I was twenty. The Holy Spirit fell upon me during a church service. After years of absence and searching for fulfillment in various religions, I finally came back to the God of my mother. It was a small church building off the side of the road in a rural part of town. I grew up in that church. They have a tradition that visitors stand and be recognized. I wasn’t a visitor, but something inside me told me to get up.

After a couple before me introduced themselves, it was my turn. Seventy or so faces all turned toward me. Most were smiling, wondering, what is Timmy doing? I had no clue what I was going to say; I only knew that I had to introduce myself. Hesitantly, I began to speak, “Hi. My name is Tim, and although I’m not a visitor. . .”

As my voice trailed off, my heart fluttered in my chest like the wings of a thousand hummingbirds. The hairs on my skin were stimulated as if a feather moved across my body. Something powerful came over me, and I started to sob. Standing in Rising Sun Baptist Church, with all eyes on me, voice quivering, I continued, “I stand before you a new man.” In that moment I gave my heart to Christ. I sat down again in the back pew, weeping through the rest of the service. I became a part of the Kingdom that day. Now I spent nights weeping for another reason – my dad.

My mom has always been a faithful churchgoer. However, my father did not have a relationship with Christ. Raised in the church all her life, this was the only lifestyle my mother knew, and she was determined that I would attend church every Sunday. If she could do nothing else, she would at least invite me to have a relationship with my heavenly Father. It took 20 years before she saw me come to know God for myself.

Now I burned to see my dad come to know Christ, just as my mom’s heart had burned for me. I intentionally set out to spend time with Dad, getting to know him. The day at the fishing pier was one of those times.

Standing together on the fishing pier that spring afternoon, I asked him to tell me about his childhood. He started telling me things that I had never known about him before. Dad’s father abandoned the family when he was young. His mom worked two jobs most of her life; she worked six days a week just to put food on the table. Essentially, my father raised himself. Some days, the family ate nothing but grits three times a day. As a result of the family’s living conditions, he resented his father immensely.

My heart bled for my dad as he continued to tell me the story about his upbringing. I wanted him to be the priest of the family that God intended him to be, but he didn’t know how because his own father wasn’t there to teach him. That’s when it hit me. My father really loved me, but he couldn’t share God’s love with me because he had never experienced it. The love of a father was outside his comprehension. When I understood, my heart broke for my dad, and I started fasting and praying for him. I pleaded with him to attend a men’s retreat, called Encounter, with my church. This was so important that I told him I would do whatever it took to get him there.

Thankfully, he agreed to go. I was a part of the ministry team that weekend, but I asked the leader if I could serve in the background to reduce any distraction for my father. I even left the ranch where we were conducting the Encounter, missing most of the weekend’s teaching. Nevertheless, it all paid off.

On June 7, 2009, Dad gave his heart to Christ. He waited all night until I returned to the ranch because he wanted to bless me as a father. At midnight that Saturday, he laid his hands on me and prayed for me. It was the first time he ever prayed for me. I’ll never forget that day, not only because it was the day God restored my family, but it was also my birthday, and the salvation of my father was the best gift a son could ever receive. God is good.

My dad was in his fifties when he accepted Christ. He did not have an example of a Christian man in his life, nor did his father. Millions of men in America don’t have examples of righteous living in their lives. I don’t blame my dad for anything. But I’ve often wondered what my life would have been like if my father had been the spiritual leader I needed him to be, or what his life would have been like if his father had been the man of God that he needed. The sad reality is that more and more of us don’t have such a role model.

God has given us an example of how to live through Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15). Further, God wants believers to be examples to the world. Paul, to the Philippians, said, “Join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern” (Phil. 3:17). God meant for us to be a models to one another. We follow godly examples in order to become godly examples.

From me, back through my grandfather’s father, there was no spiritual patriarch. Therein lays the heart of the issue. Fathers are not taking responsibility for the spiritual development of sons. This is a sad reality in our community and the principle reason entire generations are wandering spiritually lost. Should my natural father have shared the love of Christ with my mom and me? Absolutely! Unfortunately, not everyone comes from a home united in faith.

The reason my dad couldn’t share the love of God is because he never experienced it from his father, who never experienced it from his, and so forth. We only give what we have received; we only have what we’ve been given, and we only reproduce who we are.

I didn’t know that my future children were in danger. I ran the risk of reproducing the same spiritual void that me and my dad experienced in the lives of my children. However, God had a plan.

God sent a spiritual father into my life. He is my teacher, mentor and best friend. He doesn’t replace my heavenly Father; rather, he always points me back to Him. God restored what I had lost.

Through this experience with my dad and my spiritual father, God taught me a principle – sonship. As we understand and apply this principle, we will have the power to transform our culture one heart at a time. We will transition from a culture of spiritual orphans (those lacking the experience of love and rewards of relationship) to a culture of sons. We will know what love is, and we’ll be able to demonstrate it to the rest of the world through relationship.

Where We Are

Before we can begin the journey to sonship we need to have a proper understanding of where we are presently as a culture. How will we know how far we’ve gone if we don’t know where we began? One morning during our weekly meeting over breakfast my spiritual father Harold told me that his heart broke after reading that 40 percent of children born in the United States are born out of wedlock. The statistic made him weep for our nation.

Our physical world is a representation of the spiritual. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount proclaimed, “Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). When Jesus asserted, “As it is in heaven,” He was proclaiming that everything on earth (our actions, our relationships and our lives) are to reflect our heavenly nature. When such a large proportion of our generation is born fatherless, orphaned or worse, aborted, it demonstrates that we are far from where God wants us to be.

Where We Are Going

The Lord has placed in the hearts of His children greatness and identity, realized through inheritance. An inheritance is given to sons from fathers. Children inherit. Without children to pass an inheritance to, the anointing, power, identity, and wisdom of generations lies dormant like a long forgotten well. Yet, God has proclaimed that He will “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers” (Mal. 4:6). God taught me the second part of the promise through my relationships with Harold and my dad. He taught me how to turn my heart to a father. He taught me what it was to be a son, so that one day I could be a father to many and become a part of a movement to change generations. There is an inheritance reserved for each of God’s children. We only need to position ourselves in love, humility and service to receive our inheritance as sons.

Elisha was such a man. He received the anointing, position and authority of his spiritual father Elijah in order to lead the next generation of kings and prophets. When the kingdom of Israel was facing one of its darkest moments, it called upon the prophet Elisha for salvation. Such a call is heard today in our nation. An entire culture is calling out for prophets to lead them to salvation. Will we heed the call?

Part I: Covenant + Love = Family

Chapter 1

The Birth of Moab

A child is born with the ability to grasp objects and hold them to support its own weight. From the moment a child is born, God sets in his mind the necessity of holding on to that which is closest to him. I remember seeing a picture of this remarkable feat of strength in a child development book. While checking a baby’s reflexes, a nurse placed her thumbs in his palms. The baby grabbed both thumbs as the nurse gently lifted him into the air. Nothing but the baby’s grip prevented his fall. God knows that, as children, we need the love and protection of our families to survive, so he placed in us the need for family attachment. However, our culture has made it easy, even convenient, to oppose God’s design. Instead of being the place of safety, love, and encouragement, our families are splintered like never before, and we turn elsewhere to find the fulfillment that family was meant to provide.

Unfortunately, many men develop a worldview of fulfilling their need for love through drugs, gangs, and money. Ultimately, disaster awaits men trying to find fulfillment by their own means.

A worldview is how we see and relate to the world through the lens of our experiences. Speaking on the significance of an individual’s worldview, George Barna, in his book The Second Coming of the Church, explains:

People tend to respond to each experience, relationship, piece of information, and opportunity on the basis of their frames of reference. These perspectives, which are composed of our beliefs and values, affect the way we view the world around us. Cumulatively, they constitute a person’s worldview. Our worldview impacts every aspect of our lives – how we spend our time and money, how we interact with other people in public and private, how we order our priorities, and even how we perceive God.

When we experience the lack of father-led homes, we relate to the world through the lens of rejection.

God reveals the impact of a son’s rejection through the story of Abraham’s nephew Lot. We will be better equipped to change our society by understanding how rejection leads to an orphan mentality, and how an orphan mentality affects relationships and influences our worldview.

The Story of Lot (Gen. 11:26-28)

A line of mourners follows the linen wrapped body scented with precious spices and oils, symbolizing a man of importance has died before his time, as it is carried to its grave. Women wail for the community’s loss. Their mournful songs are carried by the wind and heard as far as the borders of the village.

The funeral procession travels to the rocky hills surrounding the valley, where a tomb has been cut into the side of the hill. The family gently lowers the covered body and says its final goodbyes, as tradition demands. Tearing their clothes, the men pour ash over their heads in anguish, representing their broken hearts for their departed relative. Then the gravestone is put back into place. Haran, the son of Terah, brother of Abram and Nahor, and father of Milcah, Iscah, and Lot is laid to rest with his fathers. This was the day that Lot lost his father.

Losing a family member is never easy, especially when it is unexpected. I met a man named Keith (not his real name) who came to Youth Challenge, a Christian drug restoration program where I volunteered. He was 47 years old and had spent nearly 30 years of his life in and out of prison. He was a gang member and a heavy drug user. During his time as a drug addict Keith fathered two daughters, but his habits caused great division within his family. Although Keith didn’t die, the separation was another way of losing him. He was constantly separated from them physically and emotionally.

When I first met Keith, I extended my hand to introduce myself; but oddly, he placed his index finger on his lips, as if to shush me, and walked by without saying a word. Standing six-feet-four inches and weighing about 240 pounds Keith was a bear of a man. Sometimes he would get this look on his face as though he didn’t care if you lived or died.

Several months went by, and he started to loosen up; once I got him talking, it was hard to stop him. Keith went on an Encounter, the same one my dad attended, and the Lord worked a miracle in him. During one of the sessions I spoke about family and the deep wounds they can cause. After the teaching, Keith sat in his chair, sobbing relentlessly. His groans rolled through the meeting room one after another, like a tidal wave of emotion. He repeatedly asked, “Why, Daddy? Why did you leave me?” This bear of a man was reduced to a sobbing lost child.

Later I spoke with Keith and asked him what the Lord did during the ministry. He said that he was able to forgive his father for leaving him and let go of the shame of holding a grudge against him. I asked more questions regarding the shame that he felt. It turned out his father died when he was two, and he grew up wondering what his life would’ve been like if his father hadn’t passed. Keith said that his downward spiral began when his father died. Now he could see the destructive path his daughters were on because they didn’t have a father in their lives. He went through the program and started to be the father his girls needed him to be. Keith’s journey started by dealing with his own father issues.

Toward Sodom (Gen. 13:1-12)

After his father Haran’s death, Lot clings to his uncle Abram, now the closest father figure in his life. One day Abram encounters God. The Lord tells him to leave his country and his family to go to Canaan, the land God will show him. Then He promises Abram, “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.” Abram obeys God, and takes Lot with him.

In Canaan, Abram and Lot prosper. Both men have many flocks, tents, silver and gold. Lot couldn’t have imagined his fortunes when he followed Abram from the land of the Chaldeans. Abram isn’t Lot’s father, but they have a good relationship. From his interactions with Abram, Lot learns how to manage people, trade and livestock. He aptly applies everything he learns to his household. Although grateful that Abram allows him to join him on this journey, Lot feels that his accumulated wealth isn’t enough to fill what he didn’t know was missing.

The herdsmen are fighting again. What is it this time, Lot wonders, as he walks toward his uncle’s tent. Is it whose sheep belonged to who? Are they fighting over grazing plots or water? It is the seventh time this month alone that Lot has to be summoned for a meeting with his uncle over arguing herdsmen. He pulls back the flap of the tent and enters. “Uncle, did you call for me?”

Abram sits on a pile of goatskins. “Yes,” he says, as he waves his servant off to leave them in privacy. “Please, sit down, Lot.” His nephew takes a seat on the stack of skins across from him. “The herdsmen have been fighting again.”

“Yes, I know. Who is it this time?”

Abram looks solemnly at his nephew. “It does not matter who it is. They are continuously fighting among themselves. We are bringing shame to the name of Jehovah in front of the Canaanites and Perizzites.”

“Then what should be done?”

Abram rises from his sitting area. Lot follows him outside the tent. The sun highlights every fine wrinkle in Abram’s face, as he looks over the vastness of the valley. “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for, we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”

As the words form from Abram’s lips, what Lot doesn’t know he is missing reveals itself. Though he accumulated great wealth, his soul is void, from the absence of a relationship with his father. Uncle Abram, whom Lot has come to respect and admire as a father, now wants him to go his own way. Feelings of rejection blow through Lot’s body like a sandstorm. Is their relationship just a business partnership that his uncle could nullify with a simple word? He had hoped it was more.

Lot lifts his eyes and sees all the plain of the Jordan, that it is well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord. Then Lot chooses for himself all the plain of Jordan, gathers his possessions, says his goodbyes, and separates from Abram. Lot travels as far on the plain as the city of Sodom.

Rejection causes our independent nature to become a self-serving do me attitude. Lot felt rejected by Abram, the last patriarch of his family, and hurt drove him toward Sodom. When Lot “lifts his eyes toward Sodom,” we can feel his longing for fulfillment.

Like Lot, spiritual orphans believe that changing their physical world will change their inner reality. Sodom represents the empty promises of the world. To Lot, Sodom was the physical expression of everything missing in his heart. It was prosperous and refreshed, and there he could make a name for himself. So, Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom.

Do Me

Mistrust and past hurts drive the do me complex: It says, “There is no one else who has my best interests in mind; therefore, I must look after myself first, last and always.” As Lot looked upon the prosperity of the valley, he chose for himself what he thought was best. Initially, it doesn’t seem wrong for Lot to make a decision that was in his best interests. Unfortunately, it was the motivation behind his decision that led him and leads many of us astray.

I met a man named Zeke (not his real name) who carried a do me complex. He grew up in the streets of New York City. As we were sharing coffee together he told me what his life was like there. In a heavy New York accent, he said, “All my life I been raised in the streets. I can’t trust my family, da police, and I ain’t got no friends. I always had to look after me.” Zeke never knew his father, but he had many stepfathers. His home was wrought with violence and both verbal and physical abuse; from age nine, he fended for himself. After running away from home, gang life became his reality because he needed a community of people around for protection. His involvement in the gang led him to a career in dealing and transporting dope across state lines. Eventually, he lost two-thirds of his life to prison after being arrested, charged and convicted with smuggling and distribution of cocaine.

Many men feel the need to look after themselves first, last and always out of perceived necessity. Life leaves them few choices, other than resorting to a do me attitude. This mindset leaves us selfishly searching for fulfillment in an unfulfilling world.

Somewhere to Belong (Gen. 18; 19:1-11)

Lot yearned for somewhere to belong. He was constantly moving since his father’s death. He wanted to set down roots, to seek the nourishment of family, as a desert plant seeks water in the desert. He was far from home.

In Sodom Lot flourished, finally becoming the man of importance he always wanted to be. His business thrived, his oldest daughters married, and he was given a seat of authority within the city. Everything seemed right; he finally had a home and a place of belonging. But looks are deceiving.

One afternoon, two angels in the appearance of men told Abraham that God had passed judgment on the city of Sodom, and it would be destroyed. Abraham pleaded with the Lord not to destroy Sodom, and the Lord agreed that He would not destroy the righteous with the wicked. After visiting Abraham, the angels appeared in Sodom.

Lot was watching as two travelers approached the city gates. They were obviously foreigners just passing through: they didn’t travel in a caravan, nor did they have many supplies, besides their walking staffs and the mantles they wore. It was late; Lot suspected that the men would need a place to stay for the night. Sodom wasn’t a safe place for the unwitty traveler. He greeted the men as they entered and bowed in honor, “Here now my lords, please turn into your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then, you may rise early and go on your way.”

“No,” one of them began. “We will spend the night in the open square.”

Lot insists that the men not stay in the open square. He knows it could be dangerous in the city of sin. But instead of warning them about the coldness of the city, he wins them with the warmth of his home, promising them a fresh, hot meal and good company. They accept.

In his home, Lot has his daughters and wife prepare a meal. Together, Lot, his family, and the two angels sit to eat, enjoying each other’s company; but, just before they prepare for bed, a large crowd swarm around the house. Beating on the door, someone in the mob yells, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out so that we may know them!”

Lot encourages his guests to stay in the house and reassures them that he will calm the crowd. Frantic and sweating, he opens the door, attempting to keep his composure. “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!”

Another man yells at Lot, demanding he stand back; but, Lot stands his ground. Then a member of the mob spits, “This one” – pointing at Lot, while looking to rile the crowd – “keeps acting as judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them!” Like a hive of irritated wasps, the mob presses in on Lot. Then one of the angels inside the house reach out and pull Lot to safety, shutting the door behind them. Without a bolt to lock the entrance, one of the men waives his arms around the frame of the door, and the seams disappear. Now only a wall remains where a door once was. From inside, Lot and his family can hear the mob pound the newly-formed wall, searching for a way in but with no success. After several tense hours the men of Sodom leave, while Lot’s family and the visitors remain in the safety of the house until morning.

During the night, the strangers told Lot God’s plan for the city – destruction. However, it is not God’s will for the righteous to be destroyed with the wicked. So, the men urge Lot to take his family and flee the city. Despite the imminent destruction of Sodom, Lot lingers.

Lot lingers because he made his home in Sodom. After constantly moving, he settles in the city. He thinks he has found the respect he deserves, but he never truly belonged. Despite his contributions to the city and his personal success, the scoffers remind him that he is still an outsider. Yet, he wants to stay because to the hungry heart, even bitterness is sweet (Prov. 27:7). And Lot is starving.

Never Satisfied

When our hearts are starved from lack of connection, we attempt to change who we are to satiate our need for relationship. Abraham asked the Lord, “Will you also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” The Lord answered him by saying that if there were ten righteous men, He would not destroy the city. Lot was a righteous man (2 Pet. 2:7), but he chose to build his home with the most depraved people in all of history.

More times than I care to remember, I have watched drugs, the streets, promiscuity, and money pull men into the same mess, regardless of opportunities to leave it behind. Take for example, athletes. Many young people aspire to be professional ball players; I myself dreamed of playing football. Some athletes that make it to the pros come from difficult situations. They work tirelessly to be the absolute best in their sport, earning their paychecks and endorsements. Many overcome living in broken homes, exposure to drugs, and membership in gangs to become successful, all the while inspiring youth around the world. Despite success, some of these same heroes fall, from infidelity, dog fighting, weapons charges, domestic violence, drug abuse, and even murder charges. It may be that pride caused their fall: they received wealth quickly and too young. But the Bible points to a deeper reason for the woes of our heroes.

The need for relationship and affirmation were so powerful on Lot’s heart that, when given an option to flee to safety in the mountains, he chose to remain in the same valley of sinful cities. Internally, he was fighting to shed his old lifestyle. I have witnessed many men choosing to remain in the same valley of their sinful life, falling back into Sodom. There’s not enough money, power or respect in the world to satisfy a man’s heart because it was created for relationship with a father.

The Birth of Moab (Gen. 19:30-37)

Lot loses everything; his wife, older daughters and son-in-laws were all lost during the destruction of Sodom. His wealth and reputation are worthless. Depressed and lonely, Lot with his two remaining daughters, dwell in a cave. While in the cave, the virgin daughters plan to bear their father’s child. One night they get Lot drunk with wine, and the oldest daughter sleeps with her father. She becomes pregnant and nine months later, in the darkness of a cave, she gives birth to a boy. With a heart as empty as the cave in which they live, Lot holds his son. Looking upon him with puzzlement, he names him after the question that has plagued his heart for most of his adult life – “Who is your father?” naming his son – Moab.

There is power in a name. Men of this culture named their sons to represent their children’s destiny. Moab literally means, who is your father? Lot never found the relationship with a father, which he desperately wanted. He spent his life trying to cover a wound that only a father can heal. Although he experienced great success, he experienced greater disappointment. He was a righteous man (2 Pet. 2:7) who struggled to find himself. Without fathers to help guide them to their destinies, many good men are struggling to find their place in the world. Lot named his son Moab because, like us, he could only reproduce who he was, and he could only give what he had received.

Moab spawned an idolatrous nation, willing to sacrifice the life of future generations for material victory. It became an enemy of Israel, God’s chosen people, warring against the plans and designs of the Lord. A Moab-like spirit continues to war against God’s plan for father-son relationships in our communities. Moab can and will be defeated by men willing to align themselves with others by submitting to the wisdom and guidance of an older generation. Hope lies in the power of relationship. When sons unite with fathers spiritually and relationally, we can find the power to change the heart of an entire culture.

There is a spiritual threat looming ominously over our culture. It is the Spirit of Moab – the orphan spirit. It has been passed down through generations by the absence of fathers. However, the orphan spirit can be overcome. As always, God provides an example in His Word and when applied it will restore the foundation of generations.

God provided an answer to Moab’s threats through a prophet named Elisha. Elisha was a man who learned how to submit to a spiritual father. As a result, he became one of the most revered prophets of the Bible. He would take his predecessors’ ministry to new levels. As a result of his willingness to submit to spiritual authority, God used him to defeat Moab, the fatherless nation. But before he could save the children of Israel from annihilation, he had a lot to learn.

We have a lot to learn. Wisdom, authority, and anointing are passed down from father to son through inheritance. Only children inherit, and we can reestablish the bond between generations through relationships. I believe that, when enough people are connected by relationally to spiritual fathers, there will be an overwhelming outpouring of spiritual gifts and authority. Through these, revival is imminent.

Chapter 2

Relationships

1 Kings 19:19-21

It’s hot. The sun rises to its peak and remains pelting the ground and every living creature with its heat. Squinting, sweat runs from his brow, stinging his eyes as he fights to keep the oxen in line. Slowly, arduously, the oxen drag the plow, digging its sharp wooden edge into the ground, creating lines as ripples in the field. For years, Elisha has served his earthly father faithfully. Day in and day out, he works to maintain the family’s livelihood. It’s a simple life, the only one he’s known. The days are routine, but today there is something in the air. For some reason, this day feels different. Something – someone – is coming.

Behind him, a figure in the distance walks calmly. Elisha can tell that the man is well traveled. He’s not royalty or a member of the king’s court. The man’s sandals are worn and ragged. He uses his brown, faded mantle to shade his eyes from the bright sun. The oxen suddenly stop plowing, sending Elisha into his plow. He grabs the reins, trying to make his yoked oxen move. They are stubborn creatures.

Elisha feels the weight of something over his shoulders. The weightiness moves from his shoulders to the crown of his head. Then the world fades, as if the sun is setting, until there’s nothing but darkest night. The stranger has thrown the edge of his cloak around Elisha’s shoulders and over his head. The mantle blocks out the sun. The world is dark. He forgets about his plow, his family and all the cares of the world. Peace replaces fear in his soul.

Suddenly, light breaks forth from the darkness on every side, surrounding him with brightness too intense to bear but too alluring to leave. There are chariots, twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands, and the Lord is among them! Songs of the angelic host ring out in one unified voice, “Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty!” The majesty and power of the King of Kings throws Elisha to his knees. He doesn’t speak, but his heart asks, What is happening to me?

As if God hears his question, He speaks to Elisha’s heart, saying, “You, I have chosen to be his son and successor.” Never before had he heard the voice of the Lord so clearly, so powerfully. The experience brings him to tears.

“A Son? A Successor? Of who? For what?” The vision dissipates, and the voices of the angels that thundered, “Holy, Holy!” become distant, echoing away. Rays of sunlight return one beam at a time, as the hem of the mantle moves from overtop his head. Elisha finds himself on the ground with tears in his eyes. Only a single moment has passed, but to him it feels like hours.

Amazingly, surprising himself, Elisha is able to gather his wits. Still on his knees, he looks up at the stranger walking away; he catches a glimpse of his face. A glimpse is all he needs to recognize the most revered prophet in Israel and Judah. It’s the prophet Elijah. The Spirit of God was telling Elisha that he would become Elijah’s son.

Elisha runs to Elijah, not knowing exactly what he has happened. Elijah’s eyes meet his and without speaking, communicates to the young man that he knows and understands everything that just happened. Elijah patiently waits for his response. Elisha wants to drop everything and follow the prophet. Yet, he hesitates. It’s not that he doesn’t want to follow the man of God – that’s certain – but his parents have done so much for him. How can he go without saying something, or giving them due honor for their sacrifice? Elisha speaks, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.”

“Go back again,” the prophet began, “for what have I done to you?” Elisha doesn’t know. Nevertheless, he believes he must follow this man. But first he must give honor where honor is due.

Elisha takes the yoke off his oxen. Smashing the yoke into pieces, he starts a fire then turns and slaughters his two oxen. While the meat roasts on the fire, he calls his entire house to the meal. His father and mother, siblings and their wives, and servants come to share in Elisha’s last meal with them. He tells them what the Lord has said and that he must follow the prophet Elijah. He knows he will never return to this life. Some who listen are confused, others encourage him, and some scoff at his encounter. Still, he’s resolved to obey God and to see His Word fulfilled.

Working his way towards his father Shaphat, Elisha says goodbye to his family and friends. Finally, he comes to his father. Bowing his head, Elisha asks his father for his blessing, to leave his covering of leadership and serve Elijah as sincerely and dutifully as he has his father. Shaphat lays his hands on his son and blesses him, kissing the crown of his head. “May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and give you peace.” Elisha lifts his head with tears in his eyes, and they embrace. Then Elisha, son of Shaphat, arises and follows Elijah, becoming his servant.

Departing with peace in his heart, Elisha will never leave Elijah’s side. He will obey the word of God and become Elijah’s successor. Until the promise of God is fulfilled in his life, he will persevere through heartache, disappointment and challenges.

Character Building

Elisha entered into a relationship with Elijah. Through their fellowship, God equipped Elisha for his destiny, preparing him to receive an inheritance as a spiritual son. However, before receiving his inheritance, aspects of Elisha’s character that weren’t in line with God’s nature had to be burned away.

I’ve always found it interesting that the Lord describes Himself as an all-consuming fire (Heb. 12:29). When I think about what fire is, I’m amazed at how much truth is in the description. Fire is an awesome phenomenon in nature. It warms and comforts, yet it burns. It lays waste to hundreds of thousands of forest acres, while bringing fertility to the soil. California, for example, experiences some of the most devastating forest fires in the world; but, the burning away of old foliage makes the soil one of the most fertile in the world. Fire causes both death and healing. It can melt the hardest metal, yet we use it to warm baby’s milk.

We avoid fires that we have no control over. But our God is a consuming fire, and He’s inviting us to enter into relationships. As we grow closer to the Lord and others, we’ll experience heat that’s sometimes unbearable, but it’s all for a purpose. We can be assured that it will burn away anything that can’t withstand His flames. Malachi 3:3 says, “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.” Every relationship acts as a refinement tool, purging the impurities of our souls so we can express His nature.

God uses many tools to mold us into His image. However, His primary tool has always been each other. As the Bible declares, “As iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another” (Prov. 27:17). He artfully uses everyday situations and people to make us more like Him, skillfully chipping away like a master artisan, until the day He’s satisfied. It makes sense. Regardless of how hard we try to hide and isolate ourselves, there’s always someone present. There will always be situations we can’t control; people will act in ways we can’t control, but God uses these interactions to reveal what’s pleasing and displeasing to Him.

The Lord shapes us every day through our relationships. His desire is for us to be like Him. In 1 John 3:2 we read, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” From the moment we’re born again, we start a process of grooming, burning away everything that isn’t like Him, so what remains is nothing but Him.

God used the relationship with Elijah to groom Elisha into one of the most revered prophets of all time. Elisha was a farm boy. Although as a Jew, he knew the word of God, Elijah taught him to see and hear with his spirit. He taught him to be the mouthpiece of God, which took time, eleven years to be exact. Throughout the Bible God uses relationships, especially the relationships of father and son, and teacher and student, to raise up leaders capable of taking their generation into new territory. Some of the relationships seem perfectly loving, as with Paul and Timothy, and Jesus and His disciples. Others are strewn with conflict, disappointments and hardships like King David’s relationship with Saul and Absalom. However, in all situations God uses relationship for our benefit, fulfilling our need for intimacy.

Intimacy

Relationship requires intimacy. David, the great psalmist, pleaded with God, saying, “Search me O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my anxieties” (Ps. 139:23). Here David is inviting God into an intimate relationship. The word “search” means to deeply penetrate, looking past the surface and into the most inner parts of the heart and soul. To “know” is to be touched in the most intimate way. David desired to be truly known.

We all want to be known. It’s not enough for us simply to be known for what we do; rather, we want to be known for who we are. David is expressing the need to be known. Take, for example, the incredible rise in social media that’s occurred over the past 10 years. More than half a billion people worldwide have Facebook accounts and spend 700 billion minutes a month on the site. Think about most people you know: family, friends, co-workers and churchgoers. Now think to yourself: How many of those people really know me? Do they know any more about you than your name, marital status, or what you do for a living? Do they really know you? Most people, including myself, would answer, “No. They don’t know who I am. They know facts about me, but they don’t know me.”

The world we live in now allows us to use social networking as a substitute for our need for intimate relationships. Many of us will say things via a blog, tweet, post or email that we wouldn’t dare say to someone’s face, just for the sake of causing a stir. We’ll put embarrassing pictures of ourselves on our Facebook walls, just for a couple of comments. We’ll rush to build our “friends list” to the thousands so we can feel important, popular, and finally seen. Our craving for intimacy drives all these actions. We crave intimacy because that’s how God created us.

Our society has created a culture that avoids intimacy. What I’m referring to isn’t physical attraction between the sexes, but spiritual and emotional closeness. Unfortunately, when we tune into any kind of media, whether it’s TV, radio, magazines, or the internet, intimacy is portrayed as sensual. However, we all need the nearness of a father and son relationship. The greatest obstacle to experiencing godly intimacy is our worldview, shaped by liberal media.

We have a wrong view of intimacy: we think it’s all about sex. As a result, men have difficulty being open and close with other men because the enemy has perverted our minds. On the whole, we think that if two men are “too close,” then they must not really be men and somehow effeminate.

I remember when I was in high school, I had neighbors from Puerto Rico. After school, we’d play football in our front yards before their father came home. When their dad arrived home, the boys greeted him with a kiss. I thought this was the weirdest thing. I didn’t get the concept of godly intimacy. There was nothing effeminate in the action; their father was a very large former military man. He was a man’s man. What he shared with his boys was honor and a relational depth that was alien to most men. If you were to take an honest, simple survey on how men think of kissing another man on the cheek, I’m sure you’d find that most men feel it’s unnerving. Now, I’m not suggesting that you go kiss everyone you see; rather, I’m pointing out that the enemy has robbed us of something precious, by putting a cultural block in our minds about what intimacy really is.

None of us wants to be alone. In fact, God says, “It is not good that man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18). When God created Adam, the first man, there was none like him. Except for the presence of God, he was alone, and it was not good. Have you ever heard someone say, “All I need is God”? Well apparently, God disagrees. He knows what we need. We need someone to know us, for who we really are, someone we can be real with, someone who can see past the front we put on in public. We’re more than facts. There’s more to us than our jobs, more than our church, even more than our families, and we need somebody to know that. The relationship between David and Jonathan is a great example of godly intimacy between two men. 1 Samuel 18:1-4 says:

Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.

The church has done its part to further an unbiblical view of intimacy. What David and Jonathan experienced is called a soul tie. Most of our churches teach that soul ties are only between two individuals that have physical intercourse. However, here in scripture we see that’s not true. Jonathan and David made a covenant with one another. By giving David his armor Jonathan was saying what he owned was now David’s; he would support, protect and love David forever. These two were real men. David was a warrior who slew a giant; Jonathan took out an entire army by himself, with only his armor bearer to help. Yet, Jonathan loved David “as his own soul.” Love, support and protection come as a result of intimacy with one another. True intimacy comes only with meaningful time spent together. Just like David and Jonathan, Elijah and Elisha were intimate with one another, spending years at each other’s side. Their intimacy came through intentionally building a relationship.

The Blessings of Dwelling Together

Intimacy brings out the best in us. Allowing someone to see us for who we really are affords opportunities for us to be challenged, encouraged and corrected; thus, we grow in godly maturity. Hebrews 10:24-25 reads,

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.

This is a call to gather for the purpose of growing in love. When we become intimate with each other, our faults will show. But when our faults show, we have the opportunity to improve our shortcomings, thereby growing in maturity as men.

Elisha needed Elijah just as much as Elijah needed Elisha. They shared their lives together. Elisha learned about Elijah’s faults, even as a great prophet. Elijah knew the destiny and greatness of his protégé and challenged him into maturity. Likewise, those around us should stir up love and good works. However, if true intimacy isn’t established, the blessing of growing as men will never be fully known.

The writer of Hebrews further suggests that intimacy comes through meaningful time spent together. This is contrary to the fast food world we live in. We want everything our way, hot and now. Meaningful knowledge of one another is not created in this way. It takes time, openness and risk. As we open ourselves up, we take the risk of being rejected and misunderstood. Because of past experiences and splintered homes, men tend to shrink from true intimacy. Many of us have experienced hurts that remain unhealed. The wound in our heart festers and affects future relationships if the offense is not resolved.

When I was in my early teens I was full of questions about the Bible. I was still living with my mom and attending church on a regular basis. Mom encouraged me to ask our pastor my questions because they were difficult, and she admittedly didn’t have the answers. After service, I’d ask the pastor a question. I did this over several consecutive weeks, and he took a moment to answer my questions.

One Sunday I approached the pastor at the end of service with my question of the week. Perturbed, he looked at me accusingly, asking, “Timmy, who’s telling you to ask all of these questions? Stop bothering me, and find the answer for yourself.” His defensiveness caught me off guard because I was sincerely looking for answers. More importantly, however, the pain of the rejection caused me to clam up, and I never asked him another question. I don’t know why he was so defensive. He could’ve simply had a bad day, or maybe it was his way to get me to search scripture. Whatever the reason, I never trusted him again with my questions, and the potential for intimacy was lost.

Now that I’ve matured in my walk with the Lord, I realize my response wasn’t godly. Neither I, nor anyone else, can control our initial emotional reaction to rejection. But, we can control our actions. I only hurt myself by meditating on my disappointment. The experience of rejection caused me to build a defensive wall and avoid intimacy, stunting my spiritual growth. However, if we’re to walk in the Elisha Principle, we can’t fear intimacy because it’s God’s tool for growth. We can’t fear intimacy, no matter how many hurts we experience because we’ll miss the blessing brought in unity.

On his way to becoming the prophet of a generation, Elisha had to spend time with his spiritual father. His maturation didn’t come overnight but through years of learning by serving Elijah. They dwelled together, traveling, eating, worshipping and serving together, much like Jesus and His disciples did for three years before the crucifixion. During this time they grew close together, becoming a family. Likewise, developing a meaningful relationship requires ongoing interaction. The word dwell is the Hebrew word yashab. It means to remain, abide, inhabit, and even to marry. Therefore, yashab means more than casual acquaintance: it implies permanence and longevity.

Many young men have a hard time laying down roots. Before I was married, and well into my marriage, I was a wanderer. Spiritually, I wandered from church to church, even from faith to faith. Physically, I couldn’t remain in the same apartment for more than a year, and I didn’t work the same job for much more than that. I was not alone; many of my friends were in the same boat. This lifestyle frustrates the sincere desire for family and career. The American Dream of success becomes elusive, like chasing the wind.

The Spirit of Moab hinders our experiences of relationship and intimacy because we’re unable to remain grounded. Lot traveled from place to place searching for fulfillment. He thought he would be happy with Abraham, then in Sodom, and finally in Zoar. But he was never satisfied. Despite his wealth, position and family, he was never content. The Moabite Spirit causes us to chase the wind, deterring us from what we agonize for – intimacy. We must learn to dwell together, rooting ourselves in the lives of our brothers and fathers, because we need the anointing that comes with unity.

King David writes, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments” (Ps. 133:1-2). Corporate anointing comes as we dwell together. The word anointing literally means to smear, illustrating God’s presence in a man’s life. Priests were drenched with oil during a consecration ceremony, signifying that they were set apart and empowered for holy work.

David was referring to Moses’ brother Aaron, who was anointed to be the holy priest for Israel. The Lord told Moses to anoint Aaron to be a holy priest (Exod. 28:41). Then, to signify his priesthood, Aaron was smeared with anointing oil by his brother Moses. The oil, according to David, flowed from his head down to the edge of his garments. Wherever he journeyed, the sweet fragrance of the anointing oil lingered on Aaron like liquid incense, well after the consecration ceremony.

Anointing is funneled to us through our relationships. Elisha was anointed to succeed Elijah as prophet the moment Elijah covered him with his mantle. Though he was anointed, set apart to be a prophet, Elisha wasn’t ready to take the position. Elisha had to be empowered and equipped to take up his spiritual father’s mantle. The relationship between him and Elijah was the pipeline to receiving his anointing. Without the connection of relationship, the full power of God’s anointing can never be realized.

One evening I was driving and the soft orange glow of the check oil light came on. I pulled into an auto parts store on my way home to purchase a bottle of motor oil. I went back to my car, popped the hood, and unscrewed the cap to the oil reservoir. As I poured, the oil glugged out too fast, spilling on the engine block and my hands. What a mess!

I threw away the empty container, wiped off my hands with a slightly used napkin that I had in the car from my last fast food stop, closed the hood, and started the car. Job done, I got back on the road, smoke billowing from under the hood.

At a stop light, the driver of the car next to me politely said me, “Excuse me, but your car is smoking.” I replied, “Thanks, I tried to put it on the patch, but it just won’t quit!” She didn’t get my bad nicotine patch joke. Turns out, the oil I spilled made that thick black cloud of smoke as it burned off the engine. If I had used a funnel instead of relying on my poor oil-pouring skills, I wouldn’t have spilled any of it; all the oil would’ve reached the place where it needed to be, instead of wasting it and subjecting people to bad jokes. Our relationships with spiritual fathers funnel the oil of God’s power from one vessel to another.

When we dwell together in unity, we experience a special flow of God’s Spirit. It just takes two people relationally joined together to realize this supernatural flow of God’s anointing. As Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). This is why the writer of Hebrews urged the church “not to forsake the assembling of ourselves.” If we avoid close relationships, we’ll never experience the blessings of unity. More specifically, family relationship is the pipeline to receiving God’s anointing and power. We can experience exactly what Elisha did back then – today.

Chapter 3

Family

From Contract to Covenant

Only family can give us the level of intimacy and unity that our hearts need. When Elisha sacrificed his oxen, he made a covenant with Elijah to be his spiritual son forever. A covenant is a promise made between two individuals: it’s never meant to be broken. No matter the circumstances that arise, this precept of covenant makes it different from a contract. A contract is an agreement between two people. One party agrees to perform a service or supply a product, while the other party agrees to a payment amount. In this case, if one party doesn’t perform per the contract, the agreement is rendered void or compensation is given to the wronged party. A contract is thereby performance based.

Take for example my recent visit to a local restaurant. It’s a typical burger joint. There are less than a dozen people inside, including staff, so it’s nice and quiet. The opening of a larger franchise chain across the street has hurt business. Those people don’t know what a burger tastes like.

I’ve been craving a double bacon cheeseburger for several days. When it’s my time to order, I know exactly what I want – a double cheeseburger with extra bacon and no veggies. Veggies get in the way of the meat! When the cashier tells me the total, I’m ready with exact change.

Finally, they deliver the burger I long for on a bright construction-cone orange tray. I find a nice little nook to sit in and unwrap my prize, salivating with anticipation. I bite into it, lean back and chew. The sweet smoky flavors of fresh beef, melted cheese, and crispy . . . wait, where’s the bacon? Where’s my crispy bacon!

I put down the unfinished burger and, check the receipt. There it is, an extra $1.15 for bacon. I take the blasphemous burger back to the register and show the cashier my receipt. She quickly apologizes and orders a new burger for me, one with extra bacon. All is right in the world.

We made a contract that I would pay an extra $1.15 for bacon, and the restaurant would deliver the product. Since I held up my end of the agreement and they did not, I had the right to ask for the correct product or a refund.

We live in a world of contracts in part because of our Do Me attitude, which tells us to put ourselves first in every situation. Unfortunately, we approach relationships as contracts instead of covenants, entering into relationships only for what we can get out of the bargain. When we don’t get what we want, we end the relationship. However, God intended families to live under covenant, not contract.

In our natural families, we’re born into covenant. No matter where we go or what they do, our family will always be our family. I’ll always look and walk like my dad, and I’ll always have my mom’s eyes. It’s in my genetic makeup. We can’t control which family we’re born into because God already has that planned. But, our genes don’t determine our spiritual family. We make a conscious decision to enter into spiritual family.

Ruth is a great example of family based on covenant. Ruth was a Moabitess woman who married into a Jewish family. After the death of her husband, her mother-in-law Naomi gave her the option of returning to her pagan people. Naomi was thinking contractually. In her mind, the wife of her son wasn’t obligated to remain with her because they didn’t have any biological ties. At this time Ruth was childless, so Naomi asked her to part ways, very similar to the separation of Abraham and Lot.

On the other hand, Ruth was covenantal in her thinking and chose to stay by Naomi’s side, pleading:

Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me. (Ruth 1:16-17)

Ruth made a family covenant. Her resolve was so convincing and certain that Naomi stopped trying to persuade her otherwise. Ruth and Naomi became more than just in-laws; they became mother and daughter.

By her actions, Ruth experienced the anointing of spiritual family through covenant. She kept her promise and traveled with Naomi to Bethlehem. There the Lord blessed her with a husband, and she bore a son named Obed. As the lineage goes, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David, who would become king of Israel and whose throne would give rise to Jesus, King of Kings.

Ruth didn’t foresee the honor awaiting her. She couldn’t have imagined the profound effect she would make on history when she entered into covenant with Naomi. Nevertheless, she understood the value of covenant family relationship. Through her actions, she is remembered through all of history as being an ancestor to the Messiah. Likewise, we can’t comprehend the blessings we’ll experience, or our potential effect on history, when we rid ourselves of the Do Me complex and move from contract to covenant.

The Creation of Family

God created the first family. It consisted of God the Father and Adam, His son (Luke 3:38). God always wanted a family because it expresses His nature completely. However, when Adam disobeyed God sin entered into the world and spread to his offspring, creating a chasm between our Father and us (Rom. 5:12). God knows all about broken families. A long time ago the Father lost His son and, ever since, He has been working diligently toward reconciliation.

Reconciliation came through Christ’s sacrifice. As the Bible declares, “He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:26). Jesus won the battle over sin, closing the chasm between the Father and His children forever. Further, Paul the Apostle said, “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 5:18a). When we believe in the sacrifice of Christ, we’re immediately reconciled with the Father. However, the battle to restore God’s family doesn’t end there. In the second half of the verse, Paul goes on to say that God “has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18b). We become His ambassadors and, as such, it’s our privilege to take the message of family reconciliation to our world, by living out the principles for all to see.

Many men haven’t experienced the blessing of traditional family. It’s difficult to grasp the idea of God the Father wanting to reunite with His sons because we rarely see such a thing in our homes and communities. We can’t give what we haven’t received; therefore, becoming examples to our community requires us to first find and follow an example for ourselves. Elisha followed Elijah’s example. He traveled with him and saw how he interacted with people. Elijah taught him how to pray and minister to God’s people. Likewise, we must submit to Biblical teaching and learn from the experience of other godly men who are spiritually more mature than we are.

Spiritual Adoption

Jesus changed the paradigm of family. Through His actions, He demonstrates the importance of spiritual family. His mother and brothers came to visit when He was ministering to a multitude of people. Standing on the outskirts of the crowd, they asked one of the onlookers to inform Jesus that they were there and wanted to speak with Him. The messenger pushed through the masses and finally made it to Jesus. He said, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with you.” Jesus, never the one to miss a teaching moment, replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Stretching His hands toward His disciples, He continued, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother” (Matt. 12:46-50). In no way was Jesus debasing the importance of natural family; rather, He was illustrating the Kingdom reality, that that we’re all family. Through His blood we’re all linked together spiritually as family.

Jesus again demonstrates the principle of spiritual family as He is crucified. With His last breaths, life rushing from his body like a river, Jesus looks down to His mother and says, “Woman behold your son!” Then He turns to John and said, “Behold your Mother!” (John 19:26-27). Jesus set the precedent for spiritual adoption. From that day on Mary lived in John’s house, where he cared for her as if she were his mother. Mary lost her son to a criminal’s death, but Jesus reconciled what she lost through John. In the same manner, God is able to restore what we have lost or never experienced by using others around us. Through spiritual adoption, He restores the blessings of natural family, which we miss when we’re reared without a father.

Spiritual adoption is the key component of the Elisha Principle. Without it, many men don’t receive the anointing that flows from father to son. Although spiritual family can’t fully replace genetics, it nonetheless gives us access to the blessing of familial relationship.

There are many examples of adoption in the Bible, such as Moses (Exod. 2:10), Esther (Esth. 2:7), and even Jesus, the son of God who was given to Joseph to rear as his very own. Biblically, there is no distinction between adoption and biological relation.

When Jesus brought Mary and John together, there was no caveat. In addition, Jesus called His disciples “brothers, sisters and children” without reservation. Adopted sons have the same rights as sons who are born into the family. The same principle that God displays through Moses, Esther, and Jesus is the same principle He has imparted to us. He has given us the Spirit of Adoption. Paul writes to the church in Rome, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father’ ” (Rom. 8:15). When we become a part of a family through spiritual adoption, we’re able to receive the intimacy our hearts desire and the blessings of connection, even when our natural families are shattered. Family, bound and motivated by love, represents the heart of God.

Chapter 4

Love

God’s Love Expressed Through Family

A loving family is the ultimate expression of God’s nature. It’s the primary method God uses to show His nature to the world. When God made Adam He created a son to love and rule over His creation. The original family, which God established, serves as the foundational example of family.

God is love. Thousands of years ago, Moses had an encounter with the loving nature of God when he asked the Lord to show him His glory. He knew there was more to God than he had seen, and he wanted to experience it. In response, the Lord told him that he couldn’t see His full glory because “no man can see His face and live”; but He would allow Moses to experience His goodness (Exod. 33:18-19).

As promised, the Father allowed His goodness to pass before him and declared His nature. God proclaimed:

The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and fourth generation. (Exod. 34:6-7 ESV)

Thousands of years later the Apostle John simply put it this way, “God is love” (1 John 4:16). Love is the very essence of the nature of God, and He has implanted His nature in us.

God created man in His image, and He is love. Like an apple tree, which can only produce apples, or an orange tree, which can only produce oranges, God produces Himself. Love begets love, and we are His fruit, chosen to be His example to the world.

The Apostle John goes on to say, “Whoever abides in love, abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4:16). There’s no separating God and love, for they are one in the same. Love is the nature of God and as His creations, love is our nature as well. Unfortunately, many men haven’t been exposed to God’s expression of love through family: the world’s sensual concept of love has taken precedent in our minds.

The word love conjures up Hollywood images of two star-crossed lovers falling head-over-heels with each other on a whim. The two meet, and through either overcoming great obstacles of separation or comedic circumstances, they live happily ever after. Although these scenarios make for great entertainment, they aren’t Biblical love. The love of Hollywood is sensual, emotional and contractual; but, the love of God is much more. The love of God is unconditional, unfailing, unselfish, and prompts us to loving acts. The most significant difference between Hollywood’s love and God’s is the ability to choose.

Choices

Love is a choice. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Moses lays out the greatest commandment, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 6:5). Moses is telling us that we should love God with our intentions, mind and actions – all of which can be controlled. We can control our minds, thus, our actions. Conversely, our society would have us believe that you can’t control who you fall in love with; you love someone, or you don’t. However, if we couldn’t control who we loved, then God was wasting his time creating a command to love. Through the command given to Moses, the Father was teaching us the principle that love cannot exist absent of choice. The Lord asserts this truth in the Garden of Eden.

Hearing the story of Adam and Eve as a boy always raised a question in me: “What was the purpose of the Tree of Knowledge?” God created everything perfect, including man. Then He planted a tree in the middle of the garden and told man he could eat anything except the fruit of this one tree. It seemed cruel. Why would a loving, all-knowing God place this tree in the garden, knowing that man could not resist the temptation to eat its fruit, and allowed the door of sin to be flung open? God planted the tree because He wanted to give Adam a choice to obey. He gave Adam a choice because the Lord desired a son, not a slave. Slaves obey their masters out of fear and obligation. Sons, on the other hand, carry out the will of their father joyously from love, not duty. Therefore, Adam was given a choice because he wasn’t a slave but a son. God knew it would be impossible to force someone to love; he must choose to love.

I can recall a time not too long ago when my wife and I were experiencing a rough patch in our marriage. Work, school and ministry took a heavy toll on our relationship. I didn’t spend much time with her. Over time, a lie took root in my heart, and I believed she was an obstacle to my ministry and God’s calling on my life. She didn’t share the same passions or interests regarding church events. In my mind, she was a lukewarm Christian, and my perception of her apathy toward ministry frustrated me.

I spent many mornings in my spiritual father’s office complaining about her. He always reminded me that marriage is a covenant, which I had no right to break. Although I knew God’s word, and even counseled others in similar situations, I struggled to apply the Word to my personal situation.

One morning as I was sharing my heartache with my pastor, he began to pray for me. As we were praying, the Spirit of God came over me, and my heart changed toward my wife. My perspective of her, ministry, marriage and covenant all changed within a matter of minutes. I went straight home right after work instead of lingering around the church, which I had grown accustomed to doing. I found her lying in bed; I looked at her and told her everything that happened earlier that morning. After I finished my supernatural tale, I told her, “I choose you. I choose you above my ministry, work, and all others. I am determined to make this work.” My wife Charmayne has never been overemotional, so she simply nodded her head and said, “OK,” which really said a lot.

Ever since then our marriage has miraculously turned around. She has even joined me in starting a fellowship for other married couples. My contract mindset shifted to a covenant reality. No longer did I consider my marriage a contract that I could void when my wife didn’t perform to my expectations. I choose to love her until death do we part.

When Elisha decided to follow Elijah, he made a choice to enter into a covenant with him. Like all relationships you or I will ever experience, there are good times and hard times. Yet, through their covenant with one another, they made an agreement not to run when times were difficult or to allow selfish motives to come between them. Their relationship was bound by the decision to love, which is the only force strong enough to draw out this deep level of unconditional commitment.

Ruth had no logical reason to follow Naomi. She was still young enough to remarry and start a family with her own people, if she chose. Naomi had nothing to offer. She was a homeless widow, full of grief and bitterness, in a foreign land. Yet, through dwelling together with Naomi for 10 years (Ruth 1:4), Ruth came to love her mother in-law. She knew, more so than Naomi, that you never turn your back on family, no matter how convenient it might seem. Despite Naomi’s bitterness, Ruth chose to abide with her because she loved her.

Motivation

Love must be our motivation for engaging in a relationship. A relationship built on the foundation of personal profit won’t last. No offer for power or position can fully captivate our hearts as love can. Judas Iscariot walked with the Lord Jesus for three years, day and night co-laboring with Christ for the purpose of learning and demonstrating the Kingdom. He saw and performed many miracles, including casting out devils and healing the sick (Luke 9). He was among 12 who were the closest to Christ. Yet, despite everything he saw and experienced, he eventually betrayed Him. Love was never his motivation; instead, he was in a contractual relationship with Jesus.

Biblical scholars believe that Judas was among a sect of Jews called “zealots,” who expected the Messiah to be a warrior who would overthrow the Romans. Judas was in the relationship, the contract, for what he thought he could gain. He thought the Messiah would violently overthrow the pagan Gentiles. When he was sure Jesus didn’t come to overthrow the oppression of the Jews physically, there was nothing left in the deal for him. When there was nothing left to gain, Judas not only abandoned the Savior, he betrayed Him.

The Apostle John, on the other hand, wrote in his epistle that he was “the one whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23). John experienced the love of Jesus, and he was motivated by love to remain loyal to the Messiah until the very end. When one had betrayed Him and all others abandoned Him, John never left. Because of His devotion, he was entrusted above everyone else to care for Jesus’ mother Mary. And was given the greatest revelation of the glorified King. Our motivation must always be to see the Kingdom of God expanded and His will done. We enter into spiritual family because it pleases the Father, not to further our own desires, because true love “does not seek its own” (1 Cor. 13:5).

There was a time when I really wanted to excel in business. I had dropped out of college and was looking for a way I could achieve the financial and personal success I thought I was entitled to. I decided to try my hand in insurance sales.

I made the decision to pursue the career because I envied the lifestyle. Making my own hours, driving the nicest cars, wearing tailored suits, these were all things I coveted. I read many books on sales and business and discovered that the common denominator of success was finding a mentor.

Landing a job was fairly easy, given my outgoing personality and outward confidence. I accepted a position at a large Fortune 500 company and went to work. I had no savings and no extra income. There was no salary and the pay was 100 percent commission. On top of that, I was recently married, and my wife was working two jobs, in addition to being a full time college student. Because of my love for money I was blind to the many obstacles for success.

The managing partner of the firm drove a Mercedes, wore tailored suits, lived in an up-scale home, and had a comma in every paycheck. He had everything I wanted, so I asked if he would teach me the business. He said that he would be my mentor and help me obtain career success. In the sales world, the financial success of the agent and broker is tied together. Therefore, he was motivated to see me succeed. Unfortunately, it was apparent early on that the success I dreamt of would not come.

I took out loans to pay for necessities and borrowed money from my parents to help keep me and my wife afloat. It got so bad that every other month the water was cut off because we couldn’t pay the bill. When my wife addressed our very real needs, I simply put her off by saying things like, “I’m doing this for you,” “I can make it work,” “We’re going to be rich one day,” and “I can make six figures in my first year.” I never honestly reassessed my motive for pursuing the career in the first place. How blessed I am to have a wife that stuck by me and supported me while I tried to make something of myself. Although the relationship with my wife was strained because of finances, the one with my broker was coming to a breaking point.

My financial life was in ruins, and there was a huge strain put on my relationships from borrowing money. I entered into a downward spiral. My sales were pathetic, and I didn’t have the emotional fortitude to turn things around. After months of horrible sales production, my manager distanced himself from me to tend to the new agents that were doing well and showing promise. I heard from him less and less, and we spent hardly any time talking in his office or on the phone. Finally, he was forced to make a business decision and fire me. He didn’t want to; it was just business.

I was hurt for a long time after that. In reality, most of my pain was self-inflicted. I wasn’t simply looking for a business mentor; I was looking for a father figure. Searching with the wrong motives put me in Lot’s shoes. Lot didn’t need someone to teach him how to raise sheep or to do business well; he needed a father.

The book of James says, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (Jas. 4:3). James is pointing out that, when we ask for something from the Lord we should have the proper motivation. Love is the purest of motives. I worked for many hours and risked many relationships that were close to me because I was motivated for the wrong reasons. I envied, coveted, and even lusted after the things of the world, and worse, I felt entitled to them. If God had allowed me to become successful, it would’ve ruined my marriage, and I would’ve turned my back on Him for the pleasures of the world. God is good, even when He says, “No.”

Although the relationship I had was in business, we see the same pattern in churches and friendships. Without love as our motive, once the relationship stops delivering what we think it should we will easily dissolve it, leaving broken hearts in its wake. I wanted money, success and recognition. I didn’t get them. I put my manager in a place where he did not belong; as a result, I was offended and bitter for years.

Elisha had to be motivated by love. If he weren’t, he could not receive his destiny and all that God had for him. Elisha would be put to the test and, without the bond of love, he would’ve failed every time. Although Elisha was anointed to take Elijah’s position as prophet, he needed to learn to love first. For many men, demonstrating love doesn’t come easily because if we haven’t received love, then we don’t know how to give love. That’s why God takes us through a process to learn how to love.

Learning to Love

Family is where we first encounter unconditional love. Elijah found Elisha tilling his father’s fields; Elisha knew how to honor his natural father and work for the wellbeing of the family. What he learned from interacting with his natural family prepared him to relate to his spiritual father. With all the spiritual attacks on our natural families, the current generation of men must learn what it means to love and how to show it.

Women are rearing this generation of men without fathers in the home. The ties between a man and his mother or grandmother can be very strong because they’ve shown him selfless love when his father did not. Despite a son’s faults or failures, his mother probably has provided unconditional love throughout his youth. She is likely the only person with whom he has shared a close relationship. She has loved her son from the beginning and always will. Inside the heart of a single mom I believe, is the conviction that her son will never abandon her, although his father may. A mother might not be able to save her husband, but she’ll work tirelessly to save her son.

However, the love of a mother is different from the love of a father. Mothers are natural nurturers; they were created to show the tenderness of God to their children. But, only a man can truly lead a boy into manhood. Through interactions with his father, a boy learns what it means to be a man; to take care of his home and those dependent on him; and how to be a provider and a leader. One problem with our culture is that we have boys being reared by single moms who are forced to be both mom and dad.

Nevertheless, God created man and woman to be co-laborers; He never designed one to do the tasks of both. When a woman tries to be both parents, she loses something in order to give her son what he needs. A single mom forfeits her tenderness and nurturing spirit in order to be the disciplinarian and leader of her home. Yet, when she leads effectively, a young boy is still spiritually lacking. Men must learn to receive the love of a father in order to give the love of a father. We all learn to love through experience. Children learn they are loved through interactions with family.

Experiencing Love

Experiencing love is the key to learning to love. It’s in our nature to experience love. When the children of Israel forgot how much the Lord loved them, He was happy to remind them through the prophet Malachi. He said, “I have loved you,” yet the people respond, “In what way have you loved us?” (Mal. 1:2). They wanted to be shown His love. They weren’t content by His Word alone. The Lord obliged their question and went on to remind them of the ways He had demonstrated His unconditional love.

The writers of the New Testament use two Greek words to describe love: agape and phileo. It’s important to realize the meaning and relationship between these words, the use of the words, and their application in the context of the Elisha Principle. A revelation of what love is empowers us to walk in it freely.

In church we’re told that agape love is God’s type of love. It’s unselfish and unconditional. When Jesus is asked to define the greatest commandment, he uses the word agape. He says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with your entire mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” Then He continues, “And the second one is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37-39).

Jesus is calling His disciples to love people as much as they love God. In fact, we cannot love God without loving His most precious creation. The Apostle John asks, “He who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4:20). Again, we see the connection between our relationship with people and our relationship with God. If you ever find yourself with the need to ask, “How much do I love God?” take a look at how you relate to His people.

In like manner Jesus says, “If you love me keep my commands” (John 14:15). Again, Jesus uses the word agape. Notice that Jesus uses the largest two letter word in human language to address His disciples, the word “if.” The implications of His intentional use of “if” are enormous. He is telling us to love Him through our life, actions, and interactions. He’s encouraging us to be the experience of love that the world needs. Love, similar to faith, is dead without works.

We declare our love for Him through displays of brotherly affection. It fulfills the greatest commandment to love others as you love yourself. “Phileo” is the Greek word for brotherly affection. It’s agape love in action, the outward expression of unconditional love. Phileo is used to describe kindness (Acts 28:7), friendship (Jas. 2:23), and generosity (Acts 28:2); all of which can be seen, felt and experienced. These are the ways we show value to another person. Once we’ve experienced love, it becomes an addiction, and we can’t get enough of it.

The Love Connection

Love desires above all else to be loved. Therefore, love by its very nature draws us into family relationships because family satisfies its desires. God says through Jeremiah, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you” (Jer. 31:3). The word “lovingkindness” means kindness, mercy and good deeds. In the context of the verse, the Lord was promising to restore Israel from its shame of captivity. He promised to rebuild Israel, restoring her to her former grandeur and beyond. He was in the midst of displaying His love openly for the world to see.

The Father loves openly and loudly in order to draw His children to Him. Jesus’ death on the cross was a sign to the world of the love of God. Through Christ’s death, the Father’s goodness in forgiving sinners their debts was displayed for the world to see. His outward goodness brings us to our knees in repentance and into relationship with Him (Rom. 2:4).

Love craves relationship and seeks affection through relationship. The Song of Solomon is one of the best allegories on the subject of love. It not only tells the story of two lovers who seek each other, but it is a representation of how the Father chases after us. In the book, Solomon writes, “I will seek the one I love” (SoS. 3:2). The lover makes a decision to look for the object of her affection. Although she doesn’t find it immediately, when she does, she cannot let it go. The young lover continues, “Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one I love. I held him, and would not let go” (SoS. 3:4). It’s an amazing picture of love’s magnetic pull.

Recently, my wife Charmayne and I visited the Richmond Science Museum. One of the exhibits showed how magnets are used to create engines. There were two magnetic rods attached to wheels. Once the opposite ends of the bars were in close enough contact, they would attract and be difficult to separate. In order to get the engine moving, Charmayne and I had to synchronously push a button that would spin the bars. The magnetic force then took over and naturally attracted the opposite end of the adjacent rod, making both rods spin. Every time the positive side passed the negative side, they attracted and drew into each other. Although the force of the spin separated them momentarily, the two sides circled again attempting to connect. Such is love, and what Solomon referenced to in his song: it’s always looking for connection.

The Moabite Spirit has never experienced the love of a father. It’s an orphan spirit caused by abandonment and separation from older generations. Because of generational separation, the anointing that comes through family relationship is never realized. Our acceptance into a spiritual family when we’ve been rejected by the natural is critical to our healing and receiving the love that God has prepared for us. Love beckons us into family, where affection is received then showcased to the world. Our love for one another is experienced through our actions – showing kindness and compassion, giving and serving. The only way to learn how to love is to first experience it. Once experienced, we have a model to give to our families, both natural and spiritual. Outward expressions of love become contagious, and those infected by the virus have little choice but to spread its germ. Thus, love and affection cycle through our lives, families, communities, and throughout generations, changing our culture.

Relational connection is the wellspring of God’s anointing. Love is the force that draws us into intimate relationships. It also keeps us united when we’re faced with disappointment and offense. By uniting in love, we’ll overcome our contractual way of thinking, replacing it with a new covenant paradigm. When we join as a family, we experience the blessing, anointing, and love of family through our spiritual fathers.

Part II: The Road to Inheritance

Chapter 5

Gilgal

2 Kings 2:1-2

Elisha pours water over the hands of Elijah, washing them, as is the custom before meals. Elijah rubs his hands together then flicks the dampness from his fingers. He finishes drying them on the cloth his son Elisha hands him. They sit together by the fire, eating the lentil stew.

After finishing their meal Elijah looks up at Elisha, “Do you know what this place is?”

Elisha looks around a moment to get his bearings then answers, “We are on Gilgal.”

“That is correct. Do you know what happened at Gilgal?”

Without hesitation Elisha responds, “This is where the children of Israel crossed over the Jordan River. Joshua erected a monument to the Lord using twelve stones.”

Elisha is proud that he answers correctly, but his father continues, “Where are those stones now? Where is the monument to the Lord?”

Elisha didn’t know. The hills of Gilgal are rocky and dull. He looks all around but couldn’t find a monument to the Lord. He didn’t see 12 massive polished stones. Finally, he looks at the prophet, “Teacher, I do not know.”

Elijah chuckles to himself, “The monument is closer than you think.” He points to an unassuming stone near them. Elisha follows with his eyes as Elijah points to the rocks. Twelve, Elisha counts to himself; they are sitting in the midst of 12 stones laid out in a circle. “Are they what you expected?” asks Elijah.

“No,” they are nothing as he expected. He thought a monument commemorating such a triumph of the Israelite people would have extraordinary grandeur, similar to the Lord’s Temple. The testimony on Gilgal is not the case.

As if reading his mind, as he seemed to do often, Elijah says, “They do not have the grandeur of the temple, yet they stand as a testimony, despite how they appear.”

“Why is it so unassuming?” Elisha asks. “If you didn’t point it out to me, I never would have found it here among all the other rocks and clay.”

“This monument, much like the lives we live, is not perfect. It has rough edges; it’s not perfectly even. Yet, a testimony, my son, may not be beautiful, but its power lies not in beauty, but within the receiver of the testimony. Testimonies have the power to make fools wise, give hope to the discouraged, and serve as a memory stones for generations. There is power and prophecy in a testimony.”

Elisha wants to understand, but understanding remains just beyond his grasp. “You may not understand, but you soon will. First let me tell you the story of Joshua and these stones.” Elisha crossed his legs to get comfortable.

“YAHWEH,” Elijah begins, “promised to give His children a place flowing with milk and honey. He promised to give them large, beautiful cities they did not build, storehouses full of goods they did not fill, wells they did not dig, and vineyards they did not plant – an inheritance they did not earn. Joshua, chosen by God, anointed by Moses, led the Children of the Promise to their destiny. He took God’s chosen to places Moses only saw from a distance. Do you know of the Jordan?”

“Yes,” Elisha replies eagerly, hanging on to every word.

“The Lord instructed Joshua to have the priests take the Ark of the Testimony to the Jordan River. While the river swelled from the rains of the season, the priests were to enter its waters.”

Elisha knows about the Jordan. During certain seasons, it swells and overflows its banks, turning the ordinarily calm waters into a torrent. “Despite how it seemed, the priests obeyed the words of their leader.” Elijah continues, “They stepped into the river and, as the last priest entered carrying the Ark, the mouth of the river was shut. Dry land appeared and Joshua led the people into their Promised Land.”

“This was the same miracle Moses performed when he led the children out of captivity,” Elisha observes.

“The same. The anointing that was on Moses was passed down to his son Joshua, and he performed the same miracle, yet in a different way. While Moses held out a staff, Joshua had the testimony of Moses spoken over him by God. The testimony was his instrument for the miracle.”

“Then, Joshua set up these stones?”

“Correct,” Elijah looks pleased with the attentiveness of his son. “When the entirety of the nation of Israel crossed over to the other side, Joshua commanded one man from each tribe to take a single stone out of the Jordan. When the people camped here on this mountain, Joshua set up this monument to the Lord saying, ‘When your children ask what is the meaning of these stones you will tell them, here is where Israel crossed the Jordan on dry land by the grace of God, as we did the Red Sea. So that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever’. That is why I have brought you here. To teach you the power of the testimony that you may serve the Lord our God, that you may prosper in all you do.”

The Wisdom of Generations

A testimony is a declaration of truth, law or principle. It always reveals God’s character, His mercy, faithfulness and goodness. Often we learn someone’s testimony simply through conversation. Although it’s simple to receive, the power of a testimony is found in applying the wisdom it produces. Generational wisdom is passed down from father to son through sharing testimonies. In the Bible, a testimony was used to remind God’s people of His law so they would remain faithful in following Him. This is why the Jews built the Ark of the Testimony and Solomon’s Temple and held elaborate feasts. A constant reminder of God’s law makes anyone wise. As it says in Psalms, “The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (Ps. 19:7).

The 12 stones Joshua erected served as a reminder of God’s goodness. Generations of fathers and sons passed the mountain. When they did, fathers explained the meaning of the stones by sharing how God made a way into the Promised Land. The memorial and consequently, the story, created fear of the Lord, which Proverbs says, “is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10). As we see, wisdom is the result of shared testimony.

Wisdom is different from knowledge. It’s the application of knowledge. For example, one day my wife’s car broke down. The battery was dead. No big deal, I thought. I’ll get a new battery for 50 or 60 bucks, put it in, and I’ll be on my way. So, I bought one and installed it. But, when I connected the wires, brilliant yellow sparks flew from the terminals. I said to myself, that’s not supposed to happen! The car was dead.

I did a quick check of the connections, making sure there were no frayed wires and discovered that the main fuse had blown. Bummer. I walked back to the store, because my wife had taken my car to work, bought a new fuse, and walked back to the house. I replaced the fuse, got in the car, and started it up . . . nothing. What happened this time? I re-checked everything; the fuse blew again. I did the entire process a third time with the same result. At this point, afraid that the car had a major electrical problem, my fuse was about to blow.

Finally, I gave up and asked my spiritual father Harold for help. He came to our apartment to look at the car. Before searching for the issue he prayed, “God show us the problem.” I really wished I’d thought of that. After a few moments, he knew exactly what the problem was. “Tim!” he exclaimed, “You have the battery in backwards!” Embarrassingly, I had the wires crossed.

Regarding the car, I knew it needed a new battery. I had knowledge. What I lacked was wisdom to implement the knowledge. Harold knew what the problem was because he had experienced the same problem before: his experience taught him how to install a battery the right way. Finally, for the fourth time, I replaced the main fuse, changed the battery position, and the car started. Now I know how to tell the positive from the negative terminal; I gained wisdom from Harold because of his experience.

Adventurous as it was, the car issue was a simple problem. However, a testimony is applied in more significant ways – saving a rocky marriage, dealing with a rebellious child or solving financial matters. Learning from the experiences of others teaches us how to deal with similar situations.

As Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Eccles. 1:9). You might not know how to save your crumbling marriage, but someone’s been through the same thing. You might not know how to extend forgiveness, but there are others who’ve shared the same pain. We, as sons, must learn from the testimony of others in order to apply its wisdom to our lives. We’re all fools without the wisdom gained through testimony. It is the basis for learning and growing in the Kingdom of God. Most importantly, God uses testimonies to teach the younger generation so that we may set our hope in Him (Ps. 78:5-7).

Faith Builder

Setting our hope in Him requires faith, which testimonies build. It takes faith to believe that we can be the men our natural fathers weren’t and have the families we’ve only dreamed. However, it’s difficult to believe something we haven’t experienced. Consequently, faith is the “substance of things hoped for” (Heb. 11:1); it’s the basis and the makeup of hope. Without hope, we can’t dream to make the impossible a reality. Without faith, we can’t hope in the Lord.

The absence of hope doesn’t diminish our need for family, but “hope deferred sickens the heart” (Prov. 13:12). God has designed every man for relationship and family; denied intimacy leads to depression and discouragement. I recently spoke with a friend who moved out of state to be closer to his family. At first things were going well. He was spending time with his children; his ex-wife seemed to be interested in reconciling the relationship; and he was attending a home church. But soon, things took a turn for the worse.

Suddenly, his ex-wife wanted nothing to do with him; he became disillusioned with his church because of how the pastor treated an unsaved friend; and, he started working again, which took time away from his kids. The rapid change in his relationships made him feel lonely. I could hear his voice trembling over the phone as he recounted the events of the past weeks. I could feel the void in his heart from lost hope. He desperately wanted his family back; however, the restoration process was not happening as quickly as he wanted. As a result, he became anxious and frustrated.

I encouraged him by reminding him about the goodness of God. I reminded him of his own testimony. Just a year before he didn’t have a relationship with Jesus, barely saw his children, and had no hope of ever restoring his marriage. All of this changed when he gave his life over to following Christ. The possibility of winning his family back had never been closer, which, ironically, was the reason for his despondency. The dream was so close, but it remained just out of reach. His heart was sick, but the testimony was able to revive his tired soul. Reminding him of what the Lord did strengthened his faith, which in turn revived his hope for a restored family.

Not too long ago I spoke with my friend. Ecstatic, he told me about his daughter. Despite his spiritual weariness, he continuously spent time with his children, taking them to church and sharing his faith with them. He gave his daughter one of those Bibles that looks like a comic book. She loved it and spent hours reading it. One day in his living room, she asked what every Christian parent wants to hear, “Daddy, how can I be saved?” That night he led his daughter into a relationship with Christ.

A Wellspring

Ancient nomadic cultures, such as the Israelites, built wells in the wilderness. These wells in the wilderness were oases to relieve tired travelers from the desert sun. Without these places of refreshment, merchants couldn’t make it to their destinations. Because they often traveled with their entire family, as Abraham did, for example, an entire family could perish without wells. There can be many deserts in this life, with times of struggle, heartache and uncertainty. We might find ourselves questioning our purpose or even God Himself. We aren’t supposed to die in the wilderness of life or dwell there; rather, we’re to prosper in all situations, despite our station in life. If we expect to walk into territory we haven’t seen, we must constantly be refreshed by remembering all that God’s done, knowing that He is able to do it again.

The testimonies of our fathers act as wellsprings, refreshing us in times of turmoil (Prov. 18:4). Let’s face it: life is difficult, and nothing is fair. When we’re faced with doubt, remembering the faithfulness of God and how He moved on a seemingly impossible situation gives us hope. I’m encouraged when I see the life my spiritual father has because of his obedience to God. He has a wonderful, faithful wife and four lovely daughters, who all have a heart to take the love of Christ to the nations. He’s a blessed man. It increases my faith to know that I’ll walk in the same anointing and blessings he enjoys. Seeing God’s blessings in his life touches me in a way that I can say, “I want what he has in my life.” The testimony of God’s faithfulness in the lives of others should motivate us to capture the same blessings for our homes. In times of doubt, like the one my friend was experiencing, testimonies revive our souls.

The prophet Jeremiah lived through the darkest moments of the Jewish people. Writing in the Book of Lamentations, he recounts how the Holy City, a brilliant jewel among the garbage, was brought to her knees by her enemies. Prosperity turned into desperate poverty. A once proud people were now begging in the alleys. Women and children died in the streets from starvation. Yet, despite the hell around him and the bitterness of his soul, Jeremiah remembers the absolute love of God, His faithfulness and mercy, writing, “My soul remembers . . . this I call to mind, therefore I have hope . . . great is Your faithfulness” (Lam. 3:20-21). Nowhere in the Bible will you read about such desperation in God’s people as in the Book of Lamentations. Recalling what God did in light of his pain caused Jeremiah to praise God in the midst of his mourning. The testament of the Lord refreshed his soul.

Their souls revived by the retelling of Joshua’s miracle, Elijah and Elisha, father and son have the strength to carry on to the next leg of the journey. Elijah knows that Elisha is about to be tested, and everything he believes will be shaken. Will he stay on the road to his inheritance or fall? Elijah sends up a silent prayer that his son would stay the course.

Chapter 6

Bethel

2 Kings 2:3-4; Genesis 28:11-19

The comment struck him like lightning strikes a cedar tree, scorching deeply. “Stay here,” Elijah tells him, “for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel.” How can he make such a request, Elisha thinks to himself. Staying here on Mount Gilgal means separation. For years, they’d been together and he’d never left Elijah’s side. Elisha served faithfully, making the vision of his father his vision. He’d seen God do amazing things, and he never grew tired of sitting at Elijah’s feet, learning what it means to be a man after God’s own heart. Leaving now wasn’t an option; they’d been through too much together.

A small, still voice speaks to his heart, as it did when he first met Elijah, and the mantle was thrown over his head, “Today I will take your father from over you.” He knows that he is predestined to inherit Elijah’s anointing and position, but he doesn’t know how the transition will happen. He isn’t sure if he is ready . . . and if his inheritance means his father leaving him, he isn’t sure he wants it. Uncertainty grows in the back of his mind like a dust storm, clouding his thoughts with the winds of fear and doubt.

Despite his confusion, Elisha won’t leave. God put them together, and only God can separate them. Looking intently into Elijah’s eyes he speaks, “As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” His eyes are confident and steady, but his heart doubts.

They don’t speak much on the road to Bethel. Elisha is alone with his thoughts as he follows behind Elijah. Thinking of Elijah’s request, he begins to doubt everything that happened to him over the years – his meeting with Elijah, the miracles he saw, even the small still voice of God, which also remains silent during this walk. Not being able to clearly hear Abba God is terrifying. He had learned to hear God’s voice clearer by following his mentor’s teachings. Now the skill he thought he had perfected failed him. Without the voice of God, he plunges deeper into uncertainty.

It took several days to reach Bethel. Doubt and fear lags alongside Elisha every step of the way. Despite its arid look, Bethel serves as an important place for worship because of the altars built by Jacob. It is also an ideal place for those wishing to dedicate their lives to God, receive instruction and impartation. A school of prophets was set up in Bethel for this very reason. As Jacob dreamed of an encounter with God, young men come from throughout the kingdom seeking their own visions. Elisha is familiar with the school because Elijah brought him here many times, to observe as he taught students the essence of worship and the art of hearing God.

Those student prophets come joyfully to greet their instructor and their brother. They greet each other warmly, and Elijah stays to share with them the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven. The school of prophets circle their teacher and sit attentively. Elisha listens intently as he always did.

Elijah stands in front of his pupils and begins to speak, “Jacob our forefather, rested here when he fled from his brother Esau. As he slept, he dreamed. In his dream, a ladder reached to heaven and on it, the angels of heaven were ascending and descending. At the top of the ladder stood the Lord, and He spoke to Jacob saying, ‘I am the Lord God of your fathers. The land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants as an inheritance. Your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth and stretch in all directions. And through your seed all the peoples of the earth will be blessed. Know that I am with you and will never leave you until the promise is fulfilled.’ Jacob woke from his sleep saying, ‘Surely the Lord was in this place and I did not know it.’ Then Jacob built an altar of remembrance, a testimony, and called this place Bethel.” Looking to his students Elijah asks, “What is the significance of the altar at Bethel?”

Chattering arises as the students talk to each other about the answer. They speak under their breath about potential answers, yet none dare to stand and give a response. But Elisha knows the answer. As he stands to reply to the question, a hush falls on the crowd. They listen intently.

Elijah acknowledges Elisha with a nod, and he began, “It was to honor God. Jacob’s faith would be tested over several years. He worked without pay and was eventually cheated and pursued in anger by Laban, the father of his wives. Still, the altar he set up in Bethel served as a testimony to God’s promise to restore his family and bring blessings to the nations through his offspring. Eventually, God spoke to him as El Bethel, the God of Bethel, and led him and his family back to the place where he dreamed.”

“And what of the Word of God and the dream?” Elijah asks.

“Both were found to be true. El Bethel, the God of Bethel, gave us this land as an inheritance because we are Jacob’s seed.”

“You have spoken well.” Elijah is pleased. “The son was given the inheritance from his father, as the Lord willed it.” Now speaking to the rest of the students, “There will come a time when your faith will be tested. You must diligently work to develop a lifestyle of standing in the midst of challenges, knowing full well that the Word of God is true and will not return to Him unfulfilled.” After Elijah speaks, he leads the prophets in giving worship to the Lord.

After worship, one of the young prophets turns to Elisha and asks, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master from over you today?” During worship, fear and doubt melted away like snow in the warmth of spring. Now ice crystals move up his spine, sending a shudder throughout his body spiritually and physically. His grief reignited.

He learned temperance as a man of God. He doesn’t want to react to his brother in anger, but thinking of Elijah leaving makes him sad, so he says, “Yes, I know; keep silent!” He knows what is coming and doesn’t look forward to it. He loves Elijah as a father. No true son wants to see his father leave. His inner man groans, beckoning him to flee the ensuing pain he must endure. He wants to avoid the pain. A part of him would rather separate now, but the other part of him wants to stay close to his father until the very end. Like battling lions, the two parts of him are in conflict. The one that wins will be the strongest. His heart is being tested.

Loyalty

Elisha displayed undaunted loyalty. Knowing that Elijah would be taken from him, he wouldn’t leave his side. Elisha stayed, not because he expected to profit from his relationship; rather, his determination to stay alongside Elijah was an outward expression of love. His devotion motivated him to remain.

Loyalty is a significant way a man shows his love. Whether it’s to our spouse, children or pastor, we won’t betray someone we love because, in the minds of men, love is meaningless without loyalty. Likewise, in Elisha’s mind, leaving Elijah would be an act of betrayal.

Loyalty is a trait of godly men. A godly man must be undeterred in obeying God, loving his family and following his leader. The Lord shows Himself to those who possess this Kingdom trait. In fact, He never stops searching the earth for those with an unwavering heart, looking to encounter those men who are dedicated to Him and to each other.

Loyalty was such an important aspect of a man’s life, King David desired that his son Solomon would have it, praying, “Give my son Solomon, a loyal heart” (1 Chron. 29:19). David’s prayer was for Solomon’s heart to be loyal to God, his people, and the Kingdom of Israel. Today, loyalty is a part of who we are; it affects many aspects of our relationships. Our interactions with God, man, spouses and children are strengthened when we have a loyal heart. Because of David’s prayer Solomon prospered, and the Lord exalted him to a level of majesty never before seen by a king of Israel.

Elijah wanted to groom a heart of loyalty in Elisha as his son. Elisha was destined to be a prophet, mentor, teacher and spiritual father to many, including kings. Then, from his position as father, he could impart loyalty to his sons. You can’t give what you don’t have; so, Elijah tested him in order to bring what was buried inside to the surface.

Loyalty and Faith

Elisha’s loyalty required faith. In order to endure the test he was experiencing he had to trust God and his mentor. Trust is difficult to give because it’s an emotional investment. Trust is an act of faith. That’s why we must approach God’s principles as children. Jesus taught that the only way to receive the Kingdom of God, with all of its blessings and power, is as a little child (Luke 18:17).

A child inherently trusts his parents. His parents don’t have to earn his faith – it’s freely given. If his father tells him the sky is purple, he believes it without looking up. He may even go as far as to argue with his friends that the sky is purple because his father said so. Although it’s the nature of a child to trust, he learns to distrust over time, through disappointing experiences. Because trust is a deeply emotional investment, betrayal can be devastating to anyone. Slowly, a wall starts to build with every disappointment. Given enough time and adverse experiences, the wall may seem insurmountable. Therefore, when we are older and “wiser” we’re cautious about putting our faith in another person. Our lack of trust, almost guarantees that the level of relationship leading to our inheritance as sons is never fully developed. We miss the opportunity for blessing because of our lack of faith.

Having faith in others shows that we have faith in God. On the other hand, lack of faith in our leadership shows that we don’t trust God because all authority is from God (Rom. 13:1). God intended that our fathers be floodgates of wisdom, encouragement and blessing. We close those floodgates with our walls of mistrust.

Thankfully, faith counters the barricade of mistrust. Faith has the power to tear down the walls of apprehension. Every positive experience we have helps in this effort. However, we must have the courage to allow ourselves to experience something new, which means we’re opening ourselves up to being hurt again.

David is a perfect example of faith-based loyalty. He was committed to King Saul. But, overcome by jealousy, King Saul tried to kill David several times. Despite being pursued throughout the country by a deranged king, David held onto his loyal heart. Although he was anointed to be king while the crown still sat on Saul’s head, David never took matters into his own hands. Twice David had an opportunity to betray Saul by killing him. Neither time did David move against his king. Yes, he was loyal to Saul as a father, but it was his faith in God that moved his heart. David said to the king, “I will not stretch my hand against the lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.” Then he continued, “Let the Lord judge between you and me” (1 Sam. 24:10-11). David put his faith in God. He allowed himself to be put in harm’s way, by repeatedly trying to reach out to Saul, because he trusted God. He continuously made himself vulnerable, even when faced with death, because he had faith in God.

It truly can be a supernatural act to put our trust in another person, especially when we’ve been betrayed in the past. It’s human to hesitate giving our trust to another person when we’ve been burned repeatedly. How many times do we have to put our hands on the fire before we learn that it’s hot? Loyalty ultimately stems from our faith in God. Faithfulness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22), and when we find ourselves unable to trust others, we must call into question our faith in God. Do we believe that God is good? Do we believe that the Father always has our best interests in mind? If we do, then we must put our faith in God by daring to place our confidence in others. It’s an opportunity to grow in faith.

Those with faith remain steadfast through trials. Those without faith follow their leader for a season, even years; but, eventually, they grow impatient of following when they don’t immediately see the fruits of their labor.

Jesus often made statements that tested the faith of His disciples. On one particular occasion, He shared that He was the “bread of life,” and that the only way to have eternal life was to drink His blood and eat His flesh. He seemed crazy to some and offensive to others. Jesus knew that many of them doubted His divinity and were offended by His teachings. He spoke to those gathered, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe” (John 6:64). He was speaking about Judas. Though Judas followed, he did not believe in who Jesus said he was. He did not have faith in the Father, and eventually his faithlessness led him to betray Christ.

Conversely, when Jesus asked, “Do you also want to go away?” Peter said, “Lord to whom shall we go? We have come to believe and know that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:69). Peter had faith that Jesus was sent from God and that He had everything Peter lacked. Because he believed God, Peter absorbed Christ’s teachings, which prepared him to lead the church into a new era after the crucifixion.

Trust was established between Jesus and Peter and between Elijah and Elisha, allowing the flow of wisdom, knowledge and anointing to flow freely from one vessel to another. The disciples, like Elisha, could have left offended and ended the relationship; but instead, they tapped into a segment of faith they didn’t know existed, which gave them the strength to remain loyal to the name of Jesus; and they spread the gospel throughout the world in the face of opposition. Likewise, we must trust that God has our best interests in mind and that He divinely orchestrates our relationships. He uses spiritual fathers to pull out the best in us.

Steadfastness

Elisha’s loyal heart produced steadfastness, the ability to remain faithful through difficulty. Elisha faced a difficult test of loyalty, that he could only overcome by his willingness to stay the course through adversity.

America is facing the challenges of crime, poverty, abortion and the breakdown of traditional families. Culturally, it’s an uphill battle. If we’re not careful, it’s easy to bow down to the world’s standard, instead of rising to God’s. This is why, in the pursuit of revival, we must remain faithfully steadfast to God. This means to be unmovable by people, circumstance, and Satan, our spiritual enemy.

There are people, most of them with good intentions, who stand in the way of our destiny. They question us because what we do doesn’t make sense to them. They say such things as, “You are too young to marry,” “You should live together first,” “You cannot afford to have a baby right now,” and “Why are you serving man, when you only need to serve God?”

When I was growing up, my mother insisted that I be home before dark. Wherever I went, she wanted to know where I was and who I was with. I remember overhearing a conversation between my mom and a neighbor whose son was close to my age. The lady said, “He’s a boy, and you can’t keep him cooped up in the house all the time. Give him some freedom.” This neighbor saw that I wasn’t allowed to be out as late as others were, including her own son, and while the other boys were having fun, I was at home. She thought I needed to learn to be independent.

My mom stuck to her guns. She didn’t budge on her rules. She politely said, “This is my son, and I will raise him as I see best.” Years later, we saw the difference between me and the other boy. I graduated from high school and went off to college while he, unfortunately, began to drink, do drugs, leave jobs, and have a daughter out of wedlock that he never saw. His life wasn’t just the result of his mother giving him autonomy at a young age – it was more complicated than that. But it goes to show how a life is affected by not easily being swayed by the crowd. In this case, mine.

It would’ve been easy for Mom to give in to pressure. Everyone else was allowing their kids to run the street; what would be the harm if I joined them? Her friend had honest intentions, but Mom had the vision for my life. If we follow the crowd and stick to the status quo, abortion, divorce and child abandonment will remain the norm.

Paul encourages the church in Rome not to be conformed to this world’s lifestyle or way of thinking (Rom. 12:2). What my mom did in the face of good intentioned opposition was to remain unmoved in pursuing the vision God gave her for my life. The prophets who asked Elisha, “Don’t you know that the Lord will take your father from over you today?” had good intentions. They didn’t mean to harm Elisha but only wanted the best for their brother. They witnessed the closeness of Elisha and Elijah’s relationship and wanted to shield Elisha from the pain he would encounter when the Lord took Elijah away. Unbeknownst to them, Elisha was well aware of what would occur and had been struggling with it since Elijah told him to remain on Mount Gilgal. But Elisha had a vision.

He remembered when the Lord told him that he would be a son to Elijah and that he was to follow him. He recalled the covenant he made with Elijah when he sacrificed the ox. He remembered everything God had said. The testimony gave him the faith to remain loyal to Elijah and steadfast to the Word of God.

Satan does not want the standard of family to be restored. He’s the enemy of everything godly, holy and righteous. The apostle Peter describes Satan as a roaring lion restlessly looking for someone to devour. He tells us to be vigilant resisting him through our steadfast faith (1 Pet. 5:8-9). Satan is constantly looking for a family to break apart, a marriage to attack, and a lonely child to prey upon. Only our decision to remain faithful can deter the enemy.

We resist the devil by submitting to God’s Word and vision for our lives and the lives of our families (Jas. 4:7). God’s vision for family is wholeness. It is for every son and daughter to be reared by a husband and wife in a loving home under covenant. God’s vision is that every life be held in esteem as a precious divine creation. As we submit to the Lord’s vision of family, the devil will flee.

Walking in faith is spiritual warfare and, as in physical conflicts, a soldier must trust his commanding officer. Without his loyalty, the battle will be lost. Like a wise general, Elijah was preparing his son for battle by testing his inner fortitude. He wasn’t finished yet. Elisha’s next battle was approaching quickly, when Elijah commanded, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho.”

Chapter 7

Jericho

2 Kings 2:4-5; Josh 6

Elisha answers with the same resolve. “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” They travel to Jericho together, talking, as they journey through the worn merchant trails leading to the city.

“Son,” Elijah begins, “tell me about Jericho.” Regularly Elijah tested Elisha’s knowledge by asking him opened-ended questions. Often he did so to make a point or expound on a Kingdom truth. This was no exception.

Promptly Elisha answers, “Jericho was the first city Joshua conquered while leading God’s people into the Promised Land.”

“Good, but it was more than a city.” Elijah adds, “It was a stronghold. Its walls were great, extending to heaven, protecting the people inside its gates.”

“So, it was also a battlement.”

“Yes. Soldiers guarded the walls and were willing to defend it to the last man. As a stronghold, it was built on high ground in a strategic place, making it difficult to overtake. From here, the king ruled his people, and no army could oppose him. To take the new territory, Joshua had to first destroy the stronghold. He could not possess it until he drove the enemy from the land. How did Joshua conquer the city?” Elijah asks, still looking forward down the trail as they walk.

Elisha answers, “Jehovah told him to take the Ark of the Testimony and walk around the city walls once a day for six days. On the seventh day, he was to march around the city seven times; and, on the seventh time around, the priests were to loudly blow the trumpets while the men of war let out a mighty shout. Then the walls came down, allowing Israel’s men of valor to take the city.”

“The walls came down because the children of Israel were obedient to the Word of God. In this land, there were giants, strongholds and many idols. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, Jericho was impossible to defeat,” Elijah adds.

“With God all things are possible.”

Elijah looks at his son proudly and smiles, “Yes.”

From the blandness of the hill passes comes an oasis of life. Arid wilderness shrubs give way to lush palm trees that sway in the breeze. Jericho is the city of palms. Each tree is purposefully planted and spaced to give onlookers a feeling of serenity. Visitors feel regal as they walk in the palm-lined streets. Walking down the path to Jericho, Elijah and Elisha are routinely passed by merchants carrying goods to market. Just in the distance, they see those same merchants unloading their goods to sell to those entering the city. Tents are erected right outside the city gates so that prospecting merchants have the first opportunity to sell their goods. They sell spices, such as myrrh and frankincense; oils from the east; handmade rugs; animals for sacrifice and exotic ones for pets. The market is abuzz with men and women haggling for a fair price.

Jericho is a place of constant building. Servants quarry and lug in large stones. Scaffoldings surround the walls of the city. Massive stones are lowered with precision into place then smoothed by masons so that the wall looks like it was sculpted from a mountain, instead of thousands of stones. A metallic symphony rises from a multitude of hammers and chisels, as foremen orchestrate the work.

A contingent of prophets meet Elijah and Elisha on the road to Jericho. They greet each other enthusiastically because Elijah has not been to Jericho in some time. “Master,” Gehazi, a new member to the school of prophets, began, “since your last visit they have finished setting up the gates of the city.” Elijah lifts his eyes toward the city. Indeed, the city gates are complete. Two great bronze doors stand open like the mouth of a leviathan, glistening like gold in the sunlight.

“So,” Elijah starts, still looking toward the gates, “Hiel’s sons are dead.” It wasn’t a question; it was a statement of fact. The prophets look at each other bewildered. Then Gehazi wonders, “Yes lord, they are no more. How did you . . .”

“It is the curse of Joshua,” Elisha breaks in. “After the children of Israel crossed the Jordan, they defeated the people of Jericho. Then Joshua cursed the land, saying, ‘Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up and builds this city; he shall lay its foundation with his first born, and with his youngest son he shall set up the gates.’ The Lord’s words are true.”

Elijah turns to his students, “Hiel was a man from Bethel.”

“From Bethel? How then did he not know of the curse, being Hebrew?” they ask.

“He knew.” Elijah says frankly, “Hiel’s pride was so blinding that he believed he could build the city without consequence. He desired to make a name for himself and be recognized as a great builder by King Ahab. He believed his own lies, and his children paid the price for his accomplishment. These walls, this stronghold existed in his heart even before he cut a single stone,” turning to Gehazi, “Where is Hiel now?”

“We do not know. He has hidden himself since the establishment of the gates. No one has seen him.”

“He could have stopped when his first son died.” Elisha mentions.

Elijah shakes his head. “Men seeking greatness by their own means, walking in their own ways against the will of God, are doomed from the beginning. The death of his son only strengthened his resolve to complete the construction. Once started, he could not bear the shame of not completing his task. His heart became hardened. He pressed onward, built the city and a monument to his greatness at the cost of his sons, losing his legacy in the process. Now he bears a greater shame – a life without legacy.”

Culture War

The battle for Jericho was more than a battle between two enemies: it was a culture war. A culture war is a clash between two opposing worldviews. Pagans who worshipped idols and made sacrifices to their false gods ruled Jericho at the time. Israel, on the other hand, had no God but Jehovah. These two cultures first collided in the Promised Land at Jericho. The outcome of the battle would determine who ruled the land.

Conflict exists because there’s no middle ground between the two ways of thinking. The Canaanites were known to sacrifice their children to alleviate their present suffering and so that their gods would bless them. Selfishness drove them to murder their own children. They weren’t generationally minded; they were self-centered, prideful and shortsighted. This type of practice couldn’t continue under Israel’s governance. The Lord made it clear to the tribes of Jacob that they were to stay away from the practices of the pagans. God gave the land of Canaan to His children, and for them to fully possess the land, the pagan way of thinking had to be destroyed.

Therefore, destroying idolatrous thinking was Israel’s first order of business. God spoke through Moses, saying,

When you have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all of their engraved stones, destroy all of their molded images, and demolish all of their high places. (Num 33:52)

The Lord instructed His children to destroy the works of idolatry because of its seductive lure. Too often, when the children of Israel encountered a new culture, they adopted its rituals.

When the people found themselves without a prophet, unable to hear God’s voice, they created idols to worship. For example, when Moses was on the mountaintop speaking to the Lord, the people “turned aside quickly” (Exod. 32:8) from the ways of God, reverting to an old way of thinking and creating a god made of gold. Newly freed from the oppression of godless Egypt, their values weren’t fully formed, so the temptation of idolatry lingered in the minds of the people. Though they were free physically, their minds were still in bondage.

The purification of their minds is one of the reasons God allowed the 12 tribes to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. If they were to inhabit a new land, their minds needed to be rooted in the principles of God. There were false gods all around them in this new home; only redeemed minds, rooted in the truth of God’s Word, could withstand the temptation of idolatry.

King Ahab, who Elijah confronted many times, built idols in Israel. He resurrected the nation’s idolatrous ways, doing more to provoke God’s anger than any king before him. Under his rule, a man from Bethel named Hiel built Jericho. Generations had passed since Joshua conquered Canaan; but, idolatry had slithered back into the hearts of the people. The sin of the nation was difficult to uproot because it was embedded in the culture surrounding the holy nation. The people lost their culture war because they chose to compromise, allowing the enemy to gain a foothold in their minds. The venom of the world seeped into their minds and poisoned the world around them. In Hiel’s case, it was to the extent that accomplishment was worth more than his sons.

The culture war we face today is in our minds, and it’s time we awaken to the truth. The world’s value system has penetrated our minds, and we’ve sat passively, allowing it to tear away at our very souls and devastate our families. Just as Hiel built Jericho, we’ve allowed the construction of ungodly strongholds in our minds. The battlefield is in our mind, and the fight is to bring every thought under the authority of Christ.

Stronghold

Jericho was a physical stronghold. In those days, enormous walls were built around a city for protection. Located inside were temples of worship, the home of the king, and important cultural centers. Paul uses the metaphor of physical strongholds to illustrate a spiritual reality. In 2 Corinthians 10:4 he says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

Strongholds exist in our minds. They are contrary to God’s Word; they are corrupt and misplaced value systems that we cling to. In order to take new territory, as Joshua did when he conquered Jericho, we must conquer the battle within. Joshua’s fight was physical; ours is spiritual. Joshua looked his enemy in the eye; we only need to look in the mirror.

The placement of strongholds was critical to a nation’s defense. Because strongholds were important cultural centers, they were placed in strategic locations for protection. They were located in high places, like mountain ridges, making attack almost impossible. Their height allowed guards to see the enemy from afar, giving them the opportunity to close its gates and ready its military. When the people of Jericho, for example, saw that the Israelite army was heading for them “Jericho was securely shut up none went out and none came in” (Josh. 6:1). Alarmed, the guards of Jericho quickly closed the gates around the city. Fear overtook them because the Lord was with Israel, and the Israelites were coming to destroy them.

In addition to providing protection, the stronghold’s location helped fulfill its purpose. For example, if the primary purpose of a stronghold was to facilitate trade, then it would be located near a river, bay or main road. If used to expand territory, the stronghold would be located in or near the wilderness, providing a place of refuge for settlers and soldiers coming into the new territory.

Once, strongholds were made of stone and mortar; now, the strongholds we face are spiritual. The principle stronghold facing men is rooted in our families. Our enemy has strategically placed it in an effort to disconnect us from each other and, more importantly, God. The disintegration of our families takes away the primary and most effective means God uses to bless us, to pass down wisdom and even wealth. The man without a family, natural or spiritual, is like a broken pipeline; the oil of God’s anointing doesn’t flow. This is why our families are attacked so viciously and why it’s dire that we stand in defiance of the status quo.

The strategic positioning of the family stronghold in our minds makes it particularly difficult to overcome because family relationship is a basic social need. As a necessity, there are few substitutes. Further, our experience with our families, positive or negative, has great influence on the men we become. If we adopt an incorrect perception of family, then we’re more likely to pass on the same mindset to our children.

The advancement of warfare technology has rendered cities like Jericho, once the standard in military defense, obsolete. I remember when I was young, sitting in front of TV watching news coverage of the first war in Iraq. The news showed live images of stealth fighters bombing enemy compounds. The green night vision cameras lit up every time a missile hit its target. The white crosshairs of the camera focused on barracks and radio towers that were surrounded by barbed wire. One moment I could see the buildings clearly enough to make out the windows, the next moment – static. The buildings were destroyed. Plumes of smoke and debris from decimated structures filled the TV screen. Concrete walls were useless against an aerial attack from the world’s superpower.

The fight against strongholds is much like what I witnessed as a kid. Attacking a fortification head-on can be costly. We need a higher power. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, no amount of words, inspired teachings, or great books can tear down these walls.

Paul came across the same challenges in his mission to Greece, a philosopher’s paradise. Men regularly gathered in public places to debate politics, spirituality and life in general. As a missionary to Greece, Paul debated the truth of the gospel in these settings. However, an argument could only take him so far because the men of Corinth were accustomed to and highly skilled in the art of persuasion. Moreover, Paul was introducing a new concept – the belief in one all-powerful God. The Greeks had always believed in multiple gods, and they couldn’t comprehend the fact of one omnipotent being. Accepting this new belief meant fundamental changes to the pagan Greeks’ way of life. Their entire way of thinking had to be reformed. Consequently, this radical new concept was a hard sell in Greece.

To win people to the faith, Paul had to overcome arguments against the gospel. As an orator, he wasn’t adept at overcoming all of their misgivings. In order to tear down the strongholds in their minds, Paul relied upon the power of the Holy Spirit. To the church of Thessalonica, another Greek city, Paul writes, “Our gospel did not come in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit” (1 Thess. 1:5). Relying on God’s power instead of his ability to argue a point, Paul removed the limits to his ministry, winning thousands wherever he went.

The truth that we can have loving families might be difficult to understand. We may act as if we can’t become better men than our fathers. The truth is we can but not while an improper mentality remains. We can obey God for a season using our own ability; but, as long as strongholds exist, without God’s power we’ll revert to our old lifestyle. We can only go against our value system for so long, which is why we need to ensure we have the correct principles governing our life. For that to happen we must have our minds renewed and allow God to capture our thoughts.

Captured

God has His way of capturing our hearts just like the woman in Solomon’s song who desperately sought out love. The one she loved captivated her mind, heart and entire being. Day and night she sought him, in the marketplace, in the dark, through the streets; she did not rest until he was in her arms. Paul tells us to cast down strongholds by bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Bringing our thoughts to the obedience of Christ requires that we, like the lovesick woman, allow our mind, heart, and entire being to be led away by God’s words.

Paul was persuaded that nothing could separate us from the love of God. He was convinced because he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. From that point on he described himself as a “prisoner of Christ,” (Eph. 3:1) knowing that he had been bought with a price – his life was not his own.

Men struggle to walk in the ways of God because we don’t know how to allow ourselves to be taken prisoner. We’re bold, stubborn fighters. Our victories over the strongholds in our lives come once we’ve surrendered our minds to Him. We can’t expect our minds to be transformed before we take the first step in learning and applying God’s principles to our lives. To do this we work towards saturating our minds in His Word, calling for His presence to defeat the strongholds. This involves consistent, persistent meditation.

Meditation is diligently pondering God’s words, works and names. The word meditation brings up pictures of Buddhist monks chanting to themselves, eyes rolled back, while the smoke from burning incense feathers their faces. Misunderstanding is why so many Christians shy away from the use of the word meditation and putting it into practice. However, it’s Biblical and very different from what we think. Godly reflection requires that we meditate on what is good and acceptable to God (Ps. 19:14). There is never wrongdoing when we meditate on the Lord. In fact, the righteous man meditates on God’s laws day and night (Ps. 1:2). To ensure success, Joshua was told to meditate on the law day and night. Consistent meditation on His Word is a guaranteed way to reprogram our minds in accordance to His will.

Furthermore, studying God’s Word engages our intellect. This gives study enormous importance, considering that the war we’re fighting is in our minds. We’re encouraged to pursue knowledge (Hos. 6:3) because in doing so, righteous principles become engrained in our minds, and acting upon them becomes second nature.

Further, study works toward exalting the knowledge of God above all worldly knowledge. Notice in the story of Joshua and Jericho that the Israelites did not attack the walls head on. Instead, they engaged the presence of God through their obedience. Israel’s defeat was all but certain if they focused on the walls that were “fortified up to heaven” (Deut. 9:1). The people would have judged the challenge through their natural eyes instead of their spiritual eyes. Focusing only on the problems of our community through natural eyes will lead to our defeat. By refocusing on the truth of God’s Word, we will be triumphant.

In the sixth chapter of Ephesians, Paul describes the word of God as the “sword of the Spirit.” It’s the only piece of the armor solely dedicated to attack. The sword of the Spirit discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12). In this context the word discern, used by the author of Hebrews, means to judge. In other words, the Word has the final say on our beliefs and value systems. If we allow God to have the final say, like clay in the hands of a potter, He will mold our minds.

It becomes easier to reflect on God’s works once we’ve committed ourselves to study. As we study, our minds become focused and retuned. Hearing the voice of God becomes easier, and our eyes are able to absorb the goodness around us. Psalms 119:27 says, “Make me understand the way of your precepts; so shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.” Learning God’s principles by studying His Word expands our minds so that we become more aware of His wondrous works.

There is wonder all around us. When we view the world through the eyes of a trained mind, God’s hand becomes evident in our lives and in our world. The ability to consider the great deeds of the Lord further assists us in tearing down spiritual strongholds. When our eyes are opened we can see that the Lord is always moving. We must learn to focus on what the Lord is doing instead of what He is not. Hope is birthed when we focus on what He has done and what He is doing. By only focusing on our present or past reality, we become bogged down by what is instead of what could be.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus, teaching about worry, urged those listening to consider the lilies of the fields and the birds of the air, how they do not worry, yet are cared for. Life in Israel at the turn of the first century wasn’t easy. The people He was teaching constantly worried about provision. Jesus knew their hardship because He grew up among them; He witnessed the oppression of a corrupt government and religious hypocrites. He saw a people whose hopes were failing them, a people in a spiritual rut, desperate for awakening. They were focused on the difficulties of their present position, so Jesus told them to “consider the lilies of the field, how they grow and look to the birds of the air and how they are fed” (Matt. 6).

Meditating on God’s works, even something as simple as how He cares for plants and animals can put our thoughts in proper perspective. Jesus asked the people, if God cares so much about these insignificant things and creatures how much does He care for you? Those listening were given a new way of thinking about their circumstances, by simply considering what was around them. He broke their habitual way of thinking about life, a stronghold, by challenging them to open their eyes to see God’s goodness. What we consider common and ordinary can produce a sense of awe in us. If looked at with a proper perspective, that feeling of amazement further drives us to meditate on His incredible works.

Meditative study of the Word, accompanied with careful consideration of His works, leads us to a deeper understanding of who God is. The prophet Malachi says that the Lord remembers the prayers of those men who meditate on His name (Mal. 3:16). Meditating on His name is deeper than just knowing what His name is – it is discovering God Himself. As Adam Clarke, a renowned theologian, puts it, “The name of God is God Himself in the plentitude of His power, omniscience, justice, goodness, mercy, and truth.” With each revelation of God found through study, our sense of amazement should grow. New wonder feeds our hunger for a greater understanding of Him. It’s cyclical: the more we know, the more we want to know. When we reach this point, our minds have been captured. Then there is no room for ungodly thinking because we have placed the Father higher than all other truths.

Joshua was an extraordinary example of a surrendered man. The Lord encouraged him to meditate day and night on the law that Moses had taught him so that he could do all that is written. Moses instructed Joshua in the ways of God, but it was up to him to apply what he learned. Through his faithful obedience, he led the children of Israel into their promised inheritance. The immensity of Jericho’s walls didn’t compare to the might of God’s Word. Joshua conquered the city and destroyed its idols and king.

Elijah brought his son to Jericho so he could see what was possible when he followed God’s leading. By following the testimonies of God he could conquer proud strongholds that stood in defiance of truth. Elisha was being equipped to take Elijah’s legacy into a new era. The new era, like the previous one, would have its own challenges and enemies. Elijah showed his son he could overcome any enemy and bring down any stronghold if he believed God in the face of opposition.

One last time Elijah tested Elisha’s commitment, by asking him to stay in Jericho. After this there would be no turning back and no more opportunities to gracefully bow out. Elisha stayed firm. Together they journeyed to the Jordan River. Elisha was about to hear one last story, and the enemy of God’s children would be revealed.

Part III: The Inheritance

Chapter 8

The Jordan River

2 Kings 2:6-15; 1 Kings 19

Slowly, the river begins to flow again. First the water trickles, flowing naturally into the ancient grooves of the riverbed. Then steadily the water flows from upstream, until a mighty torrent rushes in, spraying his face as it settles into its previous flow. He had seen his mentor perform miracles before, but every time felt like the first. On the other side of the Jordan River 50 of his brothers, the sons of the prophets, stand watching the miracle take place. They all watch and wait in anticipation as Elisha moves toward his destiny. Elisha turns around, away from the river, meeting his father’s eyes. Elijah stops walking and waits patiently for Elisha to catch up. Elisha moves forward to meet Elijah.

Elijah stands for a moment looking at his son. All the years Elisha spent serving him were coming to an end. Did he do enough to prepare him for the task ahead? Will Elisha remember and apply everything he’s learned? Is he the right one?

Though Elijah shows no outward sign, these questions brewed inside him. His heart is reassured by the word he received from the Lord that instructed him to anoint Elisha as prophet in his place.

The word came to Elijah while he hid in a cave. Queen Jezebel threatened his life and, out of fear, he ran. Up until that point Elijah had served God well, delivering His messages and defeating the prophets of Baal. Unfortunately, his fear got the best of him, and a prophet of God must not live in fear. He pleaded his case with God out of despair. Then the Lord spoke to him, “Go out and stand on the mountain.” As always, Elijah obeyed, and the Lord appeared.

The Spirit of God passed by a fierce wind like no one had ever experienced before, tore by the mountain, cracking it into great pieces of rock that shattered on impact. But the Lord Himself was not in the wind. Then the ground shook violently, knocking Elijah to his knees. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. At that point the entire mountainside ignited in a blaze of fire! The hungry fire sucked in the air from around the kneeling prophet, feeding its enormous flames. Flames surrounded him, and there was no hope of escape. He tried to move left or right, but the heat of the fire wouldn’t allow him to move, so on his knees he remained. He thought he would die suddenly. Panicked thoughts of death made him realize how foolish he’d been for doubting the power of God and empowering his enemies with his fear. Holy reverence, fear of all mighty God, replaced Elijah’s fear of man. No authority was greater than YAWEH.

Just as Elijah allowed the fear of the Lord to replace the fear of man, the Lord appeared to him. He didn’t come in the wind, an earthquake or fire. He simply spoke to Elijah in a loving whisper. Elijah knew that God could’ve taken his life in that moment. He felt as if he had failed his master; but in kindness, God spared him. In reverence, Elijah covered his face with his mantle. Softly the Lord spoke, “Go anoint Elisha son of Shaphat to be prophet in your place.” God was not done with Elijah; he’d given him one last assignment, which was to father the man that would succeed him. Elijah was determined not to fail but to give the best he had to Elisha. He was a farm boy plowing his father’s fields when they first met. Even then, God had ordained that Elisha would become a great prophet.

Elijah now prays silently that Elisha will be a better servant of God than He, better in every way. He prays that his son would do more miracles and have more courage than he did in the face of opposition. Although Elisha is always amazed at the miracles Elijah performs, the old prophet knew that Elisha would do even greater works.

“Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you,” Elijah instructs.

Elisha takes a deep breath. All he wants to do is serve his spiritual father, but that isn’t an option. He knows that today will be the last time he sees his father. He thinks for a moment, breaking eye contact with Elijah, looking up at the sun-kissed sky. There is only one thing he wants – to be like his father. And there is one thing he knows Elijah wants for him – not to be like him but better. Therefore, Elisha requests, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.”

Elijah responds, “You have asked a difficult thing.” It is a challenging request. The bar has been set incredibly high. During Elijah’s ministry, he healed the sick, raised the dead, gave accurate prophecies and killed hundreds of false prophets. He continues, “If you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.”

A gentle wind blows, and the cloak of the old prophet flaps with the breeze. He closes his eyes, listening to a silent voice in the wind. Elisha has seen this face before; Elijah is listening to the Lord. “There is rebellion in the land,” he says solemnly. “A sheep breeder has become king of the fatherless nation. He will sow discord among his people. The tribute, which is to be paid to the Lord of Hosts, he will keep for himself. He will try to overthrow God’s chosen. Israel’s children are in peril. Indeed Jacob’s seed will be at war.”

Elijah’s eyes blink open. The prophecy is disturbing. According the word of the Lord, Israel will be at war. Elisha asks, “Father, what will you do?”

The elder prophet moves closer, while Elisha waits for a response. Elijah takes his son in his arms, hugs him and kisses his cheek. Then says, “It is not for me to guide Israel through this. It is for you alone.”

There it is, Elisha’s greatest fear – being ALONE. “Where are you going?” Elisha asks.

Elijah withdraws his embrace, “It is not for you to know.” Elijah, eyes glistening with tears that will not fall, looks upon his son. “Be strong and courageous. Meditate on God’s Word and never forget His testimonies. May the Lord bless you and keep you, may he cause his face to shine upon you, and be forever gracious to you. The son shall outrun the father. I love you.”

“But . . .”

“You are ready. He is with you.”

Suddenly a blast of wind rushes in from all directions. Elisha is knocked backwards by the force; he stumbles to preserve his footing. Every sound, the birds singing, the rustling of tree leaves is sucked from the area, leaving a weighty silence he could feel. Clouds rush away violently, as if an invisible hand shoves them from the sky. The sky is ablaze with light and colors he’d never seen or thought were possible. Elisha again hears the song of the angels, the same song he heard when the mantle was thrown over his head. “Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty!”

A powerful force violently shoves Elisha to the ground. Brilliant flames of fire appear to take form in front of him. Starting at the ground, the blue and yellow flames create horses’ hooves and burn upward to form powerful stomping legs. The fire follows a path molding their bodies and finally, their heads. Their nostrils flare with every great breath they take. Once the bodies were created, the flames move along stirrups and form a golden chariot which shines brilliantly. Every muscle of the heavenly beasts are flexed and accentuated with the flames. Their manes too, are made of the flames of heaven and blow back and forth as they moved their heads. Standing in their fiery splendor, their whinnies echo throughout the valley, booming along with the angels’ song.

Through the flames, Elisha can still see his father calmly looking back at him, ignoring the sight of these awesome creatures. Although the spectacular chariots of God are awesome, Elisha keeps his eyes on Elijah.

A whirlwind surrounds Elijah. Dust and sand violently swirl around him. The wind grows stronger, faster and fiercer, lifting him off the ground. He ascends higher and higher toward the sky, looking back at his protégé one last time. Elijah is pleased. Elisha never takes his eyes off him, just as Elijah knew he wouldn’t. With his forefingers, Elijah unties the leather strap that holds his mantle around his chest and lets it fall. Once Elijah is lifted into the sky, the chariots of fire dissipate. The lines of fire, which outline the horses and chariot, follow a reverse pattern. The chariot, then the stirrups, and with one final powerful whinny, the horses disappear. As spectacularly as they’d come, they vanish.

Likewise, the song of the angels falls away. The clouds return, the sky turns bright blue. He can hear the birds again and the sound of the gentle breeze moving amongst the trees.

Elijah is gone. For a moment, Elisha stands in amazement. Then the immensity of what happened stabs his heart. With deep anguish, Elisha takes hold of his robe with both hands and tears the cloth. Threads rip and snap, giving way to his despair, revealing the sunburned skin underneath. He cries out to Heaven, “Abba, Abba! My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and their horsemen!” His father taken, Elisha’s heart breaks. Although he knew this moment would come, nothing could have fully prepared him for the heartbreak he was experiencing. It feels as if he were dying, emotionally and spiritually. The feeling of sadness sits like boulders in his chest making breathing difficult. With his forehead to the ground, Elisha allows himself a moment to mourn. The man he had come to know as Father is gone. From the sky, Elijah’s mantle tumbles to the ground. There is nothing left of him but his worn cloak.

Through his teary eyes, Elisha sees the mantle that fell just within his reach. He desperately stretches out his hand and takes hold of the mantle, clenching the cloth in his hands. It is all that is left, the only evidence that Elijah ever existed. Elisha pulls it to himself and embraces it.

The road back to the shore of the Jordan River alone is much longer than his trip across with Elijah. Elisha’s heavy heart settles in his feet, slowing him down. The grief in his heart is unbearably fresh. Now he stands at the banks of the Jordan River. Fifty students from the school of prophets look at him from the other side. They know that Elijah, their former master is gone. Without the prophet, who will lead them? Where is the Spirit of the Lord?

The Spirit of the Living God envelopes Elisha with His presence. The young man’s mourning is replaced with joy, and his fear turns into courageous might. He rolls up his father’s mantle, raises it over his head and brings it down, striking the water. Passionately, he shouts, “Where is the God of Elijah?” Water splashes up when the cloak slaps against the water’s surface. Hardly a moment passes when the middle of the river is sucked down, as if a huge boulder has crashed into the water! The water then explodes upward with a sound like a thousand roaring lions. Just in front of him, two walls of water rise up on either side of Elisha, creating dry ground where he stands. He walks on the dry ground, unafraid of the walls of water. Once he steps from the river onto its opposite shore, the walls of water collapse back into place, and the flow of the river returns as if nothing happened.

Witnessing the power of God on display, the sons of the prophets say to each other, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” Elisha looks back across the river. The place where Elijah ascended is just out of sight. Elijah’s final words echo in his mind, one word in particular – war.

Chapter 9

Tearing the Mantle

Waxless

Before Elisha took hold of his father’s mantle, he tore his own. Jews of that day tore their clothes to physically show their emotions. Tearing their garments displayed anger, sadness and mourning. Although this was a tradition, Elisha’s heart genuinely broke when his father was taken from him. He loved Elijah. He loyally stood by his side, served him sincerely and faithfully followed him wherever he went. They had a genuine relationship. Without a real relationship, Elisha couldn’t be trusted with what he was given. Before we can claim the inheritance God has given us, we must serve our earthy fathers with sincerity.

The word sincerity has its origin in Roman markets. Romans were renowned for their artwork, including pottery. However, not all craftsmen were honest in their dealings. Dishonest merchants cut corners in their pottery making, by filling flaws with wax, then painting over the imperfections in order to conceal them from unsuspecting buyers. Imperfections weakened the pottery, and heat caused the wax to melt and the pot to shatter. Unfortunately, unaware buyers didn’t discover this truth until they used the pot for their next dinner party. But, shrewd buyers caught on to this scheme. Any pottery they wished to purchase, they first held up to the light, which would shine through the wax, revealing any concealed imperfections. Buyers used the word sincere to describe pots without wax filling. The word sincere is derived from two Latin words: sine, which means “without,” and cera, which means “wax.”

The Apostle Paul tells us to serve our earthly masters in sincerity of heart, “not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants to Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men” (Eph. 6:5). Sincerity is a matter of the heart. God doesn’t judge us by our outward appearance but by our motives.

When God commissioned Samuel the prophet to find a new king of Israel in place of King Saul, he made the mistake of judging by appearance instead of substance. Samuel went down to Bethel, as the Lord commanded, to invite the House of Jesse to a sacrifice, knowing that the next king of Israel would be one of Jesse’s sons.

As Jesse’s sons gathered, one in particular named Eliab caught the prophet’s attention. Samuel, looking only through his natural eyes, saw the young man and assumed that he was the one chosen to rule the kingdom. Eliab probably resembled King Saul, being tall and handsome; but the Lord didn’t choose him. Samuel judged from the outward appearance. But Jehovah doesn’t see as we see, looking only at outward appearances; rather, the Lord looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).

Realizing that God had chosen none of the sons present, Samuel asked Jesse if he had brought all of his sons. Samuel was told, in fact, that there was one, the youngest, still watching the sheep. Samuel immediately sent for Jesse’s youngest son, David. Once David arrived from the pastures, the Spirit pointed out to Samuel that he was the one chosen to be the new king. God chose David for one main reason: he was a man after His own heart (1 Sam. 13:14).

A man is more than his looks or the appearance of having everything together. I can remember when I needed a new car, and I was introduced to a man who was selling a Nissan Maxima. The car was beautiful. It had a new mother-of-pearl paint job, sunroof, extraordinary Bose sound system, tinted windows and 12-inch chrome wheels. I didn’t think twice about buying the car or asking any questions because I only thought of how good I’d look rolling through my neighborhood in that car.

In less than three months the car experienced major problems. I had the clutch repaired twice before the engine finally gave out. The car was repaired, but it never had the same driving feel or power. On the outside, it was a great car, but on the inside it was a lemon.

I had just started a new job and didn’t have much money to spend, so I tore through the classified ads, looking for a vehicle that would just get me to work and back. There was an ad for a $500 Ford Bronco, so I took a look at it. It drove nicely; I bought it, with more than 200 thousand miles on the odometer. The speakers were blown; it didn’t have a/c or heat; the paint was peeling; rust showed through on the roof; the inside smelled of an oil leak; and the muffler had a hole in it making it sound like a jet engine. The sound it made really didn’t help my wife’s migraines. But I was desperate and needed a car for work. That Bronco lasted me nearly two years, and I drove it from Virginia to Florida when I first moved. I never made a repair to it because I figured it wouldn’t last, so why waste the money. Eventually, it had a major electrical breakdown, and I put the Bronco out to pasture, full of days and miles.

On the outside, the Bronco was anything but a thoroughbred. It not only lived up to my expectations but greatly exceeded them. On the other hand, the Maxima looked great but failed the test of time. Like cars, it’s the inside of a man that reveals his true value.

Before David ascended to the throne of the 12 tribes, he was a man after God’s heart: loyal, faithful and steadfast. Elijah successfully drew these same attributes out of his son. Elisha already had a servant’s heart: he was found diligently working in his father’s fields. Further revealing the character he possessed, Elisha insisted on honoring his natural family before following Elijah. Elisha was sincere before he inherited his mantle.

The tests that Elijah administered were meant to draw out the best in Elisha. If Elisha hadn’t been sincere serving for the glory of God and the honor of his spiritual father, the heat of the test would’ve melted his heart like wax. A pot without wax had integrity. Integrity is having the character to stay firm, stand and do the right thing when the heat is on. Insincere pots didn’t hold their integrity. Without sincerity, we won’t develop the character it takes to receive great anointing. Without character, we’ll rule from selfish ambitions.

Proper Perspective

In contrast to David, King Saul was selected to be Israel’s first king; yet, he wasn’t a man after God’s heart but one driven by selfish ambition. At this time, judges ruled Israel. Samuel made his sons judges over Israel; however, they were corrupt, taking bribes and perverting justice. The elders of the nation came to Samuel and asked him to choose a king to rule in place of the judges.

Samuel took the people’s complaints to God, and the Father gave him permission to find a king. But before Samuel selected a new king, God told him to warn the people what type of king they would have. Samuel, speaking for the Lord, said that the new king would take the best they owned and make it his own. Young men and women would serve him, to make himself wealthy. He’d claim all the best products, sheep, and livestock for himself. Moreover, he would rob God’s house by taking a tenth for himself. Saul’s heart wasn’t pure, and he didn’t have the integrity to hold onto the crown of Israel for very long. He and his son would be killed in battle, to make room for a righteous king. Saul sought personal gain, while David, the new king, sought only to please God.

Elisha didn’t follow Elijah so that he could gain influence and become the leader of a nation. His decision to follow Elijah was much simpler: he did so because it was God’s will. As he served his earthy master, he served God. I have often heard it said, “we serve God and not man.” This half-truth leads many men astray. It’s a saying that gives an excuse to pursue selfish ambitions.

Humility counteracts selfish ambition. Living sincerely requires that we serve humbly. Paul says, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Phil. 2:3). In other words, humility is thinking of others as higher than ourselves. This can be very challenging because it’s a common misconception that we must debase ourselves in order to esteem others.

First, humility is not degrading ourselves. We don’t need to think lowly of ourselves in order to view someone else highly; in actuality, this is contrary to biblical teaching. God doesn’t expect you to hate yourself, your gifts or your accomplishments. Jesus tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, insinuating that we already love ourselves.

Moreover, humility is viewing ourselves with proper godly perspective. Paul, again speaking on the subject of humility, teaches that we shouldn’t think more highly than we ought to (Rom. 12:3). The Scriptures don’t say, “do not think of yourself highly”; rather, they say, “do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.” The key is not to undervalue nor overvalue yourself.

Jesus regularly encountered religious Pharisees who overrated themselves. In Luke, chapter eighteen, Jesus told a parable about a praying Pharisee and a tax collector. Both men went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee thanked God that he wasn’t like other man: he paid his tithe and fasted twice a week. On the other hand, the tax collector dared not even look toward heaven and, in reverence, begged God to be merciful to him, a sinner. According to the parable the tax collector was justified because of his humility, while the religious man was disqualified because of his arrogance (Luke 18:10-14).

I’ve heard many sermons on the subject of humility, most of which involved walking lowly, letting others have their way while we keep our peace, and so on. All of these tenants are true, and we need to apply them to our lives. Although others commonly accuse us of being too proud, men actually suffer from undervaluing ourselves, which looks strikingly similar to pride.

Let’s take another look at King Saul. When Samuel met him for the first time, he told the young man that Israel’s desire rested on him. Caught off guard, Saul responded, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?” Saul didn’t think very highly of himself. His confidence was so lacking that he hid during his coronation (1 Sam. 10:22)! He thought too little of himself. A man who thinks too modestly of himself is doing both God and himself a great injustice. The danger in thinking too lowly of ourselves is that we’ll have the tendency to overcompensate for our perceived shortcomings.

King Saul was a man who ruled from his weakness instead of God’s grace. On one such occasion, God commanded Saul, through Samuel, to destroy the Amalekites, their king and all of their possessions. Regrettably, Saul did not fully obey; instead, he spared the king and kept the best of the captured goods for himself. Samuel confronted Saul’s sin by saying, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel?” (1 Sam. 15:17). Samuel emphasized the fact that Saul still viewed himself as small, despite being king. Because of his low self-esteem, he lied and shifted blame to others in order to hide from the truth. Saul lied when he told the prophet that the people took the plunder (1 Sam 15:21). When he finally confessed his sin, he revealed that his true motivation was his fear of man.

When we undervalue ourselves we obligate ourselves to be man-pleasers like Saul. Defending his disobedience, Saul said, “I have sinned…because I feared the people and obeyed their voice” (1 Sam. 15:24). Saul never came to the revelation that he was God’s chosen king. He was an anointed king who didn’t have to look good in front of the people; but because he desperately wanted to impress others, he lost everything God had entrusted to him. Saul’s meager confidence caused him to obey the people, rather than God, by allowing what they thought of him to dictate his decisions. We easily fall into this trap when we don't know who we are.

The Paper Chase

After dropping out of college the first time, I set out to make a name for myself. Like King Saul and Lot, I looked toward the world around me and lusted for the luxuries of life. I envisioned riding in the fastest sports car, dressing in tailored suits, and working on the top floor of the tallest building in the city. I wanted to be a self-made man. Unfortunately, I didn’t have many skills; but one stood out among the others – my ability to communicate. So, I decided to embark on a career in sales.

I spent thousands of dollars on licenses and classes, knowing it would be worth it. My first sales job I worked as a realtor. After the closing of my first house, my broker called me into his office and handed me a check. The money I made floored me. Up until this time I’d never seen a check with a comma in it. Smiling all the way to the bank, I bought a car with my first check – remember that Maxima? Wow! I said to myself, This is easy. Think of all the stuff I could buy! The paper chase had me hooked.

Several more months went by, and I sold a couple more houses. This entire time I was living with my mom and not paying her a dime. I saved up a little money and moved into my first apartment. However, success was short lived. Bills started piling up, after going months without a sale. I went from having no expenses to having payments for rent, a car note, food, utilities and loans. When I was living with Mama, things were easy. She cooked for me, and I didn’t have to balance a checkbook. Now on my own, reality hit, and I panicked. My solution was to go into debt to maintain my lifestyle, which was far from glamorous, and find another sales job to try to make some easy cash.

For years I bounced around from sales job to sales job, trying to find an easy road to wealth. I sold everything from houses to insurance, knives to home water filtration systems. Nothing worked. One day I received a summons to appear in court. A creditor was suing me for non-payment. I broke down and literally cried out to God, “Why has this happened to me? How did things go so wrong?” I thought by now, after six years, I’d have my own business, call my own shots and finally be somebody. I so desperately wanted to feel important, be admired and be good at something. Still, I felt that I was letting everyone down – my wife, my God and myself. I was afraid to let others know what I was going through because I feared what they might think. I wanted everyone to believe I was rich, even when I was financially, emotionally and spiritually bankrupt.

When I came to this place I allowed God to speak to me. He showed me what I was doing wrong. I was seeking to glorify myself instead of allowing Him to glorify me. I chose a sales career because I loved the lifestyle. When I walked through downtown, I saw men dressed in tailored suits. They drove the nicest cars: Benz, BMW, Cadillac, Jaguar, and other European brands I can’t even pronounce. I saw that they lived in the biggest houses, took vacations to exotic places and more importantly, had a confidence, a swagger, that said they could rule the world if they wanted. I thought if I could have their lifestyles, I would find fulfillment.

Because we’re seeking status symbols, we desire large homes, luxury cars and the most fashionable clothes, even when we can’t afford them. Deep down we feel these material items will make us into someone we desire to be because we’re insecure about our identities. But, all of the stuff becomes idols.

Our insecurities cause us to build monuments. When Samuel goes searching for Saul after a night spent crying out to the Lord for Saul’s sin, he’s told that Saul has gone to Mount Carmel to “set up a monument for himself” (1 Sam. 15:12). It’s common throughout the scriptures to set up a monument after a great victory, as a testimony for future generations about God’s deliverance. Here, however, Saul doesn’t set up a monument to glorify God; rather, he sets up one to himself, so that his name will be remembered through the victory. He builds the monument to himself out of fear that his name won’t be remembered.

Many men experience this kind of fear. It’s the fear that we will travel through life without leaving an impression or a legacy. It’s the fear that our very existence will be forgotten. God has programmed men to live for legacy, and when we are unsure of that legacy, we take it upon ourselves to establish one. King Saul and Hiel, who rebuilt Jericho, had this type of fear. Self-made idols are reflections of pride rooted in our unrecognized self-worth.

A Glorious Death

When Elisha tore his mantle, he symbolized his death. Dying to self is the hardest thing a man can do. We were made to accomplish, to compete, to have visions and dreams as high as the throne of God. Deep in the heart of every man is an unquenchable need for respect. We find much of our significance in the eyes of others, which is why we try so hard to appease the opinion of the world. Yet Godly humility demands that we have a proper perspective of ourselves and serve each other sincerely. It contradicts how our parents raised us and how the media has portrayed us. Dying to self is more than simply saying no to sin, it’s saying no to everything we once believed in, held dear, and worked to accomplish. It is letting go of the strongholds that we have created. It is not something to take lightly or something that’s easily accomplished, but its rewards are eternal.

In his show of humility, Elisha told the world he no longer existed. He was sold out to continuing the mission of his father and what the Lord had placed in his heart. Paul had a similar experience when he said, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). Like Elisha and Paul, before we can take up the mantle, blessing and anointing of our spiritual leaders, we must empty ourselves out to make room for the increase. Our cups, our spiritual being and our intellect must be empty in order to receive all the Father wishes to give us.

The pouring out of our self is a process. Elisha didn’t put to death his dreams overnight; they happened over time, as he sought to please God and serve his earthly father. Likewise, shedding of our old selves is a process that doesn’t occur instantly. It’s something that we gradually take steps toward on a daily basis. Jesus told anyone who wished to follow Him, to “deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). If this request was easy, then everyone would do it; but, it’s not easy, and its rewards aren’t immediate. Often, as in the case of Elisha, the reward is delayed and takes sacrifice.

Jesus often pointed to the cost of following Him. While Jesus was traveling, a young ruler came asking what he could do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to obey the laws of Moses. The young ruler happily responded that he had kept the laws from his youth. Then Jesus added, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasures in Heaven; and come, take up the cross and follow Me.” After hearing this, the rich young ruler’s heart was full of sorrow because he had many possessions and great wealth (Mark 10:17-22).

The story of the rich young ruler is a story about the heart of men. Holding on to what the world holds in esteem, we miss the inheritance of God. It’s ironic that Jesus responded to the young man, “The one thing you lack,” when the thing he was missing was emptiness. He wasn’t willing to make the necessary sacrifice to follow the Savior.

For Elisha, tearing his robe was a spiritual emptying. We cannot be full of the Spirit and full of ourselves at the same time. Because Elisha emptied himself, he could be filled with the presence of God. There is a proverb that says, “The usefulness of a cup is found in its emptiness.” A full cup is unable to do what it was created to accomplish. It has reached its limits. Likewise, when we’re full of ourselves, there’s no room for God to pour into us. When we’re full, we can’t receive. The rich young ruler’s heart was full; he had no room to receive from Jesus. As a result, he missed the opportunity to be fathered by the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The pain and fear of separation from his material possessions made him blind to a greater eternal reward. Dying to the idols and mindsets that we have adopted are crucial for receiving a greater reward.

We die to ourselves through our obedience to God. Daily, as we obey, we make progress towards our ultimate goal to be like Him. Paul, writing of Christ, says, “He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death on the cross” (Phil. 2:8). Jesus humbled Himself and obeyed the will of the Father unto His death. But death was not the end.

Because of His obedience Jesus was exalted, and after death He was raised. Today He sits on the right hand of the Father, a place of honor and ultimate authority, forever. His dying gave the opportunity for us to be exalted through Him. All humanity was on His heart when He chose to die on the cross. He had a choice, just as we do, to take up His cross and fulfill the will of the Father. Our obedience leads to respect from others and favor with God, which is what we’re seeking ultimately. The key here is not to do it man’s way but God’s way.

In order to receive exaltation God’s way, we must have a renewal of the mind. Our culture has taught us the art of self-exaltation. However, dying to self is the opposite. Paul asserts:

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph. 4:17-24)

Here Paul is telling the church to put off the old man and the old way of thinking because it alienates us from the life of God. When we walk in the old ways, we’re, as Paul puts it, blind and ignorant. Combating this stronghold and walking into the light requires us to know God’s ways, which we accomplish by studying and living His Word.

While Jesus was ministering, he received word that a friend had become ill to the point of death. Jesus very easily could have healed Lazarus with a word, without traveling to see him. However, Jesus knew that God would receive glory from Lazarus’s death. Jesus traveled to the town of Bethany, where Lazarus had been entombed for four days. Crowds of people gathered to weep for Lazarus as was the custom, unaware that they were about to witness a miracle.

Jesus commanded them to roll the stone away, then he looked to heaven and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” He called out, “Lazarus come forth!” and Lazarus, who was dead, wrapped in grave clothes, came forth. Jesus looked to the crowd once more and said, “Loose him, and let him go” (John 11).

Like Lazarus, when we shed our old grave clothes the life underneath is revealed. Once we apply what we know, the old man will be torn away from our souls like old clothing. As our grave clothes are removed, life is revealed for all to see, and God is glorified. Lazarus’s death was used to glorify the Father. His life would forever be a monument not to man but to God. Dying to our selfish ambitions will likewise bring glory to God.

The tearing of our mantle represents sincerity, humility and the willingness to put to death selfish ambition. We hold many mantles in life: our positions, our hopes and our dreams. As we sacrifice these for the sake of our brother and the Kingdom of God, we’ll discover that we really never lost them because He will make us into something new, better and eternal. If He doesn’t make us new, then we can’t receive the mantle. Just as Jesus taught that you do not put new wine into old wineskins (Matt. 9:17), only through our renewal will we have room to take up a new mantle.

Chapter 10

Receiving the Mantle

Sons of Men

Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man more often than the Son of God. This by no means suggests that Jesus did not know or accept that He was the Son of God, but it does point to another truth about His identity. No other person better encapsulated what it means to be a son than Jesus Christ. Though He had the right to demand the fullness of creation as His inheritance, He served mankind through His sacrifice. He flourished in relationships, loved sinners radically, established the covenant between the Father and all mankind, treated His followers as family and served God loyally by serving man sincerely.

Although He was God, He chose to become a man, fully humbling Himself to the will of His Father. It was the Father’s will for Him to become our sacrifice for sin. The prophet Daniel had a vision that the one given dominion, glory and an everlasting kingdom would be the Son of Man (Dan. 7:13). The sacrificial lamb is the exalted Son and our ultimate example of sonship that we follow.

To follow Christ, we must have His mind (Phil. 2:6). Christ knew who He was. Paul asserts that Jesus did not “consider it robbery to be equal with God,” but He chose to become a servant. Jesus knew the power He had, knew that everything belonged to Him, yet He laid it all aside so we may become reconciled to God. Christ displayed true humility, knowing who He was and using what God the Father gave Him in order to serve. This was also true in Elisha.

Elisha knew that he was a beloved son. The reason he asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit was to carry on Elijah’s work, not to become better than Elijah. As Jesus pointed out, a servant is not greater than his master (John 13:16); but, Elisha desired to carry on his father’s assignment as a prophet. Throughout their time together, Elisha had stood by his father’s side, serving the people of Israel by offering sacrifices, leading worship, and teaching truths of God’s word; and he wanted to continue serving.

By asking for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, Elisha invoked the rights of a first-born son. According to the laws of Moses, the first-born son had a birthright to a double portion of the father’s inheritance (Deut. 21:15-17). Elisha boldly asked for “a difficult thing” because he was confident that his father loved him. Although there were 50 sons of the prophets who ministered alongside Elisha, none of them followed their leaders to the other side of the Jordan. Only Elisha had the conviction, which stemmed from knowing his identity as a son. Through his identity as a loved son, he was able to rise above the rest, to inherit Elijah’s legacy.

Like Jesus and Elisha, we are sons of God and man. The writer Luke tells us that Jesus grew in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). We don’t know exactly what happened in Jesus’ life from the time he was about 13 until He began His ministry, but I imagine that Jesus spent a lot of time with His adopted father Joseph. Like any father of the day, Joseph would have prepared Jesus for manhood and taught him his carpentry trade. Jesus served Joseph just as diligently as any loving son would. Others in the community watched as the boy Jesus wholeheartedly served His earthly father. His service impressed them, and they were in awe of His understanding of the Word. He grew in favor before receiving His full anointing.

Jesus received His anointing at His baptism in the Jordan, much like Elisha received his after crossing the same river. However, before Elisha and Jesus received the favor of God, they grew in favor with man. They grew in the favor of man by demonstrating their steadfast love and loyalty (Prov. 3:3-4) to their earthly fathers.

From the life of Christ we can ascertain that we too must diligently serve our fathers, whether natural or spiritual, before we’re exalted. Knowing that we’re sons gives us confidence that we’ll receive an inheritance. Our inheritance prepares us for exaltation.

Exaltation is a part of inheritance. It’s moving to a higher level of spiritual and relational authority. When Elisha inherited the mantle, he also received an anointing to work great miracles. Moreover, Elisha was elevated to a place of relational authority. Now that the leader of the school of prophets was no more, Elisha took the banner of leadership, using his influence to train another generation of prophets.

For us, once we have demonstrated our willingness to serve another man, we gain the respect of those around us. There’s a saying that, in order to get respect, we must give respect. Spiritual inheritance works the same way. Before promotion to new levels of authority, we must first honor the existing authority.

I began to work with my spiritual father Harold doing an outreach to men in a Christian drug rehab program. My only intentions were to get involved in the church and give back to the community. In doing so, I honored Harold’s authority over the program and served sincerely.

After several months of service, Harold was promoted to the position of elder in the church. Being an elder, Harold had many more responsibilities, and in order to balance work, ministry, and family life, he had to step back from some of the ministry programs he did before: one of them was the outreach program that he started. He wanted the program to continue and I did too. He began to work with me closely about the ins and outs of the ministry, such as how the finances worked and why we did certain teachings; he also introduced me to the leadership of the rehab facility. Then he announced to the team that I would take over leading the outreach. It was a very easy transition because I had the blessings of the previous leader; the team respected me, and everyone continued serving as if Harold were still leading.

If I hadn’t had Harold’s blessings and the team’s respect, I would have failed at my new assignment. I was new and had never led an outreach program. Success was all but assured because Harold promoted me, instead of me promoting myself.

There are many biblical examples of the truth I experienced. Moses anointed Joshua, bringing him before the people and anointing him as leader (Deut. 34:9); King David paraded his son on his donkey, signifying that Solomon would be the new king (1 Kings 1); and Paul laid his hands on Timothy, imparting the spiritual gifts he would need to be a pastor (1 Tim. 4:14). Finally, Father God openly exalted Jesus. God gave Jesus the name that is above every name and to which one day every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall proclaim that He is Lord.

What we learn from these men is that a son doesn’t need to elevate himself because “To seek one’s own glory, is not glory” (Prov. 25:27). Inheritance is given, not earned. If inheritance could be earned, it would be a wage for which we work. Employees earn a wage, but we as sons receive an inheritance.

Furthermore, we receive inheritance once we have demonstrated the character required to steward what we already have because ascending to position without having the required level of character has devastating effects. Our inheritance can become a curse if it’s gained in haste (Prov. 20:21). This often happens when we promote ourselves. Take the story of the Prodigal Son, for instance. The younger son went to his father and demanded his portion of the inheritance. The father relented and gave him what he requested. Then the son moved far away. For a while, life was good, but he’d wasted everything he had on “prodigal living.” The son didn’t have the character to handle what his father gave him, so he wasted what his father worked a lifetime to develop. This is the same reason Elijah tested and retested Elisha, to ensure that his character developed to the point where he wouldn’t waste what he received.

The Mantle of Grace

If you have a relationship with Christ, you can rest assured that you have a heavenly inheritance waiting for you. In addition, there’s a spiritual inheritance on this side of heaven waiting for you. You’ll receive your inheritance through another person because God operates through relationship. When Elisha picked up his father’s mantle, he symbolically received his long awaited inheritance.

Materially speaking, an inheritance is something passed down to an heir at the owner’s death. It can be land, money, a family heirloom or anything of value. It can also be applied in business and ministry. For example, I have a family member that inherited the position of senior elder of a church when his father passed away. There are two differences between material and spiritual inheritance. First, no one has to die in order for a spiritual inheritance to be passed along. Actually, it’s preferable to bequeath an inheritance before death. This was a common practice among successful prophetic dynasties in the Bible. For example, King David assured his son Solomon the throne, eliminating any pretenders to the crown. King David said that it was a blessing to see his son rise to prominence in the kingdom (1 Kings 1:48). In addition, the fathers of Israel (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Elijah) all blessed their sons before their passing.

Second, you can’t put a price tag on spiritual legacy. The legacy's impact on the recipient demonstrates its value. There is no impact more treasured in a man’s life than the gift of God’s grace.

Grace is our inheritance. It’s the power to do what we can’t do on our own. As simple as it may sound, there’s so much more. With God’s unmerited favor, we can achieve the impossible. Grace had such an immense importance in Paul’s life that he commended his sons and fellow ministers to God’s grace as he approached the end of his life. Although he would no longer be with them, they could carry on the mission of spreading the gospel throughout the world with God’s help (Acts 20:32).

Paul knew the tremendous blessing of living under God’s undeserved favor because he wasn’t worthy of being called an apostle. Originally, Paul was sent out from Jerusalem with authority to find, arrest and/or kill Christians wherever he found them. He performed his duties with vigor and great success. His brutality was so infamous throughout Israel and Syria that the mention of his name caused fear in early believers. Even when God spoke to Ananias to find Paul and pray for his sight, Ananias took it upon himself to remind God of all the harm Paul had caused the people of the Way. Still, God chose Paul to preach the gospel to the gentiles and kings (Acts 9:13-14). With Paul’s history of persecuting the church, he shouldn’t have been an apostle.

No one in his right mind would think Paul could be an apostle. He was crafty and driven to rid the world of the followers of Christ. The other believers thought his conversion was a trick to drive them out of hiding. No one risked believing in Paul, except a man named Barnabas.

Seeing the Lord’s hand at work in Paul’s life, Barnabas believed that he was a changed man. He gave Paul an opportunity he didn’t deserve, taking him to meet the other disciples and defending him to the other elders. He fully accepted Paul despite his past.

Life has a way of causing shame and guilt. Because of our past, we may easily feel disqualified to inherit the blessings of God, or we may feel guilt for missing so many opportunities. We can be caught in a cycle of regret. God uses spiritual fathers as instruments to extend a grace so loving that it covers our many sins (1 Pet. 4:8).

Imagine if God had not used Ananias and Barnabas to extend His favor to Paul. Two-thirds of the New Testament never would have been written. The churches of Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Galatia, Thessalonica, Colossae and Rome never would’ve been planted. Millions would never come to know Jesus as Savior if it weren’t for Paul’s ministry. Paul, though he was a great man, would be nothing without grace.

We have all made mistakes. Some of our backgrounds are rougher than our brothers’, but the same grace God extended to Paul is also for us. You may have been reared in a broken home, suffered from abuse, been divorced, took part in an abortion, denied a child who’s yours or been imprisoned; but whatever your past, God has forgiven every sin. No matter the size of the sin, you are able to start anew, and having a spiritual father is essential to your transformation.

Grace has transformative power. Two men showed Paul underserved kindness; that kindness radically transformed his life. As a new man, he passionately set out to be a carrier of God’s grace with even more fervor than he had persecuting the church. It was an unprecedented turnaround, and it led to a cultural revolution.

We need the power of grace in our culture. A culture of sons can’t exist absent of grace. There are already too many lives destroyed by the brokenness of our families, too many statistics working against us, and too many obstacles to overcome. According to statistics, at age 28 I should have had my first child out of wedlock and never married; but since I did marry, I should also be divorced by now. By the grace of God in my life, I’m none of those things. The turnaround Paul experienced, and the turnaround we need, can only happen through grace. The good news is that God gives it freely.

Grace is given, never earned. Paul writes in the book of Ephesians that grace “is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast; for we are His workmanship” (Eph 2:8-9). We can’t work for it because, if we could, we’d make it into an idol. We’d cease being His workmanship and become our own manmade god. No matter how good we think our plan is or how wise we think we are, God’s ways aren’t our ways; His thoughts are higher than ours, and His plan is always good. The Great Architect is our master builder.

The Lord gives grace for a purpose (2 Tim. 1:9). There’s a mission attached to the grace we inherit. The grace Paul received empowered him to be the most well written, outspoken missionary in church history. My purpose and, consequently, my grace is different from yours. We have the ability to become sons so that we become fathers. Our grace is power to save generations of children from having to taste the heartbreak of a broken family; it’s the power to reverse the poverty, crime and imprisonment rates among us; and, it’s the power to ensure that the unborn have a chance to live. By grace, we can restore the family and claim our spiritual inheritance.

The Purpose of Inheritance

Inheritance establishes legacy. In the natural, inheritance passes down, to ensure that the next generation has more opportunities, open doors and stronger foundations than the former. Without spiritual inheritance, as in the natural, we become spiritually poor. Those with an inheritance have greater opportunities than those who don’t, which is exactly why the Bible says that a good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children (Prov. 13:22).

Further, legacy transcends generations. God’s desire is to have His kingdom set up on the earth, and it will be a never-ending reign. It’s a kingdom without boundaries or limits. Time can’t define it. Destruction can’t take it. For His kingdom to be an everlasting kingdom on earth, His dominion must transmit through generations (Dan. 4:34). For God’s kingdom to descend from generation to generation, fathers must continually pass down His grace to sons. Developing a spiritual legacy goes toward expanding a heavenly kingdom on earth. Without sons to take up the mantles of fathers, legacy isn’t established; therefore, the kingdom of God on earth doesn’t expand.

The kingdom, in relation to the family, is the expression of love and acceptance that many men have missed. It’s about protecting the link between generations so that God’s standard of love is experienced. Without the open channel between father and son, the inheritance of grace can’t be passed on.

The principles of spiritual sonship have the power to restore the alignment of generations and maintain the expansion of the kingdom on earth. Without the union of father and son, inheritance lies dormant.

Sons advance the kingdom by receiving their inheritance then using it to enter into new territories our fathers could only imagine. Moses and Joshua are great examples of the concept of entering into new territory. Moses only saw the Promised Land that he lived and prepared for from a distance. While Joshua entered the land and conquered it. Because of their relationship, Joshua did what Moses only dreamt of doing.

In the context of family, we still have much territory to gain. A man I consider to be one of my mentors has lived through the hellish experience of a divorce. He shares openly with me about his experiences, the emotional strain, the financial burden and the shame he struggled to overcome, so that I don’t make the same mistakes. As I listen, I inherit his mantle. I move in grace when I apply what he teaches me; and, knowing that his input has strengthened my marriage becomes a legacy for God. I enter into new territory when, despite the statistics, the marriage covenant I entered into is never broken. It’s a lesson I intend to teach my children. The application of what we’ve learned advances the kingdom and has enormous impact on our culture.

Greater Works

The disciples had never seen such miracles or heard such teachings. They sat under the direct tutelage of the Son of God and could not conceive of a more miraculous time than when the presence of God was literally in front of them. They could speak to and hold God in the flesh! Yet, Jesus taught them that the person who believes in Him shall do even greater works (John 14:12). Jesus went as far as telling them that it was good for Him to leave because if He didn’t, the Comforter He promised wouldn’t come (John 16:7). Jesus implied that there was something better than what they were witnessing and that they would become stewards of authority. If Jesus remained, they couldn’t claim new territories for the Kingdom. If He remained, they wouldn’t fulfill their missions in life.

Therefore, Jesus prepared His sons to take their inheritance, go further, and do more than even He did while on earth. After His resurrection and ascension, the disciples waited in the upper room in Jerusalem, where they were staying. As they waited together, they were baptized with fire from the Holy Spirit, the Comforter Jesus had promised. The same day, three thousand souls were added into God’s Kingdom. The Holy Spirit was their promise, and He empowered them for greater works. Although they were empowered, they didn’t do the work. Instead, they were empowered to work with the Holy Spirit. By themselves, they were just fishermen, but with the Spirit, they became apostles.

As apostles, they were so full of the Holy Spirit that the anointing of God’s presence flowed from their clothes and shadows, healing the sick. They set out, converting families and communities. Eventually the entire Roman Empire yielded to the Kingdom of God! What Jesus said was true: together, they performed greater miracles.

It didn’t happen overnight. Over the course of three years Jesus lovingly taught and disciplined His sons. He took enormous personal risk by sending them into the country to heal the sick and cast out demons. He even allowed Himself to become vulnerable to the one He knew would betray Him, loving Judas just as passionately as the others. It was all so they would learn to be stewards of their coming inheritance.

The power to perform greater works isn’t something to take lightly. Like the prodigal son, if we don’t intentionally put in the effort to become good stewards, then we’ll waste what took our fathers a lifetime to earn.

Jesus uses the parable of the talents to teach about righteous stewardship. In the story, a king went to a far off country, leaving his three servants with five, two and one talent respectively. The men with five and two talents invested their money to produce increase. The servant with one talent hid his instead of using it. When the king returned he blessed the two servants that used what was given to them, while he cursed the other because he chose to hide what he was given (Matt. 25:14-30).

In relation to sonship, the parable demonstrates that we must use what we have received. The point is not to try to outperform your brother; rather, simply apply what you've received. By spending time with my spiritual father, I’m continually learning how to communicate more effectively, how to love my wife better and how to rear godly children. If I don’t apply what Harold has given me, all the time that he and I invested into our relationship becomes pointless.

The king’s objective in giving his servants a small amount of money was to discover if they were ready for an increase in authority. The two that applied their talents received more. The one that chose, instead, to hide what he had lost everything.

After Elisha took possession of Elijah’s position, he too did greater miracles than his predecessor. The Bible records more miracles done by Elisha than by his father. The mantle of grace empowered Elisha to exceed his father in miracles and influence. Like the disciples and Elisha, we’re empowered by the Holy Spirit to do greater works than our fathers have done.

Part IV: War with Moab

Chapter 11

Three Kings

2 Kings 3:9-19

Legions of soldiers trek through the wilderness. They represent the combined strength of Israel, Edom and Judah. They are tired, they are thirsty, and like the empty streambeds of Edom, their strength has run dry. The armies of Israel are losing the battle before given a chance to unsheathe their swords. Despite this, they will follow their kings.

Typically, the wilderness of Edom is fertile, with streams flowing from the mountainous terrain to the valleys. But there has been no rain. In the rush to quell a rebellious nation, King Jehoram of Israel has planned poorly. His oversight has put three nations at risk. Jehoram calls his two allies, the king of Edom and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, together to discuss their situation. Looking over the desperate condition of his men, the king relents, “Alas, the Lord has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

The king of Edom responds, “Can we not go back?”

“If we go back we will seem weak to the surrounding kingdoms, and Moab will have the upper hand. I cannot allow them to take this victory.”

“We did not inquire of the Lord before we set out to war.” King Jehoshaphat adds, “If we are to win, we need Jehovah’s guidance. Is there not a prophet by whom we may seek God’s word?”

Gimelael, a servant who has stood by listening to the kings’ conversation, knows of a great prophet. His heart beats like a contingent of warhorses racing to battle. He doesn’t want to speak out of turn, but he knows of a man who might have the answer to their dire situation. The jug of water that he’s been holding starts to shake in his trembling hands. He tries to contain himself, but the words escape the entrapment of his lips, “Elisha is here!” The three kings suddenly stop their discourse and turn their eyes to the servant who speaks out of turn. Feeling the heat of the kings’ eyes, he continues, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here; he is the one who washed the hands of Elijah.”

Before Jehoram’s anger can bubble over, King Jehoshaphat agrees with the servant, “The word of the Lord will be with him. As a son of the prophet he can inquire of the Lord on our behalf.”

The kings are in a desperate situation. They need a miracle. If Elisha, the son of the prophet, can speak to the Lord on their behalf, then maybe Israel can find the help that it desperately needs. Although the king of Judah and Edom readily agree that seeking the counsel of a prophet is their best solution, King Jehoram is reluctant. The history of their fathers, his and Elisha’s, wasn’t a pleasant one.

Elisha watches the hills. His servant Gehazi comes from behind him and asks, “Teacher, what are you watching for?” Elisha’s gaze never leaves the hill passes. “They are coming.”

“Who is coming?”

“The three kings.” No sooner has Elisha said those words than three horses appear on the road that lead through the mountains.

The kings of Israel, Judah and Edom ride into the prophet’s camp. They stop in front of him. Their horses snort and nicker, tired from the pace their riders set. King Jehoram says, “We are looking for the one they call Elisha the son of Shaphat who washed the hands of Elijah.”

Elisha says, “I am he whom you seek.”

The kings dismount in honor of the man of God. Jehoram begins to speak, “I am . . .” but before he can finish Elisha interrupts. “I know who you are, Jehoram. But tell me, what have I to do with you? Go back to the prophets of your father and mother.”

King Jehoram was afraid of such a response. The sins of his parents Ahab and Jezebel were legendary. Worshipping the Baals, his mother hunted the prophets of Jehovah relentlessly, including Elijah, who had the courage to stand against Jezebel’s heresies. Nonetheless, even he fled from her insanity.

“No,” Jehoram pleads. “For the Lord has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab. You must help me!”

“Why?” Angrily pointing in Jerusalem’s direction Elisha’s zeal for righteousness is undeniable, “When even now the monuments to Baal still litter your kingdom like camel’s dung!” King Jehoram says nothing. The truth of the prophet’s words clogs his throat. Then Elisha recalls the last time he saw his father and the prophecy that he received. ‘A sheep breeder has become king of the fatherless nation. He will sow discord among his people. The tribute, which he pays to the Lord of Hosts, he will keep for himself. He will try to overthrow God’s chosen. Israel’s children are in peril. Indeed Jacob’s seed will be at war.’ The rebellious, fatherless nation is Moab. Mesha, the sheep breeder, is its king. Elijah’s prophecy unfolded in front of him.

Then, Elisha’s eyes fall on Jehoshaphat king of Judah. Judah – the only nation that stayed true to the throne of David, where the King of Kings would eventually reign. He sees the God of generations in Jehoshaphat. This is the moment that Elijah prepared him for, to be Israel’s salvation in their time of need. After some consideration, Elisha speaks, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely was it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you. But because the hope of the nations rest within Jehoshaphat I will seek the Lord for you.”

Elisha addresses the three kings, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Make this valley full of ditches. You will not see wind or rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink’.”

Satisfied with Elisha’s encouragement, the three kings prepare to return to their armies; but, before they can leave, Elisha gives them a prophecy they are not expecting. He continues “And this is a simple matter in the sight of the Lord, He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. Also, you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones. Now go, worship the one true God and all that He has said will come to pass.” The three kings mounted their horses and return to their awaiting armies, eager to give them the news of impending victory.

The Thirst

We have an urgent need. God, through the prophet Isaiah says:

The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, their tongues fail for thirst. I the Lord will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers in desolate heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. (Isa. 41:17-18)

Our culture thirsts for revelation.

Three kings went to war without hearing from God. Their battle was lost before it started, putting the kingdom at stake. The situation was bleak. Only a revelation from the Lord could rescue them from impending disaster. In desperation, they sought out someone who could lead them to God.

Elisha, through his relationship with Elijah, was known throughout the land as a man able to hear from God. His father’s legacy set an expectation that he was the only one capable of pulling God’s people from the edge of defeat. Likewise today, those who have a revelation of the principles of spiritual sonship are able to rescue our culture.

Revelation is the revealing of something unknown, a secret, or hidden truth. Receiving revelation is the only way to stem the tide of fatherlessness in our culture. Without revealed truth there’s nothing to teach us the principles of righteous living, and without Godly principles governing our lives, we will always follow our sinful ways. Of course, our sin has only one end, death. Our lack of revelation will destroy us (Hos. 4:6).

Knowing the heart of the Father is critical. Family is central to His heart. The Moabite Spirit has prevented us from fully understanding this truth and has led many of us to abandon moral reservation. As it says in Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint.” We can’t value marriage if we don’t understand that it’s a divine picture of the church. We’re not able to value life without realizing that we were all created in His image. We can’t fathom the significance of family until we understand that the Father has only ever wanted a family. That is why we call Him – Father. Without the light of revelation, we’re left stumbling in the shadows.

In darkness we’re lost, not knowing which way we’re going or what obstacles lay in our path. In the darkness of our hearts, the Moabite Spirit has fiendishly lurked, preying on our ignorance. Because we’ve lived in darkness, the current generation of children is growing up without fathers; broken homes are, sadly, the norm. Darkness is the absence of revelation. But the good news is that we have the light – Jesus.

Jesus is revelation. There was once an old man named Simeon, who consecrated himself by waiting for the arrival of the Lord’s Christ. The Holy Spirit promised him that he would see the savior of mankind before dying. One day, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, he came to the temple in Jerusalem and saw the baby Jesus. Instantly recognizing Him, he took the boy into his arms, blessed Him and thanked God that He was faithful to fulfill His promise. About the boy, he said that He is “a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles” (Luke 2:25-32).

Jesus said about Himself, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Christ, the Word of God incarnate, is a lamp to our feet (Ps. 119:105), able to lead us out of darkness.

The Revealing Son

The family waits in earnest expectation for the revealing of the sons of God (Rom. 8:19). We’re in desperate need of heavenly revelation. We wait in earnest because, in the depths of our hearts, we know there’s hope. We know instinctively that there is a God who loves us. Despite what statistics say or how bad the condition of our communities might be, there’s always hope. Hope fuels a groaning in our collective souls, as we wait in expectation for the revealing of the sons of God.

Everything about the life of Christ reveals the Father. Through every miracle, sermon and relationship, His goal was to demonstrate the unity between a father and his son. Jesus was so focused on revealing God that He only did what He saw His Father do (John 5:19) – nothing more, nothing less. He was always in perfect alignment with the will of God, thereby perfectly demonstrating His heart.

Jesus revealed God to whomever He chose. Matthew 11:27 reads, “no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Only the Son, who intimately knows the Father and lives in His perfect will, can reveal the Father. Jesus chooses to introduce anyone to the Father who’s willing to enter into an intimate relationship. As it says in 1 John 5:20, “Jesus gives us understanding so that we may know Him who is true.”

He declared the love of God through His relationships. Jesus, in John chapter 17, said that, although the world does not know His Father, those that have been with Him, those that He is most intimate with, know the Father.

Before Jesus, by and large, people of faith believed God was distant. In the holy temple, the Ark of the Testimony was kept in the back, in a place known as the Holy of Holies. Only the highest-ranking priest could enter into that area to worship and inquire of God and then only after a long, arduous process of ceremonial cleansing and only once a year. Ordinary men couldn’t enter into the temple; they had to worship from the outside. Now, through Christ’s sacrifice, we have a way to enter into the beautiful presence of the King. Now, the Father is revealed through His son’s sacrifice.

To expand the Kingdom of God, we must follow Christ’s example, becoming sons of the light. Jesus, speaking with His disciples, said, “While you have the light believe in the light, that you may become sons of the light” (John 12:26). So, what does it mean to become a son of the light? It simply means that we show off God through our everyday lives. Jesus, the light of the world, reveals Himself through our relationships with one another. Our focus should be to reveal the Father God at every opportunity.

We who know Jesus are the bearers of His light. The light we have is precious and cannot be hidden but must shine brilliantly for all to see. We, the sons, bring light to our community so that the world may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven (Matt. 5:16).

The three kings came to Elisha because they needed to hear from God. They needed divine revelation of His will; they needed His salvation. Elisha was the intermediary between them and God. He revealed the will, goodness, mercy and power of God. As sons, we do the same thing. We refresh the thirsty by showing them to the wellspring of life, Jesus Christ.

Make Room for the Miraculous

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Make this valley full of ditches; you shall not see wind nor rain; yet the valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink’.” (2 Kings 3:17).

The Lord says, “Sons make room for the miraculous.” We do this, as we’ve seen through scripture, by positioning ourselves as Kingdom sons. Once positioned, we’re ready to receive the waters of generational blessing.

We will not see wind or rain, yet our valleys will be filled with water. The blessings we receive as sons are not just for us but also for others. God blesses us to be a blessing. When we prepare ourselves to receive, He will pour out a blessing that we don’t have room to receive (Mal. 3:10). Then the blessings of life, prosperity and knowing our godly identities will spill out onto others.

By not using rain or wind to fill the ditches with water, God left no doubt that the blessing the kings experienced came from Him. Likewise, when our blessings come we know it’s not through our own power. As a result, the blessing becomes a testimony to the greatness of God.

The water that we receive and give is not physical water but the living water of the Spirit. Jesus declares, “He who believes in Me, as the scriptures has said, out of his heart will come rivers of living water” (John 7:38). God's Holy Spirit places the living water inside us. Deep inside each of us is a miracle that’s waiting to come to the surface. What God has placed inside us is the pool of water. We are to share this water with everyone we’re in relationship with. The world thirsts for revelation of the Father. The revelation of God, who He is and who we are in Him, is the refreshing water we need.

Elisha sought the Lord on behalf of the kings when they couldn’t hear for themselves. He interceded for them, bringing back the promise of victory. He had every right to turn his back on the kings, especially on Jehoram, who maintained a culture of idolatry and whose mother threatened the life of his mentor. Instead, he saw something greater. He saw the unfulfilled promise of God and the coming of the King of Kings through Jehoshaphat, who was a direct ancestor of Christ. He chose to look past the sin and look toward the promise for the sake of the Kingdom; Elisha interceded to reveal the heart of God. The heart of God was always for His people to be victorious.

The coming generation of sons will be intercessors who pray day and night for God’s love to burst forth. Their burning passion for God will spark waves of revival. They won’t focus solely on all the ills of society, but God will endow them with prophetic eyes to see the good and call it forth. They will be men like Elisha, who put the Kingdom before personal gain or vendettas. They will contend for the awakening of minds and hearts to the knowledge of God. They will war against Moab and win.

Chapter 12

Conquering Moab

Principalities

The battles we fight aren’t against people but against rulers of darkness (Eph. 6:12). In ancient Rome the emperor established prefects or governors, to administrate different geographical areas of the empire. For example, Pontius Pilate was the assigned governor in Judea during the time of Jesus’ crucifixion. Prefects held total authority over their region and only answered to the emperor. It was an effective structure to administrate a vast kingdom. The kingdom of darkness works in a similar manner. There are demonic rulers over certain geographical areas, assigned to attack entire cultures.

Principalities are agents of darkness. Darkness in the context I am referring to is the lack of revelation. They keep us from experiencing the truth, which has the power to set us free (John 8:32). Our spiritual enemy doesn’t want our culture to learn who our Father is or who we are in Him. It wars constantly against the revelation of Jesus.

There’s a constant spiritual battle raging for the souls of men. Satan, the leader of the fallen angels, has assigned a principality over our culture. But, God has positioned us to be victorious over our spiritual enemy. Even now, I meet young men who are ready to take the gospel of the Kingdom to the four corners of our community. I’ve met with them and heard their hearts for revival and re-establishing the principle of family. Some of them had fathers in the home, most did not. Still, despite the absence of a natural father in their lives, they chose to make a stand for themselves and their families, both present and future. I am not alone. You are not alone. As God told His prophet Elijah, there are yet thousands of men who haven’t bowed to false gods, ready to sound the call for revival (1 Kings 19:18).

Revival won’t come while we’re on the defensive. It’s time to take the war to the enemy, just as the children of Israel did by raiding the Moabite strongholds. We have the Word of the Lord. We have our marching orders. Now it’s a matter of implementing Kingdom strategies to defeat the Spirit of Moab in our lives and communities.

We must become doers of the word as James says:

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in the mirror; for he observes himself and goes away, and immediately forgets the kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (Jas. 1:22-25)

Here is how we march to victory against the spirit of Moab. Catch a revelation of Jesus and our authority in Him, then pass it on to the next generation.

Revelation of Christ’s Authority

We need a revelation of the sovereignty of Christ. Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and there isn’t another name we can call on to save us in our time of need. We must understand that the Father gave all authority to His son, in order to disempower the principalities in our lives, so that one day we would be truly free.

Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father. The right hand of the Father is a place of authority and honor. The Apostle Peter declares that Jesus, sitting at the right hand of the Father, now has all angels, authorities and powers subjected to His rule (1 Pet. 3:22). The Messiah has all authority because He submitted Himself entirely to the will of God. He accomplished what no other man could and for this, He has received His reward.

Jesus’ mission was to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). He did it at Calvary when He bore the wickedness and shame of the world on the cross. With His last words, “It is finished!” He broke the hold of wickedness over all of our lives. If we believe it’s true that Christ has disarmed every principality (Col. 2:15), why are so many of us still living as if He didn’t give us victory? This question begs us to ask another question: who do we believe Jesus is?

In order to walk triumphantly we must know who Jesus is personally. Walking along the road in Philippi, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” They began to answer, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (Matt. 16:14). Although Jesus asked the question, His true concern wasn’t what other people thought of Him. Having unequaled prophetic insight, Jesus already knew the answers before He asked them. He asked not for His knowledge but for their benefit.

Peter, always the first to speak up, nailed it when he answered Jesus, saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). Then Jesus went on to say:

On this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matt.16:18-19)

Jesus established the Church in the reality of His deity. He has set His bride, the Church, on the foundation of who He is, and hell cannot stand against it. The first and most important key to spiritual warfare isn’t knowing who our enemy is; rather, it’s knowing our heavenly Father. After setting the church on the foundation of the Son’s identity, Jesus then released the keys to the Kingdom.

The keys to the Kingdom made us stewards of God’s purpose on earth. He gave us total authority and unlimited access to the throne room of God, which gives us permission to access everything we need to overcome the Moabite Spirit in our community. The next step to conquering Moab is to catch a revelation about the power of Christ in us.

A Revelation of Christ in Us

Through our savior, we have ultimate authority over every principality. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He empowered us to continue spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom. Before He ascended into heaven Jesus told His disciples, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:18-19). Because Christ had all authority, we have the responsibility to make disciples of all nations and the grace to accomplish the mission. When Christ died the eternal story came full circle. In the beginning, God gave His son Adam all authority to rule over His creation. Through sin, Adam's authority was stripped from him; but, through Christ, it has been restored.

God desires that His children share in His power. Of course, we can never be greater than God, but we can become the men He created us to be. In Ephesians chapter one, Paul says that Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father in heavenly places far above every principality and authority. Then, he goes on to say in chapter two that we are seated in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:6). This means that, as Jesus is seated in a place of honor, so are we.

Jesus taught His spiritual children to walk in His authority. In Matthew ten, Jesus sends out his disciples, telling them to cast out demons and heal the sick, preaching that the Kingdom is at hand. It was important that the disciples learned to walk in their authority because the day was approaching when Jesus would no longer be physically with them, and it would be up to them to take the message to the four corners of the earth.

One of the most pivotal times in a man’s life is the moment he knows he has what it takes to stand on his own. Only a father can impart that to his son. Jesus was imparting this fact to His disciples by sending them out as “sheep among wolves” (Matt. 10:16). Through their experience, they realized they could stand. Yes, they would experience many trials; but to know that the Father believed in them brought them through those times.

Just like Jesus and His disciples and Elijah and Elisha, good fathers prepare us for success when they’re gone. They help us learn who we are and what we have to offer the world. As it says in Proverbs, “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out” (Prov. 20:5). Wise men draw out the good that’s present in us. They challenge, lead and lovingly correct so that we can reach our full potential. Jesus released His disciples to take risks so that they would learn about the authority in themselves.

This is what a good spiritual father does. He shows faith in his son when his son might not believe in himself. He places tasks in front of him, to build up his confidence, and challenges him to tap into his inner strength. Elijah did it with Elisha, and Jesus did it with His sons.

The kingdoms of Israel, Judah and Edom march forward. From their swords and slingers, the Moabites flee. God’s army marches into the enemy’s land, tearing down each idol, destroying every stronghold and burning every city. To make Moab barren, they stop up the wellsprings that refreshed the idolaters and throw stones on the farmland, so their wicked seeds won’t bear fruit. God’s people are victorious. We win this fight!

Part V: A Nation of Sons

Chapter 13

Dead Man’s Bones

2 Kings 13:20-21

“We have to keep moving. They are gaining on us.”

“I don’t think he’s going to make it.” Zepheniah looks down at the gaping wound in Yosef’s side. Blood flows unobstructed, despite Michel’s best efforts. His face is pale from the blood loss. “What should we do, Joseph?”

Joseph looks behind them. In a distance, he sees the raiding bands of Moab that just attacked his village. They barely made it out alive, when their friend Yosef was shot in the side by an arrow. He watches in fear as plumes of smoke billow into the sky. What is left of their possessions, their homes, and their families rain down as ashes. Fear grips him as he thinks about what to do.

Then Michel makes the decision easier. “He’s gone,” he says solemnly. Joseph looks over his friend Yosef. He has indeed passed on. He leans over and kisses his brow.

“We cannot just leave him here to the vultures,” insists Michel.

“We won’t,” affirm Joseph. “Quickly, move him over here!” The two pick up the mat that they were carrying him on, lifting him to the rock face. “Here, there is a tomb already carved. We’ll put him here, then we can come back to give him a tomb of his own.”

“Isn’t this the tomb of Elisha, the prophet?” asks Michel.

Joseph looks at the tomb for a moment. “It is,” he concludes. “But, we will not disturb his bones; we will honor our dead. Now, quickly, lower him into the tomb!”

No sooner have they lowered the body into the tomb, Moabite raiders spot them.

“We must go! Now! There is no time! They’ve seen us!” They didn’t have a chance to replace the cover of the tomb. They flee for their lives, with the raiders in tow.

The partially covered body of Yosef lay beside the bones of the prophet Elisha. Peacefully, they rest together in the tomb. By chance, a small pebble shifts from underneath Yosef’s lifeless body. When his body shifts, it falls onto the ground, and his limp hand touches the bones of the prophet.

Suddenly, movement. First, it was just a twitch in his hand, then the breath of life enters his body, and he sits up. Yosef’s eyes adjust to the dim light. What happened? How did I get here? He wonders. He rubs his head in bewilderment then feels his side. His shirt is soaked with blood and, in the middle, a hole. He panics and feels the skin beneath the wet shirt. Nothing, smooth. Then he remembers being shot by an arrow. The memory of the pain he endured and the weakness he felt comes back. His fiends Joseph and Michel found him bleeding in the street and carried him. That is all he remembers until this point.

Turning to his left, he notices the bones of the prophet, wrapped in linen; the faint smell of frankincense still lingers. Although he doesn’t know exactly what happened, Yosef knows that he was dead and now alive. Somehow, these bones are responsible. He stands and climbs slowly out of the tomb into the light of day, revived.

Lack of Sons

The saddest moment in Elisha’s ministry was at his death. He seemingly died without a true son. Although there were men who called him father, there was none as dedicated to him as he was to Elijah. When the moment came for Elisha to rest eternally, his remains were so saturated with the power of God that, when a dead man touched them, he sprang back to life. Elisha was never meant to take that kind of authority to his grave.

There’s no lack of fathers, those wanting to impart a piece of themselves for the betterment of others. But there’s a serious lack of sons, those willing to submit and receive. Many men would be more than happy to share their experience and advice with someone else. I find that many people want to speak into the lives of others but struggle at listening to someone else. One of the reasons this is difficult is because God made men to be rulers. He made us to be the head of our families and stewards over creation. Therefore, changing our thinking can be difficult. I hope that, by reading this book, you now know the value of being a son. Now the question is, how do you find a father?

The Warning Signs of Idolatry

Before going out to find a spiritual father, realize that we have a Heavenly Father. Psalms 68:5 says that He is “A father to the fatherless.” The most important relationship we will have is our relationship with God. Start there. Make sure your relationship with God is in good shape. Having a healthy relationship with God carries over to our interactions with others. Where we have difficulty to submit, God will soften our hearts. When the relationship doesn’t go exactly as we had planned, the Holy Spirit gives us grace. Having a spiritual father helps establish a firm spiritual foundation, but it’s not the foundation. Our foundation is based solely on Christ and what He did on the cross. As Paul put it, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ,” (1 Cor. 3:11).

The reason we need to be rooted in God the Father first is to avoid running into the pitfall of idolatry. Idolatry is simply putting something or someone else higher than God. When God gave Moses the law, He said very clearly, “You shall have no other Gods before me,” (Exod. 20:3). The heart behind this law was for us to keep God first in all things. Our spiritual fathers should never replace the voice of God but help us hear it more clearly, even echo it.

There are warning signs that we’ve created a relational idol. We need to be ever watchful for these signs because once we enter into idolatry, it’s difficult to turn from it. The first sign of idolatry is when we begin to hold man’s opinion over God’s Truth. Paul warns, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed,” (Gal. 1:8). When an authority figure is clearly not walking in God’s word, honor him, love him, but do not follow him. Paul was so adamant for the Galatians to be on guard for wrong teachings because error breeds error. Again, this is a reason why we need our foundation based on the Gospel. A spiritual father will draw from what God has already placed in you and build upon the foundation that has Christ as its chief cornerstone (Eph 2:20). But, if our foundation is built on anything other than the Word of God, it will be in vain.

We can tell when something isn’t in line with God’s Word by studying Scripture for ourselves (2 Tim. 2:15) and paying attention to the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:1). We shouldn’t fall into legalism and debate all the nuances of scripture; but, when someone is obviously teaching contrary to scripture, we should be concerned.

Never allow an individual’s word to replace your regular study of Scripture. If a person’s words, whether through regular interactions, sermons, blogs, books or podcasts, become our primary source of spiritual sustenance, we’ve created an idol. The love of Scripture is a sign of a mature Christian. But many times we treat itinerate ministers and mega-church pastors as celebrities. Please don’t think that is an attack on those people. They’re simply doing what God has chosen them to do. However, we must check our hearts. A very simple way to do this is by asking ourselves: Am I reading their books more often than God’s?

Don’t follow an unrepentant sinner. Following a leader who is living in sin and is unrepentant, even after being confronted, is relational idolatry. We’re all human and make mistakes, but there’s a difference between making a mistake and living under a lie. There’s a difference between falling into sin, then repenting, and living in unrepentant sin. Repenting is changing the way we think, which ultimately changes our behavior.

Get Connected, Get to Work

Having a firm relationship with the Lord strengthens our relationship with a spiritual father. However, we run into a chicken and egg scenario by suggesting that you must have one before the other. A great relationship with God will absolutely empower our relationship with a father; likewise, when we have a father who continually points us back to the Heavenly Father, our relationship with God will be strengthened.

Let’s take a look at Elisha. He was found plowing his father’s fields with his brothers. To use a cliché, Elisha had his “hand to the plow.” He displayed the characteristics of a leader. He worked hard, honored his parents and took care of his family. These were among the attributes he possessed before meeting Elijah. When God selected Elisha to be his prophet, all Elijah had to do was pull out the gold that was already present. The first steps in finding a father is to get connected and go serve.

When I moved back to Virginia, I knew the Lord wanted me to return to Harvest, my current church home. I had been saved for about five years and, for the most part, had a great relationship with the Lord. When I decided to make Harvest my home, I immediately looked for ways I could help, then I went to work. I found an outreach to plug into; through that, I met Harold my spiritual father; and the rest is history. The relationship started very naturally and grew intentionally. If I didn’t have the desire to get connected and serve, we never would have met.

If you don’t have a church home, that’s a problem! A traditional church or a small group community is a simple and effective way to find mentorship. Sitting at home and longing for relationship typically doesn’t work. I’m still amazed at those who think relationships are easy and should come to them. Those with that kind of thinking often remain disconnected and even grow bitter from the lack of positive relationships.

Churches have several ways for a person to get involved. The first thing you should do is find a way to get connected. Through your involvement, relationships will happen naturally. Take a moment and ask yourself a couple of questions. What do you like to do? What are your skills? What are you passionate about? If you don’t know, ask the Lord, ask those who know you best, and ask what they see in you. If that doesn’t work, just get involved anyway! By putting your hands to the plow, God may send you someone who will throw his mantle over you. But get up, get out, and get involved.

Get Real

I know that I have said this before, but fathers are just human. Therefore, we must have realistic expectations of our relationship. A relationship with a father is the same as with any other person. He will have flaws; he might let us down, even inadvertently hurt our feelings. They’re not perfect. They are not God, just as we are not. When dealing with others, we must keep the golden rule in the forefront of our mind, “Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise” (Luke 6:31). Would I want someone to be patient with me when I make a mistake; would I want someone to be gracious about my flaws, and would I want someone to show me kindness and honor? Of course! As Jesus puts it, this is how we should treat our spiritual fathers – in love. The same way we’d want to be honored – honor. The same love we want to receive – give.

Let the relationship happen naturally. By getting involved in a church home, relationships should happen naturally. There are many books about mentorship, and something they advise is sitting down with your mentor and doing a DTR (define the relationship). From my experience, when you have a relationship that evolves naturally, you’ll be surprised at how little you need to define it. When we look at the fathers of our faith and the men and women they mentored, we don’t see DTRs. Jesus didn’t sit down with His disciples and say, “OK, guys here’s what I do, and here are your boundaries.” No, it was evident through their interactions with one another.

If you find yourself having to define the relationship, you’re in a contract. Instead of a father, you have a coach. That’s not bad, but there’s a difference. I’ve had the great opportunity to speak into the lives of young couples. If a couple is specifically looking for tools to strengthen their marriage, we define the relationship. This is what I do, this is what I don’t do, this is what I expect. We’ve entered into a coaching situation. Coaching is a contract. It’s based in “I”. If I don’t perform the way you like, or you don’t follow through on what I expect, we separate and move on. However, I have friends who are young couples, and through our relationship, we have access to our mutual wisdom and experiences. There isn’t a need for a DTR because we have a real bond.

Recognizing a Spiritual Father

How do we know when God has sent us a spiritual father? More than likely, you won’t have a man who throws his overcoat over your head anytime soon in this day and age, that would be weird. But, there are practical ways in which you can identify a spiritual father.

First, does that person stir your heart to discover more about Father God? If the main purpose of a spiritual father is to guide us closer to our heavenly Father, then that person should stir a desire to get to know God. Something about him, the way he teaches, treats his family, and his overall character should be traced back to his relationship with God. And you should want to duplicate that in yourself.

Second, do you want what he has? This is not a covetous attitude. It’s recognizing the special anointing on a man’s life and wanting it for your family. Elisha wanted what Elijah had, if not, he never would’ve asked him for a double portion of his anointing. When I look at how my spiritual father interacts with his family, I say to myself, I want that. I don’t want his family (although I love them): I want the dynamics, the level of intimacy, and the genuine love he shares with his family. Because I want those characteristics in my family, I pay attention to what he does then apply it to my family.

As a result, I’ve learned many family, ministry and organizational skills that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I’ve learned how to spiritually lead my family, communicate and minister to others. There’s nothing sinful or covetous about taking another person’s positive attributes and applying them to your own life.

Third, what does God say? If you want a father, you should be in prayer. In fact, you should be praying at the beginning and throughout the process. God listens and answers prayer; as it says in Psalms, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Ps. 37:4). Not only will prayer move you closer to God, but it’ll also make you a better son and enrich the relationship between you and your spiritual father.

Chapter 14

Revival

Believe

The bones of the past have the ability to bring life today. Saturated with God’s power, Elisha’s bones brought a dead man back to life. Likewise, The Elisha Principle, the principle of sonship, has the ability to revive an entire culture.

Although this timeless principle can be applied to anyone, regardless of age, sex or race, my heart burns to see revival in the Black community. In fact, the Moabite Spirit is the premiere demonic principality facing the Black culture in America. Looking at the difficult family statistics of our community, we see undeniably that there’s not a race of people that fully encapsulates the orphan spirit as much as Black America.

Currently, seventy-two percent of Black children are born out of wedlock, which is more than 30 percent higher than the national average. Seven out of ten Black children are born without a father in the home. When there isn’t a father in the home, the generational blessings stop flowing. As a result, these children are physically, emotionally and spiritually disadvantaged.

Furthermore, one-third of all orphans in America are Black. This is especially startling considering that African Americans make up less than 13 percent of the U.S. population. However, being an orphan is preferable to what many Black women are choosing. The abortion rate in Black America is epidemic. Black American children make up 37 percent of the total abortions in America. Every year more than 300,000 babies lose their lives before they even begin.

I’ve had this conversation many times. There’s a false hope in the ability of man to stem the tide of fatherlessness in our community. Many whom I have spoken with believe that there is an economic solution to the problems of poverty, abortion and the disintegration of the family. The solutions to these problems aren’t found in government or money but in God alone. When we decide to honor His Biblical principles, we’ll receive our salvation. We will see healing in these areas as we apply the principles of sonship to our families.

Even now, I see a day coming when the leaders of my race will be men who understand spiritual sonship. They will bring revelation to our culture. They will value God’s principle of family. They will be builders who partner with the Holy Spirit to restore the standard of marriage, family and life. Money, the media, and political correctness will not persuade them. Rather, they will seek one thing – to glorify the Father.

It’s not a coincidence that when Mesha, king of Moab, was faced with certain defeat, he willingly offered his eldest son as a burned offering (2 Kings 3:27). It was a sign of desperation. Just like Moab, the enemy is on his heels. In desperation, he attacks those who can’t fend for themselves – children. The abortion and abandonment rate in our community is from the demonic Moabite stronghold. Yet, God in His mercy is able to redeem and restore; but, we need to be reminded of who we are in order to win this fight.

I believe that God has a special plan for the Black community. His plan includes all of us but is larger than any of us. In order for us to be the church that Christ will someday come home to, each people group must come into its fullness. For the Black community, I believe a key to our godly identity is found in the words of Zephaniah chapter three:

From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering. In that day you shall not be ashamed of your deeds in which you transgressed against Me; for then I will take away from your midst those who rejoice in your pride, and you shall no longer be haughty in My holy mountain. I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness and speak no lies. Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed their flocks and lie down, and no one shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall see disaster no more. (Zep. 3:10-15)

This scripture is a prophetic peek at the DNA of every believer of African descent. We can see from this scripture that we will bring His offerings. We are called to lead our families, community, and the Church in worship.

In the Old Testament, the Lord commissioned priests to lead His nation in worship. Not only did they lead in temple worship, they also led the children of Israel in countless battles against its enemies, like leading the charge against the Jericho stronghold. That same Levitical call is on the African American community. We’ve been given the charge to lead the nations in spiritual warfare, worship being our primary weapon.

What’s more, the Lord is calling forth those who will worship Him in spirit and truth. Jesus said, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). In order to worship the Father the way His holiness demands, we must be righteous and full of integrity. According to the prophet Zephaniah, we are. The scriptures say, “The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness and speak no lies” (Zep. 3:13).

God is good, God is just, and He cries out for Moab (Jer. 48:31). The Lord weeps to see His creation honor His name. He has always planned good things, even for those who have turned their back on His ways. His heart is to redeem the wicked and forgive the sinner. He has made room at His table for us. The Lord says, “Woe to Moab, for your sons have been taken captive, Yet . . .” says the Lord of Host, “I will bring back the captives of Moab in the latter days” (Jer. 48:46-47). Light will break through the darkness; hearts will be transformed. And the once proud, idolatrous people of Moab shall be humbled and offer sacrifices to the one true God, who is righteous in all His dealings.

We are worship warriors full of righteousness and truth. The enemy of our souls has tried to rob us of our generational anointing. His weapon is fatherlessness. He can and will be defeated, just like the Moabites of old. Revival will come through the revelation of sonship. I am persuaded that Father God’s heart is to see the current numbers of orphans, abortions and fatherlessness evaporate. His heart is to see the numbers of God-fearing families and marriage success increase. His heart is to see every child born into this world be raised in the admonition and love of the Lord. His heart is to see us, His children, come into the fullness of His calling. Though it might seem that we’re far off, I see revival on the horizon. With God, all things are possible to those who believe. I believe.

About the Author

Tim Rush believes in advancing the Kingdom of God through teaching, writing, and relationships. His vision is to see revival in individuals, families, and communities through strengthening marriages, fighting abortion, and teaching truth. His dream is to see the Black community in America reach its full prophetic destiny.

He is currently on staff at Harvest Assembly of God, Chesapeake, Virginia.  Together, he and his wife Charmayne reside in Portsmouth, Virginia. They are eagerly expecting their first child in October.

Coming Soon!

Prophets – A novel

Be a part of one of the most tumultuous times in Israel’s history. Follow Elijah and Elisha from the reign of Queen Jezebel to Israel’s war with Moab.

From the Beginning

Discover God’s divine purpose of marriage. It’s more than our happiness and even our children!

Connect with Tim

Blog: www.theelishaprinciple.com

Twitter: @KingdomMoves

Email: theelishaprinciple@gmail.com