Holy Ambition
Elijah chose Elisha to be his disciple at the leadership of the Lord. Then, when it was about time for Elijah to be taken to heaven in the fiery chariot, he gave Elisha an opportunity to ask for something from his teacher. Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit to be upon him. (II Kings 2:9) That was a huge request, but God honored his holy ambition. As Christians, we can learn from Elisha and his request.
Elijah as the most godly and spiritually powerful person of his time. God worked through him in ways that He did not work through anyone else. Therefore, when Elisha made his request, he was asking to be even more godly and more spiritually powerful, so even more wonderful things could be accomplished through him. We might look at this as being a selfish desire, but we would be wrong. Elijah was not selfish. That is not godly or spiritually powerful. Elisha was simply desiring to be the best follower of God that he could conceive of being. That kind of ambition is pleasing to God, and He will fulfill it.
Christians are supposed to have the highest holy ambition. We are to strive to be like our Lord Jesus Christ by submitting to the Spirit and asking Him to make us like Jesus. If we will have this holy ambition, God will fulfill it in our lives, so that we can do great works like He did. In fact, Jesus told us that we could do greater works than He did, because He was going to the Father. (John 14:12) I know that is hard to believe, but think about someone like Billy Graham, who was able to travel the world, and to use technology to share the gospel. He was able to influence more people to believe in Jesus than Jesus Himself, the apostle Paul, or anyone else in history. That only happened, because He had the holy ambition to be like Jesus and to be used by Him in a great way.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Kings 4-6.
Elijah as the most godly and spiritually powerful person of his time. God worked through him in ways that He did not work through anyone else. Therefore, when Elisha made his request, he was asking to be even more godly and more spiritually powerful, so even more wonderful things could be accomplished through him. We might look at this as being a selfish desire, but we would be wrong. Elijah was not selfish. That is not godly or spiritually powerful. Elisha was simply desiring to be the best follower of God that he could conceive of being. That kind of ambition is pleasing to God, and He will fulfill it.
Christians are supposed to have the highest holy ambition. We are to strive to be like our Lord Jesus Christ by submitting to the Spirit and asking Him to make us like Jesus. If we will have this holy ambition, God will fulfill it in our lives, so that we can do great works like He did. In fact, Jesus told us that we could do greater works than He did, because He was going to the Father. (John 14:12) I know that is hard to believe, but think about someone like Billy Graham, who was able to travel the world, and to use technology to share the gospel. He was able to influence more people to believe in Jesus than Jesus Himself, the apostle Paul, or anyone else in history. That only happened, because He had the holy ambition to be like Jesus and to be used by Him in a great way.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Kings 4-6.