Catch the Mantle

The secret power of Elijah was in his words before whom I stand. He knew what it was to have power with G-d, and therefore he had power with man.
If we stand in obedience we would be trusted with G-d’s power and favor with G-d and man.
He was the rugged prophet of the wilderness, clad in his mantle and leathern girdle – the ordinary dress of the Fellaheen, that every prophet wore. His ministry was of blessing and healing.
In the life and miracles of Elisha we can find beautiful lessons on how are our life and service should be. We find him ploughing one day with his father’s oxen and servants, in the open country. He saw the outlawed prophet of Gilead coming towards him. Passing by, Elijah cast his mantle upon Elisha. Elisha knew what the sign meant. He was a wealthy man. The call was to follow Elijah as a servant, pour water on his hands, perhaps even to die with him. There was no time to think, the decision had to be made in a moment. The call of
G-d in his heart was at once responded to. Obtaining leave to say farewell to his parents, he kills the oxen, smashes up the implements, and shows to all his companions that he has no more to do with his former life.
There were three major Schools of the Prophet in the area, one at Gilgal, one at Bethel, and one at Jerico. But when G-d needed a successor to Elijah He went to the plow, maybe He could not find one at the Schools? G-d is under no obligation to use a graduate that has a diploma. He can and does use the workshops, know-nothings and have-nothings, and rise up His own man or woman to do His work.
G-d is calling each one of us; we may have to make an immediate decision, no time to wait for three confirmations. May we follow at whatever the cost but know there will be a cost.
The blessing that Elisha craved in asking for a double portion of the spirit of his master, when Elijah was about to be taken from him, was not to be twice as great, but to have the portion of the first-born son. The first-born son inherited a double portion of his father’s property, twice as much as each of the other sons. Elisha asked to have the prophetic office, and with it the power of the Spirit to enable him to fulfil it.
Thou hast asked an hard thing was his reply. There were two conditions:
Absolute surrender. In his first call Elisha showed this thoroughness. Unhindered by the discouragement of others, and even by the seeming discouragement of his master, he pressed on from point to point, having counted the cost. It is a serious thing to follow Y’Shua; He always bids us count the cost. At last it meant Jordan itself, death to the self-life. the baptism of the Spirit always means a baptism into the death of the Messiah.
The second condition was faith. If thou see me when I shall be taken from thee, it shall be so. He kept his eye fixed on his master. And Elisha saw it! The result was, he rent his own clothes – no more dependency on self – and took up the mantle of Elijah, for that was to be his only power now. He put it to the test at once, and was able to do the same works as Elijah had done. The works that I do shall ye do also. And the prophets found it out, and a life of blessing and service to others was the outcome.