2 Kings 2:9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

This is a pretty well-known story in Christian circles, but a lot of people misunderstand it. Elisha wasn’t asking for twice as much as Elijah had, he was asking for the portion of the heir, the firstborn, as was settled in the law of Moses. (Deuteronomy 21:15-17) As the next verse says, Elijah rightly recognized that God alone could determine his successor, and he made no promises. As it turned out, God did approve of Elisha, and used him mightily. One thing that stands out to me about the whole story is how not only were Elijah and Elisha hearing from God, two different groups of prophets (today we might call them seminary students) likewise heard Him say that He was going to take Elijah from the earth. God really does talk to His people, if we will listen. Some things we don’t need to know about, but some things we do, and God tells us if we are listening. We need to expect that, but at the same time not demand to know everything, Frankly, knowing everything could destroy us! We want fortune tellers, but God wants to share His heart with us. That whole issue came up strongly around the 2020 election. Many people, rightly I think, prophesied that Donald Trump would be the choice of the people, but there was enough fraud in a few key states to, officially at least, flip the election the other way. A very few people prophesied that. God allowed it all to expose the hearts of many, and that is certainly happening. As Paul pointed out, at this point we see in part and we prophesy in part. (1 Corinthians 13:9) We need to listen carefully to God, but not think we have the whole revelation.

I have been used in prophecy and I hear the Lord regularly in these morning times I have with Him, but that doesn’t mean I am a Prophet to the Body of Christ. The Bible is an open book to me, rather more than it seems to be to most people, but that doesn’t mean I grasp it all. God speaks to different people different ways, and to each of us in different ways at different times. Cathy gets dreams from the Lord fairly often, but I hardly ever do. At the same time, He sometimes speaks a clear Word to her from the Bible, and I occasionally have meaningful dreams. We aren’t to close off any avenue of hearing from Him, but rather draw in to be as close to Him as possible, not only hearing but obeying fully.

Father, thank You for this Word. Help us indeed tune our ears and our hearts to You more and more, hearing You both for information and for direction, so that we will be fully useful in You hands, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!