Pentecostal Church of God, Bland Mo. 65066

Full Gospel Ministry in Song and Word
Pastor Rev. Steven Wagner Telephone: 573-437-5190

Rt 3, Owensville MO. 65066

Date: 10/26/97

HANGING ON TO THE OLD WAY

Scripture: 2 Kings 2:1-15, pg. 390

(2 Ki 2:9 KJV) And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

Comment: For about one hundred years since the last great out pouring of the Holy Spirit the church has slowly but surely compromised their experience and belief in Jesus Christ. They have slowly traded the salvation of God for the salvation of the religion, they have traded the power of God for the money of this world, they have traded true religion and righteousness for a counterfeit religion that makes you feel good on Sunday but doesn't change you, that is comfortable, that doesn't require anything from you. In the great out pouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts people swarmed the temple to worship God every day, now you can't beg people into Gods house, they are to busy to worship God, they are to selfish to worship God, they are to lazy to worship God, they are to wrapped up in this world to worship God, They can't go to church but they can go visit there friends, they can sit and watch the hell box, they can go out and eat, they can do many things but they don't have a desire to go to the house of God and worship him. They say I went my one time this week or this month or some even this year, and make themselves feel good, but God doesn't see it that way he sees it as you picking everything over him and you are.

A. We need to get back to the old way. (Not outward holiness but inward holiness that brings outward holiness) God said unless you are holy you will not see God.

(Heb 12:14 KJV) Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

B. We need to seek the old ways of all night prayer meetings, long revivals, and dedicated life styles unto God, that glorify Him as God in our lives.

Commentary of the Story:

a. Elisha only long for one thing, he only dreamed for one thing, and that was to have the same thing that Elijah had and even more of the same.

b. He would not leave Elijah alone he followed him every where he went. Elijah would even tell him to stay and he would not. (We need to have some determination about receiving from God, we will find resistance to doing what God wants us to but we need to not except anything except more of God and not give up).

c. Because Elijah had only one desire in life, he left everything to find his desire,

(1 Ki 19:19 KJV) So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

(1 Ki 19:20 KJV) And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

'(1 Ki 19:21 KJV) And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

I. WE HAVE TO BE READY TO RECEIVE FROM GOD TO HANG ON TO THE OLD WAY.

1. When Elisha experienced the anointing of God only one thing mattered and that was to follow after that anointing, and receive the fullness of that anointing.

2. He wouldn't be turned back, he wouldn't be told know, he had made up his mind that there was only one thing that mattered and that was to have the not only a little of what Elijah had but he wanted to have all that he could have and even more.

(2 Ki 2:2 KJV) And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.

3. He followed Elijha everywhere he went just waiting for his chance, he didn't want to miss his chance.

He new he had to be there when God moved,

He new he had to be in Gods plan when he moved,

He new he must have his life right and prepared when God moved.

a. Our trouble is we don't serve God consistently we get excited and get in for a week or maybe two and then we fall out and then get back in but we will never receive from God that way.

b. We have to be ready when God moves not doing our own thing we have to get to that place in God that we are ready and we can do something for God as soon as he needs us, as soon as he moves, we have to ready.

c. We have to have a desire to have everything that God has for us not just what we can get by with. If Elisha would have had the attitude that I'm only going to do what I have to do to get by would he have received the double portion of the anointing of God?

A. Elisha was ready to receive, he was waiting for his chance and he was,

(2 Ki 2:11 KJV) And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

(2 Ki 2:12 KJV) And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

(2 Ki 2:13 KJV) He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;

II. WE HAVE TO HAVE A DESIRE TO RECEIVE AS MUCH FROM GOD AS WE CAN.

(2 Ki 2:9 KJV) And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

A. We need to be hungry for all that we can get from God.

a. But reality is that most of the church only want just enough to get them by and that is all.

b. The church knows that if they really get in and serve God its going to cost them something and we are not willing to pay anything.

c. If we have this kind of attitude we will never have anything either.

B. Its time for the church to go back to the old way, the old anointing, the real thing,

NOT SOME WATERED DOWN, EDUCATED AWAY, COMPROMISING, DO NOTHING, SOCIALLY EXCEPTED, DENOMINATION EXCEPTED, NEW AGE, FEEL GOOD, COMFORTABLE, RESPECTFUL, FORM, OF SERVING GOD,

BUT A HOLY GHOST, FIRE BREATHING, LIFE CHANGING, SIN CLEANSING, DEVIL CHASING, ABNORMAL, CHAIN BREAKING, BODY HEALING, SOUL FILLING, ANOINTING OF GOD, POWERED BY THE ANOINTING AND POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST.

C. Do you know that Elisha was so anointed that even after he died his bones were still anointed and doing the work of God. Glory to God, Praise Him

(2 Ki 13:21 KJV) And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

D. I wonder how much anointing do you have in your life. Some of you don't have enough anointing to even get you up and get you to church every Sunday, some of you don't have enough anointing in your life to go to church on Wed. night, Some of you don't even have enough anointing to over come your flesh and pay your tithes to God, Some of you don't even have enough anointing in you to give up your cigarettes, or you booze, or you lust, or your cheating, or your tempers, or your pride, what am I saying,

E. Instead of working miracles, and raising the dead, and saving souls, and delivering the down hearted your living in powerless, non-producing, pathetic life for God.

F. Its time to get back to the old ways, back to the power and anointing of God.

III. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MANTLE TO HANG ON TO THE OLD WAYS.

A. Jesus passed His mantle down to us when he was going away he said I'm going to send you the comforter the Holy Spirit.

(John 14:12 KJV) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

a. How could we do greater works than Jesus did, because Jesus was going to pass the mantle to us the Holy Spirit, the anointing of Jesus would be passed on the the church and even in a greater portion, we can become Elisha's receiving a double portion.

(John 14:26 KJV) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

(John 15:26 KJV) But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

(Acts 2:33 KJV) Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

b. Acts 2:33 is talking about the previous verses were Peter was preaching to all the people around that had just witnessed the out pouring of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost.

(2 Tim 3:1 KJV) This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

(2 Tim 3:2 KJV) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

(2 Tim 3:3 KJV) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

(2 Tim 3:4 KJV) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

(2 Tim 3:5 KJV) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

(2 Tim 3:6 KJV) For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

(2 Tim 3:7 KJV) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

CLOSING: YOU SEE IF ALL YOU HAVE IS A FORM THEN YOU HAVEN'T PICKED UP THE MANTLE, AND IF YOUR NOT WILLING TO PICK UP HIS MANTLE THEN YOU FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

ONLY THOSE THAT REALLY PICK UP THE MANTLE WILL DO ANYTHING FOR GOD, WILL CHANGE LIVES, WILL MOVE IN THE POWER OF GOD, WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THE REST A HAY AND STUBBLE AND WILL BE BURNED WITH THE REST.