The Holy Spirit

Course: The Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament Church

Section One: The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

Lesson 2

Lesson Title: The Gifts of the Spirit in the ministry of Elijah and Elisha.

Text: Luke 4:24-28 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elijah sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

Introduction: The Ministries of Elijah and Elisha were characterised by the operation of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Word of Wisdom enabled Elijah to speak with authority. Decree a thing. 1 Kings 17:1

Word of Knowledge enabled Elisha to know the plans of the Syrian army. 2 Kings 6:9

Gift of Faith enabled Elijah to ask for water to be poured on the altar. 1 Kings 18:33

Working of Miracles brought supernatural provision in time of famine. 1 Kings 17:13-14

Gifts of Healings provided healing for Naaman. 2 Kings 5:14

Prophecy was normal among the sons of the prophets. 2 Kings 4:38

Discerning of spirits enabled the servant of Elisha to see the hosts of God surrounding the Syrian army. 2 Kings 6:17

All of the New Testament gifts of the Holy Spirit apart from tongues and interpretation of tongues are evident in the Old Testament.

The reason for this is that the gift of tongues is the Holy Spirit in control of the believers worship out of a new heart. This is New testament Christianity.

Introductory Story: The leading of the Holy Spirit is essential in ministry.

If we become over confident in our own resources we are in danger of being defeated.

The Welsh Revival (1904)

The Revival in 1904 did not happen among the big preachers at Keswick. It can be argued that their preaching had significant influence, but the revival was led by a young preacher, Evan Roberts, who had no great reputation.

The Azusa Street revival (1906) began in a run down building in Azusa Street led by a one eyed black pastor also with no reputation.

God bypassed the big important preachers with their big followings and large buildings.

Their influence was unquestionably significant but it was Azusa Street where the revival began and spread around the world.

We must never put our confidence in our own resources and abilities.

This is why we must learn to be sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit.

There is a great story concerning this in the ministry of Elisha (2 Kings 3:6-24).

Being sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit.

Lesson Outline

1) Ministry of Elijah

2) Ministry of Elisha

3) Gifts do not happen automatically

Main Points

1. The ministry of Elijah was a demonstration of Holy Spirit anointed ministry in the Old Testament.

a) Who was Elijah?

· Elijah was not born with special privileges. (James 5:17-18)

· His family are not mentioned

· He was a Tishbite and dwelt in Gilead on the east side of Jordon. (1 Kings 17:1)

b) Elijah was anointed but he was also…

· Prayerful – ‘The Lord before whom I stand’ (1 Kings 17:1)

· Righteous before God

· Fearless before men

The anointing upon Elijah equipped Elijah for ministry but Elijah had to be sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit.

c) The Gifts of the Spirit empowered Elijah to…

· Speak with authority. Decree a thing ‘it will not rain…’ 1 Kings 17:1

· Supernatural provision. Food in time of famine ravens and the widow woman. (1 Kings 17:2-8, 1 Kings 17:9-16). God had prepared a woman to provide for him probably through a Word of Wisdom. She had no means, but God had spoken to her, 1 Kings 17:10-24. (Gift of Faith, Working of Miracles).

· Miraculously raise the dead. (1 Kings 17:17-24)

· Miraculously bring fire from heaven. (1 Kings 18).

2. Elisha was anointed because he had an unstoppable determination to move in the power of the Holy Spirit.

a) Elisha’s character and the gifts of the Spirit

i) The Gifts of the Spirit operate by desire.

· If we have no desire for the Gifts of the Spirit we will never move in the gifts.

· Elisha had to be determined to receive the anointing of Elijah.

ii) Total surrender. 1 Kings 19:19-21.

· He destroyed his natural means of provision (no going back).

· He killed the yoke of oxen and burnt the yoke (made a feast for the people).

· He gave himself to follow Elijah

i) Unstoppable (2 Kings 2).

· Elijah tried to stop him to test him. Tarry here – Bethel, Jericho, Elisha knew he was called but he still had to run after the man of God.

· He could not be stopped. He went across the Jordon. The anointing could only be received by unstoppable determination.

· He asked for a double portion of the anointing of Elijah. Did the same things as Elijah - same anointing of the Holy Spirit.

· He had to be there at a specific time. There must always be determination. If we wait for something to happen – usually nothing happens.

b) The Gifts of the Spirit in the ministry of Elisha

i) 2 Kings 4:27 'Lord has hid this from me.'

· Needed Word of Knowledge to know what had happened, and

· a Word of Wisdom to know what God was going to do.

ii) 2 Kings 6:8-10 ‘Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.’

· Elisha tells where the enemy – Elisha knew the plans of the enemy by a Word of Knowledge.

· Elisha prays for the eyes of his servant to be opened – discerning of spirits 2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

· Gifts operate to destroy the plans and intentions of the enemy. 2 Kings 6:18 ‘And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.’

All the gifts operate in the Old Testament apart from tongues and interpretation. This is unique to the New Testament.

3. The gifts of the Holy Spirit do not happen automatically but they operate as people move with the Holy Spirit. For the Gifts to operate something always had to be done.

a) Elijah

· Elijah had to go to Brook Cherith – ravens came

· Widow woman had to always use the last

· Elijah stretched himself upon the child

b) Elisha

· Healing the waters of Jericho – put salt in the spring (2 Kings 2:21)

· Alliance King Jehoshaphat (Judah), King Jehoram (Israel), King of Edom, told to dig ditches (2 Kings 3:16)

· Widow had to pour oil into empty vessels

· Shunammite woman had to act on the word – promise of a child (4:17)

· Elisha laid on the young man’s body and put his mouth to his mouth (4:34-35).

· Meal put in pot took away the poison (4:41)

· Feeding 100 men with 20 loaves – had to give the food out (4:43-44).

· Naaman washed 7 times in Jordon river (5:14)

· Stick in water made the axe head float (6:6-7)

· Elisha and servant went out to Syrian army led them to Samaria (6:19-20).

· Smiting the Syrians – King smote arrows on ground just 3 times (13:18-19).

c) Elisha’s bones

· The man who was raised to life when his body was thrown on Elisha’s (13:21). The miracle happened because the body was thrown on Elisha’s. The miracle had nothing to do with Elisha’s bones.

· The miracle happened because of the ministry of the Holy Spirit bearing testimony to the word of the Lord. The Holy Spirit is sovereign. He acts as He wills.

Summary:

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are seen in the ministries of Elijah and Elisha.

1. The ministry of Elijah was a demonstration of Holy Spirit anointed ministry in the Old Testament.

2. Elisha was anointed because he had an unstoppable determination to move in the power of the Holy Spirit.

3. The gifts of the Holy Spirit do not happen automatically but they operate as people move with the Holy Spirit.