How Far Do You Want to Go?

2 Kings 2:1-6, 6-25

Important in Israel’s history, and symbolic in Christian’s walk:

• Gilgal - First camp of Israelites in Promised Land.
o Joshua 4:19-24 - A Christian time of remembering that God is both alive and active - Holy Spirit is
always with us and always at work (John 5:17).
o Joshua 5:2, 8-9 - A rolling away of the past. Gilgal summed up as separation.

Now Elisha had to make a choice - had he learned the lessons of Gilgal? Was he ready to mature? Elijah tells him “stay
here”, not wanting to force Elisha to mature too quickly. The Lord would have you stay at Gilgal until you know that
He’s always with you, and until the past is dead and buried.

• Bethel - House of God.

o Genesis 28:10-19 - A Christian time of receiving your mission. A time of intimacy and prophecy. He
calls us to be a blessing to all people (2 Corinthians 2:14-16).
o Judges 20:24-28 - A Christian time of testing and refining, victory is coming soon!

But Elisha had to choose again - was he ready to make his call a reality? The Lord won’t take us out of Bethel until we’re
properly trained and filled to the brim with His presence, i.e. take the house with us! At that point you don’t have to go to
Bethel to encounter God! (Conferences), you take God with you! But before the victory you still go out and grow - Israel
lost battles before God’s “Tomorrow I will deliver them into your hands”. Maybe you’ve evangelized and not gotten
results, maybe you’ve prayed for the sick and not seem them healed - do it again! For tomorrow may be the day of your
breakthrough!

• Jericho - A walk of faith.

o Joshua 5:13-15 - A Christian time of surrender. God doesn’t come to take sides, He comes to take over.
Don’t let the mission distract you from knowing who really brings victory; don’t let the authority given to
you make you arrogant (1 Corinthians 4:7).
o Joshua 6:1, 8 - A Christian time of new conquests. Going where no one before you was able to go. You
go forward in faith walking and talking, God follows behind with all the power you need (Mark 16:17).

Again Elisha could’ve stayed put. Was he ready to leave the comfort of the Promise Land? Had he learned the lessons
well enough to enter enemy territory? The Lord will train you at Jericho, but He’ll ask you to cross the Jordan if you’re
ever going to do real damage to the kingdom of darkness.

• Jordan - A return to your first love, and a sending out as His witness.
o 2 Kings 2:6 - A Christian time of fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Our relationship with God has never
been closer. Now is the time for Him to remind us about our beginning (remember Gilgal - the stones
came from the parting of the Jordan, that we might always fear and revere God; Revelation 2:1-5; 1
Corinthians 4:1-5)
o 2 Kings 2:7-9 - A Christian time of impartation. Are you ready for a day when God asks “what can I do
for you?” Elijah asked Elisha, God asked Solomon. Or what would you ask of the Lord to receive from
Him?

Now for Elisha’s final test - can he keep his eye on the prize? (2 Kings 2:10-12a) - Elisha saw. And doesn’t the Lord call
us to the same thing? “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:3). Consider Peter
- able to walk on water as long as he kept his gaze on Jesus and did not doubt.
So then as you and the Lord “walk on” consider what stage of the journey you’re at and what is coming next.
***Are you ready to say “As surely as the Lord lives, Jesus I will not leave you”?***

All stages summed up in Philippians 3:7-11.