Trusting the Spirit

Have you ever been nudged by the Lord to do something or not do something, but the comments of friends or family influenced you in the opposite direction? I have. While we are to seek the counsel of others, and of course, we are not to do anything that would contradict Scripture, walking by the Spirit means that we listen to the promptings of the Spirit even when others do not have the grace to understand. There is a picture of this in the life of Elisha. 

Elisha was the prophet God determined to replace Elijah. Elijah anointed him and then Elisha followed Elijah. However, Elisha knew this moment was coming. Elisha knew in his spirit that Elijah’s end was near. As he traveled with Elijah, prophets from the cities of Bethel and Jericho confirmed what he knew. The opportunity that Elijah afforded Elisha also affirmed it, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” They crossed through the Jordan. They walked and talked together. Suddenly, Elisha saw a chariot of fire appear as it separated him from his master. He watched as Elijah was carried upward in a whirlwind and then Elijah disappeared. Elisha picked up Elijah’s mantle that had fallen to the ground. He retraced his steps back to Jericho. The double portion of Elijah’s spirit He had asked for had been given him. It was confirmed as the waters of the Jordan separated before him. As he neared Jericho, the sons of the prophets saw Elisha coming. They recognized that the spirit of Elijah rested on him. They walked out to meet him, bowing respectfully before Elisha. Then, they suggested what they thought the next course of action ought to be. They wanted to send fifty strong men to go and search for Elijah. Their thought was that perhaps the Spirit of the LORD had dropped Elijah in some valley or mountain. Elisha knew this was not true. What Elisha knew to be true was in accord with what Elijah had said himself, and with what the prophets had spoken to him earlier. Elisha’s first response to their suggestion was “no.” However, they kept insisting. Because they kept insisting, Elisha felt shame. In response to his own shame, Elisha gave in to them knowing full well that their search would be unfruitful. He knew that his first answer was of the LORD. 

Shame, like fear, disrupts walking by the Spirit. We can only surmise why he felt shame. They acknowledged he had the spirit of Elijah, yet they were not willing to accept an answer of “no.” Perhaps, he was simply embarrassed to stand firm in what he knew was right because they did not respect him nor listen to him. Perhaps he thought they would judge his love or loyalty toward Elijah in his inaction. Perhaps, he had not learned to trust the Spirit’s leading, and so he could not be courageous in his conviction. In any case, he would learn to fear God more than even a king’s opinion. He would grow in his trust of the Spirit’s leading. We are no different from Elisha, and these are the ways we are to grow.

There is another caution. We must be cautious in being dogmatic in our opinions. We must encourage others to seek the Lord and the leading of the Holy Spirit. We can offer the wisdom the Lord has given us, the truths of Scripture, but each of us has been commanded to ask Jesus to lead us through the Holy Spirit. We may not understand how the Spirit is leading another individual; however, we may trust that He will direct and guide. We can be certain of this: no plan of our Lord’s will ever be thwarted.

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