“i will not leave you” (2 kgs 2:2, 4, 6)
“ ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live,’ Elisha replied, ‘I will not leave you.’ And so the two went on together.” —2 Kings 2:6
We will do greater things than Jesus has done (Jn 14:12) when we receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). Elijah’s disciple, Elisha, received a double portion of Elijah’s spirit by refusing to leave him. Likewise, we as Christ’s disciples receive an unrationed outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:34) by refusing to leave Jesus.
We are repeatedly tempted to leave Jesus by committing sins; by being selfish, lazy, or fearful; and by doing our own thing. If we leave Jesus, we lose our life in the Spirit. However, there is hope for those who have left Jesus and are trapped in the powerlessness of selfishness. If we return to Him in repentance, He will forgive us and take us back. Then we will be with Him and be living in the full power of the Holy Spirit.
Don’t leave Jesus — even for a moment. You may never find your way back to Him. Cling to Jesus (see Jn 15:5). Fix your eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2). He loves you.
Prayer: Father, may I never leave You.
Promise: “When you fast, see to it that you groom your hair and wash your face. In that way no one can see you are fasting but your Father Who is hidden; and your Father Who sees what is hidden will repay you.” —Mt 6:17-18
Praise: Matt and Maria reconciled after a six-year separation.
Reference: (For a related teaching on Don’t Stifle the Spirit, listen to, download or order AV 56-3 or V 56 on our website.)
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