WHO'S NEXT?
By: Micaiah Wesler
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
2 Kings 2:11-14 NIV
I’ve noticed something recently. You’ll need to go check it out for yourself. In every generation there are people of faith that many would refer to as a “General of faith.” It’s a term for those people that are so full of the Lord that they are viewed as the Christian leaders of their time. They are revivalists and reformers that are used by God in miraculous ways. They are the pillars of Christ on this earth in our modern day. They are modern day apostles.
Do yourself a huge favor and go read the “God’s Generals” (by Roberts Liardon) books to see what I’m talking about. Here’s a MAJOR thing I’m noticing: many of the Generals of our day are becoming sick and dying. Their time to pass on the torch is drawing closer. Just recently we’ve lost Reinhard Bonnke, Billy Graham and Ravi Zacharias just to name a few. I know of a number of Generals that are still living that are currently sick or aging and have begun transitioning their ministries to prepare to pass it on. God asked me a question about all of this that smacked me so hard in the face. Want to know what that question was? Here it is:
WHO’S NEXT? Who will be Generals in my generation?
I take a look around and I’m not sure. Many of the people I know have become consumed in social media, comparison, false pursuits, popularity races, careers, and complacency. Many are bogged down by life and have lost the full burning passion for more of God. God is searching right now to see who has laid down their lives to that same extent that these Generals of faith have. Who is preparing themselves, not for fame, but to be used by God in such a way that it’s undeniable to both Christians and atheists alike? Who is living a consecrated life? To be honest, I got concerned with that question and the answer that I had to provide within myself. I don’t know who is next.
Many of us used to day-dream of being used by God to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out devils and wanted so badly to experience those things in the Lord that have not been seen or heard of before. Elijah was taken up in fire to the Lord, but left his mantle. Elisha had the ability to pick it up and receive the same power of the Lord that Elijah had, with increase, because He had lived alongside of Elijah in full consecration to the Lord. He was ready to be the next generation’s General. Who in this generation has prepared themselves to take up the mantle of the Generals that are passing?
The question that the Lord asked should sit heavy on us until we allow the truthful response of our hearts to be, “Here I am Lord. Whatever it takes, send me.”
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
2 Kings 2:11-14 NIV
I’ve noticed something recently. You’ll need to go check it out for yourself. In every generation there are people of faith that many would refer to as a “General of faith.” It’s a term for those people that are so full of the Lord that they are viewed as the Christian leaders of their time. They are revivalists and reformers that are used by God in miraculous ways. They are the pillars of Christ on this earth in our modern day. They are modern day apostles.
Do yourself a huge favor and go read the “God’s Generals” (by Roberts Liardon) books to see what I’m talking about. Here’s a MAJOR thing I’m noticing: many of the Generals of our day are becoming sick and dying. Their time to pass on the torch is drawing closer. Just recently we’ve lost Reinhard Bonnke, Billy Graham and Ravi Zacharias just to name a few. I know of a number of Generals that are still living that are currently sick or aging and have begun transitioning their ministries to prepare to pass it on. God asked me a question about all of this that smacked me so hard in the face. Want to know what that question was? Here it is:
WHO’S NEXT? Who will be Generals in my generation?
I take a look around and I’m not sure. Many of the people I know have become consumed in social media, comparison, false pursuits, popularity races, careers, and complacency. Many are bogged down by life and have lost the full burning passion for more of God. God is searching right now to see who has laid down their lives to that same extent that these Generals of faith have. Who is preparing themselves, not for fame, but to be used by God in such a way that it’s undeniable to both Christians and atheists alike? Who is living a consecrated life? To be honest, I got concerned with that question and the answer that I had to provide within myself. I don’t know who is next.
Many of us used to day-dream of being used by God to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out devils and wanted so badly to experience those things in the Lord that have not been seen or heard of before. Elijah was taken up in fire to the Lord, but left his mantle. Elisha had the ability to pick it up and receive the same power of the Lord that Elijah had, with increase, because He had lived alongside of Elijah in full consecration to the Lord. He was ready to be the next generation’s General. Who in this generation has prepared themselves to take up the mantle of the Generals that are passing?
The question that the Lord asked should sit heavy on us until we allow the truthful response of our hearts to be, “Here I am Lord. Whatever it takes, send me.”