A Saving Spirit

Many in the church have lost sight of the kind of Spirit that they belong to as christians. Because of the increase in witchcraft and the desire to see vengeance, many christians are now accepting another spirit. When Jesus was with his apostles, they attempted to bring fire from heaven like Elijah in order to burn their enemies and Jesus replied with a rebuke. Why? Let’s follow the story.

Luke 9: 51-56
51. It came to pass, when the days were near that he should be taken up, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52. and sent messengers before his face. They went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, so as to prepare for him. 53. But they did not receive him, because he was traveling with his face set towards Jerusalem. 54. When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from the sky, and consume them?” 55. And he turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not realize what kind of Spirit you belong to. 56. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy people’s lives, but to save them.” And they went to another village.

In this presentation I will look briefly at the spirit of Moses, The spirit of Elijah and the spirit of Christ. All three are the Spirit of God, working and manifesting differently in each of these 3 individuals for different purposes. The greatest of these three is Christ and we as Christians, live and function under the Spirit of Christ.

The Spirit of Moses

When the work proved too much for Moses, God decided to place 70 Elders who would help Moses judge Israel. God came down and took  some of the spirit of Moses and placed it upon them.

Numbers 11:16-17
16. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.
17. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone

So in essence, the 70 elders received the Moses anointing and were now able to help him complete his mission. Moses was raised by God to bring the Law of God.

John 7:19 New International Version
Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?

John 1:17 New International Version
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

So Moses had signs and works which were meant to bring testimony that He was truly a prophet from God, so that he would bring the Law into the world.

The Spirit of Elijah

Elijah came to bring the hearts of the people back to God. He also brought God’s judgement upon the prophets who had gone after another God.

1 Kings 18:36-37
36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. 40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

Malachi 4:5-6 New English Translation (NET Bible)
5 Look, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord arrives. 6 He will encourage fathers and their children to return to me, so that I will not come and strike the earth with judgment.”

Luke 1:17 New International Version (NIV)
17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

So when Elijah was now leaving earth, we see that his spirit is taken and given to another.

2 Kings 2:9-10 King James Version (KJV)
9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

He received what he had asked for.

2 Kings 2:14-15 King James Version (KJV)
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. 15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

Double Portion

When Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, it does not mean that he was asking for two times more spirit than Elijah. I don’t think so. He was asking for the right to be the successor of Elijah. He would receive 2 times more anointing than the other prophets so that he would be their leader.

Before I explain further, let us look at the verse in other versions.

2 Kings 2:9
New Living Translation
When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.” And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.

Contemporary English Version
After they had reached the other side, Elijah said, “Elisha, the LORD will soon take me away. What can I do for you before that happens?” Elisha answered, “Please give me twice as much of your power as you give the other prophets, so I can be the one who takes your place as their leader.”

Good News Translation
There, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what you want me to do for you before I am taken away.” “Let me receive the share of your power that will make me your successor,” Elisha answered.

Inorder to understand this we must look at the concept of double portions as it is given to Israel. When a man died and his inheritance was being devided among his sons, the one who would get the right of the first born, was given two times more than others (double portion) as a sign that he had been chosen to take the Father’s place and be leader.

Deuteronomy 21:16-17 Modern English Version (MEV)
16 then it must be, when he gives his sons the inheritance which he has, that he may not make the firstborn son of the loved come before the son of the unloved, who was indeed the firstborn. 17 On the contrary, he must acknowledge the son of the unloved for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.

Elisha’s case.

When Elijah had told God that he no longer wanted to continue with the mission, God told him to anoint 3 people who were going to finish his work. Two of them would be Kings and One would be a prophet in his place. in addition there were 7000 more people whom God had preserved.

1 Kings 19:15-18
15. The Lord said to him, “Go, return on the road through the Wilderness of Damascus, and when you arrive, anoint Hazael to be king over Aram. 16 And you shall anoint Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to be king over Israel, and you shall anoint Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah, to be prophet in your place. 17. He who escapes the sword of Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and he who escapes the sword of Jehu will be killed by Elisha. 18. Still, I have preserved seven thousand men in Israel for Myself, all of whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

I personally believe, it is in relation to these, that Elisha required a double portion.

The Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ

Just as in the case of Moses and Elijah, when Christ had to go, he gave us His Spirit so that we may be co-labourers with him. That we may accomplish his work on earth. Those that received the spirit of Moses, worked the work of Moses, those who received the Spirit of Elijah did the work of Elijah and those who receive the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ will work his works.

His spirit is what makes us Christians.

Romans 8:9
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

This is why christian prophets will be different from old testament prophets. This is why Jesus forbade his apostles from copying Elijah. Because we as Christians do not receive the spirit of Elijah nor the spirit of Moses but the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ. And because Jesus Christ’s primary mission is to save the world. His Spirit which he has given to us, is a saving Spirit. In order to understand how to operate under his spirit, we must understand his mission and purpose.

How to identify The Spirit of Christ

1. He does not condemn the world.

John 12:47 International Standard Version
If anyone hears my words and doesn’t keep them, I don’t condemn him, because I didn’t come to condemn the world, but to save it.

John 3:17
17. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

If you are living in condemnation and or condemning those around you, instead of seeking their salvation. Then you know not what kind of Spirit you are of. The world is filled with grievous sinners. When operating under the Spirit of Christ, a person will not condemn those sinners but rather bring them to conviction, so they may repent and be saved.

John 16
8And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11.Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged. 12. “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

There are some points above there which should be noted concerning the spirit that is given to Christians.

2. He brings glory to Jesus by speaking the words that come from Jesus. He does not seek to establish his own new thing, he does not boast nor focus on himself.

Be wary of any spirit that tries to focus on itself or even on people instead of Christ.

As witchcraft is such a big thing in Africa, I have heard prophets condemning witches, declaring death upon all witches and any who oppose them, I wonder, what manner of Spirit are they of.