“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24
Let’s look at the three servants who served Elijah and Elisha. They all had the same opportunity to be blessed, but only one received the prize. The question is why?
Lets look at the first servant of the Prophet Elijah. We are introduced to him on Mount Carmel. He was the one who ran to the top of the mountain 7 times to see if there were any clouds while Elijah prayed for rain. If you follow the story through you will see that Elijah fled from Queen Jezebel far away to the Mount of God.
Elijah told his servant to stay at Beersheba, and he did. He was an obedient servant and but it was the last we ever heard of him. The trouble is, he had no passion for the anointing that Elijah had and was willing to let it go. He could have been next in line for the double portion but he missed it.
Then we read of Elisha who was Elijah’s next servant. He had a different spirit and served Elijah for 6 years doing menial work, like doing his cooking and washing his clothes. Elisha saw the miracles of his master Elijah and desired what he had. He had forsaken everything to follow the man of God and had burnt all his bridges and wasn’t going back.
When his master Elijah was about to depart, Elijah said to Elisha, stay here at Gilgal. Elisha’s response was completely different to that of the previous servant. He said “NO way.” Three times he was told to stay behind but he said no. They finally crossed the Jordan river where Elijah asked, “What do you want?” “You can have whatever you ask for.” His immediate response was “A double portion of your prophetic power.” He did get what he asked for ended up doing twice as many recorded miracles than Elijah.
Elisha was different to the previous servant as he wouldn’t take no for an answer. His mind was already made up and he couldn’t be moved from it. God loves tenacity and we see it time and again in scripture, with great rewards.
Gehazi
Now we come to another servant. This was Elisha’s servant Gehazi. He was next in line for the mantel and had seen all the miracles of Elisha and knew how he received the blessing from his master Elijah. He was being groomed for the blessing but missed it for he didn’t have the same spirit as Elisha.
On one occasion he was given the task to run ahead of Elisha and pray for a dead child. He tried it for a while and gave up. Elisha then arrived and kept on praying until the child was raised from dead.
Later Gehazi really showed his true colours when he to Namaan so that he could obtain material riches. He did get his double portion, but it was a double portion of the world instead of a double portion of the Spirit, plus a dose of leprosy.
Of the 3 servants mentioned, Elisha was the only one who persevered and ended up receiving the prize.
We too are all invited to run in the race but need to stay focused if we want to obtain our full reward.