When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise not.” —2 Kings 2:9-10
You may have heard of the “Peter Principle”—an ingenious concept and quite true: everybody is promoted to the level of their incompetence. Either through death, ambition, or lack of good personnel, people are given a job that they can’t do. Often, due to pride or selfish ambition, a person is determined to gain promotion; they get it and celebrate. But eighteen months later, they have a nervous breakdown because they can’t cope. But, you see, when you operate within the sphere of your own anointing, it’s easy.
Once God has given you an anointing, you will always have it because “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29).
The anointing that will be given to you—whatever it is—will put your faith to the test. The anointing may bring difficulties for you. It may lead you where you don’t want to go. You may have to go against personal desire. It may lead you to bless those whom you personally may not have chosen to bless.
If you know you have the anointing, even though you don’t have other little things, know that blessing from Him is worth more than all the money in the world. Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it” (Matt. 13:45). What that means is, when you want the anointing more than anything in the world, you’ll do anything to get it because you want God’s blessing, just like Elisha who would not let Elijah out of his sight.
There’s a lesson here for all of us: if we want the blessing more than anything in the world, we can have it because our very desire will be testimony to God’s work in our hearts.
Excerpted from All’s Well That Ends Well (Authentic Media, 2005).
Curt Landry 
Michael L. Brown 
Rabbi Eric Tokajer 
