Don’t Get Derailed

We all go through troubling times, the Bible promises that. So it is vital that we learn how to handle hardship. God always has a plan for us to come out stronger, but satan seeks to use pain to make us change our ways. The devil want us to become wary or reluctant to continue doing good.

Many Bible heroes were derailed by life’s difficulties. I want us to look at Elisha to understand one way the devil tries to divert us from our destiny.

Elijah knew that part of his purpose was to raise up a spiritual son who could do what he did. So when Elijah was taken to heaven, Elisha, who had served him faithfully, picked up his master’s mantle and received a double portion of Elijah’s anointing.

Elisha continued in that calling as he trained a company of prophets. He then identified one he believed he could raise as a son. Elisha let Gehazi into his heart and probably into his home. They travelled together, ministered together and served God together. I think that Elisha believed Gehazi would be the one to inherit his mantle, just as he had inherited Elijah’s.

Broken trust

But Gehazi betrayed Elisha. He tried to profit out of the prophetic and he lied to his leader. In one dreadful day, Gehazi ruined everything and squandered his privileged position in Prophet Elisha’s life.

I don’t know who has disappointed you. Perhaps you trusted a pastor who was found to be unfaithful. Maybe you believed a brother who betrayed you or you could have relied on a sister who squashed your dreams. It hurts when people let us down.

We never see Elisha take another young minister as close again. When Elisha died, his mantle fell to the ground forever. Yes he left an amazing legacy of lessons through scripture. But he didn’t raise up the next general prophet to continue the mission. I believe that the bitter betrayal of Gehazi may have caused him to change his ways.

Don’t adapt for the devil

As I said at the outset, satan wants us to adapt our lives as a result of life’s hurts. He wants us to back off from our brothers, stop trusting pastors or give up on our gifts. In contrast, God wants us to get healed, grow in wisdom and then take vengeance on the enemy by doing even more good in His kingdom.

I encourage you to consider your life. Have you changed your ways to avoid being burnt again? Bring every pain to God in prayer, ask Him to heal your hurts, pray for new wisdom and then get back up and go for it again. We will never be content until we are fulfilling our purpose.

If you want to be free from inner issues so that you can fulfil your purpose, I encourage you to get one of my books such as 30 Day Detox for your Soul from Amazon. Not just that, come to Healed for Life, our transformational event that helps get you ready for your destiny. See jonaughton.com for details