Linda’s Reviews > Spirit-filled Discipleship: How God Calls Christlike Disciples > Status Update

“In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus made it clear that miracles are not necessarily a validation of a person’s relationship with God. How can you know whether a person with a miraculous ministry is sent from God?” This is an excellent question. It’s only partly answered by the ‘fruit-bearing life’ commentary.

“It seems that the Lord Jesus used healing as a door opener to get to the heart of man.” This is true, but no one tries to claim that Elisha’s ministry of dead bodies raised to life should be a sign of apostolic ministry. And yet Jesus also accomplished this type of miracle.

“Thankfully, both a godly life and powerful ministry were seen in Elisha.”
I have never heard anyone claim that a life of power includes the ability to call down fire on groups of soldiers repeatedly. Somehow this ministry of cleansing fire gets ignored.

Not sure the explanation of new and old wine is in any way building on the foundation laid by the (actual) apostles. “Each generation must receive a fuller revelation of Jesus than their predecessors.” If that means new information, why did He say, “It is finished” when He breathed His last?

That’s what my momma always told me. “In the climate of Palestine, the fermentation of newly pressed grapes begins almost immediately. In fact, fermentation never begins later than the next day after the juice has been extracted from the grapes.”

“Unfortunately, too many have held tenaciously to “methods” while losing sight of the truth they were supposed to impart! That’s why traditions practiced in the Church without the leading of the Holy Spirit will never produce life.” It’s true!!

“For a season, people may be followed, methods may be taught, and traditions may be repeated, but they must never be thought of in the same way as the Lord’s truth.” This also applies to …. apostles who accept complete submission from their followers.

“the mantle of ministry doesn’t necessarily continue to be passed down from generation to generation.” Also shown in Moses’ life, because his sons are not mentioned outside the Pentateuch.

So if Elisha received a double portion of the spirit resting on Elijah because he was so submitted to Elijah…why did Elisha continue following when Elijah told him to stay where he was (‘I must journey on’)? He knew it was a test?

As spiritual son, Elisha was asking for a double portion of the spirit resting on Elijah as a firstborn’s inheritance. He’d sacrificed the other inheritance, literally.