Following the way of Jesus requires counting the cost before making a commitment to go “all in”. True discipleship asks what comfort, security, or old habits an individual is willing to give up in order to give God their absolute all. Rather than defaulting to whatever circumstances come along, believers are called to intentionally evaluate how they invest their lives.
A foundational mantra anchors this entire series:
“God calls you out of chaos to give you peace, and he calls you through chaos to give you purpose.”
Elijah’s Chaos: From the Mountain Peak to the Quiet Whisper
Before examining Elisha, it is vital to look at his mentor, Elijah, whose life was defined by extreme spiritual chaos and dramatic warfare:
- Miracles and Drought: Elijah announced a severe, multi-year drought over Israel as judgment against King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. During this famine, God fed Elijah through ravens at the brook of Cherith and supernaturally multiplied a widow’s flour and oil, eventually raising her dead son back to life.
- The Mount Carmel Confrontation: Elijah famously challenged 450 prophets of Baal to a contest of fire on Mount Carmel, proving that the Lord is the one true God.
- The Broom Tree and Mount Sinai: Following a death threat from Queen Jezebel, Elijah fled in fear into the desert, collapsed under a broom tree, and prayed to die. God miraculously sustained him on a 40-day journey to Mount Sinai.
- The Quiet Whisper: On the mountain, God was not in the roaring wind, the powerful earthquake, or the fire. Instead, God revealed Himself in a quiet whisper. In that whisper, God gave Elijah his next assignment: to go and anoint Elisha as his successor.
The Call of Elisha: Destroying the Safety Net
When Elijah found Elisha, the young man was plowing a field with 12 teams of oxen, indicating he came from a wealthy farming family.
Elisha's Radical Response.
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┌────────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
Counts the Cost Destroys the Past Steps into Service
Elijah casts his cloak Slaughters his oxen and Leaves his financial security
across Elisha's shoulders, burns his wooden plows for to become Elijah's assistant
symbolizing a divine call. a community feastand learner.
Elijah cast his cloak across Elisha’s shoulders—a symbol of divine commissioning—and walked away. When Elisha asked to say goodbye to his parents, Elijah challenged him to count the cost of what had just been done.
Elisha responded with immediate, total commitment. He slaughtered his oxen, used the wooden plows as fuel to build a fire to roast the meat, fed his townspeople, and left his old life behind to serve as Elijah’s assistant.
| Character Trait | Biblical Application (1 Kings 19 / 2 Kings 2) |
| Surrendered | Immediately abandoned his career, family business, and financial safety net without holding back. |
| Faithful | Remained steadfastly by Elijah’s side through years of training, refusing to leave his side even at the Jordan River. |
| Spiritually Powerful | Asked for and received a double portion of Elijah’s prophetic spirit, performing miraculous signs and leading with spiritual authority. |
Eliminating Divided Focus
Attempting to follow God while keeping “one hand on the old plow” creates a dangerous, divided focus. This mindset creates a spiritual stalemate where a person is too distracted by their past to be effective in the future God has prepared.
In Luke 9:62, Jesus addresses this exact compromise: “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God.”. Similarly, when Elijah confronted the Israelites on Mount Carmel, he asked: “How long will you waver between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21).
Believers must intentionally dismantle the bridge back to their comfort zone. Most people are not in danger of ruining their lives; they are in danger of wasting them by clinging to past security.
Service as the Prerequisite for Spiritual Power
Elisha’s transition from a farmer to a powerful prophet was rooted in humble service. Culturally, Elisha was known as the one who “poured water over the hands of Elijah”.
Scripture repeatedly emphasizes that service and submission are necessary prerequisites for spiritual authority:
- Mutual Submission: Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21).
- Humility Over Ambition: Do nothing out of selfish ambition, but in humility value others above yourselves (Philippians 2:3).
- The Model of Christ: Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
Following Jesus does not usually require leaving an everyday job, but it requires incorporating Him into every daily task and burning any mental safety nets that keep a heart divided.
Reflection Questions
- What “plow” or safety net from your past are you still holding onto that prevents you from going “all in” with God?
- Are you trying to hear God’s voice in noisy, dramatic circumstances, or are you creating quiet space to listen for His gentle whisper?
- In what practical area of your life can you step into humble, behind-the-scenes service as a pathway to spiritual growth?
Scripture References: 1 Kings 19:15-21 | 2 Kings 2 | Luke 9:62 | Mark 10:45 | Ephesians 5:21 | Philippians 2:3
