2 Kings 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

These are the last words of Elisha to Elijah before Elisha took up Elijah’s mantle. I often think about these parting words of Elisha, in particular the thought comes to me, “Be careful what you ask for.”

You can be close and intimate with a man’s service to the Lord. You might even have the privilege to fill in for him on occasion. Being an apprentice is nothing like being the master. You have no idea of the level of responsibility until you have taken on that responsibility.

Elisha sought the one thing he knew he would need to pick up Elijah’s mantle, more spirit than he had. Was it possible to have more spirit? The thoughts in the times of these great prophets was of a rest upon spirit. It was not until Christ was resurrected that the Holy Spirit became an abiding Spirit. It is not possible to have a double portion of the Holy Spirit. Any portion of God is wholly God.

The mantle is what we take up, not the spirit. The Hebrew meaning, while specific to a prophets garment, literally means “a wide branching vine”. The inference is influence. Specific to that end, supplying to or giving sustenance to a large number of branches. That is where the idea of taking on responsibility comes from.

We will all retire to the Lord’s rest someday. We should see to our replacements and train up Godly men to take up our mantle with the attitude of Elisha. I need the Lord’s help to do this thing.

1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.