Take Up Your Mantle

A relevent message for us all, delivered in images and words from my roots…

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2 Kings 2:1-15
Christian Bible:

1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “but do not speak of it.”
4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “but do not speak of it.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
7 Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 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.
10 “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.”
11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart.
13 He picked up the mantle that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the mantle that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
15 The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

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[ From: FeedMySheep ]

Passing The Mantle – 2 Kings 2:1-15

This is the story of changing of the guard from [the Prophet] Elijah to Elisha. It is the passing of the mantle, it is the transfer of anointing from one generation to the next. It must happen for the next generation to survive, if there is not transfer of anointing, if the mantle doesn’t get picked up, generations will suffer, people will perish, lives will be lost. How many people are willing to pass their what they have to others? How many of those receiving are prepared for the challenge?

1 – Not Everyone Wants The Mantle (vs 7)

Elijah visits the school of the prophets but they don’t want the mantle, they just want a title. Today that is the sad commentary of our world, a lot of people want to go into full time ministry, a lot of people want the title of Minister, Pastor or Reverend, that have no desire for an anointing, no concern for their generation, and are unwilling to go the extra miles to receive all that God has for them. The school of the prophets were a group that liked to get close enough to the anointing to see it, but not close enough to the anointing to wear it!

2 – Your Old Garments Won’t Work (vs 12)

I don’t know how much anointing Elisha had but he realised it wasn’t enough, He needed the mantle of Elijah, with the promise for a double portion attached it! You cannot throw history out of the window. You can’t realise your future without consulting your past. We need Elijah’s mantle with Elisha’s mantle to get the balance. We should experience the new, blended with the old, and it should minister to ages 1—100. If your gospel cannot reach every generation, then it is a weakened gospel! On the other hand, you can’t operate in Elijah’s anointing without Elisha’s double portion attached to it. You see this generation is different, and our methods of reaching them must change. Our doctrine will not change.

3 – Elisha’s anointing must be stronger (vs 15)

Every generation is different, every generation becomes more full of doubt, more harder to reach, more unwilling to follow. I see it even in the school of the prophets, it is like they represent our world today, standing on the bank saying, you better part the waters or we will not follow you. I think a big problem we see in this new age, we have more talent, more abilities, but it will take a stronger anointing to reach this generation.

4 – Who Will Pick Up The Mantle (vs 14)

Elijah’s mantle has fallen. There are more mantle’s laying on the ground today than mantle’s that have been picked up and worn. People have felt the call but have been unwilling to follow:-
Don’t pick up the mantle unless you are willing to wear it – Some people want a temporary tingle, some want to turn God on and off like their shower, but God doesn’t need week-end warriors who put their mantles on for a Sunday showing. He needs mantle wearers, anointing carriers, who will take up their mantle and never lay it down.
God will never take up your mantle. The gifts and callings of God are without repentance. You can run your whole life, but your mantle is still laying there for you to pick up. God may allow someone else to operate in a place He had for you, but He will never give your anointing to someone else, it will be laying there for you to pick up your entire life. There are people today who are picking up mantle’s they ran away from 40 years ago.
Today is the day to take your mantle. If you have ever felt the call of God on your life, today is your day to get your mantle, today is your day to start reaching the Elisha generation.

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3 comments

  1. LOL sweet girl who stalks me! <3*mwah!*This is a call to sincerity, seriousness, and commitment… many DO want the title and status without the responsibility entailed, conceiving hypocrisy that ultimately harms those they fancy they are helping…

  2. Melissa Rae says:

    Yes. Love. All things you have always been … Not easy …. No …. Never that … When it comes down to it .. Very few want the responsibility of leading …. of deciding … of being the one out front …. But that *is* who you are … And the mantal is already yours … you just needed to see it … claim it …. this time.

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