This is the story of changing of the guard from 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, and lives will be lost. How many people are willing to pass 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 fuller of doubt, 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 lying 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.

Can you imagine the Bible without Elisha? It is a scary thought to think that Elijah moves on, and the next generation only has the school of the prophets doing ministry. When John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord, 400 years had passed without vision, without power, without a strong Word from God. It was generations without an Elisha. Today, I want some people to carry an Elisha anointing. So that 2 Kings 13:21 could happen again, that as they bury someone, you would have so much anointing left even in your bones, they would revive if they only touched your bones. That is an Elisha anointing, power to touch the next generation for God!

Categories: 2 Kings