The Mantles are Shifting: Are you Ready to Steward Yours?
The gifts & callings of God cannot be withdrawn (Romans 11:29), but offices & mantles can be passed, removed or reassigned.
“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29 NKJV
This is not meant to frighten you, but it is meant to sharpen you.
To prepare you to advance God’s kingdom on earth & step into the fullness of who God has called you to be.
Why Mantles Shift
Mantles can be removed due to disobedience, negligence, or failure to complete an assignment.
Mantles can also pass through natural succession, or supernaturally, through divine reallocation.
What is an office?
Biblically, offices are roles assigned by God to advance His kingdom on the earth. They can be spiritual, prophetic, administrative or judicial in nature.
The core purpose of any office is to lead, teach, govern & shepherd the church.
Depending upon the office & the measure of authority of the person within it, the jurisdiction of an office can extend outside of the church, but its core purpose is still for the Church’s benefit.
What is a mantle?
A mantle is either a physical or symbolic garment that represents anointing, authority or assignment. Mantles operate as the confirmation of an office.
Often, the mantle is received first and then the office is given after the one mantled has matured & stewarded it well.
King David would be an example of this in the Bible. David was anointed as king as a youth but did not walk in the fullness of kingship over both Israel & Judah as an office until he was 37.
Mantles are given to individuals but their impact always extends beyond the one it is given to.
Mantles impact families, communities, nations and even generations.
Mantles can be inherited & transferred by God from one person to another. Mantles can also be lost & a person can be removed & disqualified from office.
Examples of Offices & Mantles Removed & Reassigned in the Old & New Testament:
In the Hebrew Bible, King Saul is a tragic example of this.
He was mantled with the office of king by the prophet Samuel, but through disobedience, that office was removed from him & given to another. (1 Samuel 15:23).
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” I Samuel 15:23 NKJV
We see the same thing in the New Testament in the Book of Acts with the apostle Judas, who gave up his apostolic office through suicide.
Judas’s apostolic office was given to Matthias as his replacement. (Acts 1:24-26)
“And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”
Acts 1:24-26 NKJV
This is not just a history lesson. We will see the same thing among today’s apostles, prophets & other leaders in the Body of Christ as well.
There are those who will remain gifted but their office will pass from them through disobedience.
Even when men celebrate them, they are Ichabod in the eyes of God. (Ichabod means the glory of God has departed from them, 1 Samuel 4:21).
“Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.” I Samuel 4:21 NKJV
After the Holy Spirit left Saul, he reigned for many more years publicly and won all of his battles until his death. But God was no longer with him.
It is the same with many current leaders right now.
There will be others who die of natural/supernatural means or commit suicide, and there office & mantle will be passed in this way as well.
While this is sad, understand that it must take place for the perfect will of the Father to come to pass.
If Saul was not removed, David could not be king, and through his kingly line, the Son of David, Jesus, came.
While Judas’s suicide was sad, his replacement by Matthias allowed the Holy Spirit to fall at Pentecost which ushered in 3,000 souls & the establishing of the Church.
So we see through 2 separate examples of judgement in the Hebrew Bible & The New Testament, God was able to come to the earth once the office was removed from the unrighteous person to the righteous person.
Jesus came through the line of David after Saul was replaced.
Holy Spirit came at Pentecost after Judas was replaced.
We also see this happen with the prophet Elijah passing a double portion of his mantle to his spiritual son, the prophet Elisha. (2 Kings 2:8, 13-14)
“Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.” II Kings 2:8 NKJV
“He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.” II Kings 2:13-14 NKJV
So it is not always judgement, it can also be natural succession.
But when it is judgement, understand that it has purpose. The purpose is the advancement of the kingdom of God.
God loves us all (John 3:16) , but God is also not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 NKJV
“Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.” Acts 10:34 NKJV
Meaning that if one person decides to not complete an assignment, He will give the assignment to another.
Not for the express purpose of punishing the first person, but for the purpose of seeing His kingdom advance on the earth.
But do not be fearful, the removal from office or a reassignment of a mantle is not the very first thing God does, for He is patient.
But this is also a warning to those in office to not be slack about being obedient to what God has called you to do.
For what He has called you to do can be given to another if you choose to not be obedient.
If you choose to faithfully steward your mantle, you participate in God’s eternal plan and leave a legacy that cannot be erased.
A legacy that Heaven itself backs and celebrates.
So take some time today and ask Holy Spirit, “Am I faithfully stewarding my calling? Where am I doing well? Where can I improve?”
Doing this will help you to not miss your kairos moments through ignorance or neglect.
And your obedience in this will not only bless you, but everyone you have been designed to impact.
If you choose to disobey & delay, God will find another.
Many will suffer in the meantime as God prepares the next person.
This is one of Satan’s main strategies to keep the church from maturing, which is what Jesus wants more than anything else.
The offices & mantles of God are designed to equip & mature the Church into becoming a beautiful & spotless Bride before the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.
What if we are the generation that takes this seriously?
Not for our own fame or personal glory, but for the glory of God?
God doesn’t just want our gifts, He wants our hearts.
Where are the David’s? Where are the Elijah’s? Where are the Elisha’s? Where are the Samuel’s?
I believe if you are reading this, you are amongst them. But you must choose to rise to the occasion, accept the mantle being given to you & take your position.
If you desire to walk amongst the chosen, then you must choose Him above all else, even if it costs you everything.
So will you accept the call in faith? Or will it pass to another?