Intro from Julie A. Smith:
There are some of you reading this who know that you are called to help change nations and bring the Kingdom of God to the darkest places on the planet. As a woman of God, I am really excited about the calling on His daughters in this day and "for such a time as this."
Nathan Shaw of New Zealand shares an uplifting word for our generation and the unprecedented mantles God is releasing in our midst to His sons and daughters. I believe these mantles are not to be taken lightly as they carry great influence and authority as you'll read about in Nathan's word:
This generation will be marked by an unprecedented release of mantles from Heaven. These mantles will be used to halt the plans of the enemy and establish God's government on the earth. There are many like David in this generation: They have received mantles and they are relatively hidden; the mantles they carry are shaping them... He (David) was beginning to understand how to release the activity of the spirit realm into the natural realm and what that might look like on a national level. To go from an individual level to a national level would involve strategy. Already he was asking the question, "If I had greater influence what would I do with it?" David never grasped for authority and influence, but when God gave it to him he knew what to do...
Be encouraged that God is mantling you and that your mantle is unique to your particular calling! Please forward this on as it will truly bless many! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
Please forward this word to your friends! Encourage them to subscribe to the Elijah List right here: http://elijahlist.com/subscribe.
Enjoy!
Julie A. Smith, Managing Editor
Elijah List Publications
http://www.elijahlist.com
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"An Unprecedented Release of Mantles in Our Generation"
by Nathan Shaw, Dunedin, New Zealand
This generation will be marked by an unprecedented release of mantles from Heaven. These mantles will be used to halt the plans of the enemy and establish God's government on the earth. One of the clearest Biblical examples of the influence of a mantle is the prophet Elijah. Elisha also carried Elijah's mantle (2 Kings 2:1-15). These two prophets were feared and respected by kings and people alike. David received a mantle from God when Samuel anointed him to be king of Israel (2 Samuel 16:13). David was still young when this happened. He didn't become king until many years later. In the meantime, his life was shaped by the mantle he carried.
Historically, Mantles Carry Authority, Movement and Revelation
Each mantle is unique because it is given to accomplish a specific task. Elijah and Elisha's mantle was given to destroy the yoke of Baal worship and halt the advance of hostile armies. Israel's enemies planned to destroy Israel from within and from without. Internally, Jezebel empowered the demonic forces of false religion. Externally, hostile nations tried to advance on Israel's territory. These plans were halted by a mantle!
David's mantle was given to unify the nation of Israel under God's government. Because of tribal jealousies the nation of Israel was being torn into factions. King Saul acted by his own impulses rather than God's leading. He failed to bring God's government. The end result was chaos and conflict. After a period of civil war, the nation was unified because of David's mantle.
Each mantle is surrounded by its own unique movement in the spirit realm. Elijah and Elisha's mantle was surrounded by the movement of horses and chariots. These horses and chariots were much more powerful than foreign armies (2 Kings 2:11-12, 6:17, 13:14).
David's mantle was surrounded by the movement of sound and expression. When his hands touched the lyre, or when he sang, something happened in the spirit realm. King Saul was harassed by a tormenting spirit. When David played the lyre, Saul was relieved of the torment (1 Samuel 16:23). As David played, the sound and the movement that was in the spirit realm, permeated the natural realm. The sound had an authority that displaced torment and released freedom.
When a person has a mantle it changes the way they see things. The king of Syria wanted to capture Elisha. When he found out that Elisha was in Dothan, he surrounded the city with horses and chariots. Elisha's servant was distraught. Elisha was not. Elisha saw the movement that surrounded the mantle—in the spirit realm there was a vast army of horses and chariots all around him. Not only was the number of horses and chariots in the spirit realm much greater than the number of horses and chariots in the Syrian army, but heavenly chariots are no match for natural chariots. Consequently, Elisha captured the Syrian army and delivered them to the king of Israel (2 Kings 6:8-23). Those who carry mantles see things differently. Because of this they can often seem out of touch with reality.
When David was anointed by Samuel the mantle he received changed the way he saw things. The mantle bestowed kingly authority and was surrounded by the movement of sound. David saw the authority of the mantle when he played the lyre for Saul. However, the mantle was given for the nation, not just for tormented kings. Those in Saul's court saw a gifted man playing a lyre and a tormented king being released from torment. David was already seeing something much greater—the impact of his mantle on a nation.
The mantle was given to transform a tormented nation that was torn apart by contention and strife. David knew this. He began to visualize how national transformation could take place. There would be many musicians and singers. The sound would be multiplied. It would require teams working together in appointed shifts (see 1 Chronicles 16). The sound would change the atmosphere over the nation. The strategy was already forming in David's heart and mind—even while he played for Saul.
Mantles and Influence on a National Level
When David played the lyre for Saul his level of influence was small. He was merely a servant in the courts of a king. Relieving a king of torment is definitely not the same as transforming a nation. But he already had the mantle! The mantle was shaping him. He was learning how to carry its authority. He was discovering the movement that surrounded it. His perceptions were being shaped by it. He was beginning to understand how to release the activity of the spirit realm into the natural realm and what that might look like on a national level. To go from an individual level to a national level would involve strategy. Already he was asking the question, "If I had greater influence what would I do with it?" David never grasped for authority and influence, but when God gave it to him he knew what to do.
There are many like David in this generation: They have received mantles and they are relatively hidden; the mantles they carry are shaping them. But these are just a firstfruits. There are multitudes still to receive mantles. This release of mantles will be unprecedented. Consider for a moment the prophetic model presented in the Old Testament:
• Samuel anointed David.
• David anointed mighty men, musicians and singers.
• Elijah anointed Elisha.
• Elijah and Elisha anointed kings, reformers and schools of prophets.
In all these examples the impact was dramatic. The prophetic model presented in the Old Testament is only a foreshadowing. The present day reality will be much greater! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
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