Pick Up Your Mantel

0:00:00.400 --> 0:00:03.160 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:00:03.200 --> 0:00:06.360 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:00:06.440 --> 0:00:09.040 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:00:09.080 --> 0:00:11.719 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:00:11.800 --> 0:00:15.800 for God's ruth, best and water. God bless you. It's 0:00:15.840 --> 0:00:18.320 great to be with you today, and I hope you'll 0:00:18.320 --> 0:00:21.360 stay connected with us during the week to our daily podcast, 0:00:21.480 --> 0:00:24.919 our YouTube channel, social media, and you can come visit 0:00:25.000 --> 0:00:27.120 us in person. We'd love to have you be a 0:00:27.120 --> 0:00:29.760 part of one of our services. I'd like to start 0:00:29.800 --> 0:00:32.800 with something funny, and I heard about this positive farmer 0:00:33.000 --> 0:00:37.040 and negative farmer. When it would rain. Positive farmer, Lord, 0:00:37.240 --> 0:00:40.720 thank you for the rain water in our crops. Negative farmer, Yeah, 0:00:40.720 --> 0:00:42.520 but if it keeps it up, it's going to rock 0:00:42.560 --> 0:00:45.640 the roots. When the sun came out, Positive farm the Lord, 0:00:45.840 --> 0:00:48.760 thank you for the sunshine giving our plants valuable nutrients. 0:00:49.040 --> 0:00:51.159 Hagging a farmer, Yeah, it keeps it up, it's going 0:00:51.240 --> 0:00:54.600 to scortch the crops. One day they went bird hunting 0:00:54.640 --> 0:00:57.320 together in a boat and positive farmer just got a 0:00:57.360 --> 0:01:00.320 new bird dog and is so proud of them. Shot 0:01:00.320 --> 0:01:03.080 a bird fell in the water to the negative farmer, 0:01:03.120 --> 0:01:06.120 why's this? The dog jumped out of the boat, ran 0:01:06.200 --> 0:01:09.280 on top of the water, picked up the bird, ran 0:01:09.360 --> 0:01:11.560 back on top of the water, put it in the boat. 0:01:12.200 --> 0:01:14.800 What do you think? Negative farmers said, Yeah, I should 0:01:14.800 --> 0:01:18.520 have known it. That dog can't even swim. Say it 0:01:18.560 --> 0:01:21.399 like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am 0:01:21.480 --> 0:01:23.920 what it says. I am. I have what it says 0:01:23.959 --> 0:01:26.600 I have. I can do what it says I can do. 0:01:27.000 --> 0:01:29.880 Today I will be taught the word of God. I 0:01:30.040 --> 0:01:34.240 boldly confess. My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:01:34.560 --> 0:01:38.240 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:01:38.319 --> 0:01:41.640 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:01:41.920 --> 0:01:46.000 pick up your mantle. A mental in the scripture was 0:01:46.040 --> 0:01:49.480 a coat or some type of covering. It was symbolic 0:01:49.640 --> 0:01:53.520 of the blessing of God. It represented his calling and 0:01:53.640 --> 0:01:58.040 authority to carry out his will. The mantle enabled the 0:01:58.080 --> 0:02:01.200 person to do things they couldn't do on their own. 0:02:01.960 --> 0:02:06.400 It was favor to accomplish dreams and faith to see miracles, 0:02:06.440 --> 0:02:11.800 and courage to outlast opposition. Having that mantle empowered the 0:02:11.880 --> 0:02:16.200 person to go further and take new ground. God never 0:02:16.280 --> 0:02:19.520 created us to get stuck at one level. He's a 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:24.600 progressive God. He wants every generation to increase. He has 0:02:24.680 --> 0:02:29.120 these destiny moments where he'll give us an opportunity to 0:02:29.200 --> 0:02:32.080 pick up a new mantle so we can step into 0:02:32.320 --> 0:02:36.440 new levels. Now often it happens when someone goes to 0:02:36.480 --> 0:02:40.320 be with the Lord. Their work here on earth is finished, 0:02:40.760 --> 0:02:44.959 but the purposes of God never stop. They finished their course, 0:02:45.200 --> 0:02:48.760 but they left the mantle. And of course we're celebrating 0:02:48.800 --> 0:02:53.040 the homegoing of my mother. She lived ninety one amazing years. 0:02:53.800 --> 0:02:58.240 She carried different mantles. The mantle of faith, believing for 0:02:58.360 --> 0:03:03.360 miracles until a prayer covering her family and loved ones. 0:03:03.960 --> 0:03:07.880 A mental of generosity. My mother was always helping people, 0:03:08.240 --> 0:03:11.000 giving gift cards, paying their rent, be it a blessing. 0:03:11.960 --> 0:03:16.400 A mental of commitment, pastoring faithfully since she was in 0:03:16.400 --> 0:03:20.120 her early twenties, always in church, taking care of people. 0:03:20.919 --> 0:03:24.120 And a mantle of standing in the gap for others, 0:03:24.720 --> 0:03:28.440 people that she didn't even know, someone she saw in passing, 0:03:28.680 --> 0:03:31.600 praying for them year after year, calling them by name. 0:03:32.360 --> 0:03:35.560 And I know she was my mother, Joel, that's your mantle. 0:03:35.760 --> 0:03:38.480 Doesn't have anything to do with me, but no, she 0:03:38.680 --> 0:03:41.960 was the mother of the church. You listen to our ministry. 0:03:42.120 --> 0:03:45.960 She's connected to you because everything I do was influenced 0:03:45.960 --> 0:03:49.560 by her. We are at one of these destiny moments 0:03:50.040 --> 0:03:53.640 where God is saying, who's going to pick up these mantles? 0:03:54.000 --> 0:03:57.520 It's not just for one any of us can. God 0:03:57.600 --> 0:04:01.040 is calling us to greater things. Who's gonna cover your 0:04:01.080 --> 0:04:04.320 family with prayer? Who's gonna stand in the gap for 0:04:04.400 --> 0:04:09.160 that loved oneness? Off course, others are criticizing, writing him off. 0:04:09.560 --> 0:04:12.200 Somebody's got to rise up and say, I'm gonna pray 0:04:12.280 --> 0:04:16.200 him back home. I'm gonna remind God every day, don't 0:04:16.279 --> 0:04:19.440 leave that mantle on the ground, pick it up. Be 0:04:19.520 --> 0:04:22.520 the one to make a difference. Who's going to believe 0:04:22.600 --> 0:04:25.839 for miracles in a greater way. Who's gonna take the 0:04:25.920 --> 0:04:29.960 limits off of God? Not believe the lies? And we're 0:04:30.000 --> 0:04:34.679 stuck here all my famili's depressed. We'll never get well, Joel. 0:04:35.400 --> 0:04:38.760 Someone has to break out of the status quo and 0:04:38.839 --> 0:04:43.039 pray bold prayers to see those generational bondages come off. 0:04:44.080 --> 0:04:47.200 Who's gonna pick up the mantle to live more committed, 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:52.000 more consecrated, not taking the easy way out, but staying 0:04:52.040 --> 0:04:55.120 on that high road. To be an example to those 0:04:55.160 --> 0:04:59.640 around you, Or how about that mental of generosity being 0:04:59.640 --> 0:05:04.120 a blas helping others in need, living to give, not 0:05:04.279 --> 0:05:08.760 to get. God is calling us up higher. He's saying, 0:05:08.800 --> 0:05:11.640 there are greater things in store that you have to 0:05:11.680 --> 0:05:17.400 pick up that mantle, greater favor, greater influence, greater resources. 0:05:17.600 --> 0:05:22.200 But it's going to require greater commitment, new mindsets, being 0:05:22.279 --> 0:05:24.880 willing to get out of our comfort zone and stretch 0:05:24.920 --> 0:05:28.440 to new levels. This is what happened to Elisha in 0:05:28.520 --> 0:05:31.159 the scripture. He was a young man out in the 0:05:31.200 --> 0:05:35.039 fields plowing, had twelve oxing in front of him. He 0:05:35.160 --> 0:05:39.400 was working in the family business. Life was good. One day, 0:05:39.440 --> 0:05:42.720 while he was minding his own business, the prophet Elijah 0:05:42.760 --> 0:05:46.000 showed up. He was a powerful man. He'd called down 0:05:46.080 --> 0:05:49.920 fire from heaven and destroyed four hundred and fifty false prophets. 0:05:50.320 --> 0:05:52.479 He prayed, and a three and a half year drought 0:05:52.560 --> 0:05:55.320 came to an end. He's the one that outran a 0:05:55.400 --> 0:05:58.800 chariot and raised a little boy from the dead. So 0:05:58.880 --> 0:06:02.919 all kinds of miracles. God do amazing things. When he 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:05.599 saw Elisha out in the fields, he took off his 0:06:05.720 --> 0:06:09.640 coat and threw it at Elisha. Imagine it hit him 0:06:09.680 --> 0:06:12.760 and fell to the ground. Elisha thought, who is this 0:06:12.880 --> 0:06:16.640 man throwing things at me? He looked closer and realized 0:06:16.800 --> 0:06:20.680 it was the prophet Elijah. This wasn't just his coat, 0:06:21.120 --> 0:06:25.440 this was his mantle. This represented the favor, the authority, 0:06:25.680 --> 0:06:28.960 the blessing of God. And this was a critical moment. 0:06:29.680 --> 0:06:33.360 God was calling Elisha to greater things, was giving him 0:06:33.360 --> 0:06:36.760 an opportunity to step up to a new level. The 0:06:36.880 --> 0:06:42.160 problem was Elisha was comfortable, he was satisfied. He had 0:06:42.160 --> 0:06:44.680 to make a decision. Was he going to leave the 0:06:44.680 --> 0:06:47.839 mantle there and think, Man, I don't want more responsibility. 0:06:48.520 --> 0:06:50.920 I don't want to have to stretch. I'm just gonna 0:06:50.920 --> 0:06:53.520 play it safe. But does someone else have that mantle? 0:06:54.440 --> 0:06:57.520 She'll never reach your destiny if you play it safe 0:06:57.600 --> 0:06:59.839 all the time. You have to get out of the 0:07:00.040 --> 0:07:04.000 faith zone and over into the faith zone. There are 0:07:04.120 --> 0:07:07.359 levels God is calling you to that are going to 0:07:07.360 --> 0:07:12.440 feel uncomfortable, that are over your head, that require greater commitment, 0:07:12.880 --> 0:07:17.280 greater consecration. You can't hang around those same people and 0:07:17.360 --> 0:07:21.520 carry this new mantle greater faith. You can't stay in 0:07:21.560 --> 0:07:25.880 the boat and walk on water bolder prayer. You can't 0:07:25.920 --> 0:07:29.400 pray weak get by prayers and see the fullness of 0:07:29.440 --> 0:07:33.160 what God has for you. All these thoughts were bombarding 0:07:33.160 --> 0:07:36.400 Elisha's mind, telling him not to pick it up. He 0:07:36.400 --> 0:07:40.320 could have walked away and went about his business. Instead, 0:07:40.720 --> 0:07:44.560 he reached down and picked up that mantle. This was 0:07:44.640 --> 0:07:48.600 a destiny moment. He was saying, God, I'm willing to 0:07:48.640 --> 0:07:51.560 step up to who you've called me to be, to 0:07:51.680 --> 0:07:54.840 accept the favor, the blessing, the calling that you're in 0:07:54.920 --> 0:07:59.480 trusting me with. He had a new mindset. A shift 0:07:59.520 --> 0:08:03.520 has taken place, a transfer of the anointing. I'm walking 0:08:03.600 --> 0:08:08.400 in greater power, greater authority, greater consecration. You can't pick 0:08:08.480 --> 0:08:12.440 up a new mantle and keep an old mindset. There 0:08:12.480 --> 0:08:15.480 needs to be this shift in your thinking. No more. 0:08:15.520 --> 0:08:18.920 I've reached my limits and I can't get well. We 0:08:19.000 --> 0:08:21.200 can't pray for people, Joel, I don't have that kind 0:08:21.240 --> 0:08:24.480 of authority, that kind of power. It's not just up 0:08:24.520 --> 0:08:27.080 to what you can do. The power of the Most 0:08:27.200 --> 0:08:31.880 High is behind you. What you couldn't do before. That 0:08:31.960 --> 0:08:35.640 mantle you picked up brings the authority, the power, the 0:08:35.640 --> 0:08:40.480 favor of Almighty God. Elisha stopped the oxen cut up 0:08:40.480 --> 0:08:43.160 the plow and made a big fire, with the smoke 0:08:43.280 --> 0:08:47.640 billowing in the background. He left his comfort zone, walked 0:08:47.679 --> 0:08:52.360 away with Elijah to become his assistant. Sometimes when you 0:08:52.440 --> 0:08:55.160 pick up a mantle, you have to walk away from 0:08:55.280 --> 0:08:59.560 things you can't carry that mantle of favor, that mantle 0:08:59.600 --> 0:09:04.000 of greater influence and compromise. At the same time, you 0:09:04.080 --> 0:09:06.360 may have to walk away from some friends that are 0:09:06.360 --> 0:09:10.000 pulling you down, bringing out the worst in you. Or 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:13.960 walk away from that phone, that computer that's distracting you 0:09:14.400 --> 0:09:17.120 spending hours a day on things that aren't making you better. 0:09:18.080 --> 0:09:22.120 Or walk away from fear, doubt, those thoughts telling you 0:09:22.120 --> 0:09:25.400 you're not able, you're not good enough, you've made too 0:09:25.400 --> 0:09:29.440 many mistakes. The enemy will tell you all the reasons 0:09:29.480 --> 0:09:32.640 you can't pick up that mantle. You're not worthy, you're 0:09:32.640 --> 0:09:36.400 not qualified, you're too shy. Walk away from those lies, 0:09:37.040 --> 0:09:40.200 get out of your comfort zone. God wants to use 0:09:40.280 --> 0:09:44.760 you like he did my mother, for greater miracles, greater favor, 0:09:45.280 --> 0:09:49.520 greater prayer, greater generosity. Will you pick up that mantle. 0:09:50.600 --> 0:09:52.680 That's what I had to do, and my dad went 0:09:52.720 --> 0:09:55.600 to be with the Lord. I was content where I 0:09:55.800 --> 0:09:59.520 was doing the television production, working behind the scenes at 0:09:59.559 --> 0:10:02.240 lake Wood. I thought I'd do that the rest of 0:10:02.240 --> 0:10:05.920 my life. But while I was minding my own business, 0:10:05.960 --> 0:10:09.600 Elijah showed up so to speaking. That mantle came to me, 0:10:09.720 --> 0:10:13.880 and I thought, I can't pastor like my father, not qualified, 0:10:14.400 --> 0:10:17.679 I've never been to seminary. God, You've got the wrong person. 0:10:18.559 --> 0:10:21.600 But God wouldn't have given you the opportunity if you 0:10:21.640 --> 0:10:24.640 weren't well able. I took a step of faith that 0:10:24.720 --> 0:10:28.040 I picked up that mantle. I thought, Man, this is 0:10:28.080 --> 0:10:31.320 gonna be hard. I'm way over my head. I'm gonna 0:10:31.320 --> 0:10:33.920 do my best to carry this mantle. But what I 0:10:34.040 --> 0:10:38.400 discovered was the mantle carried me. There was a blessing, 0:10:38.640 --> 0:10:42.200 a favor of courage I had never seen before. Now 0:10:42.240 --> 0:10:44.960 I think about what I would have missed if I 0:10:45.000 --> 0:10:48.240 hadn't been willing to pick up that mantle. Where would 0:10:48.240 --> 0:10:50.920 I be today? If I'd stayed in the safe zone 0:10:51.480 --> 0:10:54.400 and believed the lies that I'm not good enough, I 0:10:54.400 --> 0:10:57.200 don't have what my father had, no one will ever 0:10:57.240 --> 0:11:00.000 listen to me. I would have never seen the common 0:11:00.120 --> 0:11:03.240 back center, never seen the books, the media being able 0:11:03.280 --> 0:11:06.120 to help people. I would have missed who I was 0:11:06.160 --> 0:11:10.240 created to be. There are mantles God is asking you 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:15.400 to pick up. Mantles of faith, praying for what looks impossible, 0:11:16.120 --> 0:11:21.040 Mantles of favor, believing for bigger things. Mantles of courage 0:11:21.360 --> 0:11:25.600 to press past the fear, Mantles of prayer, to stand 0:11:25.640 --> 0:11:28.880 in the gap for your family, to push back the darkness. 0:11:29.840 --> 0:11:32.720 The last ten years of my mother's life, she didn't 0:11:32.720 --> 0:11:35.720 come up to the office anymore. She used to come 0:11:35.920 --> 0:11:38.680 two or three times a week and write notes and 0:11:38.880 --> 0:11:42.640 encourage the staff, and one year we calculated she had 0:11:42.640 --> 0:11:47.400 written fifteen thousand handwritten notes. She loved to thank people 0:11:47.440 --> 0:11:49.840 for their support and tell them she was praying for 0:11:49.880 --> 0:11:53.480 their healing. She said to me recently, Joel, I feel 0:11:53.559 --> 0:11:55.880 kind of bad that I don't go up to the 0:11:55.960 --> 0:11:59.120 office anymore. But I really feel like I'm just supposed 0:11:59.120 --> 0:12:02.960 to stay home and pray. Many times she would stay 0:12:03.000 --> 0:12:06.520 in bed till noon, just praying for people. She'd wake 0:12:06.559 --> 0:12:08.760 up early. She wasn't lazy, but she'd just lie there 0:12:08.880 --> 0:12:12.200 and call every family member by name, not just her children, 0:12:12.440 --> 0:12:18.000 but their spouses, extended family, her grandchildren. She had over 0:12:18.080 --> 0:12:20.920 one hundred people that she would pray for every day. 0:12:21.480 --> 0:12:24.920 She was an incredible force for good, for our family 0:12:25.000 --> 0:12:28.160 and for our church family. She may not have called 0:12:28.200 --> 0:12:31.720 you by name, but she prayed fervently for everyone. That's 0:12:31.720 --> 0:12:34.719 a part of our ministry. Now. I told Victoria when 0:12:34.760 --> 0:12:37.760 she passed, I'm not just going to miss her friendship, 0:12:38.480 --> 0:12:42.080 miss her being my mom, but I'm gonna miss her prayers. 0:12:42.440 --> 0:12:46.360 There's a void, a vacuum. She always had us covered 0:12:46.520 --> 0:12:49.160 from the time we were little children. We never left 0:12:49.200 --> 0:12:53.280 the house without our praying for us. Mother passed, but 0:12:53.400 --> 0:12:57.000 that mental state here, God is asking us to pick 0:12:57.040 --> 0:13:01.320 it up. Be that prayer warrior for your family, for 0:13:01.400 --> 0:13:06.040 your friends, for your church. Stand in the gap to 0:13:06.080 --> 0:13:09.360 clear the favor and purposes of God over their lives. 0:13:09.400 --> 0:13:11.920 And you don't have to spend hours a day, but 0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:14.920 you can get up ten minutes earlier and cover your 0:13:14.960 --> 0:13:18.560 family in prayer. One time, my mother saw the name 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:22.520 of an entertainer on a marquis driving to church each week. 0:13:22.760 --> 0:13:24.800 She read about how he came from a family of 0:13:24.840 --> 0:13:28.480 missionaries to Mexico. He grew up singing in church, but 0:13:29.200 --> 0:13:32.079 now he was off course, singing in clubs. She didn't 0:13:32.080 --> 0:13:36.040 know him, didn't have any connection, but my mother started praying. 0:13:36.720 --> 0:13:39.679 Not one time, but day after day. He got on 0:13:39.720 --> 0:13:43.160 her prayer list. When you were on her list, watch out, 0:13:43.320 --> 0:13:47.200 things are going to happen. Years went by and nothing changed. 0:13:47.240 --> 0:13:49.719 He's still out singing in the clubs, but he had 0:13:49.720 --> 0:13:52.520 a child that was sick and decided to go to church. 0:13:53.240 --> 0:13:56.840 He walked into Lakewood and Usher recognized him and told 0:13:56.880 --> 0:13:59.560 my mother. She went back and gave him a hog, 0:14:00.120 --> 0:14:02.960 said Bill, I've been praying for you for years. He 0:14:03.080 --> 0:14:05.920 thought that day he'd be condemned and looked down on, 0:14:06.480 --> 0:14:10.280 but he felt unconditional love. The arms of our heavenly 0:14:10.320 --> 0:14:14.720 Father opened wide, ready to receive him. He not only 0:14:15.080 --> 0:14:17.839 gave his life back to Christ, but his son was 0:14:17.920 --> 0:14:21.840 healed from leukemia. A few months after that visit, our 0:14:21.840 --> 0:14:24.920 friend Bill nashed at his first Christian concert at Lakewood. 0:14:25.320 --> 0:14:28.600 That was the start of a new beginning. I wonder 0:14:29.080 --> 0:14:32.320 where Bill would be if my mother had not stood 0:14:32.320 --> 0:14:35.720 in the gap for him. There are people God brings 0:14:35.720 --> 0:14:39.840 across your path on purpose that need your prayer. They 0:14:39.880 --> 0:14:43.040 don't have anyone lifting them up. You can be the 0:14:43.080 --> 0:14:46.800 one that helps them break bondages and step into their destiny. 0:14:47.720 --> 0:14:51.200 In the same way my mother always prayed for Willie 0:14:51.240 --> 0:14:57.400 Nelson years and years. She loved Willie weed and all. 0:14:57.520 --> 0:15:00.320 I think it's because he and my brother Paul of 0:15:00.320 --> 0:15:04.960 look alike. But she didn't see the same results with 0:15:05.000 --> 0:15:08.360 Willie that she did with Bill. But you never know 0:15:08.440 --> 0:15:12.000 what God is going to do. Just because the person 0:15:12.120 --> 0:15:16.400 dies doesn't mean their prayers don't go on. Some of 0:15:16.480 --> 0:15:20.160 us are blessed today because of our grandmother's prayer. Our 0:15:20.160 --> 0:15:24.040 great grandparents. People stood in the gap that maybe we 0:15:24.080 --> 0:15:29.080 didn't meet. They believe for their seed and for future generations. 0:15:29.520 --> 0:15:33.680 And today we're seeing favor and protection because like my mother, 0:15:34.200 --> 0:15:37.040 they put up that wall of prayer. They took time 0:15:37.080 --> 0:15:41.120 to call our name, to speak life over their family. Well, 0:15:41.160 --> 0:15:45.840 Elisha picked up this mantle and followed Elijah, served him 0:15:45.880 --> 0:15:49.200 faithfully and took care of him. He came time for 0:15:49.320 --> 0:15:52.480 Elijah to go to Heaven. Was his last day on earth. 0:15:53.040 --> 0:15:55.720 He came to the Jordan River and needed to cross. 0:15:56.280 --> 0:16:00.120 They had no boat, no bridge, so Elijah took off 0:16:00.200 --> 0:16:04.600 his cloak and smote the water. The river parted. That 0:16:04.680 --> 0:16:09.320 mantle carried power and authority caused supernatural things to happen. 0:16:09.960 --> 0:16:14.040 He and Elisha walked through came down to his final minutes. 0:16:14.720 --> 0:16:17.680 He said, Elisha, you've served me all this time and 0:16:18.040 --> 0:16:20.800 I'm about to leave. What would you like me to 0:16:20.880 --> 0:16:24.000 do for you. Elisha could have said, I just want 0:16:24.000 --> 0:16:26.920 to carry on what you've started. Let me just continue 0:16:26.960 --> 0:16:31.239 this work. He could have asked for something normal, something reasonable. 0:16:31.840 --> 0:16:35.520 But Elisha was bold. He knew that what he was 0:16:35.560 --> 0:16:39.800 going to face was going to require more favor, more power, 0:16:40.200 --> 0:16:43.920 more miracles. He said, Elijah, my request is that I 0:16:43.920 --> 0:16:47.480 would have a double portion of your spirit, that I 0:16:47.520 --> 0:16:50.960 would have twice the faith, twice the power, twice the influence. 0:16:51.520 --> 0:16:54.400 Elijah could have said, what are you talking about, Elisha? 0:16:54.960 --> 0:16:58.040 You need to be more humble, be satisfied with what 0:16:58.120 --> 0:17:01.880 I did. But Elijah didn't fault him, he didn't try 0:17:01.920 --> 0:17:06.560 to push him down. He said, you've asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, 0:17:06.800 --> 0:17:09.440 if you see me when I'm taking away, you will 0:17:09.480 --> 0:17:12.800 have it. In a few minutes they were walking along, 0:17:13.320 --> 0:17:16.639 this whirlwind caught Elijah up and took him to heaven. 0:17:17.320 --> 0:17:22.000 Suddenly he was gone. Elisha stood there in disbelief. He 0:17:22.119 --> 0:17:25.359 was so distraught that he tore his shirt into two pieces, 0:17:25.760 --> 0:17:29.560 wondering what in the world just happened. Elijah was gone, 0:17:30.080 --> 0:17:34.199 but his mantle fell to the ground. Elijah picked up 0:17:34.240 --> 0:17:39.120 that mantle. It's significant that he took off his old clothes. 0:17:39.880 --> 0:17:43.439 He was saying, I can't become who I'm supposed to 0:17:43.520 --> 0:17:48.120 be wearing old labels. I'm not a prophet. I'm a farmer. 0:17:48.480 --> 0:17:50.960 I can't do what Elijah did. I don't want have 0:17:51.000 --> 0:17:54.600 the talent, the favor, the influence. Before you put on 0:17:54.640 --> 0:17:58.400 this new mantle, take off all the old labels. I'm 0:17:58.400 --> 0:18:03.520 too short, too tall, I'm addicted. I'm unattractive, I'm not worthy. 0:18:04.359 --> 0:18:08.120 Jesus said, you can't put new wine into old wine skins. 0:18:08.680 --> 0:18:11.560 If you do, the wine skins will burst. You can't 0:18:11.600 --> 0:18:16.040 go to new levels with old thinking. Quit telling yourself 0:18:16.320 --> 0:18:19.560 everything you're not, and get in agreement with God. You 0:18:19.600 --> 0:18:23.960 are a masterpiece made in his image, a mighty hero, 0:18:24.560 --> 0:18:30.040 a giant killer, strong, competent, talented, raised up for such 0:18:30.080 --> 0:18:34.080 a time as this. Elijha walked to the Jordan River. 0:18:34.440 --> 0:18:36.840 He was headed back home, but had no way to 0:18:36.880 --> 0:18:41.040 get back across. He remembered what Elijah did, how he 0:18:41.119 --> 0:18:44.480 threw his cloak in the water and it parted. Thoughts 0:18:44.480 --> 0:18:47.800 were telling him don't even think about it. You're not Elijah. 0:18:48.240 --> 0:18:51.600 You don't have that kind of power. There will always 0:18:51.640 --> 0:18:54.720 be voices trying to talk you out of who you are, 0:18:55.520 --> 0:18:58.479 trying to convince you to take off that mantle. There 0:18:58.480 --> 0:19:01.040 were fifty people standing on the banks of the Jordan, 0:19:01.480 --> 0:19:04.080 the same ones that saw Elijah part the water a 0:19:04.119 --> 0:19:07.480 few hours earlier. It's one thing to see if the 0:19:07.520 --> 0:19:11.119 mantle works in private. If it doesn't, nobody will know. 0:19:11.800 --> 0:19:15.920 But Elijah has all these people watching, takes off his coat. 0:19:16.480 --> 0:19:20.199 He removes the mantle and strikes the water, this dramatic moment. 0:19:20.600 --> 0:19:23.879 As soon as he did, the water opened up, the 0:19:24.000 --> 0:19:27.720 river parted. He walked through on dry ground. The same 0:19:27.920 --> 0:19:33.120 anointing that was on Elijah was now on Elisha. This 0:19:33.160 --> 0:19:36.840 didn't happen by accident. He was bold enough to pick 0:19:36.920 --> 0:19:42.040 up the mantle that anointing, favor and power was transferred 0:19:42.040 --> 0:19:47.119 to him. Elijah left, but the mantle stayed. This is 0:19:47.160 --> 0:19:51.760 symbolic when someone leaves goes to heaven that carried favor, 0:19:52.359 --> 0:19:57.439 blessing and influence. Those mantles don't leave. They're waiting for 0:19:57.560 --> 0:20:01.639 someone to pick them up. God is counting on us. 0:20:01.880 --> 0:20:05.680 He's doing a new thing. Many of us have been blessed, 0:20:05.720 --> 0:20:08.840 and it's easy to get comfortable. I don't want to 0:20:08.960 --> 0:20:12.199 rock the boat. But God is calling us up higher. 0:20:12.840 --> 0:20:16.480 He has greater things. But it's going to take greater commitment, 0:20:17.080 --> 0:20:21.840 greater faith, greater prayer, greater generosity. When you pick up 0:20:21.880 --> 0:20:25.800 that mantle, you'll discover, like I did, the mantle is 0:20:25.840 --> 0:20:29.720 going to carry you. Elisha came to the Jordan. He 0:20:29.760 --> 0:20:33.040 didn't have to fret, worry how this going to happen. 0:20:33.760 --> 0:20:35.879 It wasn't up to him, it was up to God. 0:20:36.760 --> 0:20:40.960 The mantle represents the authority, the favor, the blessing of 0:20:41.000 --> 0:20:43.520 the most high. But you have to pick it up, 0:20:44.320 --> 0:20:49.640 believe for miracles, cover your family in prayer, leave the familiar, 0:20:50.320 --> 0:20:53.639 and step into the unknown. Because what got you to 0:20:53.680 --> 0:20:56.760 where you are was good, but it's not going to 0:20:56.800 --> 0:21:00.720 be enough for where God has taken you. Living in 0:21:00.880 --> 0:21:06.560 darker days, there are more obstacles, more divisions, more devils 0:21:06.600 --> 0:21:09.359 to fight, more people that are cynical and want to 0:21:09.359 --> 0:21:13.680 bring you down, more distractions to steal your time, deception 0:21:13.880 --> 0:21:17.919 to get you off course. You can't win today's battles 0:21:18.320 --> 0:21:22.240 off of yesterday's tactics. God is doing a new thing. 0:21:23.080 --> 0:21:26.320 The darker it gets in the world, the brighter you 0:21:26.359 --> 0:21:29.000 and I are going to shine. But you're gonna need 0:21:29.119 --> 0:21:35.640 greater faith and greater miracles, greater prayer, greater consecration. That's 0:21:35.680 --> 0:21:39.560 why Elishah prayed for a double portion. He wasn't saying 0:21:39.600 --> 0:21:42.520 I just want to outshine you, Elijah, I just want 0:21:42.560 --> 0:21:45.160 to look better for my ego. He knew there were 0:21:45.200 --> 0:21:48.960 greater enemies. Some of these mantles that you're about to 0:21:49.000 --> 0:21:53.720 pick up are double portion mantles. You haven't seen, heard, 0:21:53.920 --> 0:21:57.800 or imagined what God is about to do. He's entrusting 0:21:57.840 --> 0:22:01.920 you to go further, to carry his blessing, his favor 0:22:02.280 --> 0:22:05.879 in ways you've never imagined. You know why, because He 0:22:05.920 --> 0:22:11.600 can trust you. You've been faithful, like Elisha, You've given served, 0:22:11.920 --> 0:22:15.359 done the right thing. Now your time is coming, and 0:22:15.400 --> 0:22:18.520 it's good to look back and remember what God has done. 0:22:18.680 --> 0:22:21.440 Thank him for the victories. I talk all the time 0:22:21.480 --> 0:22:24.159 about how God gave us the Compact center, how you 0:22:24.200 --> 0:22:28.600 heal my mom from cancer. That's good, but God doesn't 0:22:28.600 --> 0:22:31.760 want you to live off of past victories. He's about 0:22:31.800 --> 0:22:34.280 to give you some new things to talk about that. 0:22:34.320 --> 0:22:40.440 Will supersede the old double portion power, double portion favor, 0:22:40.960 --> 0:22:44.760 double portion creativity, double portion of resources. 0:22:45.560 --> 0:22:47.960 When my father went to be with the Lord and 0:22:48.040 --> 0:22:51.000 we were in that eight thousand seat sanctuary that Daddy 0:22:51.040 --> 0:22:53.920 and the congregation built and is a big place, and 0:22:54.280 --> 0:22:56.359 by the grace of God, I've picked up that mantle 0:22:56.400 --> 0:22:59.919 and followed in my father's footsteps, and I was content 0:23:00.119 --> 0:23:02.520 to just try to keep the church going. It would 0:23:02.520 --> 0:23:04.280 have been a win if we just didn't go down. 0:23:05.000 --> 0:23:09.159 But God is a progressive God. He wants every generation 0:23:09.320 --> 0:23:13.040 to increase. He knows the later it gets, the more power, 0:23:13.240 --> 0:23:15.720 the more favor, the more blessing it's going to take. 0:23:16.680 --> 0:23:20.040 When we acquired the Compact Center, this place, it seats 0:23:20.119 --> 0:23:25.240 sixteen thousand people. It's not a coincidence that is exactly double. 0:23:26.160 --> 0:23:30.760 There are some double portion anointings waiting to be picked up. 0:23:31.640 --> 0:23:35.000 The new things God is going to do is going 0:23:35.080 --> 0:23:38.879 to be out of the ordinary, uncommon, something you've never seen. 0:23:39.760 --> 0:23:43.840 Seeing the Old Testament, only certain people were anointed. That 0:23:43.960 --> 0:23:47.800 mantle had to come to you. Elijah went to Elisha 0:23:47.840 --> 0:23:51.240 through the mantle. Samuel went to David and anointed him. 0:23:51.600 --> 0:23:54.320 He was limited for a group of people, those that 0:23:54.400 --> 0:23:59.200 God selected. But in the New Testament, since Jesus has come, 0:23:59.560 --> 0:24:02.440 the Holy Spirit lives on the inside of each one 0:24:02.480 --> 0:24:06.080 of us. We can all pick up these mantles. The 0:24:06.160 --> 0:24:09.320 last message Jesus game. He was with his disciples, we 0:24:09.359 --> 0:24:11.919 call it the Last Supper. He told them how his 0:24:12.000 --> 0:24:14.520 assignment was coming to an end and how he had 0:24:14.520 --> 0:24:17.959 finished his course. He said, I'm about to leave and 0:24:18.000 --> 0:24:21.440 go to my father, but I'm not leaving you alone. 0:24:21.600 --> 0:24:24.120 I will send the Holy Spirit to live in you. 0:24:24.640 --> 0:24:28.280 He was saying, I'm going, but I'm leaving the mantle 0:24:28.880 --> 0:24:32.800 the power and favor to accomplish my will. He went 0:24:32.840 --> 0:24:37.520 on to say, greater works than these, shall you do? Well. 0:24:37.600 --> 0:24:42.040 Jesus did amazing things. Heal the sick, multiplied food, calm 0:24:42.080 --> 0:24:44.760 the sea, raised Lazarus. But he said, in effect, for 0:24:44.880 --> 0:24:48.600 your day, you're going to get a double portion to 0:24:48.680 --> 0:24:53.199 stand against the darkness when our position is stronger. Don't worry. 0:24:53.400 --> 0:24:57.040 He's got you covered. There are double portion anointings coming. 0:24:57.359 --> 0:25:00.760 God is calling you the greater things to go beyond 0:25:01.080 --> 0:25:04.160 what you've seen in the past. Who's going to pick 0:25:04.240 --> 0:25:07.800 up that mantle? A prayer for your family. Maybe you 0:25:07.840 --> 0:25:11.360 had a mother, a grandmother, praying for you, and their 0:25:11.480 --> 0:25:14.560 prayer and dedication has carried you to where you are. 0:25:15.280 --> 0:25:17.960 But there comes a time where what they've done won't 0:25:18.000 --> 0:25:22.399 be enough. Someone else has to step up. Be that one, 0:25:23.040 --> 0:25:27.080 cover your family, speak the blessing over them. Who's going 0:25:27.160 --> 0:25:30.719 to pick up that mantle of faith, to believe for miracles, 0:25:31.119 --> 0:25:34.359 to pray bold prayers, to take the limits off of God. 0:25:35.200 --> 0:25:38.480 Who's going to pick up the mantle of consecration, to 0:25:38.520 --> 0:25:41.880 live a holy life, to not give in, to compromise, 0:25:42.280 --> 0:25:45.480 take the easy way out. You can't reach your destiny 0:25:45.560 --> 0:25:50.119 that way. Just like the anointing of Elijah was transferred 0:25:50.119 --> 0:25:53.960 to Elisha because he picked up the mantle. We're in 0:25:54.000 --> 0:25:57.919 a time of transition, the homegoing of my mom. She 0:25:58.119 --> 0:26:00.800 was twenty two years old when when she first started 0:26:00.800 --> 0:26:04.879 pastoring with my father. She had no ministry experience. She 0:26:05.000 --> 0:26:08.760 was a registered nurse. Look what God has done. She 0:26:08.920 --> 0:26:13.160 never dreamed at ninety one we'd be celebrating all she accomplished. 0:26:13.800 --> 0:26:16.919 Who knows where you will be if you'll pick up 0:26:16.960 --> 0:26:21.120 some mantles, say God, I'm willing to take on more 0:26:21.160 --> 0:26:24.720 responsibility so you can entrust me to carry your love, 0:26:25.280 --> 0:26:28.200 your favor and your blessing to make a greater difference. 0:26:29.119 --> 0:26:31.280 You may feel like I did that, it's over your head. 0:26:31.480 --> 0:26:35.000 You're not qualified, but you'll discover you don't have to 0:26:35.040 --> 0:26:38.440 carry the mantle. The mental will carry you. If you'll 0:26:38.480 --> 0:26:42.520 do this, I believe and declare, like Elisha, you're going 0:26:42.600 --> 0:26:47.320 to see the double portion, double favor, double influence, double miracles, 0:26:47.720 --> 0:26:52.600 double honor, the fullness of your destiny in Jesus' name, 0:26:53.080 --> 0:26:57.600 And if you receive it, can you say amen? I'd 0:26:57.640 --> 0:27:00.240 like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the 0:27:00.280 --> 0:27:04.560 lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 0:27:05.119 --> 0:27:08.760 I repent of my sins, Come into my heart. I 0:27:08.960 --> 0:27:11.960 make you my Lord and savior. If you've prayed that 0:27:12.040 --> 0:27:15.080 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. But I 0:27:15.119 --> 0:27:18.119 hope you'll get into a good Bible based church and 0:27:18.240 --> 0:27:19.840 keep God first place. 0:27:20.200 --> 0:27:24.280 God's healing isn't earned, it's received, and you can discover 0:27:24.400 --> 0:27:26.439 how in the next thirty one days. 0:27:27.080 --> 0:27:31.440 Life has a way of wearing us down physically, mentally, emotionally. 0:27:31.920 --> 0:27:35.119 But God didn't create us to just survive, but to thrive. 0:27:35.680 --> 0:27:39.600 I'm excited about our new devotional, happy, healthy, and free. 0:27:40.080 --> 0:27:42.760 For thirty one days, I'll take you on a wellness 0:27:42.840 --> 0:27:46.600 journey for your spirit, body, and soul. It's filled with 0:27:46.760 --> 0:27:51.439 daily declarations, scriptures, encouragement. As you get your mind in 0:27:51.560 --> 0:27:56.560 tune with what God says, you'll experience a refreshing, a revitalization. 0:27:57.119 --> 0:28:00.199 You were created to be strong, to be passionate, it 0:28:00.400 --> 0:28:02.879 to live, happy, healthy and free. 0:28:03.480 --> 0:28:07.200 When you contact us today, we'll send you happy, healthy, 0:28:07.320 --> 0:28:10.440 and free a thirty one day wellness journey as our 0:28:10.480 --> 0:28:13.200 way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount. 0:28:13.680 --> 0:28:17.879 This devotional will help you strengthen your faith, declare God's promises, 0:28:18.040 --> 0:28:22.800 and receive the healing He's already made available to you spirit, soul, 0:28:22.920 --> 0:28:26.640 and body. God wants you whole, and this resource will 0:28:26.680 --> 0:28:30.560 help you experience His peace from the inside out. Please 0:28:30.600 --> 0:28:34.600 request your copy today begin a life receiving, life giving 0:28:34.680 --> 0:28:38.440 journey that will transform your spirit, mind, and body. In 0:28:38.600 --> 0:28:39.840 just thirty one days. 0:28:40.520 --> 0:28:43.520 God is going to restore what the enemy tried to steal, 0:28:43.800 --> 0:28:47.440 your joy, your peace, your health. Dectoy and I pray 0:28:47.520 --> 0:28:50.360 for you and your family every day. Thanks so much 0:28:50.400 --> 0:28:54.160 for your prayer and support. Your generosity is bringing hope 0:28:54.240 --> 0:28:57.280 to people around the world special thank you to our 0:28:57.360 --> 0:29:00.720 Champion of Hope partners for your monthly gift. If you're 0:29:00.720 --> 0:29:04.280 not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. Remember 0:29:04.320 --> 0:29:08.360 you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, download 0:29:08.400 --> 0:29:12.360 our daily podcast, watch on YouTube the new Joel Ostein 0:29:12.480 --> 0:29:15.880 network social media. You can listen on Serious XM twenty 0:29:15.880 --> 0:29:19.280 four hours a day. We'll keep you encouraged and inspired 0:29:19.720 --> 0:29:22.120 until we see you next time. Mad The Lord bless 0:29:22.160 --> 0:29:23.200 you and keep you. 0:29:24.400 --> 0:29:28.040 Be sure to request your copy of Happy, Healthy and Free, 0:29:28.480 --> 0:29:32.560 a thirty one day wellness journey. Visit Joelostein dot com 0:29:32.720 --> 0:29:36.440 or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel for 0:29:36.480 --> 0:29:39.440 an additional gift. This month, we are also offering the 0:29:39.480 --> 0:29:43.240 Wholeness and Promise Bundle, which includes the Happy, Healthy and 0:29:43.320 --> 0:29:47.560 Free book plus the Words of Promised Journal, a beautifully 0:29:47.600 --> 0:29:51.400 designed journal where you can reflect, record prayers, and speak 0:29:51.480 --> 0:29:55.040 life over your future. You can also request the Happy, 0:29:55.160 --> 0:29:59.400 Healthy and Free Collection, featuring the devotional, the journal, and 0:29:59.440 --> 0:30:04.000 a beautiful crafted set of three desktop encouragement blocks. Each 0:30:04.080 --> 0:30:09.760 whitewashed wooden block displays one powerful word happy, Healthy and Free, 0:30:09.960 --> 0:30:13.240 along with a carefully chosen scripture place them in your 0:30:13.240 --> 0:30:17.000 home or workspace as daily reminders of God's promises for 0:30:17.080 --> 0:30:21.120 your life. You can request these life changing resources by 0:30:21.160 --> 0:30:24.959 calling eight eight eight five six seven Joel or logging 0:30:25.000 --> 0:30:29.440 on to Joelostein dot com today. Call or click anytime, 0:30:29.640 --> 0:30:32.800 twenty four hours a day. This is your season to 0:30:32.960 --> 0:30:37.080 rise stronger, live later, and walk daily in God's healing 0:30:37.240 --> 0:30:39.880 and peace. Request your copies today. 0:30:40.760 --> 0:30:43.120 If you're a pastor, we'd like to invite you to 0:30:43.160 --> 0:30:46.240 our Pastor's gathering. We'd be honored to spend the day 0:30:46.280 --> 0:30:48.880 with you here at Lakewood. We'll share some of the 0:30:48.960 --> 0:30:52.440 things we've learned, insights and behind the scenes. Be a 0:30:52.520 --> 0:31:06.920 time of inspiration and encouragement. We'd love to meet you