Picking up the MANTLE

2 Kings 2:7-15

The anointing never depends upon man, the anointing comes only from the Lord.

* Luke 4:18 The spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news.

God has given us an unmistakable lesson here, with a clear, simple meaning:

* God wants to do greater things with each succeeding generation.
* And each new generation must seek the Lord for its own experience of the Holy Spirit and its own endowment of power from him.

In this Old Testament scene, Elijah is a type of Christ ascending to the father.

John 16:7 Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you.
Luke 24:49 I am going to send you what my Father has promise.

Three points of receiving the anointing.

1. Right places

Vs 2,4,6 - Elisha refused to leave Elijahs side.

That anointing didnt find Elisha.
He was in the right place and the right time.
He was there to catch his cloak (his anointing)

You need to be in the right place to catch the anointing.
Be where Gods anointed are. You catch your surroundings.

2. Right people

1 King 19:19-21 Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.

Three times Elisha was given the opportunity to leave Elijah.

Elishas response:  Surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.

You cannot be hanging around ungodly people and think you will receive the anointing.

3. Right response

What did Elisha do when the anointing fell? 
He picked it up and walked in it.

This is the response that God is expecting of his church.

To carry out his mandate - Mark 16:15
By picking up his mantle - Luke 4:18, Acts 1:8

My question to you is.
Will you obey HIS mandate, pick up HIS mantle and Go?