接受你們的世代外袍！
作者：Melissa Nordell
來源：以利亞名單 https://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?ID=28909 
時間：2023.2.19
翻譯：Kate
轉載、轉寄 請註明出處：國度禱告網

神的產業

許多年前，我被呼召為我們教會的敬拜團隊代禱，他們是北加州一個大型活動的一部分，所以我飛到奧克蘭機場，租了一輛車，往機場去。在開車時，主指出在我的右邊是我父母相遇和結婚的教堂。我想知道祂到底為什麼要指出這一點，因為我正打算代禱。突然，主說："求你以前的親戚的外袍"。

當然，如果主讓你做什麼，做了也沒什麼，但我不得不想一想，覺得自己有些自私。隨即，主說："去吧，他們已經和我在一起了，我給他們的外袍現在對他們沒有用處；恩賜對他們也沒有用。"

在《聖經》中，外袍是一種特定的覆蓋物，或從一個人傳給另一個人的重要角色或責任；是一種特定的任務或恩賜，放在人身上。我思索著我的父母和祖父母為神的國度所做的服事。我的父親是被收養的，但我知道那個家庭中的恩賜都傳給了我們這些孩子。然而，我只能在腦海中看到遠至曾祖父母的身影。

王下2章提到了外袍，當時以利沙要求得到以利亞的外袍。在以利沙得到以利亞升天前要求的雙倍恩膏後，以利沙經歷了與他的導師所經歷的類似的神蹟。此外，聖經記載以利沙所行的神蹟是以利亞的兩倍。

在神在我的公路旅行中對我說了這些話不久之後，在我按照祂說的做了之後，我在我的事工中感受到並體驗到了驚人的擴展和權柄。

多年以後，在我的生活中繼續發生了許多類似的事件，關於 "世代的綜效"（我將文後解釋）。有一次，我受一位表姐之托，清理她房子。在這次冒險中，我們發現了幾本親戚寫的書，描述南方浸信會差派他為"宣教士"從德克薩斯州派到加州中央谷地，在1930年代沙塵暴事件中的大規模人口遷移中建立教會。我們還發現了更多關於我們的母系先祖的資訊，他們從1611年航行到美國，幫助建立這個基於敬虔原則的新土地。

然後，在幫助我的表妹清理房子後不久，一個我們不認識的女性與我的家人聯繫，詢問我父親養父母的家譜，並已證明她已故的丈夫與我們有關聯。

更為重要的是，我偶然發現了一本被我放在一邊的雜誌，看到了"莎莉-斯理奇，豎琴家"的整版廣告。鑒於"斯理奇"是一個不尋常的名字（我外祖父的姓），而且她的事工地址是德克薩斯州沃思堡（靠近我外祖父出生的地方），我很好奇。後來我們發現，我們是表兄弟。莎莉是一位受膏的敬拜者和豎琴手，曾在世界各地講道。當她彈奏她的受膏的豎琴時，人們得到了釋放和醫治。

我想知道神想對我說什麼。在短短兩個月內，這三個關於我的敬虔產業的最新遭遇（其中沒有一個是我自己尋找的），怎麼可能是偶然發生的？

世代的綜效

後來，我聽到了達屈•席茲關於 "世代的綜效"的信息，他在其中解釋了尊重過去幾代人和協同整個時代的國度信徒工作的重要性。簡而言之，他說"世代的綜效"意味著"藉由世代間的協議和尊榮而使力量倍增"。這是這個祖先拼圖的另一塊，也是我們今天需要啟動的東西。

在我聽到這句話後，主告訴我，在多年前祂給我的指示中，我只要求得到遠至曾祖父母的外袍。祂現在鼓勵我要求從更遠的地方傳授外袍和未使用的恩賜。

從一個時代到另一個時代，聖經告訴我們，每一代人都建立在上一代人的基礎上，把神的國度計畫帶到一起，就像以利亞和以利沙一樣。主說現在是時候讓我們向天父索取我們產業中的外袍和禱告，使我們能夠更好地完成大使命。在我們之前的每一位基督徒很可能都沒有完成神為他們安排的所有任務，所以要求我們的親屬留下未完成的任務是可以的。這是接力棒的傳遞。這是我們的DNA。當然，我們不崇拜或偶像化我們的祖先，這是不符合聖經的。由主在祂的時間裡給予外袍，是符合聖經的。

如果我們不知道我們的親屬被賦予的恩賜和呼召，也不要緊，我們的親屬是否在服侍主。每個人在出生前都被賦予了神指定的恩賜，但有些恩賜因為錯誤的選擇而被敵人扭曲了。無論你的家人做了什麼，都不能改變神在你身上能做的事。你仍然可以贖回已經聚集在天堂的敬虔的恩賜、目的、呼召和禱告，因為那是你的屬靈產業。不要有貧窮的心態，認為這是被異教徒的背景或你祖先的罪所扼殺。

不僅僅是傳道或五重執事的外袍，還有其他的外袍。有些是藝術、舞蹈、憐憫、宣教、醫治、代禱、寫作和服務性的外袍，僅舉幾例。神知道你祖先的歷史。耶利米書1:5說："我未將你造在腹中，我已曉得你；你未出母胎，我已分別你為聖；我已派你作列國的先知。"

此外，你的血脈中是否有收養關係並不重要。對於那些被收養的人來說，合法的、世代相傳的外袍繼承權是一樣的，就像我們接受基督為救主時被合法地收養到神的家庭一樣。我的養祖母為她的孩子和孫子成為牧師而不停地禱告，我也在收穫這些禱告。有時，祂按照自己的旨意，從與我們沒有關係的牧師那裡傳授恩賜和外袍。

數代人的禱告

我們也建立在神過去的行動和聖徒的禱告上。多代人的禱告和代禱已被放在天堂的碗裡，我們也可以從我們的產業中要求它們的顯現。啟示錄5:8說："他既拿了書卷，四活物和二十四位長老就俯伏在羔羊面前，各拿著琴和盛滿了香的金爐；這香就是眾聖徒的祈禱。"

這也是關於重新挖掘復興、轉變和神過去的運行的井。希伯來書11:13說："這些人都是存著信心死的，並沒有得著所應許的；卻從遠處望見，且歡喜迎接，又承認自己在世上是客旅，是寄居的。"。儘管希伯來書第11章中提到的這些信徒在地上時沒有看到應許，但後來的幾代人繼續實現這些應許，憑信心建立國度。

這種天賦和外袍的傳遞的綜效也意味著這是一個向年輕的人傳授祝福的重要時刻。聖經中有許多父親祝福孩子的例子。我們必須為年輕的孩子禱告，為他們祝福，並為他們召來屬神的外袍和恩賜。瑪拉基書4:6中說："他必使父親的心轉向兒女，兒女的心轉向父親，免得我來咒詛遍地。"

成功的教會和家庭明白將恩賜傳給年輕一代的重要性。每一代人都可以從彼此身上學到很多東西：年輕的、年長的和介於兩者之間的。

在上帝時間表的這個重要時代，我們需要通過祝福和傳授獲得所有的力量，在我們祖先的工作基礎上，重新挖掘代禱、復興和改造的井。申命記7:9記載："所以，你要知道耶和華─你的神，他是神，是信實的神；向愛他、守他誡命的人守約，施慈愛，直到千代。"

我盼望所有讀到這篇文章的人都能和我一起做以下禱告：

親愛的主，我們感謝你，為你的一切和你所做的一切讚美你。我們為我們祖先的罪孽悔改，打破並摧毀過去幾代人的所有詛咒。我們請求得到他們沒有使用的敬虔的恩賜和外袍，以便我們能夠像耶穌指示我們做的那樣準備好主的道路。我們也請求在我們之前走過的祖先的禱告，讓他們在地球上完全顯現出來。我們祝福年輕的一代，我們感謝您要傳授給我們和年輕一代的東西。我們以耶穌全能和全然榮耀的名，在復興、轉變和神過去的行動的井上重新挖掘和建造，這是受祝福的世代的綜效！

 

Receiving Your Generational Mantles!
Melissa Nordell, Visalia, CA
Feb 19, 2023

A Godly Heritage

Many years ago, I was called to intercede for our church worship team who was part of a big event in Northern California, so I flew to Oakland airport, rented a car and headed up that way. While driving, the Lord pointed out that on my right was the church where my parents had met and married. I wondered exactly why He was pointing this out, as I was intent on interceding. Suddenly, the Lord said, "Ask for the mantles of your relatives who have gone on before."

Of course, if the Lord tells you to do something, it is alright to do it, but I had to wrap my head around this, feeling selfish somehow. Immediately, the Lord said, "Go ahead, they are already with Me and have no use now for the mantles I gave them; and some of their gifts went unused."

In the Bible, a mantle is a covering of a specified sort, or an important role or responsibility that passes from one person to another; a task or gift that is specific to the person it is put upon. I pondered the service my parents and grandparents did for God's Kingdom. My Father was adopted, but I knew that the gifts in that family were passed on to us children. However, I could only see in my mind's eye as far back as my great-grandparents.

A mantle is made mention of in 2 Kings 2, when Elisha asked for the mantle of Elijah. After Elisha received the double anointing that he had requested from Elijah before he ascended to Heaven, Elisha experienced similar miracles to what his mentor had experienced. Furthermore, the Bible records twice as many miracles performed by Elisha than Elijah.

Soon after God had spoken those words to me on my road trip, and after I had done as He had said, there was an amazing expansion and authority I felt and experienced in my ministry.

Fast forward years later, and many more events like this continued to occur in my life, regarding the "synergy of the ages" (I'll explain what I mean by this later on). At one point, I was asked by a cousin to help her downsize her house. In this adventure, we found several copies of a book written by a relative describing how he was sent by the Southern Baptist churches as a "missionary" from Texas to the Central Valley of California to establish churches during the mass migration of people in the 1930s Dust Bowl incident. We also found more information on our maternal ancestors who sailed to America to help establish this new land based on godly principles beginning in 1611.

Then, shortly after helping my cousin downsize, a woman we did not know contacted my family about the genealogy of my father's adoptive parents and had proven her late husband was related to us.

To add to this, I happened to find a magazine I had put aside and saw a full-page ad for "Sally Sledge, Harpist." Given that "Sledge" is an unusual name (my maternal grandfather's last name), and the fact that her ministry address was Fort Worth, Texas (near where my grandfather was born), I was curious. We later found out that we were 5th cousins. Sally is an anointed worshiper and harpist who has ministered around the world. When she plays her anointed harp people are saved and healed.

I wondered what God was trying to speak to me. How could these three latest encounters regarding my godly heritage – in only two months (none of which I sought myself) – have happened by chance?

The Synergy of the Ages

Later, I heard Dutch Sheets speak a message on the "Synergy of the Ages" in which he explains the importance of honoring past generations and synergizing the work of Kingdom Believers throughout the ages. In short, he said that the "synergy of the ages" means "multiplied power through generational agreement and honor." This was another piece of this ancestry puzzle and what we need to activate today. (Photo of Dutch Sheets)

After I heard this, the Lord told me that in the previous directive He had given me years prior, I had only asked for mantles as far back as my great-grandparents. He was now encouraging me to ask for the impartation of mantles and unused gifts from further back.

From age to age, the Bible shows us that each generation builds on the previous one to bring God's Kingdom plan together, just like Elijah and Elisha. The Lord is saying it is time for us to ask our heavenly Father for the mantles and prayers of our heritage synergistically, so we can better fulfill the Great Commission. Every Christian who has preceded us most likely did not fulfill all God planned for them, so it is alright to ask for what our relatives left unfulfilled. It is the passing of the baton. It is our DNA. Of course, we do not worship or idolize our ancestors, which is unbiblical. Being given mantles by the Lord, in His timing, is biblical.

It does not matter if we do not know the gifts and callings that our relatives were given, and it does not matter if our relatives were serving the Lord. Everyone is given God-ordained gifts before birth, but some gifts are perverted by the enemy because of bad choices. No matter what your family has done, it does not change what God can do in you. You still can redeem godly gifts, purposes, callings and prayers that have been gathered in Heaven, as that is your spiritual inheritance. Do not have a poverty mentality by thinking this is stifled by a heathen background or sins of your ancestors.

There are more than just mantles of preaching or the 5-fold ministry. Some are mantles of art, dance, compassion, missions, healing, intercession, writing and servanthood, just to name a few. God knows the history of your ancestors. Jeremiah 1:5 says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

In addition, it does not matter if there is adoption in your bloodline. The legal, generational inheritance of mantles is the same for those who are adopted, just as we are adopted into the family of God legally when we accept Christ as Savior. My adoptive grandmother prayed incessantly for her children and grandchildren to be ministers, and I am reaping those prayers. Sometimes He imparts gifts and mantles from ministers whom we are not related to, as He wills.

The Prayers of Multiple Generations

We also build on past moves of God and prayers of the saints. The prayers and intercession of multiple generations have been put in the bowls of Heaven, and we can ask for the manifestation of them from our heritage as well. Revelation 5:8 says, "Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." 

This is also about re-digging the wells of revival, transformation and past moves of God. Hebrews 11:13 says, "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Even though these Believers mentioned in Hebrews 11 did not see the promises while on the earth, the generations that came later continued fulfilling those promises, building the Kingdom by faith.

The synergy of this passing of gifts and mantles also means that it is an important time to impart blessings to the young ones. There are many instances in the Bible of fathers blessing their children. It is imperative that we pray for younger ones, bless them and call in godly mantles and gifts for them. The Bible says in Malachi 4:6, "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

Successful churches and families understand the importance of passing on gifts to the younger generations. Each generation can learn so much from each other: young, old and in-between.

In this important era in God's timeline, we need all the strength we can get through blessings and impartations, building on the work of our forefathers, and re-digging the wells of intercession, revival and transformation. Deuteronomy 7:9 records: "Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments."

I desire that all who are reading this would join with me in the following prayer:

Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for all You are and all You have done. We repent for the sins of our ancestors and break down and destroy all curses from generations past. We ask for the godly gifts and mantles they did not use so that we can prepare the way of the Lord as Jesus directed us to do. We also ask for the prayers of our ancestors who have gone on before us to fully manifest on Earth. We bless the younger generations, and we thank You for what You are going to impart to us and our younger generations. We re-dig and build on the wells of revival, transformation and past moves of God in the blessed synergy of the ages, in Jesus' all-powerful and all-glorious name!