We are in a season in which we see an increase in the prophetic anointing. And yet God is calling us to a higher level in this hour.

There are many who are now operating in their gift, but not functioning in their seat of authority as they try to build their ministry based on their gift alone. To be effective in our assignment, we must seek our God-assigned seat of authority reserved for us to walk in the specific arena God has called us to.

When I walk into a room or group of people, I often take a moment to observe and discern the authority present—not the gift, but the authority. This is a very simple truth but also a very important one that we have often missed. I had to learn this in my early days as a prophet, which is to understand the scope of those in authority and to submit to and honor that authority. This principle leads us to understand and walk in our "seat of authority."

Each of us will have assignments in our lives. But true power comes not just as we operate in our gift but when we receive our God-given seat of authority and function in it. This makes us effective in our assignment, because every assignment has a corresponding seat of authority.

When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He made us a new creation. We were made alive in Him, raised with Him and then seated with Him in heavenly places. In doing so, He gave us two positions of authority. First, the authority of the believer, which is the personal domain of authority over our own life and family. But He also gave to us a corporate authority. This is the domain of God's sovereign authority for our divine assignment. That authority is not fully functioning in us until we have our seat of authority.

Again, there are many who are now operating in their gift but not functioning in their seat of authority. We can see the distinction between the two as we look at the difference between Elijah and the sons of the prophets in the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 2 we see that Elijah was recognized and respected for the position and anointing on his life. He held a greater place of authority than other prophets of that day. There were many other companies of prophets during that time. They were known as the sons of the prophets. They were gifted, but they were not operating in the same kind of power and miracles. Why? Because they did not have a seat of authority as Elijah did, who was effective in the full measure of his assignment.

The Mantle Accompanies the Seat

There is a mantle that accompanies the seat of authority, but not the prophetic gift. Elijah had a mantle and a resulting authority that rested on him that caused the other gifted prophets to submit to and follow him. A mantle is like a spiritual uniform that we are clothed with once we are positioned in our seat of authority.

It gets interesting as we look at the end of Elijah's life as he was about to be taken up. Here is an example that reveals the difference between those who are merely gifted and those operating in their seat of authority.

Then when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, "Tarry here, I ask you, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel."

But Elisha said to him, "As the Lord lives, and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.

The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that today the Lord is taking away your master from you?"

And he said, "Yes, I know. Keep silent" (2 Kings 2:1-3).

The company of the prophets knew Elisha was leaving. That tells me they were gifted. They recognized what was about to happen. They had the prophetic gift operating through them, but Elisha wasn't after just the gift. He was after the mantle. He knew what he was doing.

Elisha wasn't about to be distracted by them and followed Elijah to Jericho. When the company of prophets in that area saw them, they repeated the same thing. You see, they were prophets. They were all gifted, but they weren't operating out of a seat of authority, only out of their gift.

There are many who are trying to build their ministry based on their gift alone. To be effective in our assignment, we should be seeking our God-assigned seat of authority. We all have a seat of authority reserved for us to walk in the specific arena God has called us to.

In verse seven, we see there were 50 prophets who stood to watch them from a distance. They were observers. Elijah took off his mantle and struck the water. The water divided, and Elijah and Elisha crossed over. Once on the other side, Elijah turned and said to him, "What do you want?" Elisha was asking for a seat of authority which would be accompanied with a double portion of Elijah's mantle.

"That is too difficult for me," Elijah explained, "Yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not."

This is an important verse where we see that mantles are not given by man, they are given by God.

Elisha wasn't content with just the gift he possessed. He pressed in to receive his seat of authority. As the chariots of fire came and separated the two, he saw Elijah go up. Then, he tore his clothes in two and took the mantle that had fallen from Elijah. Elijah did not give him the mantle; God gave him a double portion of it as Elisha served Elijah's seat of authority and valued the mantle. He took the mantle, struck the water and it divided. The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha" (2 Kings 28:15b). And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

The gifted prophets now recognized the mantle resting on Elisha and his seat of authority.

The Seat Gives Greater Sight

After Elijah was taken up, the company of the prophets begged Elisha to allow them to go look for him. Elisha knew Elijah had gone to heaven, but the gifted prophets only knew he was gone. They didn't have the insight to recognize what had actually happened, and so they urged Elisha until he finally relented.

Here is the point: Gifted prophets don't have the same level of sight. But once you are in your seat, you will have a greater measure of insight. This is because of your seat of authority and the mantle that comes with it. This seat grants you access to revelation and a greater scope of God's sovereign authority to accomplish what you are called to do. The mantle was confirmation that Elisha was now positioned in his seat. That is why only Elisha saw Elijah go up, and the gifted prophets could not.

Often prophets who haven't learned to submit to someone else's seat of authority wander around in their gift because they aren't listening to the one with the seat of authority. That's why when I walk into a room, I look around for who holds the seat of authority. I honor those in authority and then God releases me to function in my seat of authority.

God doesn't want us to fulfill our call in our own personal power but by his sovereign power. In 2 Kings 6, Elisha and his servant are surrounded by an enemy army. Elisha, who is operating in his seat, is unconcerned However, his servant is fearful. He doesn't have the same level of sight. So Elisha prayed that his servant's eyes would be opened. They were, and he received a greater measure of sight for that moment. He saw into the spirit realm, where warrior angels and chariots of fire were all around Elisha. These armies of angels actually surrounded the seat of authority Elisha was positioned in under the mantle that was upon him. The angels of heaven's armies always accompany the seat of authority. Because Elisha was operating from his seat of authority, armies of angels were operating in accordance with him.

Let us not simply pursue our gift but press into our seat of authority to be successful in our assignment. For each person, there is a respective seat of authority that accompanies their assignment. Unfortunately, many people journey most of their life unwilling to submit or honor someone else's seat of authority and as a result, will never get to their seat, accompanying mantle or heaven's reinforcements.

We are in an hour in which each of us needs to be walking in our seat of authority. It is not our gift that defines us. Once you fully understand that and are willing to honor the seat of authority of others and receive yours, the protection and mantle will come upon you and into your ministry.

Faisal Malick is the CEO of Malick Media Studios and the lead pastor of Covenant of Life Ministries Church in Langley, British Columbia. He is described as an authentic leader, dynamic conference speaker and anointed media personality bringing hope to a chaotic world. He is the author of several books, including The Destiny of Islam in the Endtimes, The Political Spirit, Positioned to Bless and his latest book, The Truth of Economy. He has a strategic mandate to the Muslim world and is a unique voice in our times. He currently lives and ministers out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. For additional information, go to: covenantoflife.org.

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