We hear the word mantle in the church all the time, at least in apostolic or spirit-filled churches. But do we understand what it means or what are mantle is? Do you know the mantle you’re supposed to be operating in? I have great news, we’re going to help you discover what your mantle is.
The dictionary definition of mantle is a loose sleeveless cloak or shawl. If you google this you will see pictures of witches wearing cloaks. Some other definitions the dictionary gives us is an important role that passes from one person to another. Strong’s concordance defines a mantle similarly. In Greek, the word for mantle is periballo (or a variation of the word) which means to wrap around, a garment, to clothe, to dress. Typically it’s used (23 times to be specific) to mean clothing, but twice it is used to mean mantle. This is why when we see clothes in a dream it shows what walk in, or operate in. Your covering or mantle can be a shirt, a hat, a jacket, and so forth. Short sleeves or shorts can represent a short period of time you’ll do something. The Hebrew words for mantle are Adar and maateh. Adar means glory, cloak, majestic, to expand, to be great and magnificent; glorious. Maateh similarly means a wrap, mantle, garment, covering, to wrap oneself, to envelop oneself. We see this particular mantle in Isaiah 61:3, but let’s read from verse 1-3; “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To [b]console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” From these three words for a mantle, we get an idea that a mantle is what we are called to operate in and walk-in. It can be passed on from generation to generation or person to person. Now let’s establish how we know what mantle we are called to operate in.
One thing we should notice is that all the earthly mantles, the prophetic mantles, the “Elijah Mantle,” or whatever mantle you can imagine fades away. “Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.” -1:Corinthians 13:8-10. However, there is one mantle that we are called to operate in that will never fail. That mantle is Jesus Christ. I know what you’re thinking, I can’t wear Jesus! How am I supposed to operate in his mantle? That’s a legitimate question. What we need to realize is that we can wear Jesus. We are instructed to wear Jesus daily. We see this in Romans 13:14, “Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.” The word used for clothe yourself is not periballo as you would think. In this case, it is endysasthe. This comes from the word enduo. This means to clothe yourself, to put on, to wrap around, to endue, sink into, or to be enveloped. Enduo is where we get the word to endue in English. Endue means to endow or provide with a quality or ability. In this case, we wear Jesus Christ as though he were a garment. He becomes our mantle. What does clothing yourself in Jesus look like? How do you know if you are operating in the greatest mantle that has and will ever exist? Paul teaches us in Colossians 3:12-15, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Again we see the word endysathe or put on and be endowed with. In verse 14 we see it says over all these virtues put on love. What’s interesting here is that Paul tells us to clothe ourselves in all these virtues, which all of these are the divine nature, it over all of this (like a sweater) put on love. We know from scripture that Jesus is the so. Of God and is God; we also Know Jesus is love, and according to 1:John 4:8 God is love. This shows us that what we are called to put on and operate in is Jesus which covers all the other things we are supposed to operate in internally or unseen. If you work in retail you know that the women’s underwater section is called the “intimates” section. That is why panties typically represent intimate or private areas in one's life. In the same way, the divine nature is our intimate area that is beneath the mantle of Christ that we are called to operate in. In putting on the mantle of Christ, clothing yourself in him, then you incidentally clothe yourself in the armor of God. Don’t believe me? Curious how that’s possible? Here’s how. Ephesians 6: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”
Each of the aspects of the armor is a different aspect of Jesus. Jesus is righteous and he made us the righteousness of God (1 Corinthians 1:30, Jesus is the Prince of Peace and the gospel of peace (he’s the good news), Jesus is salvation, He’s the word of God; he’s our shield in psalm 18. So we see through all of this that the mantle we ant to operate in is the mantle of Christ. If we remain in him, then we can’t be touched. We will not have to wake up and declare that we are wearing the armor of God, rather, we will simply live life imitating the life of Jesus and our armor will always be on.