The beauty of uniqueness in man shines like the radiance of a polished diamond; it is like the wind that blows beyond the coziness of the ocean breeze and transcends beyond the beautiful lilies legibly arrayed by the splendor of God’s creation. The plus or advantage a leader has on the earth is a function of the uniqueness of what he has been anointed for and what he has been anointed with. This best explains the soubriquet that talks about a unique gem, a singular sensation or one-of-a- kind. This paints a picture portrait to what treasure in earthen vessels is all about. (2 Corinthians 4:7 says; “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.”

The combination and application of the knowledge of what a leader has been anointed for and what he has been anointed with makes that leader ‘sin-qua-non’. Although the uniqueness of a leader could be branded in terms of values, personality, experiences, skills, passion, vision, communication style, emotional intelligence, authenticity and creativity; these excellent and impeccable qualities are amplified by the anointing. Therefore, what the anointing bestows on the leader by the virtue of this amplification, it produces a flavor or flashes of spot light that beams on such a leader thereby singling him out from the crowd. “Think about this”

What the mantle of Elijah can do in the hands of Elisha would not be the same if it were to be in the hands of the sons of the prophet; The rod of Moses will only function in the hands of Moses and not in the hands of Aaron, the sling and stone will only slay a giant if it remains in the hands of David and a sword in the hand of anybody else will not be as potent as the jawbone of an ass in the hand of Samson. Your appointment is in the area of your uniqueness and your exploit is a function of your anointing. In other words, what makes you different is what makes you special. And that thing that makes you special is what you are anointed with and what you are anointed for. And the precise reality of this is that it brings about cutting-edge advantage, victory and exploit in your sphere of influence. We have this treasure in earthen vessel.

So, there is a difference between an ordinary stick and the rod of Moses; there is a difference between an ordinary cloak and the mantle of Elijah. The difference between an ordinary oil and the anointing of the Holy Spirit is absolute?  How did the anointing become so strong upon Peter and the leaders of the early church, so much so that they did great things for God? How did the rod become such a powerful weapon in the hands of Moses? How did the mantle become a tool in the hands of Elisha for parting the Jordan? How did the jaw bone of an ass become a weapon in the hands of Samson, how did a sling become a weapon in the hands of David? Your pen can become a weapon if you have been anointed to be a writer. The reason why Jesus could preach the good news to the poor, set the captives free, and loose the bonds of wickedness points to the fact that we are anointed for something and we are anointed with something.

Haven established a background to this understanding; I would like us to see a flip side of this. Remember we are talking about ‘The Power of Followership: Rediscovering the Value and Dynamics of Mantles and the Anointing.  

So, it is not enough to admire the anointing, the mantle or the manifestation, it is good to be anointed for good works by the Holy Ghost and with power, but that is not enough, you must have an understanding of what makes the anointing potent, what makes the grace palpable, what gives the anointing the leverage to produce the uniqueness and flavor required to do a particular task and to fulfill purpose. It is that understanding that activates the potency of the Holy Spirit in the life of a disciple. It is that understanding that makes the mantle become potent in the hands of a disciple.

Before the mantle of Elijah became a weapon in the hands of Elisha, parting the Jordan hither and tither, the same mantle touched him for followership. Before the rod of Moses became a rod for parting the red sea, there was a Moses that first served and followed Jethro at the back side of the wilderness. When the mantle of Elijah touched Elisha, it was for him to first follow Elijah, Elisha didn’t know such a mantle could part the Jourdan. Was the mantle potent? The answer is yes! But before Elisha could know the wielding power of that mantle he needed to follow Elijah. Underneath every exploit, manifestation and greatness lies a factor called service and followership.

The rod of Moses, the mantle of Elijah, the name of Jesus in the mouth of Peter only responded to the relationship service and followership had built over the years.

So, before Peter could comprehend what the Holy Spirit can do through him, he needed to follow Jesus for three and a half years. At a point he said Lord to whom shall we go? Those years where the formative and maturing years of his life. The Bible says Jesus called them to be with Him so that He may send them out.” So, when Jesus was sending them out, He gave them power to cast unclean spirits and they were subject to them. At one point, Peter could boldly say “the things which we have seen, which we have heard and our hands have handled of the word of life.”

How does followership begin? God had commanded Elijah to anoint Hazael, Elisha and Jehu as prophet and kings. So the mission was to be accomplished by Elijah touching Elisha with his mantle. I was wondering, was Elisha required to follow and the kings were just anointed. It is because the weight of callings and their responsibilities are different. Hazeal and Jehu were anointed king, but Elisha was anointed to follow. That’s strange. But the simple answer to this was because Elisha was to become the leader of leaders, a prophet to kings. So, his training was different. The bearing and direction of kings would ultimately be determined by the leading of Elisha. So if Elisha would become the prophet that would ultimately carry that responsibility by the reason of the mantle he would eventually pick up, then he needed to follow well. And it takes humility and patience to follow. These were the dynamics that made up for his anointing and uniqueness.

In the context of my discuss in this article, before the Holy Spirit can become potent and powerful in the life of a man, before the beauty, treasures and fragrance of leadership begins to exude from a leader, these three Scriptures must be fulfilled or expressed;

Firstly: Training. The Bible says when a disciple is perfectly trained he becomes just like his master. I would like us to note the word from this verse it says “like his master”. Do you remember when God said let us make man in our image according to our likeness? (Genesis 1:26) So the aim of the master is to make the disciple become, look like or wear the semblance of his master. The Bible says according to our likeness” i.e. the mantle that the master is wielding will also be wielded by the disciple if and only if the disciples carry the semblance of the master. And training is the key to that possibility. It says “if a disciple is perfectly trained.” Training here talks about process. There are trainings that make ‘a disciple become like’; and how God achieved this likeness was to create and form man. So, when man is created and formed, the man becomes just like his master, the man becomes just like God. Think about this. Read Genesis chapter 1 and 2.

See what God said concerning Abraham; I know that he will command his children after Me. Another word for command is to instruct, to teach his children after me, teaching his children to know Me, teach his children to become like he is; to fear God and to walk in periperso with God.  The clay does not say to the potter this is how you should make me? We are like clay in the hands of the potter, so he molds us and shapes us as he wills. Until that is possible, the beauty and authority our lives must manifest will not be possible.

Remember we are talking about the power of followership: Rediscovering the value and dynamics of Mantles and the Anointing. Any followership that is devoid of creation, molding, or formation process will ultimately not produce an outcome. That Scriptures says; “then man became.” the becoming of a man is always a function or a product of service and followership.

Secondly: Growth. The Bible says, “The child grew and waxed strong in spirit.” This means that growth is a necessity to manifest. In other words, growth is the prerequisite requirement for every disciple displaying the beauty or handling the anointing of the Spirit. But there is no growth without proper followership. And I like you to note this; there is a difference between process and growth. A man can go through process and grow and a man can go through process and not grow. Let me put it in context you can grow through process, and you can go through process and the process does not have a significant impact on your life. So the Bible says the child grew and waxed strong in Spirit. It is your growth that fulfills the condition of waxing strong in Spirit. So process and growth must align for the disciple to wear the semblance of the master. And wield the anointing and beauty of the Spirit.

Thirdly: The blessing of God coming upon your hand. The blessing talks about the vetting and the approval of God. When the blessing of God comes upon your hand and upon the works of your hands, whatever you do becomes beautiful. It becomes a master piece. It is the blessing of God that gives the Spirit of God the access to work with your hand and intellect. By so doing, it is said that you are anointed for that work.

If our uniqueness; the grace of God, the anointing of God will become evident in our lives, we must pay attention to followership and service, we must be trained, we must grow through the ranks by learning the ropes and we must be sure that the blessing of God is upon our head and upon our hands. Then it will be said that we have grown in grace, showcasing the gift of God to the world so that the world will give glory to God.

Thanks for the gift of your time, Apeh Francis Abah!
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