The first time the Lord came to me concerning the book of Jeremiah was just before I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in 1987. It was a Saturday afternoon and I heard the Lord speaking to me to go and read the book of Jeremiah.  

My response to the Lord was, “Lord, what am I to do, read the whole book?”

But when I sat down and began to read the first chapter of Jeremiah…….. 

Chapter 1:1, The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.

Ver 2, To whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

Ver 3, It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.

Ver 4, Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

Ver 5, “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.”

After reading the first 5 verses I had a release from the Lord even though I had no understanding of what He was saying. The first 3 verses was of no direct relevance for me and even the reading of verses 4 & 5 still had little or no meaning to me at the time.

The second time the Lord came to me concerning the book of Jeremiah was on a Wednesday about 6 months later, I was preparing for a home fellowship group for that evening. Again the Lord came to me saying to go back in to Jeremiah. I read the first five verses again and continued reading the next five verses………..

Chapter 1:6, Then said I: “Ah Lord God! Behold, I can not speak for I am a youth.’

Ver 7, But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Ver 8, Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.

Ver 9, Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me; Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

Ver 10, See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms. To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, and to build and to plant.” 

Again I received a release and by now the Lord had been preparing my spirit for these words and I had a small understanding of His plan for my life.

The third encounter was early one morning, I was in the word and briefly stopped and was praying when I heard the Lord say, “Ask me for the mantle of Jeremiah”.

When I initially heard this, I drew back and said to myself, no, this is not right!

But again, I heard the Lord say, “Ask me for the mantle of Jeremiah.”

Even believing that I had indeed heard the Lord speak to me those words, I still wrestled with them but whenever thinking on His words I had a peace and knew that somehow He had chosen me as a prophet and was giving me the “Mantle of Jeremiah.”

 “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” 2Co 13:1B

I shared this with four people, my wife, John and Marie, (like spiritual parents) and another good friend. A short time later I attended a prayer group with these same people and there was an evangelist speaking and she stopped and began to prophesy to me saying.

“There are callings and high callings, you have a high calling, There are prophets of today and prophets of old, you are a prophet of old, you have the mantle of Jeremiah.”

Over the next few years there were other confirming words but one in particular blessed me and has been a promise that I have clung to especially during the times of weariness.

2 Kings 2:9 When Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what may I do for you before I am taken away from you? Elisha said, “ Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

Ver 11 &13, Verse 11 ”Elisha is with Elijah when he is taken in a chariot of fire and Verse 13, Elisha took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

God does indeed give prophetic mantles today! The prophetic mantle I believe simply stated is the ability to walk in that anointing. The work for the end time church and for the blessing of His Beloved Israel will depend largely upon direction given to the prophets by the Holy Spirit.

Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He first reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7