The Birth of Today's "Elijah" Ministry, Part 1

Birthed Through a Barren Older Vessel

Anointed ministries are not so much inspired or trained into existence; they are birthed. Jesus’s ministry was birthed through Mary, and the Elijah ministry of John the Baptist was birthed through Zacharias and Elizabeth:

(Luke 1:5 MKJV) In the days of Herod, the king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah. And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

To begin, we can learn much from the meanings of the names and key words in these two sentences:

Zacharias means, “God has remembered”—from “to mark,” “to mention.”

The word course speaks of daily routine, etc.

Abijah means worshipper of Jah (God)

Putting this together implies that God remembered, because of Zacharias’s daily routine (lifestyle) of worship. This is where we begin—having our lives totally dedicated to God, and exhibiting a holy lifestyle of worship.

Elizabeth means “my God has sworn” or “God is an oath.”

Aaron means “Light-bringer.”

Putting these words together implies that God had promised that Elizabeth would be a light bringer—or bring forth the light bringing ministry of John the Baptist.

(Luke 1:6-7 EMTV) And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. (7) But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

They were both old but had not received the promise; Elizabeth—whose name means, “my God has sworn (an oath)”—was barren. This implies they had been hoping for and waiting for a [promised] baby for a long time.

Zacharias and Elizabeth were destined to bring forth a very significant promise. Yet because God ordained them to birth a powerful Elijah-type ministry—not just a baby—the spiritual gestation of this ministry took a lot longer than the normal nine months. It was not until they had prayed it through, and given birth to it spiritually, that they were ready to have the physical baby.

God’s word says that by the time of the angel visitation, they “were both well advanced in years.” This implies that the period of prayer was very long. Without this, maybe the enemy would have killed John or destroyed his ministry before it was completed. They had to pray the whole thing through first—then John the Baptist could be born. The spiritual pregnancy and birthing were no doubt arduous and testing, but very necessary. This was because John’s was a very significant ministry; he would, “turn many back to the Lord their God,” fulfill prophecy, and prepare a generation for Jesus.

Maybe you too have been praying for a baby or grandbaby for a long time, not realizing why it has taken so long. Perhaps you have been praying for years for the salvation of a loved one, a son, or a daughter. Like Zacharias and Elizabeth, perhaps a significant assignment for your life from God is not just about their salvation, but it is about the birthing of a significant ministry through them that can turn their generation back to God. Your protracted and laboring intercession may also be preparing all the others they will bring with them or reach through their assignment. If this is your call, it is a high and holy privilege.

The following are what we learn from Scripture about the qualities of those God chooses for this “birthing” ministry:

1. There were both righteous—blameless in God’s law

Primarily, this speaks of a holy life of total dedication to God and his purposes. Our situation is slightly different to that of Zachariah and Elisabeth; this is because we live under a different covenant. God doesn’t require us to have kept the Old Testament law blamelessly to have right standing with him. However, he does expect us to “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness”—which includes: hearing his voice and following; seeing and then walking in the righteous works he has prepared for us (See: Mat. 6:33, John 10:27, Eph. 2:10). By faith in our Lord Jesus, we are the righteousness of God in him—blameless and above reproach in his sight:

(2 Corinthians 5:21 LITV) For He made the One who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

(Colossians 1:21-23 NKJV) And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled (22) in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—(23) if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

If you’ve been waiting a long—a very long—time for the birth of your promise, be encouraged today; it could be because you are birthing a lot more than a baby or a single new birth. Perhaps you are birthing a ministry to carry the spirit and power of Elijah that is going to help lead a generation to repentance and eternal life.

Has someone has prayed for you for a long long time. Finally, you have been born again and are keen to serve God. Recognise today that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this. This is your turn to carry the batton of Elijah’s spirit and power in a ministry to reach your generation.

If Is this you are walking today, make sure you walk blamelessly before God and are willing to serve him and his vision with out compromise with the world, the flesh, or the devil.