In some churches, there is a practice of laying hands on people when praying for them. This is quite Biblical. Hebrews considers it to be one of the fundamental teachings of the faith (6:1–2), while James told people to lay hands on a sick person while praying for healing (5:14), and Paul spoke of how Timothy received gifts from God when hands were laid on Him (1 Timothy 4:14) – and these are only a few examples. Biblical laying on of hands includes for healing, imparting the Holy Spirit, ordination/commissioning, and (in the Old Testament) transferring sin onto the head of an animal or blessings to other people.
The problem comes when we are more interested in the laying on of hands than the God from whom the healing, importation, commissioning, and blessing comes. I have literally heard people say, “They had hands laid on them by [big name]” as though this automatically qualifies them for some position. I want to say, “So? What did God do with that?” Not because I don’t want them to have had hands laid on them by [big name], or even because they may have received something when hands were laid on them, but because [big name] and even the laying on of hands is not the point – the point is what God has given, what God transferred through the laying on of hands, and what God wants to do with the person on the receiving end. He provides what you need for His plans for you.
Laying on of hands cannot do what only God can do: Give you an anointing or gifting, mature you into those anointings and giftings, and/or give you a sustainable ministry position. No person can give you their anointing or “mantel” because it is God who gives these, not people. If people could give them, then we would be called of people and not called of the Lord.
“What about Elijah and Elisha?” Good question! The short answer is that Elisha received a double portion of Elijah’s spirit when Elijah was taken up to heaven (2 Kings 2). Elijah didn’t lay hands on him and transfer a mantel – that would have been difficult seeing that Elijah had been taken up to heaven. Instead, Elisha asked for it, then he called on God, “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” (2 Kings 2:14). He knew his anointing and the power that came with it didn’t come from a person – it came from God.
So what’s the practical takeaway? Simply this: Don’t trust in the laying on of hands. They can be helpful, useful, and a blessing, so also don’t refuse the laying on of hands. But it’s never the laying on of hands that is the magic key to anointing, power, relationship with God, or even a mantel. Only God can give you that and bring it to maturity.
