Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.
Matthew 17:11 NIV
As Jesus, Peter, James, and John descended from the mount of transfiguration, the disciples raised a pointed question. They wanted to know why the teachers of the law said Elijah must come first. Jesus answered plainly in Matthew 17:11 — Elijah does come and will restore all things. Yet hidden within that answer lies a truth with enormous implications for you today. Indeed, God is looking for people in every generation who will walk in the spirit and power of Elijah.
“Elijah Comes” — A Calling That Repeats in Every Generation
What Jesus says in Matthew 17:11 is striking. The word “comes” sits in the present continuous tense. It does not describe a single past event, but an ongoing pattern. Elijah comes. Rather, this calling extends beyond John the Baptist. God raises up people in every dispensation to carry the spirit and power of Elijah. They come not in his person, but in his anointing.
In fact, God makes this expectation explicit in Malachi 4:5. He promises to send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. Furthermore, in verse 6, he defines what that Elijah figure must accomplish. The mandate is to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. The core of that calling, therefore, is restoration. It means healing broken relationships, turning hearts back to God, and preventing the earth from remaining under a curse.
What the Spirit and Power of Elijah Looks Like in Practice
Luke 3:3-6 captures this restorative mandate with breathtaking clarity. When John the Baptist stepped into the spirit of Elijah, he fulfilled Isaiah’s ancient prophecy. Valleys would fill, mountains and hills would fall, and every crooked path would straighten. The rough ways would turn smooth. Ultimately, all flesh would see the salvation of God.
The spirit of Elijah, then, does not preserve what has exalted itself against the Lord. Instead, it tears down every high thing and lifts every low thing. As a result, it smooths the path for people to encounter the saving grace of God.
Yet this calling has not expired in our own generation. God still looks for those who will come in the spirit and power of Elijah. He calls people who will draw the hearts of others back to him. He wants those willing to serve as messengers of reconciliation between God and man. Moreover, this is more than prophetic theatre. It is the daily work of bringing every thought into obedience to God. Similarly, it makes the way straight for others to encounter him.
Consequently, when Jesus says that Elijah will restore all things, he speaks a word over every generation — including this one. God’s expectation rests upon willing hearts. He wants restorers who will carry the spirit and power of Elijah. He calls those who will prepare the way of the Lord. They will turn the hearts of this generation back to him.
Living It Out
The question is not whether God is looking for an Elijah in this generation — he is. The question is whether you are willing to carry that spirit. Will you turn hearts back to God, make peace between him and others, and serve as a messenger of restoration?