Introduction: God has anointed you so that you may be equipped for every good work: to resist evil, to know the truth, to preach the Word, to be able to pray, to have fellowship with God…
You are anointed of God: Have you ever considered yourself to be an anointed Christian? Maybe you've thought that only certain people in ministry are anointed? Maybe you''ve only considered that the O.T. prophets and the N.T. apostles were the only ones anointed and that you are not.
Anointing is for everyone and at the same time it is not for everyone. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. God wants to anoint you but there is a price you have to pay for it.
Ecclesiastes 9:8 - Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.
Because if your head is lacking the anointing you are in trouble (ex: Elisha and Gehaji – we are here to do the will of our Father, not my own).
We are in the end of days – literally living in the days of the might anointing. This anointing does not belong to everybody – it will come to you or pass by you – dependent on your hunger level.
Are you hungry for the ANOINTING???
Let me ask you something:
What is the anointing? People sometimes think it is the goose bump feeling on your spine.
The anointing is the presence of our Lord – it is the power that comes on our lives. The very word anointing means to rub. Shepherds in the east put olive oil on their sheep everyday – the reason is to keep the bugs away. The anointing keeps the bugs away – it keeps demons away. So when the God Almighty anoints us he rubs His nature / His presence on us.
Elisha knew something that everyone here must know – association is important – association with anointed people will bring on you that anointing. Never associate with the wrong crowd. If you associate with the wrong crowd they will rub on you…
The anointing keeps the bugs away – it keeps demons away.
ILL: Pastor Harmut in Bethlehem – Just across the hill there was a muslim family – their daughter was possessed by demons – they were desperate for help – so they called the Imam, “nothing happened” – Greek orthodox priest, “nothing happened” – catholic priest to come, “nothing happened” – finally the father said to the wife, lets call the preacher who lives up the street here who we call crazy, may be he can help us. So Pst. Harmut starts to go up the hill – the demons in her began to scream “the Christians are coming (x3).” Before he could knock on the door, all the devils had left her. The demons were gone before he could knock on the door.
It is going to happen in your neighborhood – it is going to happen in your house
Power of God rested on the bones on Elijah (2 Kings 13:20-21). The anointing is greater than the power of death…Hallelujah!!! The anointing outlives you.
Who anoints us?
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 – Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
First, let it be established that God anoints His people.
What is the purpose of the anointing?
Luke 4:18-19 – The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. he has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
In this verse Five Purposes of the Anointing are revealed:
1) to enable you “to preach [the] good news” effectively. The news we share about Jesus is “good”. The anointing will enable you to share it with impact.
Acts 1:5,8 ...in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit... [8] you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. It gives us power to “be Christ’s witnesses”.
2) to make you a Spirit-filled messenger, a “proclaim[er of] freedom for the prisoners” — freedom from the prison of sin, of drugs, of depression, of life-dominating habits.
3) You are anointed to bring “recovery of sight for the blind” — both physical and spiritual healing, as Jesus did. Not only healing, but other gifts of the Holy Spirit begin to flow from the anointing of the Holy Spirit in your life.
4) You are anointed “to release the oppressed”. All around you are people oppressed by sin, by sickness, by demonic attacks, etc. You have a message of release for them.
5) You are anointed “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” - to proclaim the year of Jubilee (where all your debts are cancelled – a new start/beginning).
Conclusion: Remember the upper room experience – it is only when the disciples received the anointing – they were able to boldly preach the gospel – heal – deliver – spread like wild fire. Note that it is after the anointing the church began to expand significantly – new ministries – new territories…
Ask not what the Lord can do for you, rather ask what you can do for God!!!
This is the year for spiritual breakthrough. Are you ready!!! Are you hungry!!!
The beginning of the New Year 2018 is a time of preparation for the anointing.
Sanctification and separation and willingness to pay the price….
Let us prepare ourselves for a wonderful and an anointed year ahead!!!
