July 4, 2004
Morning Worship
Text: Luke 4:14-21
Subject: Operating in the Spirit
Title: Independence Day – Anointed For Freedom
Happy Fourth of July to all. We send out a sincere thanks to all those who have served their country in order to keep us free. We look at the United States and can marvel at the freedoms we do have – freedom of speech; freedom of expression; freedom of religion? We have become a nation where you can do just about anything you want – moral or amoral – and get away with it.
Unfortunately, many who live in the freest country ever to exist, fail to understand that with freedom comes responsibility.
French writer Alexis de Tocqueville, after visiting America in 1831, said, "I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests--and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning--and it was not there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution--and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great!"
As we gather here today we know in our hearts that America is quickly coming to the place where it is no longer good.
As faithful followers of Jesus Christ we have a freedom that others do not. We have freedom from sin and death and have become independent from the world and its influences. Yet, we too have responsibilities that we need to try to meet. There is one huge difference for Pentecostal believers – we are able to live in freedom in the power and person of the Holy Spirit. That Holy Spirit power, the anointing of God, is available to all. And it is only through the power available to us that we will be able to live in true Christian liberty.
Today we want to look what Luke says about the anointing of the Holy Spirit in the lives of God’s children.
You can be a receptacle of God’s anointing.
I. WALKING IN THE ANOINTING OF THE SPIRIT. (14-15)
A. Power is Developed Through Application. Verse 14 says, “Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit…” Did you ever stop to wonder why Jesus went out into the desert for 40 days before He began His ministry? The Holy Spirit had already come upon Him. He had power to minister. But in those forty days in the wilderness Jesus fasted and prayed. He needed power to get through that. But at the end of His time there the enemy came and tempted Him with food (he knew what Jesus’ weakness would be). He tempted Him with an easy way out. If Jesus would only worship satan, He could have all the kingdoms of the world and they would not have to be bought with such a great price. Then He was tempted to put God to the test to see if God really would protect Him. In rejecting the enemy in all these things Jesus operated in the fullness of the Spirit. Notice that in 4:1 it says “Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” But after resisting the devil it says in verse 14, “Then Jesus returned in the power of the Holy Spirit…” You receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, but that power appears to be amplified and applied only when you use it.
B. Power Prepares You for Ministry. Verse 14 says, “news of Him went out through all the surrounding area.” When you are moving in the power of the Spirit, God will prepare others to receive you. You are a son/daughter of God if you are led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14). As children of the King you have an inheritance to share. You share it with Christ, with one another, but even more importantly, you share it with the unsaved in order to bring them into inheritance. Look in Acts 8, we see Philip being led by the Spirit down to Gaza to speak to one Ethiopian. And God had already prepared him to receive the message of salvation. Does that mean you only speak life into the lives of those whom God has told you? No, but especially those. When you are specifically led by the Spirit to a certain person you can rest assured that He has already gone before you to minister. The Holy Spirit was preparing Galilee to receive Jesus’ ministry. He will do the same for you.
C. Power Enhances Your Message. Have you ever been led by the Spirit, as I previously mentioned, to talk to someone? You don’t know the words to speak. You are not sure of what to do. But at the appropriate time you are given words to speak so that when you are finished you may not even remember what you said. Repeated operation in the power of the Spirit will build your dependence on His power. Notice what verse 15 says. “And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.” Holy Spirit anointing allowed an untaught man to speak in the synagogues. The reason? So Jesus could be glorified, and if Jesus, then the Father! Holy Spirit anointing is not about you. It is about glorifying God. John 16:13-14, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”
II. UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE OF THE ANOINTING (16-19)
A. To Preach the Gospel to the Poor. The KJV says in Isaiah 61 that He is anointed to preach to the meek. In other words, the one who is anointed is to preach the gospel to those who are poor in spirit, who understand that their righteousness is as filthy rags. The point is, if you are under the anointing, then you are called to share the message of eternal life through Christ Jesus.
B. To Heal Broken Hearts. Jesus was sent to heal the hearts that are broken by sin. Sin breaks hearts. It keeps you from having the loving relationship you need to have with the Father. Romans 5:19, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” As Spirit filled believers, we also are called to heal broken hearts by sharing the gospel through the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18)
C. Proclaim Liberty to the Captives. 2 Timothy 2:24-26 NKJV) And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, {25} in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, {26} and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. The world is full of those who are so satisfied with life that they do not see a need to be saved. They cannot understand their fate because of their lifestyles. They don’t understand that God is continually trying to draw them to Himself by giving them prosperity, much like He did to Judah right before the Babylonian captivity. The ministry of anointed people of God is to lovingly explain to those who are captive to the world system that there is freedom in the name of Jesus. There’s victory in the name of Jesus; there’s liberty in the name of Jesus.
D. Recovery of Sight for the Blind. There is a two-fold ministry for the anointed. Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.” The message of the gospel of Christ is for those in darkness. Jesus said that those who are well have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. Those who are in darkness need light shined on them. There is also a ministry of physical healing here. When John the Baptist’s disciples came to Jesus they asked if He was the coming one. Jesus answered like this, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.” Is the ministry of God’s anointed strictly on a spiritual plane. I say, and the scriptures bear me out, that it is not only for spiritual healing, but for physical healing as well.
E. Freedom for the Oppressed. (Isaiah 10:27 NKJV) It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil. (John 8:36 NKJV) "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. The old chorus says, “Satan had me bound but Jesus set me free. I think it is about time that the anointed people of God began to stand up and take back all the things that the enemy has stolen from you; family members, friends, health, wealth, peace of mind… he is a murderer, a thief and a destroyer, but he and his evil realm have no authority over us. As a matter of fact the opposite is true. All we have to do is resist him and he will run with his tail tucked between his legs. Church, stand up and begin to assail the gates of hell because you have the keys to the kingdom and those gates cannot prevail against you.
III. ACCEPTING THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. (20-22)
A. The Scripture is Fulfilled. Jesus was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy concerning salvation. Everything He did was not to bring and end to the Law, but fulfillment. Jesus was obedient to the Father and powered by the Spirit. And the fulfillment was not done behind closed doors. It was proclaimed in the hearing of the Jews, the people of God. It was theirs to accept or deny. But it was not dependant on their acceptance. It was fulfilled regardless.
B. The Anointing is for Everyone. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not for a select few. Peter said on the day of Pentecost, “This Promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord will call.” The anointing was on Peter on that day and as a result 3000 were saved and after that, “The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” This anointing was transferred from Jesus to His disciples, but it didn’t stop there. From the day of Pentecost we see seven chosen to wait tables, who were full of the Holy spirit and wisdom… Then the Holy Spirit fell Samaritans and then on the Cornelius and his household, the Ephesian elders and it continues till today. John 14:12, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.” Paul said that we are to continue the work of Christ. “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ (Colossians 1:24).” What is lacking? Nothing! Except the completion of the work which He begun and will finish when He returns. While Jesus is preparing a place for us we are to continue the work he began. We are stewards of His ministry.
C. The Glory Goes to Jesus. Verse 22, “So all bore witness to Him and they marveled at His gracious words…” The anointing that falls on those who ask is for power, but all the glory belongs to Jesus. Jesus is the baptizer in the Holy Spirit. Everything the anointed of God do should be done to glorify Christ.
You have been set free from the bondage of sin and death. You have trusted Christ as your Lord and savior. You have confessed your weaknesses and your need for a Savior. You are ready to live the Christian life. Right?
There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit’s anointing, or the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, does not make you any more saved than you already are. But the anointing in power will make your life more effective for Christ if you let it. The anointing for the sake of being anointed is like being president of the US for the sake of the title. You have authority and power at your disposal, yet you choose to revel in the title instead of living in power.
For you Christians who have the anointing, you need to understand this one thing. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, “be filled with the Holy Spirit.” The word that is used here has the meaning of a continual act of being filled and refilled. The purpose is that every time that God has something to do or someone to minister to, He will anoint you again and again. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Who ever the son sets free is free indeed. John wrote, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.” We can continue to ask for the anointing.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon you, for He has anointed you…
I used to think that since God has anointed me for ministry, that was enough. I didn’t need to ask for anything more. That just isn’t scriptural.
Acts 4:29-31, “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”
Is the Spirit of the Lord upon you?
Has He anointed you?
If not, He will.
If He has, then ask for more anointing to do the work of the king.
