LET US WALK AND MINISTER IN THE ANOINTING
In Luke 4:18-19 we read Jesus was handed the scroll in the synagogue and read:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has ANOINTED me to preach the Gospel to the poor, He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord NKJV.
Isaiah had prophesied these words in his prophesy (Is. 61:1-2) speaking of the coming Messiah, and here Jesus in the Nazareth synagogue not only reads, but declares He is the Messiah, and what He would do as the ANOINTED MESSIAH.
THIS SAME ANOINTING AVAILABLE TO US IN 2017
What is the Anointing. many would describe it in a Scottish way, IT IS BETTER FELT THAN TELT. In other words, you know when you have it, and you sure know when you don’t have it, (the congregation sure knows when the preacher is anointed or not) but describing it is another thing.
Anointing with oil was a very common practice in Biblical times, both in the religious and day to day life of the Jews. Prophets, Priests, & Kings were all anointed and confirmed into their ministry for example. Then as a traveller when you arrived at your destination or home, you would be greeted with anointing oil as part of your arrival and this would be placed on your head. A cooling refreshing experience after the rigors of the journey.
In Evangelical & Pentecostal circles we use the term in relation to the Preacher or Teacher that there is clear evidence of the Holy Spirit’s enabling as he ministers. But in so many other ways we limit the truth and understanding of what the anointing is.
The Apostle John in 1 John 2:20 & 27 tells us, But you have an ANOINTING, (unction) from the Holy One, and you all know the Truth AMP.N.T. so firstly every believer has received an ANOINTING. The very moment the Holy Spirit entered your life and you were born again YOU WERE ANOINTED.
Our challenge and responsibility is to learn to live the Spirit-filled life, that is walking in obedience to the Lord, growing in grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and may I say, REGULARLY AND CONSTANTLY praying in the Spirit especially using your prayer language. Every Believer must do this, and every ministry gift who wants his ministry anointed must do this. ( I mentioned in my blog yesterday the essential importance of the ministry preparing himself not just the sermon) John in verse 27 reminds us, that the Holy Spirit’s anointing abides in us (does not come and go like the weather) but we as I have already stated we must be obedient to the Lord, and HE WILL LEAD US INTO ALL TRUTH.
But WE MUST NOT LIMIT the anointing to the preaching and teaching of the Word, Let’s go back to Luke 4:18-19 The anointing is to HEAL THE BROKEN HEARTED, we have sadly many people sitting in our pews who’s hearts have been broken for many different reasons, we must be PROACTIVE TO SEE THEIR HEARTS HEALED.
Many Believers even after coming to Christ are still living in bondage and defeat (often because of a lack of Biblical Discipleship), some are demonically oppressed, demonically depressed and demonically obsessed, WE HAVE A MANDATE TO SET THE CAPTIVE FREE.
We often come in contact with people who are demon possessed, the demons in the West are often very sophisticated, and we are often blind to the enemy”s activities. Have you cast out any demons lately. Jesus tells us in Mark 16:17 that Believers (NOT JUST Eph. 4:11 MINISTRIES) are to cast out demons by the ANOINTING AND IN HIS NAME AMEN.
The anointing is to open blind eyes (4:18) not only physical healing, but spiritual healing, so many believers need to have “eye opening” experiences, that give them illumination and revelation from the Word of God.
The final aspect expressed here is to “set at liberty those who are oppressed”. The Amplified spells it out so well.
those who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity. our pews are full of hurting people, and we are either ignorant of their plight (oh how we need to use the Word of Knowledge & Word of Wisdom gifts (1 Cor. 12) or simply hope they will get over it in time,
THE GOSPEL AND THE ANOINTING IS TO BRING WHOLENESS TO EVERY BELIEVER BODY, SOUL & SPIRIT.
This blog’s intention is to encourage and challenge EVERY BELIEVER AND EVERY MINISTRY to “get under the spout where the glory comes out” and to experientially understand what the anointing is, and what it is for, and to fulfil the purposes of God in our generation amen.