The Anointing Of The Holy Spirit Part 2
THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - PART 2
Revivalist Todd Bentley
Different Kinds of Anointing
We closed last week's teaching with a word of encouragement to step out in faith, not giving too much attention to the circumstances around us, but rather focusing on the Lord Jesus. He wants us to follow in His footsteps and do mighty exploits in His name. And He walked on the water!
Jesus was anointed by the ‘Spirit of the Lord' before he accomplished the works that the Father gave Him to do. Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah prophesied concerning the Lord Jesus being anointed by the Spirit of the Lord. Eventually, at the appointed time, Jesus read this prophecy (from the book of Isaiah 61:1-3) to his Jewish brethren in the synagogue. We can almost see the scene: Jesus steps up, takes the scroll and reads the portion that identifies Him as more than just the Son of Joseph and Mary. He is saying that He is the Anointed One. This account is recorded by the apostle Luke in chapter 4.
“So He came to Nazareth , where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: ‘ 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 brokenhearted, 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'” (Luke 4:16-19).
Before we examine the different kinds of anointings in this scripture passage, I want to say that Jesus carried two anointings that are essential and foundational for the growth of any other kind of anointing. “… God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power , who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10: 38 ). He had two anointings: the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the anointing of power. Clearly, there is a distinction because the power of God is not the Holy Spirit. The power of God is what the Holy Spirit brings.
Some positions and areas of responsibility that must flow out of the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the anointing of power are listed below with supportive scriptures:
* Pastor anointing (Eph. 4:11 -16)
* Teacher anointing (Eph. 4:11 -16)
* Worship and song anointing (1 Chron. 15:16 , 1 Chron. 25:1)
* Intercession anointing (Pr. 31:9, Gen. 18: 23-33)
* Apostolic anointing (Titus 1:1)
* Prophetic anointing (Rom. 12:6, Dan. 11:1)
* Apostolic business anointing (Gen. 41:37-41)
* Anointing for administration (1 Kings 3:10 -14)
* Giving anointing (Mark 12:42 -44, Prov. 11:25 )
* Skills in craftsmanship anointing (Zech. 1:20 , Ex. 36:1,2)
Both the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the anointing of power comes upon our lives when we fulfill three conditions: (1) when we are walking in holiness (2) when we are walking in an attitude of repentance/cleansing (3) when we are planted in the house of God. As well, I want to say that before the power of God comes (the oil always speaks of power), the blood of Jesus has to be applied first because there is protection for us when we plead His blood over our lives and our households. When the blood is applied, God will bring His oil/power. And when we're anointed with the presence of God, He will anoint us with the power.
Now let's look at some of the specific anointings that Jesus spoke about in Luke 4. The first one the Lord mentions is preaching the gospel. Right away Billy Graham comes to my mind! He has an anointing for evangelism and preaching the good news like no other man I've ever seen. He doesn't give demonstrative, prophetic messages, but people hear the gospel and thousands get saved. He is anointed.
Next Jesus goes on to say that God sent Him to heal the brokenhearted. So there's an anointing to bind up and heal broken hearts. In fact, each area of difficulty that Jesus mentions (Luke 4:18 -19) can be redeemed and restored when believers minister to the lost and hurting in the anointing. People who are imprisoned by different tribulations (mental illness, slavery to additions, being controlled by ungodly people, etc.) are liberated when believers, who walk in an anointing, set them free in Jesus Name. There will be recovery of sight to the blind in the spirit and in the natural! The oppressed will be liberated by those with an anointing to bring deliverance. I t really is time to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord!
Also, there is an anointing for extraordinary miracles. The apostles Paul and Peter were used by the Lord for special miracles (Acts 19:11 -12 & 5:12 -16). God worked “unusual miracles” by the hands of Paul so that even his handkerchiefs and aprons were brought from his body to the sick and their diseases left and the evil spirits left them. The words “unusual miracles” means special miracles because he had an anointing to do unique miracles. Maybe you have an anointing like Paul had; even your handkerchief or apron carries an anointing on the fabric for healing the sick and causing evil spirits to go out of people. And the apostle Peter had a special anointing that was just as significant as Paul's. Peter would walk down the streets of Jerusalem and the sick (on beds and couches) would be healed as his shadow passed over them.
As well, did you know that the Bible talks about gifts of healing: “… to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit…” (I Cor. 12:9). Gifts! Plural! There is more than one gift of healing. So we might have a gift of healing for the deaf or we might have a gift of healing for the blind. Also, there might be a special anointing to pray for cancers to the point that when a believer prays for people to be healed of cancer, they see more people healed that I do when I pray.
Releasing Wealth and Resources
Our faith is certainly stirred to come up higher after reading about the unusual miracles that Paul and Peter did. But let's never forget that God must be number 1 in our lives and our faith must be centered in Him. It's out of our devotion to the Lord that everything else will be added unto us. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Mt. 6:33 ). Then the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us into the truth of God's word (Ps. 119:105). The blessings that shall be added to us, in many instances, will be above and beyond all we could ask or think, according to the power that works within us (Eph. 3:20 )!
When we devote our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, at the right time He will bring an increase in our lives concerning wealth, favor, riches, glory and gold so that the unsaved can be reached. The apostle Luke records in Acts that the apostles had great favor as they exalted the name of Jesus and spoke with authority concerning His resurrection (Acts 4:33). The favor they experienced was so huge that it was like God opened up Joseph's storehouse because the people sold their assets and laid the proceeds at the feet of the apostles (vs.34-35). The people gave freely because they wanted to get behind ‘a ministry' where the people were getting saved, healed and delivered. The proceeds were distributed to anyone who had need (v. 35).
When people see God's hand in our lives and ministries to the point that the unsaved repent and turn to the Lord, then they want to get behind us and/or our ministry and give. Some of God's people will volunteer with us on the front lines and others will open up their wallets and give financially. Many believers give to the ministries of Reinhard Bonnke and Benny Hinn because both are turning nations upside down for God. Thousands are making decisions for Jesus in their crusades. So what's it going to take to release finances and resources so that the lost are reached? The answer is when people see the power and the anointing (that's birthed out of a right relationship with God), they give.
At times I hear Christians say that they can't do what God's called them to do because they don't have what they need in the natural to get the job done. What's going on in their lives in the natural is determining their future and destiny. But God says, “Don't put the cart before the horse.” When the power is there, when the anointing is there and people are getting saved, healed and delivered, the favor will be there. And when the favor is there people will want to come and put money at their feet and co-labor with them to get the job done! The blessing of the Lord will overtake them. It can't be stopped!
Listen. What makes a man rich? “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich and He adds no sorrow with it” (Pr. 10:22). The supernatural endowment of God's power and grace (that comes upon somebody's life to receive wealth and the blessing of the Lord) will make a man rich. “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33 ). When the blessing of the Lord came, there was great power and great grace upon the apostles; great power, great grace and a great financial release. As well, the Old Testament records a time after the people of Israel saw God's power, that they gave so extravagantly toward the building of the temple they had to be restrained from giving anything more (Ex. 36:5-7)! That's what the favor of God will release; it's power, favor and finances. Always!
Another great example concerning the favor of the Lord is found in Esther's life. In terms of favor, we usually remember the time she approached the King and he extended his royal scepter to her, and we hardly ever think about the financial favor that she had. But financial favor came to Esther! What opened up the finances for her? Initially, financial favor came through a royal official who not only gave her beauty preparations, he also gave her an allowance (Esther 2:9). Probably the King hadn't even seen her at this point. But she had an allowance!
Later she obtained so much favor in the eyes of the King that he made her his wife and she became Queen. What brought Esther favor with the King? I believe it was because she consecrated herself during the time she received her beauty treatments with the oil, the perfume and the intimacy of God's presence. She obtained a level of holiness. She became even more beautiful on the inside and on the outside. Then she came into great favor, a favor that continued, so that in a time of crisis for her people (Jewish), she could approach her husband and begin the plan, inspired by God, to save them. At that critical hour, as she came into the King's presence he didn't hesitate to extend his royal scepter to her with great generosity. “And the king said to her, "What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you--up to half the kingdom!"(Esther 5:3)
God wants to give us the same kind of favor that Esther had so that the people who need to be saved, will be saved! Esther had a plan to save her people and she not only had the favor of the King, she had the resources to see her plan through. And many of you have plans, too! For instance, we're led by the Lord to hold crusades and meetings all around the world so that the lost will hear about Jesus Christ and be saved. We're laboring for a harvest of one million souls to be saved this coming year! The harvest is so ripe in many parts of the world; thousands and thousands of people are ready to receive the good news of the gospel.
The blessing of the Lord is like the law of gravity. The blessing of the Lord drives me to success and to be an over comer. The blessing of the Lord makes one rich. You don't even have to do anything. It just gets on you. It just happens. People say to me, “Todd, your ministry is international today. It's global. It's all over the world. About eight years ago you were pulling lumber off of the green chain. You were working in a mill. Ten years ago you were a drug addict. How has your ministry grown so fast?” The answer is, it's the blessing of the Lord that makes one rich. I didn't have business skills, but now I have an apostolic mind. I'm a visionary. I cast so much vision now that I could have one hundred people working for me and they wouldn't run out of work. I just don't stop; I create. It's a prophetic anointing. I see things in the spirit. I can't stop delegating. I can't stop seeing how everything fits together.
Now I have a business mind, running and overseeing a multi-million dollar organization that is literally touching tens of thousands of people all over the world with God's saving, healing, and delivering power. I'll tell you again how it happened. The blessing of the Lord makes one rich. It will drive you to success. You can't get away from it. The blessing of the Lord will find you out! How did I receive that blessing? It's all in the power. The great power brings the great favor and the great favor brings the great provision. Jesus Christ was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power. The power comes out of the Holy Ghost. The secret to the power of God is the presence of the Holy Spirit.
It's the presence of the Holy Spirit that brings the anointing. It's not by our might or by our power. Next week in Part 3, our faith will be encouraged as we study a meaty portion concerning the life of Zerubbabel. He faced many challenges, but the word of the Lord centered Him: “…This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts” (Zech. 4:6). Then we're going to look at the word of the Lord concerning the life of the patriarch, Job. As we see the Lord's mighty hand upon the lives of these two great men of God, our faith and trust in the Lord will soar.
GENERAL INQUIRES - PO Box 2525, Abbotsford BC, CANADA V2T 6R3, TEL: 604.853.9041 FAX: 604.853.5077
MISSIONS TEL: 604.853.9041 Ext.235 FAX: 604.853.5077
© Freshfire Ministries 2003 all rights reserved
Revivalist Todd Bentley
Different Kinds of Anointing
We closed last week's teaching with a word of encouragement to step out in faith, not giving too much attention to the circumstances around us, but rather focusing on the Lord Jesus. He wants us to follow in His footsteps and do mighty exploits in His name. And He walked on the water!
Jesus was anointed by the ‘Spirit of the Lord' before he accomplished the works that the Father gave Him to do. Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah prophesied concerning the Lord Jesus being anointed by the Spirit of the Lord. Eventually, at the appointed time, Jesus read this prophecy (from the book of Isaiah 61:1-3) to his Jewish brethren in the synagogue. We can almost see the scene: Jesus steps up, takes the scroll and reads the portion that identifies Him as more than just the Son of Joseph and Mary. He is saying that He is the Anointed One. This account is recorded by the apostle Luke in chapter 4.
“So He came to Nazareth , where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: ‘ 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 brokenhearted, 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'” (Luke 4:16-19).
Before we examine the different kinds of anointings in this scripture passage, I want to say that Jesus carried two anointings that are essential and foundational for the growth of any other kind of anointing. “… God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power , who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10: 38 ). He had two anointings: the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the anointing of power. Clearly, there is a distinction because the power of God is not the Holy Spirit. The power of God is what the Holy Spirit brings.
Some positions and areas of responsibility that must flow out of the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the anointing of power are listed below with supportive scriptures:
* Pastor anointing (Eph. 4:11 -16)
* Teacher anointing (Eph. 4:11 -16)
* Worship and song anointing (1 Chron. 15:16 , 1 Chron. 25:1)
* Intercession anointing (Pr. 31:9, Gen. 18: 23-33)
* Apostolic anointing (Titus 1:1)
* Prophetic anointing (Rom. 12:6, Dan. 11:1)
* Apostolic business anointing (Gen. 41:37-41)
* Anointing for administration (1 Kings 3:10 -14)
* Giving anointing (Mark 12:42 -44, Prov. 11:25 )
* Skills in craftsmanship anointing (Zech. 1:20 , Ex. 36:1,2)
Both the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the anointing of power comes upon our lives when we fulfill three conditions: (1) when we are walking in holiness (2) when we are walking in an attitude of repentance/cleansing (3) when we are planted in the house of God. As well, I want to say that before the power of God comes (the oil always speaks of power), the blood of Jesus has to be applied first because there is protection for us when we plead His blood over our lives and our households. When the blood is applied, God will bring His oil/power. And when we're anointed with the presence of God, He will anoint us with the power.
Now let's look at some of the specific anointings that Jesus spoke about in Luke 4. The first one the Lord mentions is preaching the gospel. Right away Billy Graham comes to my mind! He has an anointing for evangelism and preaching the good news like no other man I've ever seen. He doesn't give demonstrative, prophetic messages, but people hear the gospel and thousands get saved. He is anointed.
Next Jesus goes on to say that God sent Him to heal the brokenhearted. So there's an anointing to bind up and heal broken hearts. In fact, each area of difficulty that Jesus mentions (Luke 4:18 -19) can be redeemed and restored when believers minister to the lost and hurting in the anointing. People who are imprisoned by different tribulations (mental illness, slavery to additions, being controlled by ungodly people, etc.) are liberated when believers, who walk in an anointing, set them free in Jesus Name. There will be recovery of sight to the blind in the spirit and in the natural! The oppressed will be liberated by those with an anointing to bring deliverance. I t really is time to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord!
Also, there is an anointing for extraordinary miracles. The apostles Paul and Peter were used by the Lord for special miracles (Acts 19:11 -12 & 5:12 -16). God worked “unusual miracles” by the hands of Paul so that even his handkerchiefs and aprons were brought from his body to the sick and their diseases left and the evil spirits left them. The words “unusual miracles” means special miracles because he had an anointing to do unique miracles. Maybe you have an anointing like Paul had; even your handkerchief or apron carries an anointing on the fabric for healing the sick and causing evil spirits to go out of people. And the apostle Peter had a special anointing that was just as significant as Paul's. Peter would walk down the streets of Jerusalem and the sick (on beds and couches) would be healed as his shadow passed over them.
As well, did you know that the Bible talks about gifts of healing: “… to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit…” (I Cor. 12:9). Gifts! Plural! There is more than one gift of healing. So we might have a gift of healing for the deaf or we might have a gift of healing for the blind. Also, there might be a special anointing to pray for cancers to the point that when a believer prays for people to be healed of cancer, they see more people healed that I do when I pray.
Releasing Wealth and Resources
Our faith is certainly stirred to come up higher after reading about the unusual miracles that Paul and Peter did. But let's never forget that God must be number 1 in our lives and our faith must be centered in Him. It's out of our devotion to the Lord that everything else will be added unto us. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Mt. 6:33 ). Then the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us into the truth of God's word (Ps. 119:105). The blessings that shall be added to us, in many instances, will be above and beyond all we could ask or think, according to the power that works within us (Eph. 3:20 )!
When we devote our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, at the right time He will bring an increase in our lives concerning wealth, favor, riches, glory and gold so that the unsaved can be reached. The apostle Luke records in Acts that the apostles had great favor as they exalted the name of Jesus and spoke with authority concerning His resurrection (Acts 4:33). The favor they experienced was so huge that it was like God opened up Joseph's storehouse because the people sold their assets and laid the proceeds at the feet of the apostles (vs.34-35). The people gave freely because they wanted to get behind ‘a ministry' where the people were getting saved, healed and delivered. The proceeds were distributed to anyone who had need (v. 35).
When people see God's hand in our lives and ministries to the point that the unsaved repent and turn to the Lord, then they want to get behind us and/or our ministry and give. Some of God's people will volunteer with us on the front lines and others will open up their wallets and give financially. Many believers give to the ministries of Reinhard Bonnke and Benny Hinn because both are turning nations upside down for God. Thousands are making decisions for Jesus in their crusades. So what's it going to take to release finances and resources so that the lost are reached? The answer is when people see the power and the anointing (that's birthed out of a right relationship with God), they give.
At times I hear Christians say that they can't do what God's called them to do because they don't have what they need in the natural to get the job done. What's going on in their lives in the natural is determining their future and destiny. But God says, “Don't put the cart before the horse.” When the power is there, when the anointing is there and people are getting saved, healed and delivered, the favor will be there. And when the favor is there people will want to come and put money at their feet and co-labor with them to get the job done! The blessing of the Lord will overtake them. It can't be stopped!
Listen. What makes a man rich? “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich and He adds no sorrow with it” (Pr. 10:22). The supernatural endowment of God's power and grace (that comes upon somebody's life to receive wealth and the blessing of the Lord) will make a man rich. “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33 ). When the blessing of the Lord came, there was great power and great grace upon the apostles; great power, great grace and a great financial release. As well, the Old Testament records a time after the people of Israel saw God's power, that they gave so extravagantly toward the building of the temple they had to be restrained from giving anything more (Ex. 36:5-7)! That's what the favor of God will release; it's power, favor and finances. Always!
Another great example concerning the favor of the Lord is found in Esther's life. In terms of favor, we usually remember the time she approached the King and he extended his royal scepter to her, and we hardly ever think about the financial favor that she had. But financial favor came to Esther! What opened up the finances for her? Initially, financial favor came through a royal official who not only gave her beauty preparations, he also gave her an allowance (Esther 2:9). Probably the King hadn't even seen her at this point. But she had an allowance!
Later she obtained so much favor in the eyes of the King that he made her his wife and she became Queen. What brought Esther favor with the King? I believe it was because she consecrated herself during the time she received her beauty treatments with the oil, the perfume and the intimacy of God's presence. She obtained a level of holiness. She became even more beautiful on the inside and on the outside. Then she came into great favor, a favor that continued, so that in a time of crisis for her people (Jewish), she could approach her husband and begin the plan, inspired by God, to save them. At that critical hour, as she came into the King's presence he didn't hesitate to extend his royal scepter to her with great generosity. “And the king said to her, "What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you--up to half the kingdom!"(Esther 5:3)
God wants to give us the same kind of favor that Esther had so that the people who need to be saved, will be saved! Esther had a plan to save her people and she not only had the favor of the King, she had the resources to see her plan through. And many of you have plans, too! For instance, we're led by the Lord to hold crusades and meetings all around the world so that the lost will hear about Jesus Christ and be saved. We're laboring for a harvest of one million souls to be saved this coming year! The harvest is so ripe in many parts of the world; thousands and thousands of people are ready to receive the good news of the gospel.
The blessing of the Lord is like the law of gravity. The blessing of the Lord drives me to success and to be an over comer. The blessing of the Lord makes one rich. You don't even have to do anything. It just gets on you. It just happens. People say to me, “Todd, your ministry is international today. It's global. It's all over the world. About eight years ago you were pulling lumber off of the green chain. You were working in a mill. Ten years ago you were a drug addict. How has your ministry grown so fast?” The answer is, it's the blessing of the Lord that makes one rich. I didn't have business skills, but now I have an apostolic mind. I'm a visionary. I cast so much vision now that I could have one hundred people working for me and they wouldn't run out of work. I just don't stop; I create. It's a prophetic anointing. I see things in the spirit. I can't stop delegating. I can't stop seeing how everything fits together.
Now I have a business mind, running and overseeing a multi-million dollar organization that is literally touching tens of thousands of people all over the world with God's saving, healing, and delivering power. I'll tell you again how it happened. The blessing of the Lord makes one rich. It will drive you to success. You can't get away from it. The blessing of the Lord will find you out! How did I receive that blessing? It's all in the power. The great power brings the great favor and the great favor brings the great provision. Jesus Christ was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power. The power comes out of the Holy Ghost. The secret to the power of God is the presence of the Holy Spirit.
It's the presence of the Holy Spirit that brings the anointing. It's not by our might or by our power. Next week in Part 3, our faith will be encouraged as we study a meaty portion concerning the life of Zerubbabel. He faced many challenges, but the word of the Lord centered Him: “…This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts” (Zech. 4:6). Then we're going to look at the word of the Lord concerning the life of the patriarch, Job. As we see the Lord's mighty hand upon the lives of these two great men of God, our faith and trust in the Lord will soar.
GENERAL INQUIRES - PO Box 2525, Abbotsford BC, CANADA V2T 6R3, TEL: 604.853.9041 FAX: 604.853.5077
MISSIONS TEL: 604.853.9041 Ext.235 FAX: 604.853.5077
© Freshfire Ministries 2003 all rights reserved
posted by KFF at 1:45 AM
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