Theme For Open Heavens Devotional 14 June 2019 – CONDITIONS FOR ANOINTING.
MEMORISE:
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Hebrews 1:9
READ: Acts 8:18-24
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
MESSAGE
The word anointing is used in several passages of the Bible with reference to the consecration of prophets, kings, priest and things devoted to the worship of God. By these consecration, these persons or things are set apart and empowered to act in God’s power as His representatives on earth. The anointing therefore, refers to the power of God made available through His manifest presence. We see a manifestation of what the anointing is, how it operates and why it is given in Luke 5:17, which says:
“ And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.”
It is something special to witness the outpouring of God’s anointing, which is usually accompanied by His manifest power and magnificent presence. Whenever God decides to reveal the operation of His power through the operation of the anointing, natural laws become temporarily suspended, and we see miracles, signs and wonders of great magnitude. Consequently, children of God always desire such rare opportunities to experience the supernatural, just as people gather from far and near in Luke 5:17. However, God’s anointing is a free gift that money cannot buy. Even the most precious jewel on earth cannot be offered in exchange for it. Because our God does not cast His pearls before swine, certain conditions must be met for anyone who desires to operate in His anointing (Matthew 7:6).
1 Kings 18:30-38shows some deliberate steps Prophet Elijah took to activate the anointing of God. First when the appointed time of worship came, he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. He did everything orderly and meticulously, following divine instructions. Thereafter, he called upon the Name of the Lord in prayer and worship, and God answered by fire. Therefore, if you want to activate God’s anointing in your life, you must first rebuild the altar of God and present yourself before Him as a living sacrifice without any blemish (Romans 12:1). You must be a true worshipper who worships God in spirit and in truth, making sure to adhere strictly to His pattern and instructions as revealed in the Bible. Finally, you must learn to wait patiently for God. There was a waiting period before the fire of the Holy Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:4). The anointing makes you a terror to the kingdom of darkness and a notable representative of the Most High God. May the fire of God’s anointing fall mightily upon you today in the Name of Jesus.
ACTION POINT:
Assess yourself to see whether the parameters that attracted the anointing in today’s memory verse are present in your life.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 10-11
Jeremiah 52:24-34
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 11: WHEN THE POWER OF GOD DESCENDED
1. When the power of God descended
On the day of Pentecost,
All the day of waiting ended,
They received the Holy Ghost
Refrain:
O Lord, send the power just now,
O Lord send the power just now,
O Lord send the power just now,
And baptize, every one.
2. Tongues of flame came down upon them,
And they preached the word in power,
Listening multitudes awakened
Turned to God that very hour.
3. We are waiting Holy Spirit
We are all of one accord,
Lord fulfill just now the promise
That is given in thy Word.
4. Fill and thrill us with Thy presence,
Grant the blessing that we need
Flood our souls with wondrous glory,
While the prayer of faith we plead.
Credit – Pastor E. Adeboye