The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites: ‘Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?’ (Isaiah 33:14)
For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:29)
Have we a longing for revival? Do we desire to see a move of God? I wonder if we as a church have any recollection from whence the power of God comes. An understanding of this will be integral to experiencing revival.
I daresay that we have forgotten… if we’ve ever known at all. Where does the power of God come from? Does it come from sacred objects? Just today I have heard of a peculiar manifestation, that a bible is said to be supernaturally producing oil; people are going to that place, and taking from it vials of oil (for those unfamiliar, doing such a thing is called ‘going on pilgrimage.’) Is this where we can get the power of God?
Sacred relics of the Catholic church have made the rounds the world over for centuries, and bones of anointed saints. Is this whence the power of God comes?
Is it in Israel? Can we go to the Garden Tomb, and find the power of God there?
What is the power of God? Is it the miraculous? Is it the spectacular? Is it myrrh flowing from an icon of Mary?
What is the anointing? And where does it come from?
There is a modern Signs and Wonders movement; its ideals have swept America, and the world. Have we, with our emphasis on the miraculous attained a knowledge, and understanding of the source? Are we chasing the anointing, or the miraculous?
Interestingly, there are scriptural promises for our day, one of them is this:
When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of judgment, and by the Spirit of burning. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for UPON ALL the glory shall be for a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. (Isaiah 4:4-6)
Or how about this one:
And it shall come to pass afterward [after Jesus finished His work in the earth], that I will pour out my spirit upon ALL FLESH… (Joel 2:28)
Do you notice something? God’s promise is to pour out His Spirit upon PEOPLE, not upon objects or PLACES. Did you notice that? According to the New Covenant, God’s Spirit is poured out upon people. How many people? Are there certain people that we need to flock to in order to obtain the anointing? Certain priests, or prophets?
A L L F L E S H
Have we known the presence of God, or have we forgotten it for the spectacular? Let me dispel something right off: flocking to objects is idolatry. If a bible, or icon is producing oil… what is the benefit to the soul? Is God more manifest on an object than He has promised to be upon all those who call upon His name?
Where does the anointing come from? (Let’s take the mystery from it.)
THE ANOINTING COMES FROM JESUS.
(NONE OTHER.)
But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like a fuller’s soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. (Malachi 3:2-3)
I think that His intention is rather to sanctify us than to do flashy, cool things. Does God want us holy, or does He merely want to impress people into the kingdom?
1 Thess 4:3
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification…
Revival – what is it? Where does it come from?
Is revival many miracles happening in some certain place? Where we shall all flock to behold the miracles?
I think We have largely shifted our perspective of the work of the Holy Spirit; we seem to believe His principal work is Signs, Wonders, and Miracles. Is God really cool stuff happening?
Is God a consuming fire?
Where does the anointing come from? Jesus. How do we get it? Faith. What does that mean?
The miraculous follows the preaching of God’s Word – faith cometh by HEARING the Word of God.
1 Cor 1:21
…it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
One thing that is astounding to me is that many despise following ministers as idolatry – some personality cult, but believe that God may work in a certain place, or object and flock to that.
What does God pour out His Spirit upon in these days? ALL FLESH – people.
Whom does He pour His Spirit upon? Them that believe.
Acts 2:38-39
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Two things are required if we would see salvation; two very simple things:
- Repentance
- PREACHING CHRIST
Seeking Christ is how we get the anointing – and in greater and greater manifestations.
Preaching Christ is how we give it to others.
John 6:27
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
Pnuematic Rain 