Books by Benny Hinn from Thomas Nelson Publishers
The Anointing The Biblical Road to Blessing Good Morning, Holy Spirit Welcome, Holy Spirit
Dedicated to my son, Joshua. I pray that he will carry God's message of salvation and the power of the Holy Spirit to the ends of the earth. Special thanks go to o! Slosser for his professional help and editorial skills in the development of this manuscript.
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Scripture +uotations are from the -1) 2I-G J(31S 410SI5- of the i!le. "opyright # $%%, $%67,$%6&, homas -elson, Inc., u!lishers. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
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CONTENTS reface $ Disaster in Detroit & he 3ost 4alua!le Gift @ In the eginning A (n (nswer at /ast ; It's -ot y 3ight < (n Cnusual )oman of God )hat Is It 6 Eou 3ust Have It % hree (nointings $7 It Didn't egin Eesterday $$ Jesus the I (3 $& It's for Eou?-ow $@ wo rofound asics $A he 1*ample of Jesus $; "hange Eour 5il $< Getting a Dou!le ortion $ )ill Eou ay the rice Study and Discussion Guide (!out the (uthor
% $A &$ @& ;7 <$ 7 6 6 %6 $7< $$A $&$ $@& $A $;< $<; $A $6;
Preface
I
n my previous !ook, Good Morning, Holy Spirit, I emphasiFed the reality of the Holy Spirit as God, an e+ual mem!er of the rinity, a person as real as, if not more so than, you or I. 3y purpose in that !ook was to ac+uaint you with the Spirit and to lead you into the e*perience of His presence. 3y purpose in The Anointing is to further that !eautiful, ongoing relationship and lead you into the reality of the power to serve the /ord Jesus in His particular calling on your life. he power is the anointing of the Holy Spirit as promised !y Jesus after His resurrection9 Ee shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall !e witnesses unto me =(cts $96 2J4>. I think we all agree that if there ever was a time when the !ody of "hrist needed power, this is it. 5nly the miracle:working power of (lmighty God can roll !ack the tide of sin and disease flooding the world in every corner. )eakness is not our inheritance as "hristians, yet many of us have settled for ust that. he i!le says our witness to "hrist can !e confirmed with signs following =3ark $69&7>. ulfillment of that promise is the purpose of the anointing of the Spirit, and e+uipping you with this hidden treasure is the purpose of this !ook.
8
The Anointing
irst there must !e the presence, and then comes the anointing. he anointing is not the !aptism of the Holy Spirit, although that is important. he anointing is the power, the power to serve God. Eou will know assuredly when the presence of the Holy Spirit has come upon your life, for you will have sweet fellowship. (nd you will know immediately when He has empowered you spiritually, mentally, and physically to !attle demons and disease. 3ake no mistake a!out it9 God wants you to have these two great gifts. his will !ecome real as you read on. Eou have life:changing moments ahead. 3ay the /ord !less you in every way as you go forward step !y step. )e serve a wonderful and powerful GodK
Chapter 1 LLLLLLL M LLLLLLL
Disaster in Detroit
I
lay on the !ed in my Detroit hotel room and rela*ed, praying +uietly and worshiping the /ord. It was a Saturday night in $%67, the clock showed midnight, and I was to preach the ne*t morning and evening at a church ust outside of town. (fter a few moments, the presence of God came into the room so strongly that tears !egan to roll down my face and I was caught up in His glory. he presence?that wonderful presence of the Holy Spirit that had so revolutioniFed my life several years earlier ?was so heavy that I was o!livious to everything. efore I knew it, the time was & (.3., and I was still praying. he ne*t morning I rose +uickly, feeling rested and strong, and prayed again !efore leaving for the service. I was aware that my prayer session this time was not e*traordinary. It felt nothing like the night !efore, !ut that would have !een hard to e+ual. I went to the service and, when the time came, !egan to preach. I opened my mouth to say the first words, and a cloud of glory came into that !uilding. It was as though the shekinah?the awesome holy %
10
The Anointing
presence of God (lmighty?glory had arrived. It was heavy?so heavy that you couldn't move. eople !egan to weep. (s I was speaking, some fell from their seats onto the floor. hey ust crum!led and so!!ed. heir response was amaFing. )hat was happening hen I closed my eyes and said one word9 Jesus. )hooshK God's presence and power swept through the auditorium even greater than !efore, and people everywhere were moved. I saw no one who wasn't touched visi!ly. ( man ne*t to me said, I've never felt God's presence like I'm feeling it now. ears were streaming down his face. I knew he was right. I had never !efore felt the presence and the anointing of the Holy Spirit so powerfully in a service. ! Break for Lunch
ollowing the service, I was scheduled to have lunch at the home of a cousin who lived in Detroit. I had not seen her in some time and looked forward to lunch with her. 3y cousin and her hus!and welcomed me when I arrived, and we sat down at the ta!le together as we renewed our ac+uaintance. )e had a delightful lunch, and our conversation was lively and enoya!le. Suddenly, as we sat enoying our lunch, I felt the /ord tugging at my heart. I knew the feeling well. He was gently calling me9 Go pray. I was startled, and in my heart I responded, Lord, I can't leae no!" I'm haing l#nch !ith these people" And I didn't een drie here mysel$" The hotel is $orty% $ie min#tes a!ay, and I hae no !ay to get there"
Disaster in Detroit
11
Besides, ho! can I get #p and leae in the middle o$ l#nch& Silence. 5ur lunch concluded, and the man who had driven me there took me !ack to the hotel. I was so e*hausted when I got to my room that I took a nap. )hen I arrived at the service that evening, the crowd was dou!le what it had !een in the morning. God's power had !een so awesome that the people were still e*cited, filled with anticipation a!out the evening service. )hat would tonight !e like if the morning meeting had !een so powerful "t #as Different
I got up to preach, !ut when I opened my mouth, there was nothing?only words. -o presence. -o overwhelming anointing of the Spirit. -o power. I struggled. I didn't know what to do ne*t. I could tell !y the e*pression on their faces that many were wondering what was going on. he truth was9 othing was going on. 5nly hours !efore, I had simply spoken the word (es#s, and God's power had invaded the auditorium. eople had felt the touch of God as they wept in His presence. ut now ... I was saying everything I could think of, and nothing was happening. inally the service ended. It was a disasterK I couldn't get !ack to my hotel room fast enough. I rushed into the room, closed the door +uickly, and locked it. )hat a reliefK he service had seemed like an eternity. I sat on the !ed, and my mind raced over the ordeal. I was puFFled and confused. God, what happened his morning Eour presence was so overwhelming and
12
The Anointing
Eour power so great that I could !arely stand in the midst of Eour glory. eople were moved to tears. he words continued to pour out of me. It was like heaven. ut tonightK )hat was wrong )hy did the service seem so empty So empty of Eou inally I stopped. (nd the soft, gentle voice of the Holy Spirit whispered, 0emem!er this afternoon when I was tugging at you, saying, 'Go pray' Eou chose to stay with your cousin. Eou gave your cousin and her hus!and the place that !elongs to 3e. Eou put them !efore 3e. 3uch +uieter, !ut very defensive, I responded, ut, /ord, I couldn't leave. )hat would my cousin have thought he voice was still gentle and soft. hat's part of the price, enny. (re you willing to pay the price for the anointing " Ha$ Been Tol$ Before
Ees, there is power in the presence of the Holy Spirit that I wrote a!out in Good Morning, Holy Spirit" (nd there is the power of the anointing that I want to teach you a!out in this !ook. (nd there is a price we each must pay for it. his Detroit episode, once again, drove home all three facts. he presence of the Holy Spirit leads us to live in the power of the anointing if we are willing to pay the price of o!edience. 2athryn 2uhlman, who was so important in my introduction to the Holy Spirit and to the truths of !oth the presence and the anointing of the Spirit, had talked a!out the price. She had paid it. I have also never forgotten my encounters with a man in 1ngland who had a tremendous anointing of the Spirit upon His life. 1very time I got near him, my legs
Disaster in Detroit
13
would shake. Sometimes I would feel weak !y ust looking at him. 5ne day I prayed, /ord, let Eour anointing !e on me as it is on him. he /ord spoke !ack to me9 ay the price, and I will give it to you. )hat is the price I asked. he answer didn't come immediately. ut one day it came suddenly from the Holy Spirit. He showed it to me in (cts A9$@9 -ow when they saw the !oldness of eter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they reali)ed that they had been !ith (es#s"* hat is the key?to !e with Jesus?over and over and over, constantly, not ust a few minutes a day, not ust occasionally. In Detroit I had !een with Jesus on Saturday night. ut I had refused to !e alone with Him later when He !eckoned. he presence and the anointing. (s you read on, you will learn how the Holy Spirit can lead you to e*perience the fullness and the power of the Godhead each and every day. 5nce you grasp what the anointing holds for you, e*periencing the depth and rich reality of that precious touch, you will never !e the same.
Chapter 2 %%%%%%% & %%%%%%%
'
The (ost )aluable *ift
)
hat do you value most as a "hristian eople have asked me that for years. (nd each time my answer is the same. 1*cept for my salvation, I value the anointing the most. he phrase the anointing may !e unfamiliar to some of you. his !ook should change that. (s I wrote in my previous volume, Good Morning, Holy Spirit, I have never !een the same since God first graced my life with the precious anointing of His Holy Spirit. (nd those last four words are important. he anointing is the anointing o$ the Holy Spirit, and it is performed !y the /ord Jesus "hrist. -o human can do it. Having had that glorious encounter, which I will discuss in the ne*t chapter, I would rather die than live one day without it. hat sounds dramatic in our age of selfism and humanism, !ut it is the truth. 3y constant prayer is simply this, and I !elieve it will !ecome yours9 God, please don't ever take Eour anointing from me. I would rather die than face a $A
The Most Valuable Gift
15
future without Eour touch on my life. 3ay I never know a day without the anointing of Eour Holy Spirit. )hat God has taught me a!out that special touch of the anointing has caused me to treasure my relationship with our ever:present "ompanion, the Holy Spirit, even more. I know now that there are several types of anointing, and I will e*plore that in later chapters. (nd I know that it is possi!le for me to forsake the 3aster and forfeit this intimate relationship that I value with my entire !eing. I could, !y an act of the will, turn my !ack on Him and alienate myself from fellowship. ut I will never do that. (s I've said !efore, I'd rather die than lose His touch. 3y goal is to deepen my relationship with God and to grow to a greater dimension of the anointing. or, despite the un!elieva!le e*periences He has given me, I know He has more ahead for His children. I want to share this incredi!le adventure with you. Dear friend, I want you to know God has a special touch for your life today. his is your day, as we proclaim on my daily television program. It can !e today and every day of your life if you desire, a day of the reality of the Holy Spirit with you?the anointing. +our Desire Can Be ,ulfille$
erhaps you are like so many who have said, enny, I desire to e*perience God's power in my life, !ut I really don't know how to make that happen. I love God, and I know that He loves me. ut I have a longing for a deeper, more intimate relationship. I don't want to know abo#t Him I want to +no! Him and to e*perience the reality of His power regularly. e assured that your desire can !e fulfilled. He's heard you cry. he first thing He would have you
16
The Anointing
know is that He intensely desires His children?all of them?to e*perience His presence, not once or twice, !ut every day. He longs for them to know not only His presence, !ut also His communion and power. -evertheless, my friend, you cannot know the power of God's anointing until you e*perience the presence of God. 3any have misunderstood the real meaning and essence of the anointing. hey think it is some goose!ump e*perience that is only a matter of feelings and thus short:lived. hat is untrue. )hen the anointing of the Spirit comes upon your life, all confusion will vanish. Eou will !e transformed forever. I can remem!er the first time I felt that sweet, awesome, powerful, rushing river of the anointing coursing through me. It was as though I was wrapped in a !lanket of His love. It was unmistaka!le. he warmth of His presence surrounded me. 3y surroundings faded into the shadows as I !asked in the presence of the Holy Spirit. here was no mistaking who He was. I was overwhelmed !y love and His closeness. I felt total peace, and yet I e*ploded with ecstasy. Eou, too, can know God this intimately as you e*perience the anointing and power of His Spirit? today, tomorrow, and always. !re +ou Dea$ to Self
5nly when you a!andon self, totally emptying yourself, can you !e filled with God's presence. hen, and only then, can you see (cts $96?the promise of power, which I will discuss later?fulfilled in your life. or as His presence envelops you, His power can !egin to pour out of you.
The Most Valuable Gift
17
In this !ook, I will tell you a!out the death to self, which sounds so frightening and impossi!le. (nd I will share how I first came to e*perience the anointing and how that moment revolutioniFed my life. (s I wrote in Good Morning, Holy Spirit, things changed?radically. 3y relationship with God's Spirit has deepened steadily since that first day. He is a part of my daily and hourly e*istence. I never !egin a morning without inviting Him to come and ena!le me to walk with Him throughout the day. It is important also that you understand the Spirit is vitally interested in every aspect of your life. He doesn't divide things up into spiritual and secular. here is no secular. He wants to !e?and actually is? involved in everything. In the first part of the !ook, I will tell you a!out this person called the Holy Spirit. So many know so little of Him, and He is God" hey ignore Him, never talking to Him, never asking Him to !e a daily, minute:!y:minute part of their e*istence. hey seem to prefer pleading and !egging, then !ecoming irritated when they see no answers. How wrong this is. he i!le says, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you =James A96>. It's time to do that. It's time to say, Here I am, Holy Spirit. "ome. )alk with me. Help me receive what the ather has for me. Help me hear what the /ord is saying. )hen I say, "ome, Holy Spirit, the chaos and confusion of life in the world cease. Darkness turns to light. 3y empty heart is filled, and my ears are opened to hear the voice of the ather. or the voice of God is a!sent without the presence of the Holy Spirit surrounding you.
18
The Anointing
Eou may ask, )hy doesn't the Holy Spirit, if He's God and knows everything, ust help us and give us what we need he answer is that He is a gentleman and will never push His way into your life. ut the second you say, Holy Spirit, help me receive what I'm asking for, He comes and helps you receive through Jesus what you have asked the ather for. Eou see, He wants communion and fellowship with you. He's seeking a moment:!y:moment relationship, one in which you can actually have the mind of "hrist =$ "or. &9$<>. )hen the Holy Spirit is a reality in your life, He provides an avenue through which the anointing, the power, can flow. Do you remem!er when eter, James, and John were with the /ord on the 3ount of ransfiguration =3att. $9$ff> he cloud settled on them. )hat is the cloud It is the Holy Spirit. )hen you read in the 5ld estament of the cloud descending upon the a!ernacle =1*od. A79@A>, you are reading of the Holy Spirit. (lso, when Jesus ascended after His resurrection, a cloud received Him =(cts $9%>. (gain, that was the Holy Spirit. Similarly, when Jesus returns, He will !e riding on the same cloud =(cts $9$$>. In these cases, when the /ord spoke, where was the voice It was in the cloud. he Holy Spirit is the one who !rings the voice of God into your heart with clarity. If you haven't e*perienced a daily walk in which these things are reality, you need to understand what the presence and the anointing are. I do not want to limit God and what He will do in your life, !ut I know that, as you receive the Spirit's presence, seven things
The Most Valuable Gift
1
found in the !eautiful eighth chapter of the !ook of 0omans will occur in your life. y themselves they are worth everything9 •
•
•
•
•
•
•
Eou will !e li!erated from sin. Eou, like so many others, may have struggled in an area of your life that you have not !een a!le to overcome for years. he i!le says you will not !e li!erated from the law of sin until you follow the Spirit. 0ighteousness will enter your life naturally, as you learn to walk after the Spirit. Eou won't force it in. Eour struggle for righteousness will give way to its a!iding, easy flow. Eour mentality will !e changed. Eou will !e freed from setting your mind on the things of the flesh to set them on the things of the Spirit. Eou will !ecome totally at peace. or aul says that to !e spiritually minded is peace. Eou will !e healed from your head to your toes. or He who raised "hrist from the dead will give life to N+uickenB your mortal !odies, which the great maority of the ody of "hrist !adly needs. Eou will receive the total death to self and total life to God. or aul says that if you !y the Spirit put to death the deeds of the !ody, you will live. Eou will receive intimacy with the the ather, as !y the Spirit you look up into His face and say, (!!a, ather?Daddy.
5n top of all of that, you will receive power to serve the (lmighty, which I know, !y having met so
20
The Anointing
many of you personally at miracle crusades around the country, you are hungering for?ready to pay that price mentioned in the first chapter. I am e*cited to !e a!le to share these e*periences and these understandings with you. or I know that the presence of the Holy Spirit and His anointing, multiplied among the millions of God's people, are the way the /ord will reach the needy world in our time. I pray that you are as e*cited a!out this as I am.
Chapter 3 %%%%%%% & %%%%%%%
.
"n the Beginning
S
itting on the floor of my !edroom that Decem!er night in $%@, I wrestled with the words I had heard a few hours earlier. 3ysterious words. Strong words. )hy had I not heard them !efore I should have !een tired, for it was after eleven o'clock I had !een up since well !efore dawn. ut my mind would not stop racing over the events of that life: shaking day. ( friend had taken me to a meeting in itts!urgh led !y a healing evangelist of whom I knew very little. Her name was 2athryn 2uhlman. I saw, heard, and e*perienced things in itts!urgh that would alter the course of my life forever. I had !een saved for a year or two, having recently !een introduced to the charismatic movement !y some school friends. I knew almost nothing a!out the Spirit: led life. I was starving I was desperate. ut I found little to nourish my soul. -ow this. )hat had she meant that day 5nce again, I thought !ack over the 2uhlman meeting. Her message had !een titled he Secret ower of the Holy Spirit. I remem!ered my first &$
22
The Anointing
impression of this unusual lady in her flowing white dress, almost dancing across the platform, floating as if plugged into some invisi!le power. I also remem!ered the rather em!arrassing vi!rating and shaking I had undergone for two hours !efore and even an hour during the meeting, only to enter into the most rapturous worship I had ever dreamed possi!le. I knew !eyond dou!t in those hours that the /ord was right there. His presence was certain. 3y prayer life to that point had !een that of the average, serious:minded "hristian. ut in those few hours in itts!urgh, I was not ust talking to the /ord He was talking to me. He was showing me His love He was convincing me of His mercy and kindness. (nd what a communion that wasK /ater on, I looked up from my deep fellowship to see 3iss 2uhlman so!!ing, her face !uried in her hands. She so!!ed terri!ly, and !efore long, everything was +uiet. he music stopped the ushers froFe. his went on for several minutes. Stone silence. hen, in a flash, she threw her head !ack, and her eyes were flashing, aflame. (flameK I had never seen anything like it. oldness rang out from her entire !eing. hen, like an arrow, her long finger was thrust forward. ower seemed to shoot from it. ut there was more?yes, pain and emotion, all shooting from that !ony finger. She so!!ed again momentarily and then spoke, which doesn't really descri!e the agony and drama in her voice, !ut there is no ade+uate word !eyond spo+e" lease, she pleaded. he word was stretched to its limit. leeeaaassse . . . don't grieve the Holy Spirit. She said it again, lease don't grieve the Holy Spirit. -o one moved. "ertainly not I, although I felt her
!n the "eginning
23
finger was pointing right at me, which made me nervous. (nd I'm sure others felt the same way. hen, her voice touched with a so!, she went on, Don't you understand he words hung in the air. He's all I've gotK I didn't know what she was talking a!out, !ut I soaked everything in. She wasn't finished9 leaseK Don't wound Him. He's all I've got. Don't wound the one I loveK 3oments later, she stuck her long !ony finger out again?I know it was pointed right at me?and said, He's more real than anything in this worldK He's more real than you areK I lay out this scene for you again to drive home one of the most important points we "hristians must grasp, especially as we move toward a realiFation of the presence and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. 2athryn 2uhlman was talking a!out a person, a person more real than you or I?a person, not an it, not a mist, not a force, not some spooky, eerie, floating su!stance accompanied !y pipe organs and harps. he Holy Spirit is a person with a personality, a nature. (nd He is God?an e+ual mem!er of the three:person Godhead, containing the whole nature of the Godhead, the one undivided God, at work in creation, redemption, and empowerment. Eou must never forget that truth. (ll I knew that Decem!er night !ack in my oronto room was that I wanted what 2athryn 2uhlman had. )hatever she meant when she said, He's all I have?that is what I wanted. !n$ There He #as
Sometime that night, I felt compelled to pray, as
2#
The Anointing
though someone were pulling me to my knees. (nd the first words out of my mouth were Holy Spirit. I had never done that !efore. It's hard to realiFe now, !ut you must remem!er that I had never even considered that the Holy Spirit was a person to !e addressed. I had talked only to the ather and to the Son. I mustered my courage and said, Holy Spirit, 2athryn says Eou are her riend. I don't think I know Eou. efore today, I thought I did. ut after that meeting, I realiFe I really don't. I don't think I know Eou. "an I meet Eou "an I really meet Eou -othing seemed to happen. ut as I +uestioned and dou!ted myself, eyes closed, something like electricity shot through me and I !egan to vi!rate all over, ust as I had in itts!urgh. he only difference was that I was sitting in my paamas on my !edroom floor in my parents' home in oronto. (nd it was very late at night. ut I was tingling with the power of God's Spirit. He was present in my roomK 3y life would never !e the same. (nd neither will yours, my friend, if you will act upon what I say here. ! +ear-long Lesson
3y introduction had !een so real that when I woke very early the ne*t morning, I did what seemed to !e the most natural thing in the world. I said, Good 3orning, Holy Spirit, and I still say it every morning. He is present and yearns to participate in our lives from our first waking moment each day. hat first morning, the glorious atmosphere of the previous night unmistaka!ly returned, !ut there was no shaking or vi!rating. I was simply wrapped in His presence.
!n the "eginning
25
hat !egan a year of intense e*perience with the sweet presence of the Spirit, a year of fellowship and communion, of Spirit:led study of the i!le, of listening to the one descri!ed in God's )ord as eacher, "ounselor, "omforter. I told in my previous !ook a!out the pro!lems with my family after my conversion to Jesus "hrist. Having !een !orn into a Greek family in Israel, where my father was the mayor of Jaffa, and having !een educated in 0oman "atholic schools, I was thoroughly ostraciFed !y my family after I had pu!licly accepted the /ord Jesus. It !ecame so !ad that my father would not even speak to me, and other relatives scorned or ignored me. his was compounded !y my ina!ility to talk fluently !ecause of a severe stutter. his meant that I spent hours alone in my room. ut after my introduction to the Holy Spirit, this worked for good, allowing me to delight in the incalcula!le richness of His presence. efore long, I !ecame like 3iss 2uhlman in valuing that presence a!ove everything else in life. I am talking a!out a realiFation that e*ceeds the !aptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and other aspects of normal charismatic "hristian life as I had e*perienced it. Ees, I did speak in tongues, and I did attend a charismatic church faithfully. ut there was more to this e*perience than that. he Holy Spirit !ecame real to me. He !ecame my "ompanion. )hen I opened the i!le, I knew He was there with me as though He were sitting !eside me. He patiently taught me and loved me. I didn't see His face, of course, !ut I knew where He was. (nd I !egan to know His personality.
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The Anointing
Jesus had said He would not leave His disciples? you and me?helpless !ut would send one to !e with us and to lead us. (nd now I knew firsthand that He had kept His word. The Pur/ose "s 0e1eale$
It's important that I repeat an episode from Good Morning, Holy Spirit to place these remarka!le e*periences in perspective and to show that the "hristian life is not intended to !e a !less:me, gimme clu!. (fter numerous in+uiries to the /ord as to why He was allowing me to e*perience the reality of His presence, I had a frightening vision. I saw someone standing in front of me, engulfed in flames and moving uncontrolla!ly. His feet were not touching the ground. His mouth was opening and closing, like the gnashing of teeth in the i!le. (t that moment, the /ord spoke in an audi!le voice9 reach the gospel. I responded9 ut, /ord, I can't talk. wo nights later, I had a dream. I saw an angel with a chain in his hand it was attached to a door that seemed to fill heaven. He pulled it open, and there were people as far as the eye could see. hey were all moving toward a large, deep valley, and that valley was an inferno. housands were falling into the fire. hose on the front lines were trying to fight it, !ut the crush of humanity pushed them into the flames. (gain the /ord spoke to me9 If you do not preach, I will hold you responsi!le. I knew instantly that everything in my life, including my un!elieva!le e*periences in recent months, was for one purpose9 to move me to preach the
!n the "eginning
27
gospel. ! S/ectacular Change
In early Decem!er $%A, I visited Stan and Shirley hillips in 5shawa, a!out thirty miles east of oronto, and I still hadn't o!eyed the vision to preach. Indeed, I hadn't told anyone a!out my e*periences, dreams, and visions. ut that was to change. "an I tell you something I asked. hey !oth nodded e*pectantly and I poured out my heart to them, at least to the e*tent my stutter would allow. hey were very patient and listened for a!out three hours. inally Stan interrupted me and said enthusiastically, enny, tonight you must come to our church and share this. Stan and Shirley were part of a group of a!out a hundred people called Shiloh, at the rinity (ssem!ly of God in 5shawa, so I went with them that evening? long hair, casual clothes, stuttering tongue, and all. I didn't know what would happen. I knew I had !een told to preach the gospel, !ut I had come to think that the preaching would pro!a!ly !e through tracts. I still didn't know what was going to happen as I sat in the audience during the early part of the service. I !ecame very nervous?scared. I was going to make a fool of myself, and everyone would laugh. I didn't need any more of that. efore long, Stan, a scientist at a nuclear plant in the area, had introduced me and I was walking to the pulpit. I had never stood !ehind one. Stan had said, Share your e*periences, and that's what I set out to do. I opened my mouth, terrified, and something touched my tongue, num!ing it. I talked, fluently and rapidly, actually too rapidly I had to tell
28
The Anointing
myself to slow down. I was preaching the gospelK It seemed impossi!le, !ut I was talking clearly and smoothly. (nd I haven't stopped. I told them?they were mostly young people? a!out meeting the Holy Spirit in my room and then talking to Him, asking Him +uestions, and listening to Him for a year. How do you meet the Holy Ghost I asked rhetorically. 5n your knees, lying on your !ack, walking around the room, praying. Eou don't meet Him !y ust singing a song. I pressed ahead9 here's only one way to the ather, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that's through prayer. I kept up that kind of talk for a!out an hour, and then realiFed I should !e drawing to a close. ut I wanted to tell them a!out 3oses, for the Holy Spirit had given me insight that still amaFes me. (nd I was getting !old all of a sudden. 3oses asked the /ord?now no!ody can ask this until he's in the Holy of Holies, I said. It was a time, forty days later, !efore he could ask?remem!er, God had touched him, fellowship had erupted, worship, !eauty, ecstasy, the presence of the (lmighty, !oldness had set in. hen he could say, '/et me see Eour glory.' He had paid the price, I said. He was saying, '/ord, I've !een up here with you for the last forty days. here's nothing left of my flesh. /et me see Eour glory.' (nd God passed !efore him. (nd although he saw only His !ack, he saw the glory, the wonder of God. I didn't let up. Do you want God's presence I asked. hen lose your own. Eou lose sight of
!n the "eginning
2
yourself, and you'll gain sight of God. I wound down and I thought, I'm going to pray. In my room, I had always wo!!led and even fallen when I invited the Holy Spirit in, so much so that I looked for a safe place to stand or kneel, even putting my !ack to the wall. ut I didn't have any e*pectation that something similar would happen in an open meeting. So I lifted my hands and said, Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. lease come. Instantly the power of God hit the place. eople !egan to cry and many fell to the floor. 5h, dear God, what do I do now I asked. I turned around to the fellow who was leading the meeting, hoping he would come and take the service out of my hands. ut as I turned and pointed toward him, he fell !ackward several feet. I was trying to get him to come close and suddenly he was farther away. -o one could get near me. (nd then I realiFed that during all those times over the past year, anyone who might have !een in the room would have fallen under the power too. he leader made several tries at getting close to me, and each time he hit the wall. inally I ust talked to the people. 3any were on their knees, still weeping. I told them more a!out the person of the Holy Spirit. inally I ended without praying any more. Isaiah $79& says that the yoke shall !e destroyed !ecause of the anointing =2J4> and that is e*actly what happened. he devil's hold on lives is destroyed when the anointing comes. hat was the case with me and my tongue, and that was true of the people in the congregation.
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The Anointing
(s I realiFed more fully later, religious activity, loud tongues, moans, and groans are not necessary prere+uisites for the power of God to !e revealed. 3ore often than not, they are a hindrance !ecause they can come from the flesh, and God wants to demonstrate real power. 5ur greatest desire should not !e for spiritual gifts, !ut for the presence and the power of God. Gifts may not change your life, !ut the presence and power will. (nd that was what I was tasting for the first time that night in 5shawa. (s I've said hundreds of times over the years, God is never late. He is never too early, !ut He is never too late either. )hen the num!ing hit, I simply said, hat's itK and charged ahead. he anointing of the Holy Spirit had come, I had !een healed, and my preaching took on power. 3iraculously my ministry !egan and instantly mushroomed. 4irtually every day, invitations came from churches and fellowships to minister. It's important to note that I had e*perienced the presence of the Holy Spirit a year earlier, and that He had taught me meticulously and lovingly, assuring me, encouraging me, loving me for a whole year. I had o!eyed Him to the fullest e*tent of my understanding, and the anointing had come, ust as it will to you. It is for everyone. 5nce you grasp what the anointing holds for you, e*periencing the depth and rich reality of that precious touch, life will take on new meaning as you move into the place of service that the /ord has for you. ! Strong #arning
I will never forget going home from 5shawa that night. I was stunned. (s I lay on my !ed an hour later,
!n the "eginning
31
I was still num! and puFFled !y the events of the evening. I had seen the true power of God. I had caught a glimpse, !ut only a fleeting one?of the answer to 2athryn 2uhlman's statement9 If you find the power?if you find the power?you will find heaven's treasure. It was only a hint, and I needed to understand more. I was so ine*perienced. )hat did you do tonight, /ord I asked into the darkness. Cne*pectedly I heard a +uick answer9 e faithful. hat was all. e faithful. he ne*t morning I turned on the radio shortly after waking, following my ha!it of listening to church services as I got ready to go to church myself. he first thing I heard?and I don't have any clue as to the speaker?was9 )atch what you do with the power you have. hen the program instantly went off the air. I can't e*plain it. I had turned on the radio, a voice had said, )atch what you do with the power you have, and the voice was gone. I couldn't find it again as I fiddled with the dials. 5f course, I realiFe now that the words be $aith$#l from the previous night and the strong warning on the radio the ne*t morning went together. hey said, in essence, e careful with the power I've given you. Don't play games. (nd don't misuse it. hat is a warning for all who seek and receive the anointing of the Spirit. God must !e a!le to trust you. He longs for us to know and e*perience His presence and His anointing. )hen we are emptied of self, we will know His presence. 5nly then can we e*perience His power?the anointing of the Holy Spirit. ut the trust factor is also very important. )e must !e faithful with what God so richly supplies.
Chapter # %%%%%%% & %%%%%%%
2
!n !ns3er at Last
)
hen I look !ack over my life and see all the ways it could have !een so different, I marvel at God's grace and mercy. hink of it. I was !orn into a very traditional 3iddle 1astern family with a strong emphasis on discipline and tradition, having no relationship with a personal God. I was !orn and raised a Greek in Israel and educated in 0oman "atholic schools !y nuns. I was stricken in early childhood !y a severe stutter that made oral communication un!elieva!ly difficult, almost impossi!le. I was uprooted at age fifteen when my family moved to oronto. I was forced to learn a fourth language, 1nglish, !ehind (ra!ic, He!rew, and rench, which I had previously spoken in "atholic schools. I was taken from the cloistered confines of a "atholic school to the pu!lic schools of oronto. I was a loner?+uiet, shy, and uncertain. *ui$elines an$ Tra$itions
he /ord wondrously saved me through some fellow students when I was nineteen, although I had had glorious encounters with Him !efore, such as in @&
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dreams and visions. rior to my re!irth, I had tried to conform to all the directives and guidelines prescri!ed !y those in authority over me. I had o!served all the traditions tied to my "atholic education and honestly attempted to o!ey those I viewed as God's representatives in my life. I was a good student and did as I was instructed !y the nuns =making the sign of the cross when passing a "atholic church, maintaining regular prayer, and the like>. I'm sure I considered myself to !e a "hristian, !ut I did not feel complete or fulfilled. Immediately after my salvation e*perience, I !egan attending a church of three thousand young people in downtown oronto. I was not accustomed to that kind of charismatic meeting, with its spontaneous, unpredicta!le responses at various volume levels. I was more attuned to reserved, deli!erate, and predicta!le activity. hese were a different kind of people. hey hugged one another and oy seemed to radiate from their faces. 5f course, at that time I knew nothing a!out the charismatic movement. I only knew that I was in unfamiliar surroundings. artly !ecause of my mistaken evaluation of spirituality, my most serious reaction came some time later, after I had !een !aptiFed in the Holy Spirit. I found myself watching one man in particular, whom I thought to !e the most spiritual person in the church. I watched him lift his hands upward he had them up almost constantly. His !ody shook a little. His lips would +uiver while his eyes looked toward heaven. (nd when he prayed in this unfamiliar language? tongues?he would always say the same thing, as though repeating something over and over. 1very time
3#
The Anointing
I heard him pray, it was the same. He shook, and he said the same thing. -aive and hungry for the things of God, I went to him one day and asked if I could talk to him. He seemed friendly enough. I am so hungry for more, I said. How do I find what I am looking for He looked at me and asked, Have you !een !aptiFed in the Holy Holy Spirit Ees, I answered, eager to receive guidance. Do you speak in other tongues he asked. Ees, I replied. He looked at me and said matter:of:factly, )hat more do you want I was stunned and, after a discreet moment, walked away away in sile silenc nce. e. What hat more more do I !ant !ant&& I thought. If this is all there is, I'm not s#re there's m#ch to it" I desperately wanted more of God, certain in my soul that there was more. he pages of the i!le said so, !ut I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what God was offering or how to get it. -o one seemed a!le to help me. I switched churches in $%@ and met a wonderful man man, Jim oyn oynte ter, r, a ree ree 3eth 3ethod odis istt mini minist ster er,, who who !ecame a dear friend and one day introduced me to the 2athr athryn yn 2uhl 2uhlma man n mini minist stry ry.. hat hat set set in moti motion on the the events I descri!ed in the previous chapters. 5therwise 5therwise I would not have learned of the wonderful presence of God and and the the anoin ointing ting of the the Holy oly Spiri irit, !oth !oth of which are for every !eliever. he /ord wants to give us so much more than many of us have !elieved possi!le. I want to share with you the ways the /ord taught me since that amaFing day when He loosed my tongue and !egan to empower
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me for ministry. hese wonderful possi!ilities are for you also, and I pray pray that God will inspire inspire you and lead you forward so that together we will fulfill His plan for the e*traordinary time in which we live. The #ay "t Starte$
efore I share the ways in which the /ord taught and empowered me for ministry, I want to take you !ack and give you more insight into that glorious day in itts!urgh when I met the Holy Spirit at a 2athryn 2uhlman meeting. hat hat day of Decem ecem! !er &$, $%@ %@, !egan egan at five five o'clock in the morning after my new friend Jim oynter and I had ridden with a large group in a charter !us from oronto to itts!urgh through a terri!le snowstorm. )e had fallen into our hotel !eds only four hours earlier. Jim insisted that we get to the irst res!yterian "hurch in downtown itts!urgh !y si* o'clock or we wouldn't get a seat, so it was pitch dark when we arrived. 1ven then, hundreds of people were already there, and the doors weren't supposed to open for two hours. It was freeFing cold, and I was wearing everything I had with me?!oots, gloves, the works. eing small has some advantages. I !egan inching my way closer and closer to the doors, pulling Jim !ehind me. I couldn't !elieve the crowdK It's like this every week, a woman said. (s I stood there, I suddenly !egan to vi!rate?as if someone had gripped my !ody and !egun to shake it. I thought for a moment that the !itter air had gotten to me. ut I was dressed warmly, and I certainly didn't feel feel cold cold.. (n unco uncont ntro roll lla! a!le le shak shakin ing g had had ust ust come come over me. -othing like that had happened !efore. (nd it
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The Anointing
didn't stop. I was too em!arrassed to tell Jim, !ut I could feel my very !ones rattling. I felt it in my knees. In my mouth. What's happening to me I wondered. s this the po!er o$ God- I didn't understand. ! 0ace for the ,ront
y this time the doors were a!out to open, and the crowd pressed forward until I could !arely move. Still the vi!rating didn't stop. Jim said, enny, when those doors open, run ust as fast as you can. )hy I asked. If you don't, they'll run right over you. He'd !een there !efore. I had never thought I'd !e in a race going to church, !ut there I was. (nd when the doors opened, I took off like like an 5lym 5lympi picc spri sprint nter er.. I pass passed ed ever every! y!od ody9 y9 old old women, young men, all of them. In fact, I made it right to the front row and tried to sit down. (n usher told me the first row was reserved. I learned later that 3iss 2uhlman's staff handpicked the people who sat in the front row. She was so sensitive to the Spirit that she wanted only positive, praying supporters right in front of her. )ith my severe stuttering pro!lem, I knew it would !e useless to argue with the usher. he second row was was already filled, !ut Jim and I found a spot in row three. It would !e another hour !efore the service !egan, so I took off my coat, gloves, and !oots. (s I rela*ed, I realiFed Fed I was shaking more than !efore. It us ust wouldn't stop. he vi!rations were going through my arms and legs as if I were attached to some kind of machine. he e*perience was foreign to me. o !e honest, I was scared.
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(s the organ played, all I could think a!out was the shaking. It wasn't a sick feeling. It wasn't as if I were catching a cold or a virus. In fact, the longer it continued, the more !eautiful it !ecame. It was an unusual sensation that didn't really seem physical at all. (t that moment, almost out of nowhere, 2athryn 2uhlman appeared. In an instant, the atmosphere in the !uilding was charged. I didn't know what to e*pect. I didn't feel anything around me. -o voices. -o heavenly angels singing. -othing. (ll I knew was that I had !een shaking for three hours. hen, as the singing !egan, I found myself doing something I had never e*pected. I was on my feet. 3y hands were lifted, and tears streamed down my face as we sang How Great hou (rt. It was as if I had e*ploded. -ever !efore had tears gushed from my eyes so +uickly. alk a!out ecstasyK It was a feeling of intense glory. I wasn't singing the way I normally sang in church. I sang with my entire !eing. (nd when we came to the words, hen sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee, I literally sang it from my soul. I was so lost in the Spirit of that song that it took a few moments for me to realiFe my shaking had stopped. ut the atmosphere of the service continued. I thought I had !een raptured. I was worshiping !eyond anything I had e*perienced. It was like coming face to face with pure spiritual truth. )hether anyone else felt it or not, I did. In my young "hristian e*perience, God had touched my life, !ut never as He was touching me that day.
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The Anointing
Like a #a1e
(s I stood there, continuing to worship the /ord, I opened my eyes to look around !ecause I suddenly felt a draft. I didn't know where it was coming from. It was gentle and slow, like a !reeFe. I looked at the stained:glass windows. ut they were all closed. (nd they were much too high to allow such a draft. he unusual !reeFe I felt, however, was more like a wave. I felt it go down one arm and up the other. I actually felt it moving. )hat was happening "ould I ever have the courage to tell anyone what I felt hey would think I'd lost my mind. or what seemed like ten minutes, the waves of that wind continued to wash over me. (nd then I felt as if someone had wrapped my !ody in a pure !lanket?a !lanket of warmth. 2athryn !egan to minister to the people, !ut I was so lost in the Spirit that it really didn't matter to me. he /ord was closer to me than ever !efore. I felt I needed to talk to the /ord, !ut all I could whisper was, Dear Jesus, please have mercy on me. I said it again, Jesus, please have mercy on me. I felt so unworthy. I felt like Isaiah when he entered the presence of the /ord. Woe is me, $or I am #ndone& Beca#se I am a man o$ #nclean lips, And I d!ell in the midst o$ a people o$ #nclean lips. /or my eyes hae seen the 0ing, The L1R2 o$ hosts" 3Isa" 4567
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he same thing happened when people saw "hrist. hey immediately saw their own filth, their need of cleansing. hat is what happened to me. It was as if a giant spotlight was !eaming down on me. (ll I could see were my weaknesses, my faults, and my sins. (gain and again I said, Dear Jesus, please have mercy on me. hen I heard a voice that I knew must !e the /ord's. It was ever so gentle, !ut it was unmistaka!le. He said to me, 3y mercy is a!undant on you. 3y prayer life to that point was that of a normal, average "hristian. ut at that moment in the service I was not ust talking to the /ord. He was talking to me. (nd, oh, what a communion that wasK /ittle did I realiFe that what was happening to me in the third row of the irst res!yterian "hurch in itts!urgh was ust a foretaste of what God had planned for the future. hose words rang in my ears9 3y mercy is a!undant on you. I sat down crying and so!!ing. here was ust nothing in my life to compare with what I felt. I was so filled and transformed !y the Spirit that nothing else mattered. I didn't care if a nuclear !om! hit itts!urgh and the whole world !lew up. (t that moment I felt, as the )ord descri!es it, eace . . . which surpasses all understanding =hil. A9>. Jim had told me a!out the miracles that took place in 3iss 2uhlman's meetings. ut I had no idea what I was a!out to witness in the ne*t three hours. eople who were deaf suddenly could hear. ( woman got up out of her wheelchair. here were testimonies of healings for tumors, arthritis, headaches, and more.
#0
The Anointing
1ven her severest critics have acknowledged the genuine healings that took place in her meetings. he service was long, !ut it seemed like a fleeting moment. -ever in my life had I !een so moved and touched !y God's power. ! Later (eeting
Shortly after that amaFing encounter with the Holy Spirit, I returned to another 2uhlman meeting in which she spoke of the price she had paid for the anointing on her ministry and the secret to the power of the Holy Spirit. She talked a!out death to self, carrying the cross, paying the price. She often said things such as9 (ny of you ministers can have what I have if you'll only pay the price. In that service I !egan to understand that there is a higher e*perience, something more than ust the presence of the Holy Spirit. here is an anointing, an empowering for service, and that comes through paying the price. 4n$erstan$ing the Price
)hat is the price It has taken me many years to reach this understanding, and I want to share it with you. In salm <@ David says, 1 god, 8o# are my God. 9arly !ill I see+ 8o#. My so#l thirsts $or 8o#. My $lesh longs $or 8o# In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no !ater" So I hae loo+ed $or 8o# in the sanct#ary,
An Ans$er at %ast
#1
To see 8o#r :o!er and 8o#r glory" He had seen a glimpse of God's power and glory. He was longing for it. ut how was he to get it Here the Holy Spirit !egan to open my eyes and make me understand what 3iss 2uhlman meant when she spoke a!out the price and a!out dying. David declares that his flesh longs for God, while his soul thirsts. Isaiah, meanwhile, in &<9%, says that with his spirit he will seek God. So we have the flesh longing for God, the soul thirsting, and the spirit seeking. It is noteworthy that in 3oses' accounts of the a!ernacle we find9 the 5uter "ourt, which is sym!olic of the flesh the Holy lace, which is sym!olic of the soul and the Holy of Holies, which is sym!olic of the spirit. /onging takes one to the 5uter "ourt thirsting takes one to the Holy lace and seeking leads one to the Holy of Holies. So as we long for God we go into prayer, which is the place where God !egins to deal with and crucify the flesh. It is a place of struggle where, as we get on our knees each day, all we can think a!out at first is our guilt, our failures, our great needs. )e repeat ourselves over and over, and God seems a million miles away. )e wonder if we're accomplishing anything. )e want to fall asleep, to take a !reak? anything. )hat we don't immediately realiFe is that the longer we are on our knees, the less of the flesh remains. ( death !egins as we are on our knees. Soon, as God finishes crucifying the flesh, a !reakthrough comes?you feel it?and suddenly your prayer !ecomes real. ( river gushes out of your inmost !eing, and your words !ecome meaningful. he
#2
The Anointing
presence of God comes in, and something real happens to you. Eou may even !egin to weep. hat !reakthrough may take a half hour, an hour, may!e longer. It will take as long as needed, depending on where you are with the /ord, what your relationship is with Him. He must deal with the idols and the sins in your heart. (ny Isaacs in your heart must die =which is what God was determining with (!raham>. If you haven't prayed for a long time, you can't e*pect a !reakthrough after the first minute or two. 0emem!er, this is a daily matter. he !reakthrough doesn't come once for all time. I die daily, aul says in $ "orinthians $;9@$. here will !e a struggle each time we go into this kind of prayer. he presence and the anointing don't come today !ecause you died twenty years ago. hey come today !ecause you died this morning. God does not use leftovers. he way you will know when the !reakthrough comes is that guilt will disappear. he a!sence of guilt means you have !roken through. Eou have sought Him and found Him. (t some point, then, will come the thirsting for Him. Eour soul will thirst for God. David said in salm A&9$:&, As the deer pants $or the !ater broo+s, So pants my so#l $or 8o#, 1 God" My so#l thirsts $or God, $or the liing God" When shall I come and appear be$ore God (nd that is e*actly what happens to us. 5ur soul thirsts to come !efore the living God it thirsts for His presence.
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#3
David's imagery is perfect. ( deer seeks water for two reasons one, !ecause he is thirsty and, two, !ecause he is !eing chased !y another animal. He knows that his scent will !e lost if he gets into the water. He will !e safe. So it is with us !elievers. )e thirst for the presence of God !ecause it satisfies our souls and !ecause no enemy can touch us. he devil cannot find us. hat's why David also wrote, Eou are my hiding place =s. @&9>. So when you find that water for which your soul has !een longing, praise will erupt in you. Eou will know that you are in the Holy lace, where praise is genuine. here will !e none of the matter:of:fact and routine praise the /ord thank you, /ord. It will !ecome real" 1very part of your !eing will !e thanking Him?even for those things that an hour ago you could not thank Him for. 1verything will !ecome !eautiful. No3 the Holy of Holies
Do you remem!er that in salm <@9&, David spoke of wanting to see God's power and glory hat comes with the third stage of the price, the seeking and dying to self that must come !efore the anointing. his is found in the Holy of Holies, sym!olic of the spirit. It is the place where you say nothing, you do nothing. Eou don't pray. Eou don't sing. Eou receive. hat's the place David meant when he said in salm A&9, 2eep calls #nto deep at the noise o$ 8o#r !ater$alls. all 8o#r !aes and billo!s hae gone oer me" In the 5uter "ourt, my mouth was talking to God.
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The Anointing
In the Holy lace, my soul was talking. In the Holy of Holies, my spirit talks?deep calling unto deep. his is where prayer without ceasing is !orn?where you !ask in the glory of God. Eou are not longing. Eou are not thirsting. Eou are drinking. e still, and know that I am God, David wrote in salm A<9$7. Eou are so full that you cannot talk. )ords are inade+uate. Eou are totally in His presence. Eou are not interested in what He can do for you you are interested in knowing Him. hose who e*perience this are the ones God can trust with the anointing, as you will see later. God will not trust the anointing to those who don't love Him, who do not put Him as num!er one. /et me assure you that, as you enter the Holy of Holies on a daily !asis, it !ecomes more natural, +uicker. It may not take you a half hour to !reak through it may take five minutes. I have had times when the second I said, /ord, there it was. (lso, the more time you remain in the presence of God, the more that presence will ru! off on you. he thicker it will get, you might say. or e*ample, the first time you !reak through, you might come out of your room and say to your wife, Hello, darling, and she will know as you talk that you have !een in the presence of God. ( week later, say, as you have !een spending more and more time with the /ord, you will walk out and !efore you say anything, she will feel the glory. Eou won't have to say anything. )ith eter the apostle this reached the point where people e*pected to !e healed when his shadow fell upon them =(cts ;9$;>.
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Putting on Strength
ursuing this theme, we should now look at Isaiah ;&9$:&9 A!a+e, a!a+e& :#t on yo#r strength, 1 ;ion. :#t on yo#r bea#ti$#l garments, 1 (er#salem, the holy city& /or the #ncirc#mcised and the #nclean Shall no longer come to yo#" Sha+e yo#rsel$ $rom the d#st, arise, And sit do!n, 1 (er#salem. Loose yo#rsel$ $rom the bonds o$ yo#r nec+, 1 captie da#ghter o$ ;ion& (waking in Scripture has to do with prayer. )hen it says, (wake, awake, it means, ray, pray. Eou will recall that the /ord Jesus, finding the apostles sleeping as He awaited His !etrayer in Gethsemane, said, )atch and pray =3att. &<9A$>, or Stay awake and pray !e alert. It's a command we must pray. Jeremiah $79&; shows us that God will udge the prayerless?the families who do not call on Eour name?with the world. )e are commanded to seek the /ord. So the passage !egins !y telling us to awake, awake, shake ourselves out of lethargy, pay the price, seek the /ord with all our might, enter into deep prayer, deep love, make Him our num!er one priority. hen si* things will occur9 =$> )e will put on spiritual strength?strength against Satan, strength against sin, strength against temptation. )eakness will go. =&> )e will put on new holy garments, the
#6
The Anointing
garments of righteousness. Sin will not !e a!le to touch us. =@> he uncircumciFed and unclean will not !e a part of us. )e will no longer have fellowship with the wicked. =A> )e will stop running here and there looking for someone to pray for us or get us out of trou!le. )e will shake ourselves from the dust?from our misery, from our mess. )e will arise and !e free. =;> (nd then we can sit down and rest. here will !e peace?real peace, the peace of Jesus. =<> )e will loose ourselves from the grip of Satan and the sin that keeps coming !ack upon us. The Other Si$e of the Coin
If we read on into Isaiah ;&9@:;, we find the results of not awaking or of remaining prayerless. his surely will shake everyone of us awake9 /or th#s says the L1R25 *8o# hae sold yo#rseles $or nothing, And yo# shall be redeemed !itho#t money"* /or th#s says the L1R2 G125 *My people !ent do!n at $irst Into 9gypt to so
An Ans$er at %ast
#7
)e find si* horri!le results of prayerlessness9 =$> ecause we do not awake, we will sell ourselves to the devil for nothing. =&> )e will go down to 1gypt, !ack into the world. =@> )e will !ecome oppressed. =A> )e will !e taken away like slaves. =;> )e will wail and howl from the !ondage we are in. =<> he wicked will !laspheme God, a condition we see in our own country today !ecause we "hristians do not pray. (nd at that point, Isaiah shifts !ack to the good results of awaking, or praying. He +uotes God, saying9 There$ore My people shall +no! My name. There$ore they shall +no! in that day That I am He !ho spea+s. *Behold, it is I* 3Isa" 6=547" 1ssentially, he says that as a seventh !lessing from true prayer, we shall know God and His power. inally, the one who pays the price will !e used for the greatest possi!le service to the /ord, in the words of Isaiah ;&99 Ho! bea#ti$#l #pon the mo#ntains Are the $eet o$ him !ho brings good ne!s, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings o$ good things, Who proclaims salation, Who says to ;ion, *8o#r God reigns&* ! Time for Decision
5nce I understood through the teaching of the Holy
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The Anointing
Spirit that the price 3iss 2uhlman had !een talking a!out hinged simply on awake, awake?in other words, prayer?I made the decision that I would pay the price. I knew at last that I had the answer to what she had !een talking a!out when she said, If you find the power, you'll find heaven's treasure. he decision to pay the price and to pray is something every "hristian must decide for himself no one can decide it for him. aul wrote poignantly in $ "orinthians %9&9 I discipline my !ody and !ring it into su!ection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should !ecome dis+ualified Nor !ecome a castaway, 2J4B. God gives us all the opportunity to pray and calls us to it, !ut He will not force us. he choice is ours. he second you say no to prayer?I'm too tired or I don't feel like it?the real you is an idol worshiper. Eou have su!mitted to the lower nature, and your flesh has taken the place of God. Eou really need to understand that. God loves you. He will help you. ut He will not force you. he /ord always leads, !ut the devil always pushes. It's up to you to take that flesh !y the neck and say, -o, I'm going to prayK he awful danger of su!mitting to the flesh is revealed in the early chapters of Genesis. God made man =and woman> a !eing of spirit, soul, and !ody, !ut the devil, through the temptation of 1ve and (dam, turned man around9 !ody, soul, and spirit. he flesh prevailed, and we find these tragic words in Genesis <9@9 (nd the /50D said, '3y Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh.' he devil had turned man upside down. Su!mitting to the flesh is re!elling against God. It
An Ans$er at %ast
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will kill you, and that is what you do when you refuse to pray. God will not use a man who has !een turned upside down, and He certainly will not anoint him. Start seeking God. ay the price. urn your life right side up, and He will anoint your head clear down to your feet. God's telephone num!er is Jeremiah @@9@, and He's waiting for you9 "all to 3e, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. He promises that, if you call on Him9 irst, He will answer He will speak to you. Second, He will give you new vision and you will see His glory. hird, He will give you new knowledge, things you have never known a!out Him.
Chapter 5 %%%%%%% & %%%%%%%
5
"t6s Not By (ight
/
aying hands on the sick for the first time in my ministry was an amaFing e*perience. I knew the /ord had told me to pray for the sick as part of preaching the gospel, ust as He told the disciples, in 3ark $<9$69 hey will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. ut this was new to me, and the devil had !een filling my head with gar!age for some time. In fact, I was standing at the !us stop on my way to preach for the second time, planning to lay hands on the sick, when he spoke +uite specifically into my thoughts9 -othing will happen. -o!ody is going to get healed. It's not going to happen?nothing?nothingK (s you might e*pect, I got this terri!le feeling, this fear that the anointing would not come. ut I couldn't stop then. (t the meeting, the an*iety still had a grip on me as I preached and invited the people to come forward for healing. In the early years, I normally prayed for people one at a time, contrary to the way most of my miracle meetings are done these days. So here was this fellow, waiting for me to pray. I ;7
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had this terri!le feeling I was scared. )here are you, /ord I thought. )hat am I going to do Eou said to do this. I moved my hand toward the fellow's face and instantly the anointing of the Holy Spirit came. I knew it. He wo!!led, and down he went as the power of the Holy Spirit went through him. He was healed of his ailment. (s I noted in the account of my first venture into preaching the gospel and the instant healing of my stutter, God is never early, !ut He is never late. It's as though He doesn't show up until your hand is poised a!ove the person or until your mouth is open to speak. Just a!out the time you think you're going to die, He shows up. )hy He's stretching your faith. He's !uilding you up for the more difficult tasks ahead. James says that the testing of your faith produces patience?or endurance and perseverance?and that you should let patience have its perfect work, that you may !e perfect and complete, lacking nothing =James $9@:A>. Eou'll never know the stress I underwent in those early lessons. I often wanted to go home. 5h, God, I would think, they're going to laugh at me. I'm going to make a mess. (nd then the anointing would come, for a lot of testing and maturing was needed if I was going to !ecome the man God intended. It's the same way with you. (s you prepare for the presence and the anointing of the Holy Spirit for whatever work the /ord has called you to, you will need testing and stretching and perfecting. Eesterday's anointing will not !e today's anointing.
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The Anointing
The Blessing of Silence
here was always a lot of singing in 2athryn 2uhlman's services, and she often would oin in with great gusto and oy. (nd then there were times when she'd say to the audience, 'Ouietly, now, +uietly. I would find myself wondering why she did that. hen one time when I was there, she said, 1very!ody, ust +uiet, please. It was clear she was serious, and every!ody got very +uiet. "harlie, the organist, played ever so softly no one could play for her like "harlie. 1verything else, and everyone, was +uiet. hat went on for a!out ten minutes. Silence. hen this fellow seated near the front !egan to whisper into his hands, which were cupped over his mouth and nose, raise Eou, Jesus. raise Eou, Jesus. I didn't think anyone could hear him, and I'm sure he wasn't even aware of it. Immediately 3iss 2uhlman spoke emphatically, Sir, I said +uietK (!solute silence returned, e*cept for "harlie. 3inutes passed. (nd at last she said, !arely audi!ly, ust a whisper, He comes in when you're +uiet. She repeated it, even softer9 He comes in when you're +uiet. 3an, I was scared. I didn't know what was going to happen, !ut I waited . . . and waited . . . and waited . .. (nd then it happenedK (ll over the auditorium, miracles !egan to take place, which were confirmed in the ne*t hour as 3iss 2uhlman talked to the people in front of everyone else. I had !een in the ministry only three months, and I had never seen anything like it. 3iracles were taking
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place all over the auditorium. (nd they !egan during silence. I went !ack to "anada and thought a!out it. I'm going to try this, I said. (fter all, I had already learned and e*perienced so much from 2athryn's meetings. God certainly used her for miracles all over the world, and He used her, graciously and mercifully, to teach and inspire me in those early days. In my early days of ministry, I had a wild and wonderful choir, more than half of which were Jamaicans and Haitians and the rest a mi*ture of all !ackgrounds. (nd they were enthusiastic, to say the least. hey were !eautiful, !ut they could !e noisy in their e*u!erance when worshiping the /ord. So this one 3onday night?the hall was packed?I said in advance that I would want them to !e +uiet at the crucial moment. )ell, it took me twenty minutes to get them +uiet !ecause they kept saying, hank you, /ord raise the /ord, the sort of thing that is perfectly normal for an e*cited, charismatic "hristian. I said, -ow +uiet. If you want to move any more, I'm going to send you downstairs. (nd they did their !est. I looked over at my song leader, and his face told me he was wondering what in the world was going on. Ouite frankly, a!out that time I was wondering myself what I was doing. I honestly didn't know whether I was doing something right or not. (ll I knew was that 2athryn had done it, and the /ord had acted. I figured that if nothing happened, I'd forget it and move on. Get very +uiet, I repeated to everyone. So it took the choir twenty minutes to get +uiet. hen it got +uiet all over the room. It was really +uiet. I didn't know what to do ne*t, so I waited and stayed
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The Anointing
+uiet. retty soon forty minutes had passed. I waited with my eyes shut !ecause I had no idea what was going to happen?if anything. (nd after all that time, I didn't want to look. hen bang& )hat was that hen another !ang, and another one, seemingly all over the auditorium. I couldn't resist opening my eyes. hree people in different parts of the room had fallen. (nd while I was looking, two more went down. hen !hoosh& Something filled the hall. I felt a strong electrical charge, like what I think a !olt of lightning would !e. I felt a num!ness sweep across most of my !ody. (nd right !efore my eyes, almost everyone there crum!led to the floor. 4irtually no one was standing !ut me. I was stunned. 3y song leader lay on the floor weeping. he musicians, the ushers, everyone was down. I grasped the pulpit tightly, and I heard the voice of God I know I was the only one who did at that moment9 I left you standing to see it. I had learned a lesson. ut God wasn't finished. ( few days later a friend named eter called. It was riday night and he said, I want to take you somewhere tomorrow, !ut you have to !e ready !y five o'clock in the morning. I never had liked early morning hours. )hat for I asked. -ever mind. I'll pick you up at five. It was a hard struggle, !ut eter was a good friend. I met him at five, and we headed off in his car. Eou don't have to drive far out of oronto to !e in the woods, and that's where we were shortly. He parked and we walked several minutes into the
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forest. I mean, we were deep in the woods?secluded, with nothing !ut trees, !irds, and s+uirrels. )e stopped, and he said, I'll !e right !ack. I figured he needed to go to the !athroom, so I stood waiting. (nd I waited. (nd I waited. en minutes, twenty minutes. It was very +uiet, and I !egan hearing sounds I'd never heard !efore. I could even hear my own heart pounding. I was sure I could hear my ears. It was very +uiet. I figured he should have !een !ack !y now. He hadn't ust gone to the !athroom. So I screamed, as loudly as I could9 eeeeeeeterrrr. 3ore silence. (nd then suddenly he umped from !ehind a !ush?and scared me to deathK hat's why I !rought you out hereK he said. o scare me -o. o teach you that you don't know how to !e +uiet. Eou're always talking, or moving around and making noise. I !rought you to the woods to teach you. I wasn't impressed, or at least I said I wasn't. Do you know, eter said, that D./. 3oody said, 'If I can take an un!eliever and get him +uiet for five minutes, and in those minutes have him think a!out eternity, I can get him saved. I won't have to say anything.' Ouietness. I learned of its power. he Holy lace is +uiet. Eou must learn to get still !efore God and worship Him +uietly. Eou will discover the anointing. 7ee/ing the Promise
(s I've said for many years, 2athryn 2uhlman was a minister of the gospel whom I followed very closely.
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The Anointing
)ithout even knowing it, she taught me so much. ut I must confess that the first time I saw her, in itts!urgh, I wasn't nearly as appreciative as I am now. rom the third row of the irst res!yterian "hurch's sanctuary, I watched her glide, almost tiptoeing, onto the platform, arms wide, as she swept along in her floor:length, lacy, flowing gown with long sleeves and high neck. hen as the packed crowd erupted with How Great hou (rt, this slender, au!urn:haired lady literally ran to center stage, leading the conclusion of the powerful song +uite loudly, which was one of the hallmarks of her amaFing ministry. he first words she spoke into the microphone were9 Hellooooooo thererererere. (nd have you !een waiaiaiaiaiaiting fooooooorrrrrrr me 0egretta!ly, my under:the:!reath response was a !lunt no. ut I wasn't alone as one who stum!led over many of 3iss 2uhlman's mannerisms. here's a lesson to !e learned from the i!le's warnings against scorning. or I was among the relatively few who had the opportunity to witness from fairly close that the outward showmanship in no way revealed the heart, spirit, and power of the woman. I learned much, and am still learning from the e*periences. In my time around her ministry, I never saw her fail to speak, with tears in her eyes and an almost undetecta!le +uiver of her lip, these words as she called upon the /ord9 I promise Eou the glory, and I thank Eou for this. I thank Eou for this. Sometimes it was ust a very simple and intimate Dear Jesus, thanks a millionK I promise you, !eloved, there can !e no other way. (s you seek and receive the anointing, the glory must !e given to no one !ut the /ord. (ny failure in this
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regard will !e disastrous. I urge you only to think of the fallen ministers of God over many years who have stum!led at this point. Showmanship, even flam!oyance, is one thing. ride and ingratitude are another. I promise Eou the glory, and, dear Jesus, thanks a million. ! Lesson !bout Prayer
In $%, after 3iss 2uhlman's passing in early $%<, I was asked !y the 2uhlman oundation to hold a memorial service for her in itts!urgh. Cp to that time, my work for her ministry had consisted of minor things like passing out choir music, so I was stunned that I would !e asked to participate in such a significant event. I was very young and immature as a "hristian, and this was going to !e a maor event. )hen I arrived at the offices in the "arlton House, 3aggie Hartner, who had !een 2athryn's closest confidante and whom I love very much, took me aside and said something that amaFed me. -ow, don't go and pray and get so tied up and wrapped up in your own needs that God can't use you tonight, she said +uite sternly. Go take a nap or something. I couldn't !elieve what I was hearing. hat is the most unspiritual thing I've ever heard, I thought, and this is the most unspiritual woman I've ever met. I was going to go and pray whether she liked it or not. Jimmy 3cDonald, the singer, picked me up and took me to the "arnegie 3usic Hall, descri!ing the program for the evening. he choir would sing this and this, he said, and then he would sing. )hen I !egin leading, 'Jesus, here's Something (!out hat -ame,' you come out. I nodded okay.
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The Anointing
)ell, they showed a film of 2athryn's powerful service in /as 4egas, which continues to have a maor impact when it's shown, then Jimmy sang. I looked at the crowd from !ackstage and I froFe. I couldn't move. Jimmy sang the song a second time, and then a third time, and finally said, )hen we sing this the ne*t time, enny Hinn is going to come out. He added a few complimentary words a!out me. 3ost people didn't know who I was, of course. He sang again. I was still froFen with fright. inally I got out onto the stage. Jimmy whispered, )here were you (nd he left the stage. hat didn't make it any easier. I tried to lead them into singing the song again, !ut I started too high, and it was terri!le. -o!ody sang with me. I was struggling !y myself. (ll I could think a!out was getting out of there and going home. It seemed like nearly half an hour had passed. (ll I could do was throw my arms up in the air and cry, I can't do it, /ord I can't do it. (t that moment, I heard a voice deep inside that said, I'm glad you can't now I will. I totally rela*ed, and it was like going from hell to heaven. here was instant release once I knew !eyond a shadow of dou!t that I couldn't do it. he power of God descended, and everyone in the hall was touched ?not !y me, !ut !y God. It was a marvelous, moving service. 3aggie came to me later and said something that I will never forget9 2athryn always said, 'It's not your prayers, it's not your a!ility, it's your surrender.' /earn how to surrender, enny. y then I was so stunned !y the whole e*perience
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that I could only say, 3aggie, I don't think I know how. )ell, you had your first e*perience tonight, she said. ack at the hotel room, I prayed, /ord, teach me how to do this. I knew the key was in 3aggie's statement that afternoon. ut only in the last few years have I fully understood what she was saying9 Don't pray ust !ecause you have a service. I don't talk to my wife ust when I need her. I'm supposed to have a relationship with her. It's the same with the /ord. Eou pray?all the time?so your fellowship can remain. Eou can't say, I'll talk to Eou when I need Eou, and then ignore Him for a while. God will say, -o relationship, no anointing. Eour life depends on prayer. ! (atter of Trust
I know 3aggie Hartner had this matter of relationship and trust in mind at the time of this very personal story I want to share with you. I know you'll understand. 3aggie and I were driving through the streets of itts!urgh late one night after a service. he streets were deserted, and when we came to a stoplight, 3aggie turned to me and said, Do you see that !uilding there on the left his is where 3iss 2uhlman and I lived for so many years in the early days. It was rather an old apartment !uilding. (fter a moment's silence, I said to her, 3aggie, tell me what 2athryn was like in those days. (s 3aggie thought for a moment, the anointing of the Holy Spirit came upon her and it was as though God had stepped into the car. (nd she said9 enny,
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The Anointing
I'm going to tell you something right now . . . and don't ever forget it. 3aggie was a powerful person, and she had my full attention. Eou have a lot more than she had when she was your age. he power of God that you saw on 2athryn was only on her in the last ten years of her life. I was stunned. 3aggie, I thought 2athryn always had that anointing. 5n no, she said. In the earlier days she didn't have any anointing on her compared to what she had when she died. hen she looked sharply at me in the dim light. Do you know why God anointed her the way He did I shook my head. ecause He could trust her with it. here were several seconds of silence. (nd she pointed the forefinger of her right hand directly at my face and said evenly !ut forcefully9 (nd if He can trust you?I felt as though God were talking to me ?if He can only trust you. Her finger held steady in my face for a moment, and everything was stone silent as we drove on through the dark streets. In my hotel that night, I could hardly talk. I was shaken. I spoke as seriously as I ever had in my life9 /ord, please make me an anointed man Eou can trust. rust. I promise Eou the glory, and, dear Jesus, thanks a million. here is no other way.
Chapter 6 %%%%%%% & %%%%%%%
8
!n 4nusual #oman of *o$
ecause of the num!er of young adults I've encountered who know very little a!out 2athryn 2uhlman, I want to tell you !riefly a!out this remarka!le woman who had such an impact on my life and who touched so many lives around the world. rom what God did in her life, we can learn more a!out what He can do in ours through the anointing. orn on 3ay %, $%7, near "oncordia, 3issouri, 2athryn grew into a tall, red:haired teenager, mischievous, strong:willed, and !right. She accepted Jesus as her /ord at age fourteen under the ministry of a aptist evangelist during a typical midwestern revival meeting at a small 3ethodist church. he e*perience in many ways was a forecast of the years to come. Stunning her family, church, and everyone in town, she was overcome !y the Holy Spirit, so!!ing, shaking, and collapsing under great conviction in a front pew. he whole world changed, she said years later. I could fully identify with the so!!ing and shaking. <$
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The Anointing
5nly a few years after her conversion she oined her sister 3yrtle and 3yrtle's hus!and on an evangelistic road trip, and !efore long, feeling an increasing !urden for the lost, she set out on her own traveling ministry. (ccompanied !y pianist Helen Gulliford, she ministered throughout the 3idwest and )est for several years, finally landing in Denver, where she soon attracted large crowds to meetings held in a warehouse. 5ut of those meetings in $%@@, at the height of the Depression, came the Denver 0evival a!ernacle, a maor work that flourished. During this time, she was pretty much a preacher of the gospel, !ringing hundreds and hundreds of people to the /ord. (lthough healings through prayer occurred as in many "hristian ministries, her powerful miracle ministry was a long way off. ut near:disaster was close at hand. ortunately God had a plan to overcome 2athryn's weaknesses. In $%@ she invited a tall, handsome evangelist named urroughs )altrip to minister at the a!ernacle. He stayed for two months. (lthough he was still married, he had left his wife and children in a most odious fashion. 2athryn lost all sound udgment and fell in love with him. )hen he finally divorced his wife, 2athryn married him, despite pleadings and warnings from those who cared for her. She then followed )altrip to Iowa. Her !ooming ministry collapsed, although parts of the Denver work continued under other leaders. )altrip's ministry also failed in Iowa. So they left and traveled e*tensively around the 3idwest and west, sometimes ministering together, !ut more often she sat silently on the platform as he ministered. ecause of
An )nusual *o+an of Go,
63
the grace of God, people were often saved and !lessed under their ministry, !ut the life went out of !oth of them, especially her. 2athryn had walked away from her first real love, the /ord Jesus "hrist, and she was dying. (ccording to Jamie uckingham, an author and pastor, she had known for many years that she was to !e different. he call on her was so deep, so irreversi!le, that after a!out si* years she could stand her misery no longer. )altrip knew it, too, !ut it was 2athryn who acted. In 2a#ghter o$ 2estiny, a !ook uckingham wrote a!out 3iss 2uhlman after her death, he +uoted her on this critical transition in her life9 I had to ma+e a choice" Wo#ld I sere the man I loed or the God I loed I +ne! I co#ld not sere God and lie !ith Mister" >She called Waltrip *Mister* $rom the ery $irst time she met him"? o one !ill eer +no! the pain o$ dying li+e I +no! it, $or I loed him more than I loed li$e itsel$" And $or a time, I loed him een more than God" I $inally told him I had to leae" God had neer released me $rom that original call" ot only did I lie !ith him, I had to lie !ith my o!n conscience, and the coniction o$ the Holy Spirit !as almost #nbearable" I !as tired o$ trying to <#sti$y mysel$" Tired" 1ne a$ternoon, I le$t the apartment@it !as in the o#ts+irts o$ Los Angeles@and $o#nd mysel$ !al+ing do!n a tree%shaded street" The s#n !as $lic+ering thro#gh the great limbs that stretched o#t oerhead" At the end o$ the bloc+ I sa! a street sign" It said simply, *2ead 9nd"* There !as heartache, heartache so great it cannot be
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The Anointing
p#t into !ords" I$ yo# thin+ it's easy to go to the cross, it's simply beca#se yo#'e neer been there" I'e been there" I +no!" And I had to go alone" I +ne! nothing abo#t the !onder$#l $illing o$ the Holy Spirit" I +ne! nothing o$ the po!er o$ the mighty third person o$ the Trinity !hich !as aailable to all" I <#st +ne! it !as $o#r o'cloc+ on Sat#rday a$ternoon and I had come to the place in my li$e !here I !as ready to gie #p eerything@een Mister@and die" I said it o#t lo#d5 *2ear (es#s, I s#rrender all" I gie it all to yo#" Ta+e my body" Ta+e my heart" All I am is yo#rs" I place it in yo#r !onder$#l hands"* 2athryn had known for almost si* years that she had !een fooling herself. She had !een preaching and seeking God's !lessing without living under God's precepts. She had sinned. ut she repented, turning around that Saturday afternoon. She died. She !ecame a seed willing to fall into the ground and !e !uried. In the words of uckingham, She turned around and started !ack up the street whence she had come. (nd she was alone, e*cept for a loving, forgiving God. -o one, she cried softly many years later, will ever know what this ministry has cost me. 5nly Jesus. I discussed 2athryn's dying with 3aggie Hartner years later, and she gave me great insight?insight that we must all learn from. (t that time of repentance and turning around, 2athryn was understanda!ly grief: stricken and guilt:ridden. he /ord, at one point, asked her, 2athryn, have I forgiven you She answered, Ees. hen God said, I have forgotten it, and in 3y !ook it never happened.
An )nusual *o+an of Go,
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rom that moment on, until late in her life, she never spoke of the matter, treating it as God said He had. (ccording to the Scripture, God has put repented sins !ehind Him and never looks at them. hey are as far from him as the 1ast is from the )est. If you keep coming !ack and asking for forgiveness, He really doesn't know what you are talking a!out. 0epentance. he washing of the !lood. orgiveness. ( clean slate. )ho was 2athryn 2uhlman that she should treat sin in a way contrary to God It never happened. The Door O/ens
wo years later, after many ups and downs and many reections !ecause she was a woman who had married a divorced man, 3iss 2uhlman got off the !us in ranklin, in western ennsylvania. he door was at last ready to open. She !egan a lengthy stay at the Gospel a!ernacle and during that time started a radio ministry that was to prosper and, !y stages, reach out across (merica. She eventually landed in itts!urgh, which was to !e the head+uarters for her amaFing ministry. During the time in ranklin, she !egan to wrestle with the issue of healing. She sometimes preached on healing, and people would !e healed, !ut it was not a maor emphasis in her ministry, which was designed to lead people to re!irth through "hrist. I knew in my heart that there was healing, she told uckingham many years later. I had seen the evidence from those who had !een healed. It was real, and it was genuine, !ut what was the key 5ne day she saw an ad for a tent meeting in 1rie that featured a healing evangelist and decided to go.
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The Anointing
3ay!e she would find the key. ut it was not there, at least for her. he evangelist was loud, !rassy, and acro!atic, which was the furthest thing from her ministry. he audience seemed to go craFy as he yelled they screamed, wailed, and writhed. She saw evidence of fraud in the claims of healing, and she could only weep. eople were !eing criticiFed for their lack of faith, which left them in despair and hopelessness. ut 2athryn, as !rokenhearted as she was, still !elieved the )ord of God, and she turned to it for help. he upshot was that on (pril &, $%A, she !egan a teaching series on the Holy Spirit. I want to reprint portions of that teaching, as found in uckingham's !ook, for it contained truth that was to shape 3iss 2uhlman's ministry for the rest of her life9 I see in my mind the three persons o$ the Trinity sitting do!n at a great con$erence table be$ore the $ormation o$ the earth too+ place" God, the Holy /ather, gae the others the ne!s that een tho#gh He !o#ld create men to hae $ello!ship !ith Him, that man !o#ld sin@and brea+ that $ello!ship" The only !ay $ello!ship co#ld be restored !o#ld be $or someone to pay the price $or that sin" /or i$ another did not pay it, then man himsel$ !o#ld hae to contin#e to pay the price in #nhappiness, disease, death, and eent#al hell" A$ter the Holy /ather $inished sharing, His Son (es#s spo+e #p and said, *I'll go" I'll ta+e the $orm o$ a man and go do!n to earth to pay that price" I'll be !illing to die on a cross so that man can be restored to per$ect
An )nusual *o+an of Go,
$ello!ship !ith #s"* Then (es#s t#rned to the Holy Spirit and said, *B#t I cannot go #nless 8o# go !ith me@$or 8o# are the one !ith the po!er"* The Holy Spirit responded and said, *8o# go ahead" And !hen the time is right, I shall
67
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He, (es#s, had done, His $ollo!ers !o#ld do also" In $act, een greater things !o#ld be done beca#se no! the Holy Spirit !o#ld not be limited to one body@b#t !o#ld be $ree to enter all those eery!here !ho !o#ld receie Him" The last !ords >(es#s? said be$ore He !ent a!ay !ere, *And ye shall receie po!er a$ter the Holy Ghost is come #pon yo#"* God the /ather had gien Him the gi$t" o! He !as passing it on to the ch#rch" 9ery ch#rch sho#ld be eperiencing the miracles o$ :entecost" 9ery ch#rch sho#ld be seeing the healings o$ the Boo+ o$ Acts" The gi$t is $or all o$ #s" The 0eaction "s ,ast
he following night, as 2athryn stood to preach, a woman rushed toward the front with her hand raised. 2athryn, may I say something she asked. 3iss 2uhlman, not used to this sort of interruption, still said in the manner thousands would grow to love, "ome on, honey, of course you can say something. /ast night, while you were preaching I was healed, she said softly. 2athryn, pro!a!ly for the only time in her life, was speechless. She hadn't touched or seen the woman, let alone prayed for her. )here were you she managed to ask. Just sitting there in the audience. 2athryn said, How do you know you were healed I had a tumor. It had !een diagnosed !y my doctor. )hile you were preaching, something
An )nusual *o+an of Go,
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happened in my !ody. I was so sure I was healed that I went !ack to my doctor this morning and had it verified. he tumor is no longer there. he miraculous anointing had come. (nother healing occurred the following Sunday, and the following, and the following, on and on, as the power of God surged through her ministry until the /ord took her home in $%<. (ll of us are not called or empowered to heal others as 2athryn did. ut if we are willing to give God everything, regardless of the cost, He will anoint our lives, directing us to do great works for Him through the power of His magnificent Spirit. (re you willing to pay the price 0emem!er, you can't outgive God. )hatever you release and give over to Him, He will return through the anointing more than you could ever imagine.
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#hat "s "t
eople find many indescri!a!le teachings and truths in the i!le. 5ne pertains to the glory of God, !ut what is this glory Some associate the glory with an intimate e*perience they may have had?an e*perience in which God seemed so close. ut they fum!le for words when trying to e*plain it. he truth is that the glory of God is the person and presence of God?the glory is the Holy Spirit. )hen you e*perience His presence?the overwhelming realiFation that God (lmighty is so near you can almost reach out and touch Him?then you have e*perienced the glory of God. Eou feel the warmth of His love, the comfort of His peace. his is an anointing, in a sense, of course?an anointing that !rings the presence. he wonderful e*perience of the presence causes you to wonder9 )ho am I that Eou, the "reator of the universe, would allow me to !e in Eour presence It's the same +uestion David the psalmist asked9 When I consider 8o#r heaens, the !or+ o$ 8o#r $ingers, 7
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The moon and the stars, !hich 8o# hae ordained, What is man that 8o# are mind$#l o$ him, And the son o$ man that 8o# isit him- 3:s" 5C%D7 Eou are in total awe as you e*perience the presence and glory of God. How can God !e great enough to create everything there is and yet small enough, if you will, and near enough for you?a speck of dust that He !reathed into?to know the intimacy of His presence and love Eou feel as though you have !een ushered into the throne room of heaven and given a private audience with God. His arms seem to enfold you and wrap you in His love. he cares of the world pass away. ut there is more. )hen the presence of God comes, the attri!utes of God come as well. hink of the e*perience of 3oses, as found in 1*odus @@9$6ff. lease, show me Eour glory, he said. -ote the re+uest9 He asked to see God's glory, !elieving that it could !e e*perienced and known. (nd God replied, I will make all my goodness pass !efore you, and I will proclaim the name of the /ord !efore you. I will !e gracious to whom I will !e gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. Goodness, mercy, and compassion were to !e shown to him in a concrete, visi!le way. )ith the presence would come the nature?the very attri!utes of God Himself. /ook at what happened a few verses later9 Then the L1R2 descended in the clo#d and stood !ith him there, and proclaimed the name o$ the
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And the Lord passed be$ore him and proclaimed5 *The L1R2 , the Lord G12 , merci$#l and gracio#s, longs#$$ering, and abo#nding in goodness and tr#th, +eeping mercy $or tho#sands, $orgiing iniE#ity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the g#ilty, isiting the iniE#ity o$ the $athers #pon the children and the children's children to the third and the $o#rth generation"* he glory, or the presence, comes and so do the attri!utes9 grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, goodness. /ives are changed for eternity. In short the Holy Spirit !rings the fruit of the Spirit, as descri!ed in Galatians ;9&&:&@. (nd the fruit must come !efore the anointing for service comes. Then There "s Po3er
Ees, the presence of God is His glory, His personality, His attri!utes. he Holy Spirit, God, is a person who wants lovingly and yearningly to make His presence known to you. (nd it is possi!le, now and forever, to live in that presence. I want you to e*perience the truth that the presence of the Holy Spirit can and should lead to the anointing for service. he presence must precede the anointing. )hat is this anointing It is the po!er o$ God" Say it aloud9 The anointing is the po!er o$ God" Simple Ees?even though we're talking a!out power that e*ceeds anything man can generate. It is the power that !rought the heavens and the earth into !eing. It is the power that created man. It is the power that raised Jesus from the dead. It is the power that will
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!ring Jesus from the right hand of God to earth at the appointed time and will cause all things to !e made new. I want you to understand9 he presence of God the Holy Spirit leads to the anointing of the Spirit, which is the power of God, and the power of God !rings forth the manifestation of the presence. he anointing itself ?an anointing of the Holy Spirit?cannot !e seen, !ut the power, its manifestations, its effects, can and should !e seen. hat is why I call it the tangi!le anointing. his, of course, harmoniFes with the /ord's teaching to -icodemus in John @96 that the Spirit !lows like the wind, in which case its effects can !e seen. eyond the salvation message itself, the most e*plosive words of the Scripture came out of "hrist's mouth as recorded in (cts $96. hey are vital to the truth of the anointing9 B#t ye shall receie po!er, a$ter that the Holy Ghost is come #pon yo#5 and ye shall be !itnesses #nto me both in (er#salem, and in all (#daea, and in Samaria, and #nto the #ttermost part o$ the earth" 3 0(F 7 (maFingK Eou shall receive power?the anointing, the spiritual gifts?after the Holy Ghost?the presence, the person, the fruit?comes upon you. Do you see it he fruit of the Spirit, so missing in the church today, is connected to the presence of God. he gifts and ministry of God, also sadly missing, are connected to the po!er of God. )hat are fruits hey are +ualities or characteristics?attri!utes?of a person, in this case
7#
The Anointing
God. hey !egin inside you, where God is if you're a !eliever. God says, I will come in, and 3y fruit will come in with 3e. I leave, and 3y fruit will go with 3e. -ot so with power. he power of God comes #pon you, as a gift. It stays with you. (s aul wrote to the 0omans, speaking of the current and future conditions of the Jews9 he gifts and the calling of God are irrevoca!le =0om. $$9&%>. Ees, it is not an easy truth, !ut it is possi!le for the presence to withdraw and the gifts to remain, at least for a while. ut that will ultimately lead to disaster. *o$ "s Not Di1i$e$
he fruit of the Spirit, which comes with the presence, is not progressive they are instant. here is nothing to suggest that the fruit enters your life and then grow. 0emem!er, they are not yo#r fruits or attri!utes they are God's" (nd He doesn't divide Himself up when He enters you. -either does He grow up in Eou. He comes in with fullness. 0ighteous characteristics should and can shine from your life right then. Eou get all of HimK His fruits, therefore, should shine forth from you when you !ecome His am!assador. hey should touch and affect each life you reach out to, for it takes more than !oldness and a loud voice to !e an am!assador of the gospel to the world. Stop for a moment and think. hink honestly. Is this the case in your life If not, the issue is not the anointing and the power. he issue is the presence of the Holy Spirit. (re you e*periencing Him day !y day, moment !y moment I'm sure some of you are saying, "ome on, ennyK
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he fruits take time to develop. -o, my friend you are wrong. /ook at aul the apostle, previously called Saul, a man felled !y the Spirit of God on the road to Damascus. He fell and came out a new man. He had !een a murderer, and immediately after his e*perience with the presence of God the Son through God the Holy Spirit, he was no longer a killer. rior to that, he had had no genuine knowledge of God. Suddenly, however, he knew God and lived for Him. He was even willing to die for Him. It did not take him ten years to change. aul was under the power and heard God's voice. 1Fekiel was under the power and heard God's voice. )hy ecause the /ord was present, and He produced virtue. hroughout Scripture there are similar cases. 3y friend, the voice of God is heard in His presence, and this ena!les you under the anointing to speak yo#r !ords that produce results. /et me say it again9 he presence of God carries His voice the gifts of God carry yo#rs" hus, in (cts $96, Jesus said the empowered disciples would !e His !itnesses" he power was for service, not merely goose!umps. Po3er from the Start
"hristians tend to think of the Holy Spirit in the conte*t of the -ew estament only, and that is a mistake. he tremendous power of the Holy Spirit was manifest in creation, as well as at other times in redemptive history. Genesis $9& tells us that when the earth was without form and void and darkness was on the face of the deep, the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. he Holy Spirit was present at "reation as part of the Godhead, !eing the first manifestation of God on earth. He will always !e
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the first manifestation in your life. (s we study the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which is the power of God, I want you always to remem!er who the Spirit is. Sometimes He's represented as a dove, !ut He is not a dove. Sometimes He is pictured as a flame of fire, !ut He is not fire. Sometimes He's seen as oil or water or wind, !ut He is none of these. He is a spirit !eing. ut even with no physical form, He is a person more real than you or me. He is the power of the Godhead. Isn't it odd that, throughout history, man has sought power and yet today, as previously, men and women generally try to !uild and show their own power rather than em!race the truest and greatest power there is hey were trying it at the time of the tower of a!el =Genesis $$>, and they're still trying. )hen God's mighty shaking occurs =He!. $&9&<>, mankind's greatest power will crum!le like dirt. he com!ined strength of every nuclear !om! made in this frightened world, the com!ined strength of every flood and hurricane to strike the glo!e, the com!ined strength of Satan and every demon slave of his are as the weakest firecracker compared with the power of (lmighty God, "reator of heaven and earth. -ow, !eloved, that is the power with which our /ord wants to clothe you. Despite the re!ellion against God found in much of general society, millions of people like you are hungering for the reality found in the real God. hat is why our monthly miracle crusades around the Cnited States are drawing overflow crowds at each site. )hen we seat a!out fifteen thousand enthusiastic !elievers, we are forced to turn away around four thousand disappointed seekers. Eou see, God has chosen to
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move with e*traordinary power in our time, honoring the preaching of the gospel with signs and wonders, as He said in Scripture He would do. his o!viously is a very important time in history, and we?all of us? need the anointing of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the roles He is calling us to. (nd I am totally optimistic. He will do what He promised. he purpose of this !ook is to help meet that need in your life.
Chapter 8 %%%%%%% & %%%%%%%
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+ou (ust Ha1e "t
he anointing is a must if you want to !e used !y God, no matter what position you're in. It carries a heavier responsi!ility than the presence of God !y itself, !ut you cannot do without it. His presence can !e yours and you can have fellowship with Him regularly, loving Him, walking with Him, without even having a ministry. ut the second you step into the ministry, you need the power to fight devils, sickness, and the powers of hell. -o matter what your ministerial calling is, you need the power of the anointing to fulfill it. Eou will never accomplish what God wants you to do without it. I am not overstating the case. he anointing is mandatory if you are called to serve the /ord. )ithout it there will !e no growth, no !lessing, no victory in your ministry. Eou see, as harsh as it sounds, I can have the wonderful presence of God in my life?and I wouldn't trade it for anything?and I can stand !ehind a pulpit and minister. ut if there is no power, I will !e the only one having a good time. he people will see a!solutely nothing. rue, they may feel His presence, 6
.ou Must /ae !t
7
!ut we all should !e feeling that as "hristians. here will !e no salvations, no healings, no !inding of devils. he power is essential. 0emem!er how I have emphasiFed these words of the /ord ust !efore His ascension9 Ee shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall !e witnesses unto me. (fter the power came three thousand were saved, then another five thousand, and then all Jerusalem was shaken. hat's the power you must have with any service to God. In tandem with the presence, it will !e the greatest plus your life can have. )hen I step !ehind the pulpit, I always say, /ord, please anoint me today, or my words will !e dead, and I know !eyond any +uestion that had the /ord chosen not to clothe me with His power, I would have no church. -o lives would !e changed, no souls saved, and no !odies healed. !n "ncrease #ill Come
-ow as you go on with the anointing God gives you, He will trust you with more. Eou see, the presence that came on me in $%@ in my room in oronto hasn't changed. It's still the same presence. It's still the same marvelous intimacy. It's true that you do get closer to the /ord !ecause you get to know Him !etter and He teaches you more, !ut it's the same presence. 5n the other hand, the anointing increases. He gives you a little and watches you. hen He gives you more. ut !efore He gives you more, there are additional lessons to learn, more !attles to fight. 1very time the anointing is increased on me, for e*ample, I will go through a period of learning new
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things a!out Him and His ways?why did this happen and why didn't that happen I find endless growth and e*citement. In my case, from $%A until $%67, with my own ministry in "anada and also ministry with the 2athryn 2uhlman oundation, the main thing I learned was that the anointing was totally dependent upon my o!edience. (nd that is a!solutely pivotal. he anointing, the power, comes through o!edience. )hat do you do with a little that He gives you 5!ey, and it increases. Diso!ey, and it stops. ( good e*ample occurred early in my ministry in "anada. I was sitting !efore a service and I knew, I ust knew, that the /ord was a!out to do a new thing in my ministry. Somehow I knew I wasn't supposed to ask what. Don't ask me that's all I heard. (s the service proceeded, I laid my hands on a person needing help, and nothing happened. ( second person came up, and nothing happened?no falling under the power, nothing. (fter the third person, I was a nervous wreck. hen something in me kept whispering, Say, 'he power of the Spirit goes through you.' )hy should I say that he fourth person, nothing. hen the fifth one, nothing. (nd the suggestion was still there9 Say, 'he power of the Spirit goes through you.' inally I !egan to get the idea. /ord, are Eou teaching me something new Start doing what I'm telling you, He replied. inally the ne*t person came up, and I said, he power of the Spirit goes through you. Bang& Down he went. he ne*t one the same the ne*t one the ne*t one.
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)hat is happening I asked myself. inally I realiFed that the anointing is dependent upon my words. God will not move unless I say it. )hy ecause He has made us coworkers with Him. He set things up that way. hat lesson continued in those early days. (t that time, people found healing, !ut not when they still sat in their seats. hey would have to come forward, and I would lay hands on them !efore healing would come. ut one day, I heard the voice inside9 0e!uke sickness pu!licly. I went through a dialog with the /ord similar to the e*ample a!ove and finally said aloud, I re!uke every sickness in this place in Jesus' name. he /ord said inside me, Say it again. I complied, I re!uke every sickness in this place in Jesus' name. 5ne more time, He said. So I said it one more time. he most awesome thing happened. Instantly I knew someone in the !alcony was !eing healed and I spoke it ust as I heard it9 Some!ody's hips and legs are !eing healed. or the longest time there was no response and then, finally, a woman came down and said she was healed the second I said it. rom that point on, I !egan to learn that the anointing will not flow and touch anyone if I'm afraid. oldness is a must. I must use the weapons He's given me, His words and His name. He said, In 3y name, do itK -ow this is important9 hose who try to use those weapons in His name and lack His presence and His anointing are fools. (nyone who pronounces, y His stripes I am healed, and who doesn't have the
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presence, is wasting his time. I want to state it again9 he presence came into my life and had fellowship with me during that year when I was alone with the Holy Spirit in my room in oronto. He helped me, comforted me, and taught me. (fter a while He gave me the authority, the power, to fulfill His word9 In 3y name they shall cast out devils . . . In my name they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover . . . In my name. I was not speaking and acting in ignorance, !ut in knowledge and o!edience. I knew Him and o!eyed Him. hat's the whole thing. If you have a relationship with Him and su!mit to His commands, His name will have power in your life. If you don't do this, you'll !e mocked !y devils. -o, you must flow with the will of God in the service of God to o!tain the power of God. 5f course, there have !een times when I thought the /ord was going in one direction, and He wasn't. I went that wrong way and fell flat on my face every time. ut I came right !ack, found the right way, and the anointing returned. The Strongman Princi/le
In the $%67s I kept learning. I was with 0einhard onnke, the healing evangelist with an incredi!le ministry in (frica, and others who were serving the /ord in power. I learned a lot from them, and I still do. or e*ample, I heard onnke one day cry out, Eou devil of !lindness, I command you in Jesus' name to come outK )hat's this I thought. I hadn't even known there was a devil of !lindness. I couldn't remem!er having any !lind people healed in my services, !ut he had !lind people !eing healed right and left. 3y, I asked
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myself, is this true So I tried such a command in my services, and mor more !lin !lind d peop eople were ere healed aled than han I coul could d have ave imagined possi!le. ressing ahead with study of the Scripture, I learned that the /ord always dealt with the strongmen. He never dealt with little demons, !ut always went after the !ig ones?the princes who had control over ordinary demons. In my healing crusades, the /ord will often show me a strongman and I will address him head on9 Eou spirit of infirmity. . .Eou spirit of death. (nd that is when the miracles !reak forth. he power is incredi!le when I address the strongman and command, In the name of Jesus, let the people goK Eou can actually hear it. Whoosh& ower surges throughout the hall. I've 've had people scream, taken completely ely !y surprise, at the moment they are released and healed. In this way I've learned more and more a!out the anointing. (nd this raises the point of knowledge of the i!le. he anointing is dependent on o!edience, yes, !ut knowledge of Scripture is also key to that o!edience. or the more you know a!out God, the more He can trust you with the power. I often think of 3iss 2uhlman's +uestions9 Do you really know Him Do you know what grieves Him Do you know what pleases Him (nd I think I can answer her, Ees, 2athryn, I really do think I know Him. ut I don't know Him fully yet I'm still learning. I don't think I will ever +uit learning, and I'm sure you will !e the same. Several times I have come to a point where I say, I've got it, and then He has done something fresh and new. He is full of surprises. He will do things one way
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The Anointing
for +uite a while, and then the anointing flows and He does does it diff differ eren entl tly? y?ne neve verr cont contra rary ry to the the )ord )ord,, of course. Laughter in Lisbon
Duri During ng a servi ervice ce in /is! /is!on on,, ort ortug ugal al,, I lear learne ned d someth methin ing g a!o a!out the the /ord /ord that that still till ama amaFes Fes me. It centered around a woman forty to forty:five years of age, a typical mama with a scarf around her head, !ut +uite emotionless, very +uiet. I started to pray for her and the second I touched her, she fell under the power of the Spirit and went into incredi!le laughter. Her face turned red instantly, and she was !eaming and laughing?not offensively, !ut !eautifully. hen she !egan to roll !ack and forth on the floor in ecstasy, totally transformed. his normal, down:to: eart earth h woma woman, n, +uie +uiet, t, poke poker: r:fa faced ced,, no make makeup up,, plain plain,, went into the most !eautiful laughter I'd ever seen. (nd she rolled !ack and forth, !ack and forth. I told my assistants not to touch her I was so moved I wanted to watch her and learn something new a!out the Holy Spirit. I was certain that the whole episode was too !eautiful to !e in the flesh. I really wanted to stop her and ask, )hat is happening to you !ut I couldn't. She was in such ecstasy. )hen she finally stopped, she couldn't talk she was simply overwhelmed. inally she said through a translator, It was impossi!le to descri!e. I desperately wished I could have spoken ortugese, so I could have learned more. he /ord taught me something new that day. I had heard 2athryn speak of holy laughter, !ut I had never heard it. Since that lesson, I've seen it occur many time timess duri during ng mini minist stry ry.. )hen hen it is not not in the the fles flesh h,
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which is ugly, it is a perfect e*ample of ecstasy. I've yearned for the /ord to do that to me sometime, for He is truly wonderful in His great love for His people. *o$ "s the Boss
(s I've 've said aid, my mini inistr stry too took +uantu antum m leap leapss forward ard in $%%7 when the /ord told me to !egin mont month hly mira iracle cle crusa rusad des arou around nd the the coun countr try, y, in addition to the regular pastoral ministry at the 5rlando "hristian "enter. here have !een many e*traordinary events. 5ne that seems to happen in every crusade, usually in the teaching meetings on the morning of the second day, is the directive from the /ord to have the people get +uiet, with eyes closed and hands raised. he /ord will tell me, Say 'now' and I will touch them. hat's all He tells me to do9 Say 'now.' It's amaFingK I do it, and right away there will !e gasps and even screams as the power falls. I open my eyes and invaria!ly two thirds of the ten thousand or more present collapse onto the floor. Healings of all kin kinds occu occur, r, and God make akes Hims imself elf power owerffully ully known. here are other ways in which the Spirit has poured freshness over us. or e*ample, I !egan to notice that God was healing atheists. He was touching rotestants, "atholics, entecostals, non:entecostals, char charis isma mati tics cs,, non: non:ch char aris isma mati tics cs,, ever every! y!od ody? y?ev even en those who in my opinion weren't !orn again or living for the /ord or anything. 5!viously I must learn, and remem!er?like everyone else?that we can't limit God. )e cannot tell Him who should receive miracles and who should not. (nd our love must !e as inclusive as His.
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I asked a well:known man of God why un!elievers were !eing healed, and he asked me, )hom did Jesus heal I had no reply other than, Eou're right. He healed un!elievers. hus I have !een learning?relearning?that we are dealing with the grace of God, not our own works. If He wants to have mercy on someone who comes to one of my meetings out of curiosity or perhaps to scoff, I can only say, I'm still learning.
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Three !nointings
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cripture reveals three anointings of the Holy Spirit. 2nowledge of them will help !ring your potential as a "hristian into focus. The Le/er6s !nointing
irst is the leper's anointing" /eviticus $A teaches that the leper remained outside the camp and that the priest was to go out to him and apply the !lood of the sacrifice, !ring him into the camp, apply the !lood again, and then apply oil, making atonement for him !efore the /ord. 1very !orn:again !eliever has e*perienced the leper's anointing, which deals with salvation. /eprosy in this case is a type of sin, incura!le in the natural world, !ut cura!le !y God. Sin is the same man can do nothing to remove it and its effects. In the ceremonial cleansing of the 5ld estament, the !lood of the sacrificial animals was applied. In the -ew estament, we find that the only cure for sin, then and today, is the !lood of Jesus "hrist. he animal sacrifices of /eviticus merely looked forward to the perfect sacrifice of the /am! of God. hey were a 6
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shadow Jesus was the su!stance. In John $9&%, John the aptist sees Jesus approaching and declares, eholdK he /am! of God who takes away the sin of the worldK o those who came to know Him, Jesus was that /am! of God. Jesus was the only sacrifice that would atone for the sin of the world. In the ceremonial cleansing of /eviticus, the !lood was applied, then the oil. he application of the sacrificial !lood is sym!olic of the !lood of "hrist, while the application of the oil is sym!olic of the touch and influence of the Holy Spirit upon a life. Just as the !lood of Jesus "hrist flows out to all who call upon His name, so the leper's anointing crosses all national and denominational !arriers. or when anyone e*periences the grace of Jesus "hrist, it is the Holy Spirit who convicts him of sin and assures him of God's forgiveness. hus it is that at salvation you e*perience the first anointing?the leper's anointing?which reveals the power of the !lood through the oil of anointing that pours over you. The Priestly !nointing
(s a !eliever, cleansed through the precious !lood of "hrist, !orn again and sealed !y the Spirit, you can and should move to the second anointing9 the priestly anointing" ( significant num!er of !elievers have no knowledge of this level of the Holy Spirit's activity in their lives, and they certainly have no idea how to receive it. If you're among them, having no indication of such a !lessing, read on, and you will discover and enter into God's additional anointing of power. I must emphasiFe the importance of this step, since
Three Anointings
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every mem!er of the ody of "hrist should have a ministry. (nd this is the anointing for ministry unto the /ord, including leading souls to Him, !ut not service of Him in !attles against the devil and disease, !ut ministry to Him as priests. or we are all priests of God, although not necessarily ordained to stand !ehind a pulpit or to conduct evangelistic and healing services. If we, therefore, are ministers to God, we must have the power of the Spirit to do so. (nd that means we are to !e !aptiFed in the Holy Spirit, which is the priestly anointing of the Holy Spirit upon us. )ithout it, we will accomplish little. (lso?and this is important?the priestly anointing is evidenced through unity in the ody of "hrist as life in the 2ingdom of God. (ll too often I have encountered self:appointed !earers of this anointing who are lone wolves. hey think their callings and their ministries are so outstanding that they overlook the ody of "hrist. hey actually overlook God. )hen the genuine priestly anointing has !een e*perienced, there will !e unity and harmony. 0emem!er salm $@@9 ehold, how good and how pleasant it is for !rethren to dwell together in unityK It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the !eard, the !eard of (aron, running down on the edge of his garments. here is no such thing as a private priestly anointing it comes in oneness, in unity, as the church functions as one !ody. 5n the day of entecost in the !ook of (cts, $&7 people were together?in one accord?in the Cpper 0oom, and the Holy Spirit came upon them with fire and power. hey went out from that room and ministered to the /ord, !earing witness to the crowds
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gathered there. hree thousand were savedK )hat an anointingK God was clearly present. his priestly anointing is not a one:time anointing, which the leper's anointing is. Cnder the old covenant, the priests were anointed with oil every day. he same with you under the new covenant. Eou need a daily anointing. he priestly anointing !rings the presence, the communion, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. 0evelation knowledge comes, for in the leper's anointing, we are introduced to God in an e*traordinary and wonderful way and we see our total need for Jesus "hrist. ut we really don't understand much more. It is so sad that many "hristians stay at the leper's anointing level, !y choice. hey don't seek more. hey simply don't surrender. heir ears are dull they don't hear God's voice. (nd the i!le tells us clearly that Jesus said, 3y sheep hear 3y voice. If you are truly one of His sheep and have received the priestly anointing, you will know His presence and hear the gentle voice of God regularly. It is not a one:time e*perience though it must !e renewed. God sometimes will reveal incredi!le truths to you at other times, He will ust let you sense how much He loves you. erhaps He will correct or instruct you on a matter perhaps He will cause a particular passage of Scripture to stand out while you are reading His )ord. 1ven though you may seldom or never hear an audi!le voice, He has many avenues through which to speak to you. God's regular communication does not depend on how loudly He speaks !ut upon how well you listen. He who has ears to hear, let him hearK
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3atthew $$9$; says. Eou must take time each day to !e +uiet !efore the /ord so His still, small voice can !e heard. (s you read the i!le, fellowship with the Holy Spirit, and listen, you will e*perience that daily refreshing that keeps your heart a!laFe with love for the 3aster. he leper's anointing =salvation> is a one:time e*perience and cannot !e lost unless you willfully walk away from it. God will never let you go unless you let Him go. his re+uires a decision that you would rather perish than !e saved. he priestly anointing =the presence>, on the other hand, can !e lost, for if sin comes into your heart it lifts. hat is why it must !e renewed daily it will !ring you into the presence of God?so near, so real that the tears will course down your cheeks. The 7ingly !nointing
5nce you have e*perienced the leper's anointing and gone on to the priestly anointing, do not stop there. hey are important and wonderful, !ut more is possi!le. -othing can compare with the +ingly anointing, the most powerful of them all. his lifts a person to a place of high authority in God, giving him authority over devils, the power to rout demons with one word. 5nly this will give you the power to send the enemies of God flying as the apostle aul did. he kingly anointing is the most difficult to receive. )hereas the leper's anointing comes !y accepting (es#s and the priestly anointing comes !y $ello!ship with Jesus, the kingly anointing comes !y obeying Jesus. It is when you hear the rhema word of the /ord
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spoken ust for that moment?which says, hus saith the /ord?that you receive the kingly anointing. Eou see, there is the logos, or written )ord?the i!le. ut that does not give you the anointing, although the logos is terri!ly, terri!ly important, !eing settled in heaven and forever true. "ncrease Comes at Crusa$es
his anointing !ecame the most pronounced in my life when the /ord directed me in $%%7 to !egin monthly crusades around the country, which I have !een doing ever since. I merely o!eyed, and the e*tra anointing was there, although I have grown in it at a fast pace. I know the heavier anointing has come directly through o!edience. I had known this anointing !efore, !ut at the crusades I immediately !egan to receive power to drive out devils of sickness and affliction and to receive specific direction as to what the Holy Spirit was doing among the crowds of twelve to fifteen thousand that attended each night. Hundreds of verified healings and thousands of conversions have occurred, including people rising from wheelchairs and leaving crutches. Several !lind eyes and deaf ears have !een opened and verified. In a crusade in ulsa, 5klahoma, an 5klahoma "ity woman in a wheelchair was healed of what was descri!ed as failed !ack syndrome, with nerve damage and !one deformity, while on the platform in front of thousands of people. She reported having !een told !y her doctors at an 5klahoma "ity clinic that, !ecause of nerve damage, she would never walk again. )hen checked sometime later she said she was doing well and without a wheelchair.
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(lso in ulsa, where the anointing was very heavy, a woman from Ho!!s, -ew 3e*ico, diagnosed to have chronic leukemia !y a doctor in (l!u+uer+ue, was healed and later possessed papers that said she was free of leukemia. In my daily television program, which also resulted from a directive from the /ord at the time of the word to !egin crusades, we show clips from the various crusades as well as pray for people directly. ( /as 4egas woman, diagnosed to have lymphocytic leukemia, was healed watching the program. Her healing was confirmed !y her doctor, who said he had never seen such a thing !efore, and her insurance company even dropped her rates when told of the confirmed healing. (nd it goes on9 In a ortland, 5regon, crusade, a woman from 3ilwaukee with a de!ilitating environmental illness =!asically was an allergic reaction that !locked her vital organs> was healed, with the miracle confirmed !y her doctor. In a Spartan!urg, South "arolina, crusade a woman was healed of a serious disease in the chest cavity, with confirmation from her doctor. (nd every !it of it is the /ord's doing. He gets all the praise and the glory and the honor. (s for the anointing, a definite change comes on me on the platform at these services. I know the presence is with me when I walk on, as it has !een in the morning in the hotel and throughout the day. ut when I step to the platform it's as though a heavier anointing, or a thicker mantle, falls. efore the service, I may pray for a person and he will fall under the Spirit, !ut when I move to the platform as a servant of the /ord ready to do !attle,
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there's an awesome presence and power that topples hundreds at a time. It's no longer little enny Hinn feeling it it's holy power !eing displayed?the power of (lmighty God. I actually moved to a new level for me at the miracle crusades as God kept His word with signs and wonders to accompany the preaching of the gospel. I found in a most surprising way that a simple wave of the arm would proect power that knocked people to the floor as the anointing touched them. 1ven a !lowing of the !reath often caused people to go down like someone !eing knocked over with a feather. In each of these cases of unusual displays of God's power, I noticed that I felt a certain num!ness on my hand. I know the num!ness was not the power, !ut was a result of the power. -either was the falling of the people the power it was the evidence of the power. I was amaFed, and more than ever recogniFed the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which was convincing people of the reality of God in a way I had not e*perienced !efore. Houston Pro1i$es E
In a crusade in Houston, the /ord saw fit, in a rather impressive way, to show the unusual nature of this waving =or throwing, as some have called it> and a different type of the !lowing. Gloria Slosser, the wife of a good friend and colleague, having known and served the ather, Son, and Holy Spirit for many years, was sitting in the front row of a crowd of $&,;77. She had never !een felled !y the Spirit, !ut fully !elieved in such things. )hen the people in front !ecame +uite vocal to have me wave or throw at them, I did so, and Gloria,
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along with a!out ten rows of people, went down under the power and later said it was a wonderful moment, a happy and laughing moment, as she !ecame keenly aware of the /ord. ( few minutes later, I called several hundred people forward who wanted to make a deep commitment to the /ord and to receive an anointing for it. Gloria was in a!out the eighth row !ack. I planned to throw, !ut a voice inside me said, low. hat's all. low. So I !lew into the microphone, and hundreds went down, including Gloria. She descri!ed it later as something you can't put into words, !ut it was very good?also !ringing a great awareness of the presence of God. She later made an interesting o!servation of the two events9 I thought people would go over from the front to the !ack, and I'd get knocked down in a domino effect. ut it wasn't like that. eople fell !ackward from the rear, and you didn't get knocked over. )hen I fell I landed on a woman !ehind me, and she soon !egan to say, 'Get up get up'. (ll I could say was 'I can't I can't.' 3y knees were too wo!!ly. (lso, she said, I couldn't stop grinning after that. (ll the way !ack to the hotel, I ust smiled and smiled. )hat a delightK Some have asked me what I'm trying to do when I throw or !low at them. I only have one answer9 God told me to do it, and I know !etter than not to o!ey. I want to tell you a!out one other incident in Houston, which has taken place a num!er of times at other places, !ut was especially poignant that night. )hile we were still singing and worshiping, I !rought a couple to the platform who had a particular need. (s they stood, Steve rock and I were singing -ame
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The Anointing
(!ove (ll -ames, and then the choir oined us on the chorus, which !egins so magnificently with I am Jehovah. I (3 that I (3. (t that point, this handsome couple, standing three or four feet from Steve and me, collapsed under the power of the Spirit right there on the platform. -o one touched them. God had done it directly without the use of any of His human servants. )hy his couple needed the assurance of the presence of their wonderful Savior. I see evidence like this occurring all over the land as people e*perience the love and the power of God. "t Ha//ens at Home Too
In my own church, the 5rlando "hristian "enter, we have a great emphasis on teaching and worship, !ut from time to time, often +uite une*pectedly, the /ord will reveal His power spectacularly. 5n a recent Sunday evening, I was praying for a num!er of ministers, and for a!solutely no reason, I turned around and saw a lady in a motoriFed wheelchair. )ithin me, a voice said, Go and pray for her? no!&* It was like a clap? no!& I umped down off the platform?and I'm sure everyone wondered where I was going9 here goes pastor again. I gra!!ed the woman and hugged her, tightly, and said, 0elease your anointing, /ord. She umped up out of the wheelchair. I +uickly turned to the choir and yelled, /ift it up high and praise the /ordK It was an incredi!le moment, and when they were slow in getting the music started, I yelled again. hat woman was having an amaFing miracle, and we needed to praise the /ord. (s the
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7
intensity of the music arose, the woman got up all alone and !egan to run around the front of the sanctuary. he place went wild with praise. It turned out that the woman had had multiple sclerosis, and she told me later with her hus!and, who ust stood and cried like a !a!y, that she had asked the /ord, lease do it tonight !ecause we're going home and I may never !e a!le to come !ack. lease let him come down and pray for me. he voice of God ust said, Go and pray for her? no!&* (maFing. He knows how to get your attention.
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"t Di$n6t Begin +ester$ay
he psalmist wrote, 3y horn Eou have e*alted like a wild o* 8I have !een anointed with fresh oil =%&9$7>. Similarly the author of 1cclesiastes urged that your head lack no oil =%96>. Since He is the third person of the rinity, the Spirit has never !een a!sent from the mighty acts of God in history. oth of these verses, of course, point to the anointing of the Holy Spirit, since oil is a type of Him in !i!lical writings. It would help you to recogniFe and understand the anointing of the Spirit in our own times if you looked at several personalities from the past. David, for e*ample, had three anointings, the first taking place when Samuel, the udge and prophet, went to see Jesse and his sons in ethlehem =$ Sam. $<>. Eou will recall that Samuel said in effect, Show me your !oys, Jesse. (fter looking at seven of them, he said, he /ord has not chosen any of these have you any more So Jesse sent for the youngest, who was tending sheep. )hen David arrived, the /ord said to Samuel, (noint him, for this is the one. %6
!t Di,n&t "egin .ester,a(
hat was the first anointing. he second came many years later, when David was anointed in He!ron as king over Judah =& Sam. &9A>. Seven and a half years later, he was anointed king over Israel =& Sam. ;9@>. David's first anointing, although directed !y God, did not take him !eyond slave status with 2ing Saul. His duties included playing the harp to keep the torment of demons from Saul. he second one was followed !y ugly conflict with the house of Saul after the king's death. 5nly after the third did David receive dominion and authority over all of Israel. hen he left his head+uarters at He!ron, took 3ount Pion, and esta!lished rule over all Pion. he point for !elievers is ust this9 )e will never reach the level of dominion and authority that God intends for us until we receive the third anointing?the kingly anointing. In the same way, the apostles e*perienced three anointings. he first came when Jesus !reathed on them and said, 0eceive the Holy Spirit =John &79&&>. he second came when the Holy Spirit fell upon them on the day of entecost =(cts &>. ut an even greater anointing came as the power of the early church mounted dramatically. Eou see, a significant event in chapter four of (cts is often mistaken as simply a repetition of the day of entecost, !ut it is not. It marks an increase in the miraculous power of the apostles' witness to the resurrection of Jesus "hrist. -ote (cts A9@$, following the disciples' commitment to o!ey God and not men9 And !hen they had prayed, the place !here they !ere assembled together !as sha+en. and
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they !ere all $illed !ith the Holy Spirit, and they spo+e the !ord o$ God !ith boldness" he elders of Israel had threatened the apostles and said, reach in "hrist's name, and you'll !e in ail. he apostles stood their ground, and God sent a heavier anointing that produced a supernatural manifestation with the power to reach the world. he place shook, they spoke with !oldness, and multitudes were added. (nd then comes (cts ;9$&:$A, which tells us that through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people . . . and !elievers were increasingly added to the /ord, multitudes of !oth men and women. (s for eter, the anointing was so strong on him that people were healed when he passed !y and his shadow fell on them =;9$;>. Ees, the third anointing !rought greater power in the lives of the apostles and the addition of many, many souls to the 2ingdom. hat is e*actly what we need today so the world can !e saved. ! *ol$ (ine of Teaching
In addition to these e*amples, the !ook of (cts, which could ust as well !e called the (cts of the Holy Spirit, offers a mine of information a!out the anointing, depending on where you want to concentrate. or e*ample, the Holy Spirit anno#nces his entrance" Eou will find this early in (cts. irst, Jesus ministered to the apostles through the Holy Spirit, e*plaining many things =(cts $9&:@>. He promised
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them power through the Spirit =$9;:6>. (nd then, the Spirit came, letting the whole world know it9 (nd suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. owerful things then happened. lames of fire appeared on each of them, they !egan to speak with other tongues, and they went down into the streets to proclaim the wonderful works of God to people from all over the known world =&9&:$$>. he Holy Spirit is gentle, yes He is comforting, yes !ut He also lets you know when He arrives. Second, He al!ays brings a b#rden $or lost so#ls" reaching to the multitudes, eter, a coward who had failed his 3aster a few weeks earlier, said9 *Repent, and let eeryone o$ yo# be bapti)ed in the name o$ (es#s hrist $or the remission o$ sins. and yo# shall receie the gi$t o$ the Holy Spirit" /or the promise is to yo# and to yo#r children, and to all !ho are a$ar o$$, as many as the Lord o#r God !ill call"* And !ith many other !ords he testi$ied and ehorted them, saying, *Be saed $rom this pererse generation"* Then those !ho gladly receied his !ord !ere bapti)ed. and that day abo#t three tho#sand so#ls !ere added to them" 3=5C%D7 -o one can prove to me that the Holy Spirit is in his life if he doesn't have a !urden to see someone come to Jesus "hrist. Eou shall receive power and you shall !e witnesses, said the /ord. he Spirit is not given to us so we can have spiritual picnics He's given so we can tell people a!out "hrist
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he ne*t result we find in (cts is complete #nity" I seriously +uestion anyone who says he has the Holy Spirit and is always !y himself, thinking he's got it all and needs no one else. ( clear e*ample of the correct attitude is found in the recorded history of the early church, wherein the converts continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the !reaking of !read, and in prayers. hey were together and held all things in common they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart. he /ord added to the church daily =&9A&:A>. /one rangers were not in evidence. (nother thing you will learn is that the Holy Spirit !ill $lo! o#t o$ yo# mirac#lo#sly to someone else" "hapter three of (cts makes the point well. It shows eter and John going up to the temple to pray when they came upon a lame man asking for alms. eter fi*ed his eyes upon the man. I love that description. He $ied his eyes upon him. )hat a penetrating look that must have !een. /ook at us, he commanded. So he gave them his attention, it says. hen eter said, 'Silver and gold I do not have, !ut what I do have I give you9 In the name of Jesus "hrist of -aFareth, rise up and walk.' )hat eter had flowed through him to a needy man. He took him !y the hand, lifted him up, and he was healed. )hat a storyK he Holy Spirit is not given to us simply for our pleasure. He comes to ena!le us to witness for "hrist in power. Later in History
3oving closer to our times, we find e*traordinary acts of the Holy Spirit in people ust like you and me. here was Jonathan 1dwards, the eighteenth:
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century (merican preacher and theologian. ( preacher of virtually no emotion, he would stand !ehind the pulpit and read his sermons through his thick glasses, seldom looking up at the people. hey, meanwhile, would come under great conviction through his messages. 5ne sermon?Sinners in the Hands of an (ngry God?reportedly !rought cries for mercy among the congregation. Some of the people collapsed under the power of God as he read. hat particular message ignited a revival that swept through the colonies with life:changing power. 5nly the Holy Spirit could have produced such power. Similarly D./. 3oody, not known for a charismatic speaking style and capa!le of making numerous speaking mistakes, shook many states and nations with his strong messages that were o!viously undergirded !y the Spirit of God. (nd "harles inney, instrumental in lighting the revival fires in (merica, carried such an anointing that his very presence would !ring a cloud of glory over a whole area of a city when he spoke. God's glory would !e felt inside and outside of meeting halls. eople would fall under the power of God, weeping and !egging for mercy. 5ften passers!y, most with no interest in God, would crum!le under the power and confess their sins. )hat !rought results like this It certainly was not oratorial skill or gimmickry. 2athryn 2uhlman received many snickers from people visiting her meetings for the first time as she glided into the hall in her classy shoes and flowing gowns. )hat a showK they whispered. ut the second she said, ather, massive auditoriums would come alive
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The Anointing
with God's presence and power. eople would collapse, hundreds would !e healed of serious afflictions, and salvation would flow. It certainly was not gimmickry. In 1ngland, there were the Jeffrey !rothers. ew people were familiar with their names, !ut their anointing was so heavy that they would enter a !uilding, stand !ehind the pulpit, and say very simply, he 3aster is here, and the miracles would occur. 0elia!le reports were that the lame, the !lind, the deaf, and even people missing certain lim!s would e*perience incredi!le miracles. 0einhard onnke, the powerful evangelist who has !een transforming much of (frica, !elieves much of the work of the Spirit in his life can !e traced to a prayer spoken over him !y one of the Jeffrey !rothers many years ago. (lso in 1ngland was the marvelous Smith )igglesworth, with whom my wife's grandmother /ilian worked. 5ne of the most unusual stories I heard from /il was when a man in the audience died. ick him upK )igglesworth said. hen he punched the dead man in the stomach, the story goes, and said sternly, In Jesus' name, riseK ut the man was still dead. ick him up againK he commanded, even more sternly. I said in Jesus' name, riseK -othing happened. /et him go. Still the man was dead and fell to the floor, and for the third time he directed that the man !e picked up. I said in Jesus' name, riseK (nd this time, /il said, he slapped the man in the face. (nd this time, the man opened his eyes he was aliveK Eou may not approve of such struggles, !ut I trust the point is clear. he powerful manifestation of God's
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Spirit among His people is not something new. It has !een going on since the !eginning. (nd, don't forget, it is for you tooK
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>esus the " !(
he Holy Spirit is the wonderful "omforter, the "ounselor, the Helper, the one sent !y the ather and the Son to !e with, in, and upon the people of God when Jesus ascended to heaven. (nd this glorious third person of the rinity has the primary purpose of revealing the /ord Jesus "hrist. (s the Spirit of ruth, He has taken the things of Jesus and reveals them to those who will listen, see, and follow. (s I write a!out the presence and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, you must never lose sight of the /ord Jesus. (ll is given that you might know, love, and serve Him. So I want to take time at this point to ponder who Jesus is, so that you might !etter understand the vast importance of this !ook's su!ect. (s the songwriter related in this old chorus, The Lord o$ Glory5 He is the Lord o$ Glory. He is the great I AM, The Alpha and 1mega, the beginning and the end" His name is Wonder$#l, the :rince o$ :eace, The 9erlasting /ather, thro#gh all eternity"
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esus the ! AM
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He is the fullest revelation of God. he eginning and the 1nd. he irst and the /ast. he cause and the completion. he (men. I am life eternal, He said. rom everlasting to everlasting?Jesus. Eou ask, /ord, what will we see in heaven I will !e your focus. )hat will we do in heaven )orship and enoy 3e forever. )hat will we hear in heaven (ll I reveal to you. )hat is heaven 3y creation for you. Jesus is the center of all. 5nly He is the I (3 )H5 I (3. hat's what living and !eing in "hrist involves. 5nce you're saved, you're in Him for good. Eou're clothed with His life. Eou're clothed with the eginning and the 1nd, the (lpha and the 5mega. or a long time, I could not understand how God could say something and it !e forever settled. ut that's what the i!le says, orever, 5 /ord, your word is settled in heaven =s. $$%96%>. He speaks it and it's over. ime doesn't affect it it is eternal. Jesus is the )ord. )hat He says is true. )ithout Him, history has no meaning indeed, there is no history without Him. here is no cause there is no conclusion. he whole world asks, )ho am I )hy am I here )here am I going )ho, why, where?He's the answer to all three. *reat (eaning
Eou see, the declaration that He's the great I (3 has meaning. 0emem!er 3oses asked, )hat is Eour
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name )ho answered he angel of the /ord, Jesus. I (3, He said. )ho I (3. aul, writing a!out Jesus in "olossians $9$<:$, said9 /or by Him all things !ere created that are in heaen and that are on earth, isible and inisible, !hether thrones or dominions or principalities or po!ers" All things !ere created thro#gh Him and $or Him" And He is be$ore all tilings, and in Him all things consist" ecause of that 3oses could say, Go forward through the sea, and the sea divided. "an't you hear him How'd He do that he I (3 spoke. Go forward, and 3oses stretched out His rod, and the sea parted?not !ecause of the rod, !ut !ecause of the I (3. 1liah spoke similarly, and fire fell from heaven. he I (3 spoke. 5ne day a young woman in -aFareth, not knowing what was a!out to happen, saw an angel who said, in effect, 3ary, the )ord of God is a!out to !e a !a!y in your !elly. How can this !e lease e*plain. I can't e*plain it fully. Help me to understand. I can't. -o one understands. )ords are too limited to e*plain infinity. (ll you can know?and it's from this side of the event?is that the /imitless 5ne chose to limit Himself to a !ody. In 3ary's !elly, eternity was to !ecome flesh. He would come out of her !ody and
esus the ! AM
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she would hold a !a!y called Jesus in her arms. (nd Jesus wasn't His full name, for it only meant Savior or Salvation, whereas He was also I (3. )e have !een given the name Jesus !y which to call the I (3, and Jesus truly is the name a!ove every name. ut the +uestion is9 )hat was He called !efore He !ecame flesh He was called the eginning and the 1nd, the (lpha and the 5mega, and !efore that, the I (3. (nd He walked this earth. Hol$ing E1erything Together
1very time you move your arm, you are saying, Jesus is alive. Eou can't move it without the energy He created. He's the power that keeps your heart pumping. He's the force that keeps your flesh alive. hink of it, aul says Jesus the I (3 is the power that holds atoms together. Should He step !ack, the world, including your arm and your heart, would !low to smithereens. /ook at He!rews $9@9 his Son of God holds all things up !y the word of His power. Scientists report that a force keeps !odies and all of nature together. Eou can tell them what His name is. lease hear the magnitude of what we're saying9 Someone created this marvelous planet called earth, and then that Someone came down and walked on it. He is !ig enough to create this speck of dust in the vast universe of His creation and then hold it together while He walks on it. (nd if that's not enough, think of yourself as a speck of dust on that other speck of dust =earth>, and then this limitless "reator of everything decides to live in you. (nd He has chosen to save you too. )hy
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I (3. So this 5ne came to earth and when the leaders of the nation He had chosen to live among got angry and said, )e're sons of (!raham, He replied softly, efore (!raham was, I (3. lasphemyK they shouted. -o, I (3. How can you !e I (3 when you're only thirty years old I (3. (nd they crucified Him. ut they didn't know death couldn't hold Him !ecause He is holding death. -or did they know a grave couldn't hold Him !ecause He is holding the grave. So He rose from the dead and still said, I (3. !n "nteresting Thought !bout (an
he i!le says that, after making heaven and earth and their contents, God says, /et Cs make man in 5ur image, and He even gives him dominion. ut He does not give this wonderful creation eternal life with Him. He gives him a choice. In essence, God says, speaking within the Godhead, /et's make man to !e 5ur partner not one with Cs, !ut a partner not a fourth in the Godhead, !ut a partner. (nd let's give him the world )e have created, and let's give him a choice whether he'd like life or death. So God creates (dam, puts him in a Garden, and plants two trees?one the ree of /ife, the other the ree of Death, which was also called the ree of the 2nowledge of Good and 1vil. (nd God waits to see what (dam will do. -ow no place in the !ook of Genesis does God
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reveal Himself to (dam. hink of it. God creates a man, !ut never tells him who He the "reator is. he first person to hear I (3 is 3oses =1*od. @9$A>. )hy not (dam God waits to see (dam's choice regarding life and death. he point is a !ig one. Eou will never have the revelation a!out the I (3 unless you cho choose Him. God will not force Himself on anyone, not even the first man. Had (dam chosen the ree of /ife, he would have lived in perfection forever and what a glorious thing that would have !een for the human race. Don't forget9 God intended for man to multiply !efore sin entered the picture. It would have !een wonderful. )hen (dam chooses the ree of the 2nowledge of Good and 1vil he dies, and when he e*periences it he doesn't like it. He must have tried to get to the ree of /ife, for God sends an angel to !lock him. hink of that ree of /ife as Jesus "hrist. Had (dam taken of the tree at the very !eginning, he would have entered into unceasing revelation of the )ord of the /iving God. ut he chose the other tree. #hy >esus Came to Earth
I remem!er illy Graham's likening God and man's situation after the fall to one in which you, a human !eing, created this little creature called an ant. (nd !eing its creator, you loved the little ant and took care of it. 5ne day you saw the ant heading toward death, so what were you to do How were you to tell it that it was going to die he he pro! pro!le lems ms were were over overwh whel elmi ming ng.. 5ne, 5ne, the the ant ant does doesn' n'tt thin think k as you you thin think. k. wo, wo, it can' can'tt hear hear you you. hree, it can't see you. our, it can't understand you. If you try to touch it, you may kill it. If you put your
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hand in front of it, it will clim! over your hand and keep going. )hat are you to do he only thing to do was !ecome an ant and say, Don't go that way you're going to die. ollow me. )hen we think of the /ord Jesus, we must try to understand that He is far more than the limited man the world has seen with natural eyes?even the miracle: working man. hink a!out Him as only a man and you haven't !egun to fathom the limitless eing He is. Ees, He said He was the door, !ut what's !ehind the door hat's the e*citing +uestion, and you and I have much of that still ahead of us. ut the /ord, over the centuries, has !een revealing His person, a little at a time through various men. he !eginning of the letter to the He!rews speaks speaks of it9 God, !ho at ario#s times and in di$$erent !ays spo+e in time past to the $athers by the prophets, has in these last days spo+en to #s by His Son, !hom He has appointed heir o$ all things, thro#gh !hom also He made the !orlds. !ho being the brightness o$ His glory and the epress image o$ His person, and #pholding all things by the !ord o$ His po!er, !hen He had by Himsel$ p#rged o#r sins, sat do!n at the right hand o$ the Ma
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speak speak thro throug ugh h some someon onee else else's 's mout mouth. h. /et' /et'ss !eco !ecome me visi!le and speak. So the )ord !ecame flesh and dwelt among us =John $9$A>. )e had had the the lim limitle itless ss revel evelat atio ion n we call all Jesu Jesuss, although we still could not see this revelation with our natu atural minds. ut aul teac eaches us that we have received the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have !een freely given to us !y God. ut, he adds, he natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God . . . !ecause they are spiritually discerned . . . !ut we have the mind of "hrist =$ "or. &9$&:$<>. hat is astoundingK (s you walk with the Spirit, living in His presence, anointed with His power, you you will find yourself understanding more and more of this limitless /ord and Savio aviorr, the the grea greatt I (3. Eou Eou will ill recei eceive ve one touch, and you will cry, ouch me again. Eou will not !e satisfied with yesterday's touch, and you will find find your yourse self lf all all the the tim time sayin aying, g, 5ne 5ne more more time time please, ust one more time. 1very revelation will make you hungry for another. Eou may find yourself asking, )ill I ever come to the end of Eour revelation (nd He will say, -everK 5ne revelation is ust the !eginning of the ne*t. (nd I want to show you how to get on with this walk and to keep on it.
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o many people want the power of God, !ut fail to understand that it will not come until they first e*perience His presence. (nd when the presence comes, the first evidence will !e the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit, as I said earlier. he fruit will !e evident in everyday contacts with those around you. (nd when the fruit is genuinely there, the /ord will anoint you with His Spirit, which is power. It goes like this9 he presence of God is the vehicle that !rings the power. ower follows the presence, not the other way around. he presence and the fruit come together. he anointing and the power do too. )hen you receive the anointing of the Spirit, the result is the fulfillment of (cts $969 Eou shall !e witnesses to 3e. his means that speaking in tongues or manifesting any gifts of the Spirit without the presence is not what God was talking a!out. Eou must have the presence first, which will give you the fruit, and this will invite God to dwell within you. hen the anointing will come, which means power. (nd you will !e His witness. God spoke clearly to me a!out this9 I don't anoint $$A
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vessels that are empty of me. I anoint vessels that are $#ll o$ Me"* his was a revelation. )e receive the !aptism of the Holy Spirit?!eing immersed in Him, filled to overflowing, indwelt. he e*perience is real, not merely emotion and goose !umps. hen the fruit of the Spirit should pour out of our lives, touching those around us. )hen that occurs, the /ord will anoint us as we walk with and o!ey Him, and at that point the power !egins?the power to serve Him. hen we can !oldly inherit the promises of God to see the un!eliever's heart soften and turn toward God and to see the signs and wonders like those recorded in the !ook of (cts. +our Countenance #ill Shine
Eou will recall that when 3oses saw the glory and presence of God at 3ount Sinai he descended with his face shining like a light. eople could not even look at his face. )hen you, too, have an encounter with the presence of God, it will !e o!vious. It may even show on your face and certainly will show in your conduct. Eour countenance will announce to those around you, I am different. I have !een in the presence of God (lmighty. )hereas you once were self:conscious, with little or no God:consciousness?and manifesting only yourself?you will lose self:consciousness, gain God: consciousness, and manifest the fruit of God. (dam provides a good illustration. )hen he lost God:consciousness and was stripped of the presence and glory that had clothed him, he was filled with his own self:consciousness. hen he said, I was afraid. (t that point he !egan to hide from God, his riend, the "reator of heaven and earth.
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ear is the first result of self:consciousness, and !oldness is the first result of God:consciousness. )hen we !ecome God:conscious, we are no longer forced to trust in ourselves and our own strength, !ut God's presence resides within, !ringing power and authority to our lives. )e no longer must fight our !attles in our own strength, !ut we can !oldly call upon God (lmighty through the authority of the Spirit. I trust you understand. he presence of the Spirit will indwell your spirit, while the anointing of the Spirit will cover and saturate you. Eou must have !oth to ade+uately show forth Jesus to the world?to !e His witness. It takes the presence to change you, while it takes the anointing to communicate the presence out of you. There "s Only One #ay
So, you say, what am I to do here is only one way. rayer. hat means war, all: out war. It is primarily war against the self, which is the !iggest enemy. If you can't lose sight of self, you'll not know the presence of God. he flesh dies in prayer. (nd you will have to !attle to achieve that. 3ost of you will find, ust as I did, that when you first go into real prayer, all you think a!out are your desperate sins and needs. (ll you can say is forgive me, have mercy on me, help me, lead me,* and so on. It's all me, me, me. -ow don't misunderstand me. Eou must confess your sins, ask for and receive forgiveness, and seek guidance, !ut you need to get on with communing with the /ord, listening to and talking a!out the things that are on His heart. Eou need to love Him and thank Him and worship Him. hat is the fruit of His presence. he
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other things will come in His time, not yours. ive minutes in the presence of God, in fellowship with Him, are worth a year in the me:me:me mode. (nd you will find that as you gain victory in this war, you will !egin to e*perience the presence. Eour pleasure will !e so great that you will gladly give up the flesh and the self simply to !ask in His presence. God will talk to you you will talk to Him. He will share so much with you and tell you so much. Eou will delight ecstatically in His love and warmth, His tenderness, His wisdom. rom this you will move into o!edience to his voice, and that is the key to the anointing of the Holy Spirit. He will entrust you with little things, to determine your faithfulness, how you will o!ey. If you are faithful in a little, He will entrust you with more . . . and more . . . and more. His power will !e upon you to fulfill the calling He has made upon you. The Po3er "s for !ll
/et me say a word a!out calling. he anointing of the Holy Spirit is for every "hristian, and, as I said in descri!ing the leper's anointing in "hapter %, everyone who has !een !orn again has received the initial anointing of the Spirit, which I've called the leper's. he anointing !eyond that will match your calling as a "hristian. Some are called to direct service of the /ord?preachers, evangelists, healing evangelists, pastors, teachers. 5thers may !e writers, musicians, administrators, helpers, group leaders, hospitality providers, whatever. 5thers may !e spouses, parents, general schoolteachers, !usiness people, carpenters, la!orers, and so on. (ssuming that !y calling and intent they are all
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serving the /ord?in the church or secularly?each can and should receive the anointing to fit the calling. In much of this !ook I have !een using language that speaks more pointedly to the anointing of the Holy Spirit for direct ministerial calling, if you will. hat accounts for much of the discussion of attacking the devil and sickness and ministering directly from the pulpit or platform to God's people as God's servant. his should not diminish !y the tiniest fraction your eagerness for the anointing in whatever you're doing. 1ventually?the sooner, the !etter?you should get to the place where you are praying without ceasing. It !ecomes your life, for you do it long enough and your nature changes. Eour lifestyle changes. "ertainly you must live a natural life we all do. Jesus, although rising early and going off !y Himself a lot, wasn't on His knees twenty:four hours a day. -one of us can do that. here's regular work to !e done, children to attend, and such. Some of the most precious times I've ever had came in ordinary living situations. I think of my own children and the wonderful times we have had talking and praying together. I'm not off in my room or out in the woods alone. I'm right there with the children and my wife and e*periencing the same !eautiful presence of the /ord. It's a totally different kind of anointing, ust the tender presence of God and the !lessing of our family life. It's not the anointing and power for a healing service. ut it's very important, and very real. I've had the same thing talking to my staff at the 5rlando "hristian "enter?encouraging, sympathiFing, e*horting, chastising. he presence is very real as I simply say, Jesus. ut the point is, Jesus was in continual fellowship
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with His ather, and we should !e in continual fellowship with Him, too, !y way of the wonderful Holy Spirit. Ouiet times, as I've said, give !irth to this praying without ceasing, and we must not neglect them. eople always ask me a!out my own private prayer times. I understand their desire for instruction, and modeling is often the !est kind of instruction. ut, really, prayer is so private, so precious, so intimate that I ask people not to get hung up on the way I do if, !ut rather to let God show them how they are to do it. here are times when I !egin to pray, all alone with the /ord in my room or outdoors or wherever, as long as it is private and +uiet, and I will get caught up in such a way that I will go for half a day or more. hen there are times when I may !e alone with Him for only an hour. I've had times of traveling overseas when, !ecause of schedules or interferences, I won't have more than five minutes. ut, remem!er, the /ord trained me in continual fellowship many years ago, and I never, never neglect that. (nd on some of those days of interruptions and trials, I've gone on the platform in a healing service so anointed that one would have thought I'd !een praying and reading the i!le all day. Don6t ,orget the Bible
(s for the i!le, it is an essential part of prayer time. I don't !egin a day without getting into the Scripture, even !efore praying. I must do it. It's God's )ord, and I must have it pouring into me over my soul ?and so must you. urthermore, when you pray and e*perience the
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presence of God, you should have the i!le at your side. He will take you to passages, and He will teach you. (nd when you are trou!led over a passage, ask Him a!out it. He will teach you. he i!le says very plainly that He's your eacher?indeed, the Spirit is the only eacher you need. 0emem!er $ John &9&9 B#t the anointing !hich yo# hae receied $rom Him abides in yo#, and yo# do not need that anyone teach yo#. b#t as the same anointing teaches yo# concerning all things, and is tr#e, and is not a lie, and <#st as it has ta#ght yo#, yo# !ill abide in Him" (s you pursue this wonderful course of life, you will discover principles and doctrines in the i!le that are of first importance, and I truly do mean first, as you will see.
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s you proceed toward your anointing of the Holy Spirit, dear "hristian, I want to discuss two !asic doctrines that are so profound as to shake the entire planet, indeed the entire universe. hey address repentance and the !lood of "hrist, which, of course, go hand in glove. 0epentance is the first step toward receiving the anointing, no matter what the level at which you stand. -ow, I can hear the voices of protest9 ut I've repented I'm !orn againK o the fact that you're !orn again, I say, HalleluahK o the thought that repentance is therefore !ehind you and no longer an issue, I say, -o wayK /et me !egin !y calling up (cts &9@6, which follows eter's remarka!le sermon to the un!elievers in Jerusalem on the day of entecost. he power of the Holy Spirit had fallen on one hundred and twenty Jesus:followers and this miracle was !eing manifested in various ways, especially in the empowerment of eter's preaching. he i!le says that the listeners were cut to the $&$
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heart !y the message and asked, )hat can we do eter replied9 Repent, and let eery one o$ yo# be bapti)ed in the name o$ (es#s hrist $or the remission o$ sins. and yo# shall receie the gi$t o$ the Holy Spirit" /or the promise is to yo# and to yo#r children, and to all !ho are a$ar o$$, as many as the Lord o#r God !ill call" 0epent and !e !aptiFed, he said. -ow look at the verse that has !een so pivotal in my teaching a!out the anointing of the Holy Spirit9 Ee shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you9 and ye shall !e witnesses unto me . . . unto the uttermost part of the earth =(cts $96 2J4>. So we have the promise of power after the coming of the Spirit upon us. Spirit. (nointing. ower. (nd they come after repentance. (nd what's it for o !e witnesses unto 3e. hat's important. Eou receive the power to tell people a!out Jesus "hrist. Eou will not tell the world what you are like, how great you have !ecome, what a misera!le sinner you were. -o, you will tell them a!out your great High riest, a!out your great 2ing, a!out your wonderful Savior whose name is Jesus. Eou will tell what He can do with a life that's empty. I can hear the rum!les again9 )hat do you mean Isn't the power given so I can tell my e*periences, my testimony -o, the Holy Spirit does not glorify what you have !een through. He !rings Jesus to the center. He shows the world what Jesus has gone through to get Eou to heaven, not what you have gone through to get there.
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Eou shall !e witnesses to me* ?to who (es#s is, what (es#s has done, what (es#s has said, what (es#s has promised. I have made all the craFy mistakes, !eloved. I do not speak only a!out others. efore my encounter with real life and real power in itts!urgh eighteen years ago, I attended churches that were so noisy and wild that they o!viously thought noise was power. 1very!ody had a tam!ourine. hey apparently thought tam!ourines !rought the Holy Ghost. (ll I found was that I was dying on the vine I had no life within me. I would stand in church and s+ueeFe the !ack of the pew so hard that the !lood would stop flowing in my fingers. 1very Sunday I would go to the altar and weep and !eg God for the power that I saw promised in the i!le. I had every!ody who had anything laying hands on me. I'd stay in my room, playing the tam!ourine and trying every formula, reading every !ook and hearing every !roadcast. I knew the promises of power, and I knew they had to !e mine. oday I know they're not only mine, !ut also my children's. (nd the key is repentance. It puts you on the road to great fire and you will reach the destination God intends. #hat Does "t (ean
So what does repentance mean /et's start with what it doesn't mean. It doesn't mean to go to the altar, shed a few tears, say,I'm sorry, /ord, and go out to do the same thing. 0epentance is a daily e*perience. (nd it's a supernatural e*perience, not something you can humanly accomplish !y yourself. It's a gift of the Holy
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Spirit. 0epentance rests on whoever confesses and forsakes them Nhis sinsB will have mercy =rov. &69$@>. hat's the true meaning?not only confessing, !ut also forsaking. Have nothing to do with it any more. Eou get on your knees and you say, /ord, never again, and you don't walk out until the thing is dealt with. Cntil it is dealt with, you will not receive the Holy Spirit, and you will dry on the vine. here are far too many "hristians sitting in their sanctuaries, dying on the vine for lack of life and power. hey say, ut I've got faith. aith )hen the gift of God comes?the Spirit?He will give life to that faith. urthermore, this matter of faith has !een talked a!out, misunderstood, and a!used for far too long. eople have cried for faith, faith, faith until they've !lown it to pieces. hey have so misused and misinterpreted the doctrine that they have completely messed themselves up?and thousands of others too. aith, as I've ust said, is a gift from God, gladly given and kept alive !y the Spirit. (s for repentance, which is the first step to the anointing of the Holy Spirit, it must occur in every sinful action of your life, even in simple things?such as repenting if you haven't prayed, repenting if you haven't read the )ord, repenting if you have neglected the /ord, repenting if you have lightly treated the awesome gift of the presence on your life, repenting if you have removed Jesus from your conversation. (ny of these sins show you are empty and dead, or at least on the way there. hey disappoint the only 5ne who counts. (nd there are much worse ones, which you know as well as I. hey're more direct, often gross, sometimes vile. (nd naturally they must !e dealt with,
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and +uickly. How do you do it Eou go to God and you say, /ord, give me a repentant heart. /ike David, you say, "reate in me a clean heart, 5 God. Eou say, he sacrifices of God are a !roken spirit, a !roken and a contrite heart. Eou say, orgive me, /ord, for seeking the things of this world. Eou say, orgive me, /ord, for leaving my first love. Eou say, orgive me, /ord, for !eing so lukewarm. Eou say, ake not Eour Holy Spirit from me. Eou must receive the power of the Spirit daily to !attle with the flesh in repentance. or it is a daily !attle9 -o, no, no, no to the enemy yes, yes, yes, yes to God. Good friends, we must say to the church?to ourselves?Get !ack, get !ack to repentance with a true heart. )e must start living the kind of life that is crucified with "hrist daily, for if we do, we won't !e a!le to keep the Holy Spirit away. )e won't even have to ask Him to fill us. -ow, hear me on one more maor point. God does not want His people sitting around crying all the time. hat is not repentance. He wants us to !e sensitive to our sins, to deal with them immediately, and to get on with lives of oy in the power of God. 0epentance. resence. (nointing. Service. Joy. #hat (akes "t #ork
(s you move toward your anointing of the Holy Spirit, I want to write !riefly a!out a fact that stands !ehind everything we're talking a!out, especially the first step of repentance. In the i!le, pointing toward the first coming of the 3essiah, the prophet Pechariah says9 (s for you also,
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!ecause of the !lood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit =Pech. %9$$>. God, talking a!out His people, is saying that the !lood of "hrist, the !lood of the new covenant, will set them free. (nd the sad fact is that many people have no clue as to how they can and should apply the !lood to their lives and receive the li!erty of repentance and all the truths of the faith. 3any are still !ound. Demons harass them. Sickness has hit them and their children. "onfusion is destroying their peace. It should not !e so. he i!le teaches us that the shed !lood of Jesus "hrist causes si* things to occur in our lives in opposition to the turmoil striking so much of the church9 1phesians $9 says, In Him we have redemption through His !lood. )e are redeemed !y His !lood. 0edeemed from what rom the kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of Satan, who for now is allowed to rule the world. "hrist knowingly shed His !lood, not accidentally spilled it, and redeemed =a marketplace word> us. Eou can look Satan in the eye and tell him he has no control over you, for you were legally !ought !ack. Eou see, God and Satan !oth know you were legally !ought !ack, !ut do you know it )hen attacked !y the enemy, you do not need to cry out, 5h, God, help meK Eou can legally say, Devil, get your filthy hands off me. 1phesians $9 goes on to say, NIn Him we have through His !loodB the forgiveness of sins... )e were forgiven !y the !lood of "hrist. -ow forgiveness does not deal with !uying !ack •
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anything, !ut it deals with what you did as a sinner. God redeems you and then forgets everything you did, which means looking at you and saying you never did anything wrong. He forgets your sins, which are the things you thought a!out, and your ini+uities, which are the acts of the thoughts. In fact, Isaiah @69$ speaks of God's casting all our sins !ehind His !ack. (nd when God throws, they keep flying forever. irst John $9 says, if we walk in the light, the !lood of Jesus "hrist... cleanses us from all sin. lease note the present tense of the action9 cleanses. It is a now e*perience. orgiveness deals with what you did cleansing deals with what you're doing. hink of it. he !lood of "hrist redeems and saves you at a point in time, forgives everything you've done in past years, hours, and minutes and cleanses your very thoughts and acts right now. If you repent, !ingo, the thing you're thinking that instant is cleansed. here is tremendous power in the !lood. 0omans ;9% says, Having now !een ustified !y His !lood, we shall !e saved from wrath through Him. Justification, which has !een accomplished !y His !lood, deals with your future?the wrath, which is to come. It's a startling statement, !ut if you're ustified, anything you will do from now on is taken care of. 5!viously, that needs e*planation, since someone !y now is already saying, )ell now, if
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•
•
I'm ustified I can go sin tomorrow and God will take care of it. )hy not live it up, etc., etc. he fact is, if you decide +no!ingly and !illingly@ that's the pivotal phrase?if you decide knowingly and willingly to sin, your ustification flies out the window. )illful sinning, knowingly and intentionally, is not of God. here is no more place for repentance. Simply said, your continued ustification is dependent upon o!edience, and o!edience, you will remem!er, is the way to the anointing. Sin committed in weakness or ignorance or !y accident is not the same as the former. "olossians $9&7 says, (nd !y Him to reconcile all things to Himself . . . having made peace through the !lood of His cross. God has reconciled you to Himself and there is peace !etween Him and you. He has !rought you !ack and restored fellowship with the ather, Son, and Holy Spirit. In its fullest sense, reconciliation here means one with God. Eou may say, I sure don't see it. e patient. he i!le says we're !eing changed from glory to glory you'll get there. or now you're there !y faith, !ut you'll get there !y e*perience. (nd faith is su!stance. irst eter $9& says9 No the pilgrims,B elect according to foreknowledge of God the ather, in sanctification of the Spirit, for o!edience and sprinkling of the !lood of Jesus "hrist. (s hard as it may !e to fathom, the i!le says you have !een sanctified !y the !lood.
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-ow sanctification is tied directly to the anointing. he anointing will not come without sanctification, for sancti$ication means set apart. 0ecall the account in /eviticus $A of the leper who stays outside the camp. It says the priest goes outside the camp, takes the !lood, dips hyssop in the !lood, sprinkles the leper seven times, and the leper is cleansed from leprosy. (fter this, the leper comes into the camp, and the priest takes !lood, the same !lood he sprinkled him with earlier, and applies it to the cleansed leper's ear, thum!, and toe. -ow this is important9 ear, thought life thum!, work life and toe, everyday walk life. he priest then puts the oil on his ear, thum!, and toe and pours a handful over the cleansed leper's head. his is the fullness of the anointing9 thought life, work life, and walk life. he significance of this is that so many of us, even after we're cleansed and inside the camp, don't recogniFe the e*tra protection that is ours for all of life, not simply church life. he devil can and does hit our thought life, our work life, and our daily walk through life. I, for e*ample, apply the !lood on my wife, children, home, cars, everything. he !lood on these aspects of life, if applied, protects them. he oil sanctifies them. -ow hear me on this9 he !lood precedes the oil. he /ord will never anoint you with the Holy Spirit until you apply the !lood to your life?all of your life. ( great evangelist named 3ary )oodworth 1tter would apply the !lood on an entire congregation, and the power of God would fall in a miraculous way. he Spirit answers the !lood. >ust Do "t
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How do you and I cover ourselves with the !lood 0omans @9&; =2J4> gives us three keys9 N"hrist Jesus,B whom God hath set forth to !e a propitiation through faith in His !lood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the for!earance of God. he first key is +no!ledge" )e must know what the !lood has done. -o one can apply it if he is ignorant a!out it. )e must study it, learn it, know it. )hat did the !lood do, and what will it now do he second key is $aith in !hat !e +no!" /et faith arise in our hearts. How can we apply the !lood unless we !elieve what we are saying he third key is declaration by $aith o$ !hat !e +no!" o declare means to speak out loud. If I know it and !elieve it, then I will speak it?not as though !y magic or superstitiously, !ut !y faith in God, who never lies. It comes out +uite simply9 It is written that through the !lood of Jesus, I have forgiveness of sins. I am forgiven. It is written that I have !een redeemed !y the !lood of "hrist. I have !een !ought !ack. It is written that I can apply the !lood of "hrist to my thought life, my work life, and my everyday walk life. I apply the !lood and all of my life is protected. "t Touches !ll There "s
he power of the !lood is truly without ending. )e find that in ust one of the si*ty:si* !ooks of the i!le the !lood of "hrist has • •
destroyed Satan?He!rews &9$A destroyed the fear of death?He!rews &9$;
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purged your conscience?He!rews %9$A cleansed heaven?He!rews %9&@ given !oldness?He!rews $79$% promised perfection?He!rews $@9&7 guaranteed the second coming?He!rews %9&6
(nd now, my friends, you must take steps to maintain and retain the anointing that has or is !eing given to you, as you will now see.
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n my church, I nudge the people over and over and tell them, If you want the anointing, tell someone a!out Jesus. (fter all, everyone knows we're in a !attle for souls with Satan. (nd !attles with the devil re+uire the anointing. I am convinced that if anyone or any church stops serving?stops essentially telling someone a!out Jesus ?the anointing will leave. (fter all, it is given for spiritual warfare and God wants us to use it for His glory. he /ord moved upon me at a recent )ednesday night service with a strong word. he church must go all:out in its witness to the local community and to the world. I promised the people that we would immediately !egin a series of teachings for those who needed it, so the whole church could actively make a strong witness to everyone. hat night I noted the wonderful words of Isaiah that open the si*ty:first chapter9 he Spirit of the /50D G5D is upon 3e. )hat powerful words. Jesus used them at the opening of His ministry when He was on earth. /uke's $@&
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Gospel says the /ord was full of the Spirit, which surprises many people who don't know that Jesus "hrist, who was fully man as well as fully God, had to !e filled with the Holy Spirit to !attle Satan, ust as we do. In this passage, Jesus had already !een anointed !y the Spirit while !eing !aptiFed !y John the aptist and had !een tempted !y Satan in the wilderness. hen He went to the synagogue in -aFareth, as His custom was, and stood up to read. He was handed the !ook of Isaiah, /uke says, and turned to the place where it was written9 The Spirit o$ the L1R2 is #pon Me, Beca#se He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor" He has sent Me to heal the bro+enhearted, To preach delierance to the capties And recoery o$ sight to the blind, To set at liberty those !ho are oppressed, To preach the acceptable year o$ the L1R2 3L#+e D5%7" /uke tells us that as Jesus sat down, he eyes of all in the synagogue were fi*ed on Him. I love that word $ied" hey had felt the presence and the power of God in their midst. hey were left staring. hen Jesus told them why they had felt the power in a way they hadn't !efore9 oday this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. I am that 5ne, Jesus was saying. I am the 5ne Isaiah was descri!ing. Eou will recall that throughout His ministry?and even after His resurrection?Jesus spoke of the Scripture's witness to Him. he 5ld
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estament tells in a variety of ways of the coming of the kingdom and the coming of the 2ing. (nd He spoke often of this witness, as did His apostles later. It's odd, isn't it, that apparently those same people who had fi*ed their eyes upon Him and marveled at Him would soon rise up and try to throw Him over a cliff. he passage shows us not only that the anointing had come upon the /ord, !ut also that it had come for more than one reason. It was for =$> preaching the gospel, =&> healing !roken hearts, =@> proclaiming deliverance to the captives, =A> working miracles, =;> li!erating the oppressed, and =<> preaching the accepta!le year of the /ord. (nd so it is with us. irst and foremost, if we want the anointing, we are to preach the gospel to the poor. (fter all, that's ust what the Holy Spirit came upon you for?to !e a witness. )hy does it say the poor It's true that Jesus fre+uently identified with those who lacked ade+uate money and shelter. ut there's more than that9 (ll of us are spiritually poor without the /ord. So we are to preach the gospel, the good news, the glad tidings. (ccording to Isaiah and /uke, the anointing came also to heal the !rokenhearted. )hat great, great news for our !rokenhearted worldK 5h, what the Holy Spirit could do if we were availa!leK (ll He needs is a yielded vessel. )ould you !e that vessel today (s you read these pages, ask Him to make you that vessel ?now. reaching and witnessing without the anointing will do little good for the !roken in heart. hink of the men, women, and children you know who are crushed
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!y circumstances that could !e healed. hink of the families, the divorcees, the lonely, the fearful, the outcasts, the suicidal, the poverty:stricken, the victims of !igotry. he list goes on and on. 5nly the anointing will heal all hearts of men and women?that's what the i!le saysK Preaching Deli1erance
he /ord Jesus was also anointed to preach deliverance to the captives. he people were !ound, tortured, ravaged !y devils. 3odern man laughs, !ut the need for deliverance is even greater today. hink of the !ondage filling our newspapers and television daily, the awful, awful captivity. (lcohol and drugs. Illicit se* and homose*uality. alse religions and witchcraft. Ill: gained wealth and materialism. he /ord Jesus said in 3ark $<9$, In 3y name they will cast out demons. he Holy Spirit is the only power on earth that can destroy the power of Satan. (nd He has given you, the !eliever, that power. )e must get going, saintsK Jesus also said He was anointed to preach recovery of sight to the !lind. lindness is not limited to the physical, !ut is found in the spiritual realm as well. Jesus is the answer for !oth. His list of works, for Himself and for us, also included to set at li!erty those who are oppressed. (s with captivity, the awful prevalence of oppression eats at every nation of the world. It will fall only !y the power of God. he ruler of this present darkness is the master of oppression and will !e defeated only !y the power of God. hat, !eloved, is why the witnesses unto 3e
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must have the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the power of (lmighty God. he last of the works Jesus cited as His, !ut certainly not the least, was to preach the accepta!le year of the /ord. his, He proclaimed, is the time?the time of grace. he Savior of the world has come, !ringing salvation to humankind !efore the coming of the end. The Times That Lie !hea$
he i!le speaks much a!out the coming of the end. or our purposes, I want to share with you some of the things that the Holy Spirit showed me will !e fulfilled for !elievers as that time approaches. he i!le tells us, in (cts @9$%:&$, that we should repent, that yo#r sins may be blotted o#t, so that times o$ re$reshing may come $rom the presence o$ the Lord, and that He may send (es#s hrist, !ho !as preached to yo# be$ore, !hom heaen m#st receie #ntil the times o$ restoration o$ all things, !hich God has spo+en by the mo#th o$ all His holy prophets since the !orld began" he Holy Spirit, through eter, said everything that had !een promised?everything that the prophets had declared?would come to pass and !e fulfilled !efore the return of Jesus "hrist to earth. he Spirit of the /ord led me to Isaiah @; to show the things that are promised to !elievers, the things that are coming upon us very soon. I want to share this with you now, and please remem!er that everything written
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in the 5ld "ovenant is a shadow of what you and I receive in this dispensation of grace. )e are walking in the su!stance of what the 5ld estament prophets declared. Isaiah @; !egins9 The !ilderness and the !asteland shall be glad $or them, And the desert shall re
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life?into a place of !eauty and a!undance. Going on, the prophet then speaks of the e*cellence of "armel and Sharon. he Sharon 4alley in Israel today is the most fertile valley in the 3iddle 1ast, the place of e*cellent produce and the most !eautiful flowers in the region. he same is true of "armel. In Isaiah this speaks of a fresh revelation of God's )ord, telling of the seed that will !e planted to !ear !eautiful fruit. hey shall see the glory of the /50D, Isaiah then says, the e*cellency of our God. He speaks of a new vision of God's glory. (nd what did we find earlier in chapter seven to !e the glory of the /ord Eou will recall that 3oses asked to see God's glory in 1*odus @@9$6. hen, in 1*odus @A9;:<, what did He see !ut God's attri!utes, His personality. In other words, Isaiah speaks of our seeing a new vision of God Himself. So, putting these together, we see God's intention to provide a new atmosphere around our lives, a new word from heaven, a new revelation from His )ord, and a new vision of Himself. )hen that happens, our wilderness e*perience of death and drought will !e changed into the romised /and. here is more, for Isaiah continues in verses @:A9 Strengthen the !ea+ hands, And ma+e $irm the $eeble +nees" Say to those !ho are $ear$#l%hearted, *Be strong, do not $ear& Behold, yo#r God !ill come !ith engeance, With the recompense o$ God. He !ill come and sae yo#"* here will !e worldwide evangelism. hose who
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were transformed !y the new atmosphere, the new revelation, and the new vision of God are now strengthening the weak hands and the fee!le knees, and are saying to the world, ear not, !ehold, God is coming to save youK 5f course, this prophecy was spoken a!out Israel in the 3illenium, !ut, as a shadow of the su!stance of -ew estament times, it has spiritual application to you and to me. "ertainly we look all around us and see wilderness, !ut God will transform that for us, and we will see unprecedented, worldwide evangelism as we go out to minister to the world. (nd what other results did Isaiah say would come from this transformed wilderness /ook at verses ;:< again9 the !lind shall see, the deaf shall hear, the lame shall leap, the dum! shall singK his is miraculous. he supernatural power of God will !e released for physical healing. his recalls the day years ago when I heard 2athryn 2uhlman prophesy in her own inimita!le way that the day would arrive, !efore the coming of the /ord, when the power of God would !e so great that everyone would !e healed. here will not !e one sick saint in the !ody of "hrist, she declared. )ith her customary drama, pointing of finger, and hand on hip, she asked, "ould it !e today 5f course, she never saw it come, !ut it will come. he Holy Spirit has convinced me of that. )e should not !e skeptical a!out God's willingness to move upon His people in that way. )e find evidence in the Scripture to support supernatural provision, including healing. In salm $7;9@, for e*ample, we find these words a!out the children of Israel when He !rought them out of 1gypt9 (nd there
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was none fee!le among His tri!es. hat is a magnificent state of a!iding health. Divine health, not merely divine healing. ermanent healing. I am confident that the day is coming when every !eliever will !e healthy. Here is a key point9 If God would heal all under the 3osaic /aw, how much more will He heal under grace urthermore, when Jesus healed during His time on earth, He was under the Dispensation of the /aw that !eing the case, how much more could we !e healed under the Dispensation of Grace hus, it is not strange for Isaiah to prophesy that, as our wilderness is changed to !eauty, God will minister miraculous healing during a time of worldwide evangelism. He doesn't stop there, however, as chapter @; continues with a third result9 /or !aters shall b#rst $orth in the !ilderness, And streams in the desert" The parched gro#nd shall become a pool, And the thirsty land springs o$ !ater" 3" 4%J7 ( mighty, new anointing will come upon our wilderness, and rivers of living water will !urst?gush ?forth from us. his will not !e a small thing. It could !e like a dou!le portion that will produce streams and pools and springs. It will !e a mighty !aptism of the Holy Spirit. he move of the Spirit in those days will come through us. God did not say in Joel &9&6 and (cts &9$ that He would pour do!n* !ut pour o#t* His Spirit. He will use us. ( fourth result of this transformation is foretold !y
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Isaiah in this manner9 In the habitation o$ *dragons,* 0(F ?, !here each lay, There shall be grass !ith reeds and r#shes" 3C65J7 God will deliver His people from every demonic influence. he dragons or ackals?the demons?have !een lying in the grass, destroying it, !ut it will !e restored as they are driven out. ifth, holiness will come to the !ody of "hrist, as portrayed in these words9 A high!ay shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the High!ay o$ Holiness" The #nclean shall not pass oer it, B#t it shall be $or others" Whoeer !al+s the road, altho#gh a $ool, Shall not go astray" 3C657 he holiness will !e so great that it will sta!iliFe even the dou!le:minded. hey will +uit umping from one thing to another. he si*th result will !e this9 o lion shall be there, or shall any raeno#s beast go #p on it. It shall not be $o#nd there, B#t the redeemed shall !al+ there" 3C657 Ouite simply, Satan and his demons will !e totally a!sent from the !ody of "hrist. inally, And the ransomed o$ the L1R2 shall ret#rn,
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And come to ;ion ;ion !ith singing, With eerlasting
he he i!l i!lee decl declar ares es that that thes thesee thin things gs are are comi coming ng from rom the the /ord, rd, and as we loo look aro around und us noth othing ing seem eems more more incr incred edi! i!le le.. Eet Jesu Jesuss said said in anot anoth her portion of the Scripture, (nd greater works than these shall all NyouB ouB do, do, !ecau ecausse I go to 3y ath ather er =Joh =John n $A9$&>. It is startling. he i!le is saying that there is one thing Jesus could not do that we can. or years and years this statement !affled me. I thought, What co#ld be great eater than !hat the Lord did ? greater than raising the dead, casting o#t demons, calming the sea, commanding the !ind to stop, and healing the lame, the blind, the dea$ What is greater 5ne day the Holy Spirit revealed something to me that transformed my life. He who could call /aFarus from the dead and still the waters could not stand and say, /ook at me, a sinner saved !y the grace of God. I once was lost, !ut now am found, !lind !ut now I see, !ound !ut now I'm free. Sin never touched the spotless Son of the living God. He is the only 5ne who lived a perfect life. So today you and I can stand !efore this dark world and say, /ook at me and see what Jesus has done.
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he new anointing that is coming upon us in the transformation of our wilderness, as Isaiah revealed, will allow us to !e witnesses for Him, and the greater work will !e done in an unprecedented way. hink a!out it. he day is coming when the anointing of the Holy Spirit will !e so great upon us that that we are are goin going g to see see world orldw wide ide evan evang gelis elism, m, a worldwide release of the supernatural, a fresh anointing of power, deliverance from every demonic influence in the !ody of "hrist, holiness throughout the church, total a!sence of Satan among !elievers, the coming of the /ord and the 0apture. )hat an e*citing hour that will !eK (re you ready to pay the price to have your y our wilderness transformed transformed The )oice of the Lor$
5ne of the things the i!le says clearly a!out this transformation is that we will know the /ord and His glory and we will hear His voice. efore I close this chapter, I want to tell you something very important on how to discern the voice of God, !ecause it is through knowing His voice that we will know His power. (cts $9A says that the resurrected Jesus commanded the apostles not to leave Jerusalem, !ut to wait for the promise of the ather which, He said, Eou have heard from 3e. hey knew His voice !efore He told them they would receive the power in verse 6. 5nce you know His voice, you will !e led as hilip was led one day in (cts 69&
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eunuch asks what the passage means, hilip opened his mouth, and !eginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him =v. @;>. he man was converted and !aptiFed, +uite simply !ecause hilip o!eyed the Spirit, and the anointing clearly came as he opened his mouth and preached Jesus. Hearing and o!eying the voice is central to receiving the anointing. he anointing will come on you also as you !ecome a witness for Jesus. (s the anointing comes you must respond !ecause, if you are not there to capture His touch, He may never pass you that way again. Guard the anointing cherish it. )hen you know the Holy Spirit and how He moves, you will !e ready in season and out of season. Sometimes He moves so very fast that it will almost make your head spin. I !elieve that is why hilip ran. He knew he had an opportunity to win a soul for God. (t other times, the Spirit moves slowly, and you should ust flow with Him, waiting for Him to take the lead. 0emem!er9 He does not follow you you follow Him. Eou must learn how to hear His voice. )ithout knowing His voice, you will not know His power. (s I said, the apostles, in (cts $9A, 6, did not receive the power until they had heard the voice of their 3aster. Inevita!ly He will lead you to win souls for His kingdom. 3y dear ear frien iends, ds, in John John $79@ 79@:A, Jesu esus says says so clearly that He will call us and lead us !y name. Do you hear His voice Jesus says His own sheep will follow Him !ecause they know His voice. In John $79& $79& , Jesus esus repe repeat atss this this impo import rtan antt mes message sage to all all
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!elievers9 3y sheep hear 3y voice, and I know them, and they follow 3e. If you claim to know Jesus, you should hear His voice and follow His lead in your life. ut there's more. )e are to follow Him daily. Hear His voice daily. salm %;9 challenges us that each day, today, we must listen to God's voice. he +uestion isn't whether God is speaking to you today it is, are you listening to Him speak to you today )hy is it that people don't hear or listen to a God who knows them, loves them, and desires to lead them in His peace 5ne reason we don't hear is !ecause we refuse to listen. salm %;96 warns us a!out hardening our hearts, turning against God. Eou must desire to !e with God to hear His voice. ellowship with Him in prayer and worship. If you are living in sin and have not repented, you must return to Him through His grace and mercy. )e must not refuse Him, as He!rews $&9&; warns. So, what must you do to return to His presence, to hear His voice in your life today irst, you must withdraw from distractions. Isaiah @79$; and &$ speak of returning in +uietness and confidence, and listening to God as He directs our steps. )e must pay attention to God first. Second, as you give Him your voice in prayer, you will hear His voice in response. 0emem!er, you will never know the voice of God without the presence of the Holy Spirit. )hen you withdraw from distractions and let the Spirit come upon you, God will speak. -e*t, Jesus heard the voice of God !ecause he was constantly seeking the will of God. He heard !ecause He o!eyed =John ;9@7>. inally, God calls us to hunger and thirst for righteousness =3att. ;9<> and to pray and seek His face
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=& "hron. 9$A>. oday, God is calling you to return to Him. ake a moment now to listen I know you will hear His voice. (re you ready to know His power in your life e still now and let Him speak to you. /isten to Him say today, his is the way, walk in it =Isa. @79&$>. hen you will e*perience His presence and power.
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Change +our Oil
he i!le often likens the anointing of the Holy Spirit to oil. oth can !e felt and e*perienced. (nd some o!servations a!out the +ualities and characteristics of oil can actually help you understand the workings of the Spirit. or e*ample, oil evaporates if it is not replenished regularly it will eventually disappear. Eou may want to try it sometime. our some oil into a container and let it sit for a long time and you will find that some of it has evaporated. If enough time passes, you will find that the vessel that held the oil will !e empty, with little evidence that it once held oil. he Spirit doesn't evaporate, !ut you may think He has if you neglect Him that way. Eou must constantly allow the oil of the Spirit to flow over your life, refreshing your spiritual life. Eou do this through prayer, through fellowship with God, and through reading the )ord of God. he anointing will remain on your life as you continue to walk and talk with =not always to> the /ord. )hen you spend time in His presence, the rich oil of the Holy Spirit will flow over your life, $A
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refreshing and renewing your spirit. (nother interesting characteristic a!out oil is that it leaks if there is a hole in the vessel. he hole may !e tiny, or even undetecta!le to the naked eye, !ut if there is any !lemish or impurity in the composition of the vessel, the oil will find it and leak out. 1phesians A cautions a!out any potential holes in your vessel when it says to give no place to the devil. he word place derives from the Greek word for avenue or window. So you are to give no avenue to the devil. Don't allow the holes of !itterness, unforgiveness, self:pity, and the like to creep into your life. or the precious oil of the Spirit will drain out. hese holes that attack your vessel of the Spirit are so su!tle that in infancy they are difficult to detect. itterness can creep in almost unnoticed. (nd how many times have you encountered someone who is losing a lot of oil !ecause of the holes of self:pity (ll you hear from such people is oor, poor me. (s you seek and walk in the anointing, it is imperative that you guard against these holes and concentrate on keeping your oil fresh. (nother truth a!out oil is that only fresh oil has the proper density?thickness?to serve an engine or machine well. hat thickness is called viscosity, and it's important, for it measures the a!ility of oil to withstand heat and pressure and to reduce friction or stress. he lower the viscosity, the less will the oil protect under certain levels of pressure. (s you know, it is important that you change the oil in your car regularly?so important that most auto manufacturers recommend changing the oil every three to five thousand miles to get the ma*imum !enefit. 5therwise, in addition to getting dirty, the oil gets thin
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and discolored and can harm rather than protect the engine. So also will your anointing wear thin under the heat of spiritual warfare. hat is why you m#st give daily attention to prayer and i!le study. It's the only way to !uild and maintain your spiritual thickness and strength. !sk Some Har$ @uestions
So, how fresh is your oil (re you constantly adding fresh oil, or are you operating with an old anointing Is God's touch on your life stale Is it !eginning to evaporate Is your vessel cracked Does it leak I know some of you are saying, 5uchK I hope the pain is serious enough that you will check the freshness, the level, and the strength of your anointing. In addition to prayer and i!le study =which are indispensa!le>, you need to listen to men and women of God. or e*ample, I listen fre+uently to taped messages of 2athryn 2uhlman and read as many "hristian !ooks as I possi!ly can. It's important to your spiritual !eing and growth that you are fed !y other servants of God on a regular !asis. In & im. A9$@ aul asks imothy to !ring along the !ooks when he visits aul again. I can't overemphasiFe the importance of learning from mature "hristians. his, then, is one more way for you to !e assured that your spiritual oil is regularly renewed. (ttempting to e*ist on yesterday's reality only !rings a!out a slow and very deceptive form of spiritual death. here is nothing worse than to watch someone who thinks he is spiritually alive !ut is actually dead. he worst kind of death is dying and not
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recogniFing that your reality has turned into rituals of religious activity. Similarly, how often I have watched "hristians who always shake and twitch, dance and shout when they worship God in song or praise. here may have !een a time when God moved on them in such a powerful way that they couldn't stand still, and they may have shaken or danced or whatever. ut now, it has !ecome a religious activity or tradition derived from their early e*perience. )hen God is the author or force !ehind it, it is !eautiful. ut if it's only a religious tradition or activity?a ritual?it is the residue of former reality. It has the form of godliness, !ut denies its power =& im. @9;>. )hen your oil is fresh, it has a !eautiful, fragrant aroma. ut there is nothing more unpleasant than the smell of stale, rotten oil. Have you ever smelled rotten olive oil It is repulsive. Just as oil can smell good in the natural, so it can in the spiritual. Spiritual fragrance is definitely associated with God's people. If their lives are full of the fresh oil of the Spirit, you will detect a sweet fragrance. )hen the oil is stagnant and the flesh takes over, a rotten odor comes forth. Transforming Oil
In $ Samuel $7 you find the account of Samuel's anointing of Saul with oil. Saul was transformed. hen the Spirit of the /ord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and !e turned into another man, says verse <. he anointing turns you into a different person. (s I've found so powerfully at the nationwide miracle crusades, you !ecome !old and strong. Eour mind clears. Eour spirit !ecomes
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sensitive. Eou !ecome aware of the invisi!le world around you. Ees, according to verses < through %, Saul was anointed and !ecame another man. God used him to slay thousands of hilistines. He !ecame king over Israel. ut, tragically, flaws and holes developed. Second Samuel $9&$ tells us9 8e mo#ntains o$ Gilboa, let there be no de!, neither let there be rain, #pon yo#, nor $ields o$ o$$erings5 $or there the shield o$ the mighty is ilely cast a!ay, the shield o$ Sa#l, as tho#gh he had not been anointed !ith oil" 3 0(F 7 )arriors had special ways to care for their weapons. or e*ample, their !attle shields, made of leather, had to !e ru!!ed with oil to preserve them. he ru!!ing with oil is sym!olic of the anointing, for when our lives are ru!!ed with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, they !ecome useful for the 2ingdom of God. However, Saul !ecame as though he had not !een anointed with oil. He had lost it through sin. irst Samuel @9$$:$; gives an account of Saul and his army !attling the hilistines. Samuel, the udge and prophet, had promised to make certain offerings himself =$796> !efore Israel went into !attle. )hen he did not arrive as e*pected, Saul foolishly thought he could strengthen Israel's chances against the hilistines and offered the !urnt offerings himself. )ith this diso!edience, Saul violated God:given, fundamental standards of the offices of king and prophet. He sinned, and God looked upon him as though he had never !een anointed.
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(fter knowing the power and the intimacy of the kingly anointing, which I wrote a!out earlier, should you lose it, you too would lose the shield of protection, the dew, the rain of God's !lessing. (fter his diso!edience, Saul fought the hilistines without the anointing and was soundly defeated. God called his action re!ellion, likening it to the sin of witchcraft. It was filthy !efore God. urthermore, when Saul lost the kingly anointing, an evil spirit came and possessed him. he kingly anointing had given him authority over Satan, !ut when he lost the anointing, the roles changed and Satan had dominion over Saul. Judas, too, you'll recall, lost the kingly anointing. Jesus had said to him and the other eleven, Go, I give you power. "ast out devils. )hen Judas lost the anointing, the devil possessed him and he !etrayed Jesus. 7ee/ (o1ing ,or3ar$
5nce the cleansing oil of salvation has !een poured out upon you and you have e*perienced the leper's anointing, don't stop. ress on and let the fresh oil of the priestly anointing pour over you daily, !ringing you into intimate communion and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Spend time in His presence and allow Him to fill you with Himself and His power. hen you will move to a higher plateau and enter into the kingly anointing and the accompanying power over Satan. Guard the anointing carefully. o whom much is given, from him much will !e re+uired =/uke $&9A6>. 0emem!er, you can't operate on past glory, trying to survive on yesterday's oil. God's reservoir never runs dry. So don't !ecome stagnant or complacent yourself. Invite the oil of the Holy Spirit to pour over
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you, renewing and refreshing you. or in He!rew, the word anoint is mashach, which means to ru! in. he Greek word is chrism and means to smear. Isn't that wonderful I want the anointing to pour over me and to !e ru!!ed in?not ust on me !ut in me. I want that tangi!le anointing. Shee/ an$ Oil
1arlier, I mentioned ru!!ing with oil in connection with Saul and his loss of the anointing. he ru!!ing, however, has other significance in Scripture. salm &@, one of the i!le's most !eloved passages, finds David saying, Eou anoint my head with oil my cup runs over. earing in mind the imagery of the shepherd and his sheep, it helps to know that in the 3iddle 1ast, where I was !orn and raised, shepherds regularly anointed their sheep with olive oil to keep insects from harassing them. here are many !ugs in the Holy /and, and the only way to give the sheep any peace from them is to ru! them with oil. or you and me, this sym!oliFes !eing kept free from the harassment of demons, !y the power of the Holy Spirit. (nd it further esta!lishes that "hristians have the Holy Spirit in them after conversion, not demons. 0ather they have the security and peace of the anointing. he ru!!ing idea is also found in three keys to keeping and increasing the anointing. In order, the three keys are these9 irst, God is always looking to see whether you are guarding what you already have. hink of the /ord's admonition to David after he had sinned with athshe!a9 I gave you your master's house and your
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master's wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. (nd if that had !een too little, I also would have given you much moreK )hy have you despised the commandment of the /ord, to do evil in His sight =& Sam. $&96:%>. 5f course, as we read in salm ;$, David did repent and was !lessed with God's renewed presence and power. efore God gives you more, He looks to see what you've done with what He's already given. he second key is found in /uke &A9&6:@$ in the account of the two men to whom the risen "hrist appeared on the road to 1mmaus. )hen they arrived at the village, Jesus indicated He was going to travel on. ut they constrained Him, saying, '(!ide with us,' the Scripture says, and He later revealed Himself to them in the !reaking of the !read. Had they not constrained Him, they would have missed a revelation. 3any people today miss the revelation of Jesus simply !ecause they will not constrain Him, simply !ecause they do not ask Him to a!ide with them. he give up too easily. He comes to them in prayer and they mistakenly think that when the presence appears to !e lifting God is finished with them. he ne*t time that happens to you, stay a little longer and constrain God not to leave right then. Eou'll find a revelation ust !eyond that point. hird, your associations are important. (ssociate with anointed people !ecause they will ru! off on your life. hey will influence you, and that will produce marvelous effects. 0emem!er when a !and of social outcasts oined David =$ Sam. &&9&> hey, too, !ecame mighty men and giant killers as a result of their association =& Sam. 69$6:&7>. he anointing on David's life had ru!!ed onto theirs. he same thing happened
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with the disciples. hey received the anointing as a result of associating with the /ord Jesus =(cts A9$@>. Isn't it amaFing what can happen if you spend time with godly men and womenK Do you long, even as you read this, to know the glory of His presence and the anointing of the Spirit which comes with His power hen invite Him into your life right now. 1ven if you know you're saved and !aptiFed with the Holy Spirit, say, Holy Spirit, help me to empty myself of me so I can !e filled with Eou. ill me with Eour presence that I may know Eour power . . . that I may know Eour glory . . . that I may know the precious anointing of Eour Spirit. )hen you learn to know His presence, His person, His glory, as He fills your !eing, then His power will fill your life and the anointing of His Spirit will !e yours.
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*etting a Double Portion
H
ow would you like to receive not only the anointing of the Holy Spirit on your life, !ut also a dou!le portion of that anointing hink of it9 the presence of the Spirit each day of your life and a dou!le measure of the power. he story of 1liah and 1lisha provide an e*citing e*ample of how dou!le:portion power can !e ours. he greatest desire of 1lisha's heart was that he would receive a dou!le portion of 1liah's anointing, and he did. )e can learn from his steps of o!edience that led to this marvelous gift. /et's start !y recogniFing that the 5ld estament's 1liah is a type of the /ord Jesus "hrist, and 1lisha is a type of you and me. I have found that everything in the 5ld estament is a shadow, while everything you and I have received through the -ew estament is the su!stance of that shadow. 3oses, 1liah, 1lisha, and the rest of the prophets walked as a type and shadow to help us see what God wants us to do and how He wants us to live. $;<
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)hen you read the i!le, remem!er that Jesus "hrist is the su!stance of the )ord of God, and the prophets who lived !efore He came to earth were a shadow of His su!stance. he prophets simply represented the su!stance that was to come. (nother way of saying it is that the 5ld estament, while a!solutely true, is the shadow of the truth. he truth is "hrist. So when you read the 5ld estament, you should remem!er that you are looking at the shadow of the true su!stance, who lived in heaven at the time. )hen He came to earth, He who spoke through shadows under the 5ld "ovenant was then su!stance on earth. ut He who is su!stance always e*isted. I am convinced that every detail in the i!le?5ld and -ew estaments?is significant, for it represents Jesus. here are no meaningless details. herefore, I !elieve it is not unrealistic for us to desire the dou!le portion for which 1lisha yearned. Setting the Stage
irst 2ings $%9$< finds God giving 1liah a directive9 Eou shall anoint Jehu the son of -imshi as king over Israel. (nd 1lisha the son of Shaphat of (!el 3eholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. he account goes on to report that, o!eying the directive, 1liah finds 1lisha plowing with twelve yoke of o*en, or twenty:four o*en, which means his father, Shaphat, must have !een wealthy since some of the richest men of the time only owned si* o*en. So in our first encounter with the younger man, we find him dirty, sweaty, and hard at menial work, not e*actly the conditions we e*pect for prophets. ut God knew the one He wanted to finish 1liah's ministry. he i!le says 1liah passed !y him and threw his
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mantle on him, which designated 1lisha as his successor. 1lisha, not hesitating and apparently eager to go, ran after 1liah and said, lease let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you, showing great respect for his parents. ut then 1lisha turned !ack from him, and took a yoke of o*en and slaughtered them and !oiled their flesh, using the o*en's e+uipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. hen he arose and followed 1liah, and served him. )hat does his action mean It represents his renunciation of his former life. He left his former life and forgot it. God will never !ring you to the dou!le portion if you are carrying the weights of yesterday, which must !e forgotten. aul spoke of it as forgetting those things which are !ehind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead =hil. @9$@>. 5nly when you release your yesterday will you receive the promises of tomorrow. God was not choosing a man of natural assets, !ut a man of faith, who was willing to !e one of the prophet's servants. (re you willing to do the same thing today with your life It's the first step down the road to the dou!le:portion anointing. No3 a >ourney
In & 2ings &, we find 1liah traveling to a num!er of locations that I find significant and informative of where we must walk with Jesus "hrist. )e find them first in Gilgal, where the cloud !y day and the fire !y night were no longer evident, which represents a place of religious activity with no supernatural power. It is the place where Joshua dwelled, as recorded in Joshua ;, a place where he was
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to forget 1gypt?his day I have rolled away the reproach of 1gypt from you.' herefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day =Josh. ;9%>. It's the place where you forget the old life, saying, I'm !orn again now my sins are washed away. I'm having a marvelous time. ut verses ten through twelve go on to say that after keeping the assover in Gilgal, hey did eat of the old corn of the land = 2J4>. Eou see, the children of Israel were dependent on God, !oth for their deliverance from 1gypt and for their daily provision afterward. God's miraculous provision for each day was incredi!le. 1ach morning when they awoke, they found manna lying on the ground, which they would gather for their needs for that day?fresh each day. However, they eventually !egan to take it for granted and even complain a!out the same old thing, despite the miraculous, loving nature of the provision. )hen the opportunity came, they ate the old corn, and the manna ceased the ne*t dayK So what does this mean for us Gilgal, in your e*perience and in mine, is the place we come to after our salvation e*perience, which is sym!oliFed !y the deliverance from 1gypt. )e leave our life of sin and run into the outstretched arms of our 0edeemer, happy to !e out of the place that held us captive for so long. ut also in Gilgal we soon forget the awfulness of our 1gypt, where we needed the supernatural to get us out. 5nce we get comforta!le and no longer seem to !e dependent upon God, we see no need for the supernatural. )e think we can handle things ourselves. So the manna ceases, along with the glory of God as revealed in the cloud and pillar of fire.
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)hat, then, do I conclude from 1liah and 1lisha's stop in Gilgal (s I said, Gilgal represents religion with no power. -one of us really desires that at first, !ut that's where many of us end up. (nd many of us get so comforta!le in Gilgal that we never leave. )e're happy to !e !orn again and satisfied with religious activity happy with spiritual mediocrity in the irst "hurch of Gilgal, never growing or maturing to a dou!le portion of God's anointing. I've talked to so many people who say things like, If I could only feel what I felt when I got saved or If I could only feel the way I did when I was filled with the Spirit. In spite of all this, there is a comforting thought. God takes you to Gilgal for a purpose9 to show you that life without the supernatural is not the way the "hristian life was meant to !e lived. riends, we must go !eyond Gilgal. 5ur attitude needs to !e like 1lisha's9 I'm not staying around here. I'm going !eyond here to my dou!le portionK On to Bethel
(fter Gilgal, 1liah and 1lisha went to ethel =& 2ings &9&>, which I see as a place of great decisions, a place where you can surrender and yield to God, a place of dying to your own desires. hink a!out it. ethel is mentioned throughout the 5ld "ovenant. It was the place where (!raham pitched his tent and made a decision to live for God. It was the place where his grandson, Jaco!, told God he would follow and serve Him. It was the place to which he returned to fight with God and !e transformed from Jaco! to Israel. It was the place where Samuel first heard the voice of God. It was the place where Saul reected the )ord and lost everything, including his kingdom.
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Some who arrive at their ethels succeed mightily, while others fail. ut, oddly enough, once you reach ethel, you can surrender and yield, !ut you will not find your dou!le: portion anointing there. (t ethel, 1liah said to 1lisha, Stay here, please, for the /ord has sent me on to Jericho. ut 1lisha +uickly responded, (s the /ord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave youK -o way, 1lisha said. Eou're not going without me. here's no dou!le:portion anointing here. It's somewhere else, and I'm going to get itK Eou can decide to remain at ethel or perhaps even go !ack to the mediocrity of Gilgal. 5r you can forge ahead and enoy the !lessings of God. >erichoA a Place of !ction
-e*t came the place of warfare?Jericho. It was in the vicinity of Jericho that the /ord Jesus faced Satan when He was tempted for forty days and nights. It was there in Joshua's time that the walls came tum!ling down. )hen you arrive in Jericho, Satan will oppose you, attacking your finances, your !ody, your mind, your family. It's where you fight devils and all the forces of hell, !ut also where you will find the captain of the host. Eou can !e certain, when you decide to sacrifice self and follow God, the devil will show up to oppose you, !ut the captain of the host is there with the sword ready to assist you. Eou can !e sure that your victory is ust around the corner, for warfare surrounds the !irth of a miracle. Don6t Delay +our >ourney
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In my own Jericho, Satan tried to distract my ministry in the eighties. I remem!er the pitfalls of complacency, monotony, and !oredom that were right at hand. here was a dreadful risk of treating the anointing lightly. (nd all the time, the dou!le:portion anointing was ust around the corner, which is always the case. (ll I had to do was open my eyes to see the captain of the host seiFe the victory in the spiritual !attle against diversion. he message is simple9 Don't !e distracted, least of all !y the flesh. Distraction is an enemy of your soul. or e*ample, !efore a miracle service the rule is that no one talks to me. I tell people, Don't tell me anything that's happening. I don't want to know anything a!out anything. If I start to think a!out the needs of the people, my emotions get all tied up and I find it difficult to concentrate and !e clear:minded. I must keep my heart and mind on God, and on Him alone. I can't let Satan distract me, and you can't either. During your times of distraction, remem!er that God gives you the power to move on to victory. On to the >or$an
(nd so, what happens at Jordan, the ne*t stop God opens your eyes and you receive spiritual sight. It was at the Jordan that John the aptist saw the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove. It was at the Jordan that Jesus !egan His ministry. Jordan, the place where you !egin to see !eyond the natural and into the supernatural realm. It's the place where 1lisha received his dou!le:portion anointing. Here's a wonderful passage of Scripture9 o! 9li
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str#c+ the !ater. and it !as diided this !ay and that, so that the t!o o$ them crossed oer on dry gro#nd" And so it !as, !hen they had crossed oer, that 9li
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trust God for the son He had !een promised. rusting in his own strength or in his own works did not !ring the son of promise. He had to see Isaac !y faith !efore he received him. )hen you see with the eyes of faith, then the promise !egins to come your way with power. /uke $69@;:A@ tells of artimaeus, the !lind man, who wore a garment traditionally worn !y the !lind in accordance with He!rew custom. (nyone wearing such a garment was known to !e !lind and helpless, re+uiring assistance with the !asic things in life, such as !eing fed and cared for. )hen the /ord Jesus heard him crying out, He said, ring him to me. Immediately artimaeus cast off his garment. efore he ever received his miracle, he threw off his garment, signifying his total dependence on God. He let go of the old to receive the new. )hen I !y faith see myself as a child of God, I no longer go with head !owed low and eyes downcast, mum!ling, 5h, God, I am so unworthy to walk in Eour presence. I walk into the Holy of Holies, not with guilt, !ut with freedom from condemnation. he darkness that once !ound me no longer clouds my spiritual eyes. I seeK )hen I read the )ord, I !elieve it, and I enter in as a child of God. hat is the way you are to approach the dou!le: portion anointing. Eou are not going to stay in Gilgal's mediocrity. Eou go on to ethel9 Eou'll die to self and decide for God forever. Jericho9 Eou'll fight every devil that can come against you, and you'll win !ecause the /ord Jesus is !eside you. (t Jordan, you will !egin to see the promises of heaven that are yours, and you will appropriate them. Eou will !e a force for God that will shake heaven and hell.
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9
#ill +ou Pay the Price
he importance of the anointing is proved in many ways, as we have seen, !ut no one sets it forth with more authority than the psalmist, as found in the following e*cerpt. ay particular attention to the height, depth, and !readth of the promises through David to the 3essiah, the ultimate (nointed 5ne, from whom you derive your anointing9 I hae $o#nd my serant 2aid. With My holy oil I hae anointed him, With !hom My hand shall be established. Also My arm shall strengthen him" The enemy shall not o#t!it him, or the son o$ !ic+edness a$$lict him" I !ill beat do!n his $oes be$ore his $ace, And plag#e those !ho hate him" B#t My $aith$#lness and My mercy shall be !ith him, And in My name his horn shall be ealted" Also I !ill set his hand oer the sea, $<;
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And his right hand oer the riers" He shall cry to Me, *8o# are my /ather, My God, and the roc+ o$ my salation"* Also I !ill ma+e him My $irstborn, The highest o$ the +ings o$ the earth" My mercy I !ill +eep $or him $oreer, And My coenant shall stand $irm !ith him" His seed also I !ill ma+e to end#re $oreer, And his throne as the days o$ heaen" 3:s" 5=K%=7 Had we nothing else !ut this, we should seek the wonderful gift that is ours. Strength, protection, victory over the enemy, faithfulness, authority, power, unending covenant?on and on are the promises that are yours and mine through the 2ing of kings, the /ord Jesus. Think !bout "t Soberly
he anointing, which carries these promises, also carries a price, as I wrote in "hapter $, and it is very real. Eou will accomplish little, or worse, should you act foolishly or insincerely. hat price is total death to self. (nd it comes only in prayer. urthermore, the dying must occur daily, as aul wrote =$ "or. $;9@$>. I can't say, ut I died twenty years ago. -o, the flesh must !e denied daily. It is an accursed thing and must go to the cross daily. Jesus said it flat out9 If anyone desires to come after 3e, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow 3e =/uke %9&@>. hat comes only in prayer. Eou see, you and I have no power to say no to Satan there's no power in us to refuse him. he power
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only comes when the Holy Spirit is upon us. Giants of faith have fallen !ecause they couldn't say no. hey relied on their own power. 2athryn 2uhlman said years ago, I died a long time ago. (nd she could have !een misunderstood unless she had gone on to say, I die a thousand deaths, meaning that she had made the decision a long time earlier, !ut she had to make it again every day. his is one of the things a!out the presence of the Holy Spirit. It comes +uite simply !y making the decision !efore God, saying it, meaning it, and totally a!andoning yourself to Him. He knows whether you're telling the truth or not, and you'd !etter !e aware of that. "t6s a Lifetime (atter
he anointing of God, the power of God, comes upon us !y spending time, and all else that is re+uired, with Him. (nd it's not a one:day e*perience, !ut a lifetime, one in which you !ecome completely sold out. I do not !elieve I have arrived at a $77 percent level in this, although that is truly what I desire, and God has !een a!le to use me, especially in recent years, and He will do the same with you. In my case, I know I have lost complete desire for anything to do with the world. 3y worldly desires are gone. It's hard to talk a!out these things and sound truthful in our cynical age, !ut !ecause of the presence and the anointing of the Spirit, I am consumed !y my walk and work with God. He is literally all I have. If He said, enny, move to "hina, I'd leave everything and go. I no longer have any re!ellion in me. he lack of material desire does not mean that
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Satan has stopped tempting me. he daily death to self, often very difficult, is still a !attle that must !e fought. ! Can$i$ @uestion
( good friend asked a +uestion that gave me pause recently. Do you think God has used you the way He has, he asked, !ecause you were such a loner and so withdrawn that you didn't have much to die to when you were young He raised an important point, as I thought a!out it. I had an awful speech impediment, I was little, and I was terri!ly shy. I would often hide under my !ed when visitors came to our home. ut when God !egan to use me, I !asically had nothing to lose, and I wasn't tied to anything. I had certain desires, naturally, as every human !eing has? certain things I wanted. ut God dealt with me on those. So, after considering the +uestion seriously, I !elieve God often chooses people like me, who He knows aren't going to fight Him. ut then, there is the a!solute truth that when you are in God's presence and tasting His goodness and His love, you say, )ho wants anything else He ust consumes you. I've found that as you try to e*plain this to people and tell them what they're missing, they often look at you as though you're craFy. he amaFing thing is that He loves you so much, and yet you're not always right with Him. I mess up, and I miss the mark so often, and I grieve Him so often, !ut never intentionally. I would rather die than that. I love Him too much to hurt Him like that. ut when I do miss, He gently comes and deals with me on my sins and failures and weaknesses, and I go on,
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forgiven. 3y friend asked an even harder +uestion a!out my commitment to the ministry, !ut the answer was easier. (re you sure you don't love the work of the /ord simply !ecause you're good at it he asked, implying9 . . . and there's not much else you could do I have e*amined my heart many times and immediately concluded that I would never ruin my life and my family's life serving something and killing my relationship with God. It sounds heroic, !ut it's as aul said, the love of God constrains me =& "or. ;9$A>. I have a chance to see God's incredi!le love for people. )hen I stand on that platform at a miracle crusade and see the thousands of people, the kids, and the wheelchairs, the souls of men and women hungry for their "reator, I know e*actly why I'm in the ministry. I pray every time, Help me pay a higher price to see them touched. (nd I have to say, I don't know why every person isn't touched and healed, !ut I do know that thousands upon thousands are. (nd I also know that the full answer lies in the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the desire we have for Him?the willingness we have to pay the price. (nd I am confident that thousands of you will !e willing to pay that price too. God still loves the world and its people more than we'll ever !e a!le to imagine. (uch 0es/ect is 0euire$
In addition to the price we must pay for the presence and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, there is the important matter of respect for that anointing. It may not sound terri!ly spiritual, !ut I have heard God warn a!out playing games with the anointing. (nd I
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urge you, as you move forward in the life with the Spirit, do not allow anything that would !e disrespectful to the /ord. )arning against disrespect for the o!vious anointing of the Spirit came early in the history of God's dealing with Israel. -um!ers $& opens !y saying that 3iriam and (aron spoke against 3oses !ecause of the 1thiopian woman 3oses had married. hey challenged 3oses with these words9 Has the /50D indeed spoken only through 3oses Has He not spoken through us also =vs. &>. (nd here the Scripture says parenthetically that 3oses was more hum!le than all men on the face of the earth. He was God's chosen man, and God udged them for their disrespect. 3oses is faithful in all 3y house. I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings, God said. )hy then were you not afraid to speak against 3y servant 3oses =vs. :6> God did not like their disrespect for 3oses and his anointing, the i!le says, So the anger of the /ord was aroused against them, and He departed (nd when the cloud departed from a!ove the ta!ernacle, suddenly 3iriam !ecame leprous, as white as snow. God's displeasure was strong, and had it not !een for 3oses' intervention with God, 3iriam would have remained as one dead. (aron apologiFed and pleaded, and 3oses cried to God, lease heal her, 5 God, I prayK So God let her stay in punishment for seven days, shut out of the camp, and then she was healed =vs. $$:$;>. he point is9 (aron and 3iriam walked away from their callings and tried to !e a 3oses, despising the powerful anointing upon him. -ever try to !e a 3oses
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if you are not. (nd it is !eneficial to notice that the cloud lifted !efore the leprosy hit. eople who walk away from their anointing will realiFe sooner or later that the presence is gone. Ees, God will forgive them when there is repentance, !ut there is still a price to pay. The Horse an$ (ule
(s you prepare to surrender to the Holy Spirit, dying to yourself, and moving into the marvelous presence and anointing He has for you, I want to share one verse of Scripture that can !e a pointed needle in your side. I know it has often provided a re!uke for me. salm @&9% says, Do not !e like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must !e harnessed with !it and !ridle. hink of it. 5ne day the /ord gave me that verse, and the Holy Spirit literally shook me up with it. Do you know what a horse does He runs ahead and is impatient. )hat a!out a mule He is so stu!!orn he won't move. 5ne runs too fast, and the other won't run at all. he serious message is that the horse will run out of the anointing and into the flesh, while the mule dies in the flesh. Sadly there are a lot of mules in the church. hey don't want anything from God, no presence, no anointing. hey are stu!!orn. If I can't have all sheep, who will follow the /ord faithfully, then I would rather have horses in my church than mules. (t least horses are going somewhere, and you have a chance at !ringing them under control.
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"t6s Time to (o1e
(s I said earlier, these are powerful times in which we live. Sin a!ounds, !ut grace does much more a!ound. 3illions of people, unhappily, are charging in the opposite direction from God. Society is in a sham!les. 5ur young people are suffering. ut other millions are hungry for God and want to line up with Him and serve Him. I trust you are in the latter group, and I pray that as you go forward, you will go forward in the power of the Holy Spirit, in His precious anointing that is for all of God's people. /et nothing deter you. He wants you so very !adly. lease pray with me9 ather, I surrender to Eou completely now I yield everything to Eou?my !ody, my soul and my spirit, my family, my o!, my finances', my weaknesses, my strengths, my past, my present, and my future, everything I am, for all eternity. I ask Eou, /ord, to give me a repentant heart for all the things I've done to grieve Eou, all my sins, my ini+uities, my coldness of heart, and my lack of trust. I ask Eou to empower me to turn around, to go the other way, the way that pleases Eou. Holy Spirit, I welcome Eou into my life right now. I praise Eou and love Eou. I ask Eou to help me receive the things I've asked for from the ather through Jesus. Help me to come into fellowship and communion with Eou, for I really don't know how to myself. 3ake me fully aware of Eour presence and ena!le me to hear Eour voice. I promise to o!ey. /ord Jesus, anoint me with the Holy Spirit as I o!ey and learn. Give me Eour power to touch those
*ill .ou a( the ri4e-
around me and those Eou will !ring across my path. Show me what to do ne*t. (nd help me never to neglect Eour fellowship. I pray in the name of Jesus my /ord. (men. I !ill p#t My Spirit !ithin yo# and ca#se yo# to !al+ in My stat#tes, and yo# !ill +eep My <#dgments and do them" 39)e+" C45=J7 B#t yo# shall receie po!er !hen the Holy Spirit has come #pon yo#. and yo# shall be !itnesses to Me in (er#salem, and in all (#dea and Samaria, and to the end o$ the earth" 3Acts 57
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Stu$y an$ Discussion *ui$e Cha/ter Disaster in Detroit
$. he author mentioned a cloud of glory. He called it the shekinah glory, the awesome holy presence of God. =a> Have you ever !een there when God's awesome presence filled a room =!> Descri!e what it was like for you. &. wo times were specifically mentioned in the 5ld estament when God's shekinah glory appeared. =a> urn to 1*odus @@9%. )hat was the pillar of cloud that descended =!> In 1*odus @@9$;:$<, what does 3oses say must go with them =c> )hat will make the Israelites different from all other people @. David's son, Solomon, !uilt a magnificent house for the /ord where the people could worship and !ring their sacrifices. 0ead the account of the dedication of the temple in & "hronicles ;. )hat do you think it would have !een like to !e present at such an assem!ly $A
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A. he author said he felt the /ord tugging at his heart. )hat do you think he meant How can you get to the place where you will also know it well ;. 0eread the author's story in the section It )as Different. "an you relate to the impact of !eing suddenly alone <. )hy wasn't God's presence with the author during the evening service Cha/ter ' The (ost )aluable *ift
$. 1*cept for his salvation, what does the author say is his most valua!le gift &. )hat is he anointed with @. )ho performed the anointing A. 0eread the author's account of how much he values the presence of the Holy Spirit. hen read salm ;$9$7:$@ a!out the cry of David. =a> Descri!e the similarities !etween the author's and David's desires. =!> "an you personally identify with this desire ;. How do you e*perience the presence of God <. he author says that as you e*perience a daily walk with the Holy Spirit, some of the things listed in 0omans 6 will occur in your life. )hat are they How have you seen them evident in your life Cha/ter . "n the Beginning
$. he author said he was starving and desperate and found little to nourish his soul. )hat do you think he meant Have you ever hungered for God's
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presence &. Do you think the Holy Spirit is an it or a mist How would you descri!e the Holy Spirit @. he Holy Spirit will !ecome your QQQQQQQQQQ and your QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ A. he author felt strongly that the Holy Spirit was directing him to preach the gospel, although He doesn't direct everyone into a full:time preaching ministry. =a> )hat did Jesus say to His disciples in 3ark $<9$; =!> Do you think this applies to you ;. )hat warning does the Holy Spirit give all who seek and receive the anointing of God Cha/ter 2 !n !ns3er at Last
$. Has there !een a period of time in your life when you searched for God 1*pand your answer to e*plain your reason and feelings. &. (t the end of your search, did you find God If not, are you still seeking Him @. efore you go farther in your in+uiry a!out the anointing, you must determine if you are !orn again. Descri!e in your own words the meaning of !eing !orn again. A. he ne*t step toward receiving the anointing is determining if you have asked the Holy Spirit to fill your life. he Holy Spirit is standing at your door. /ike any visitor, He will not enter unless He is invited. (long with enny Hinn, will you say Holy Spirit, Eou are welcome in this place
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;. he author says, here is a higher e*perience, something more than ust the presence of the Holy Spirit. here is an anointing, an empowering for service, and that can come through paying the price. =a> 0ead salm <@ and e*plain what it says a!out the soul and the flesh. =!> 0ead Isaiah &<9% and e*plain what it says a!out the spirit. <. )ill God force anyone to pray )hy or why not . )hat is the price of the anointing Cha/ter 5 "t6s Not By (ight
$. (s you prepare for the work the /ord has called you to, you will go through what three things &. God has a lesson for us in salm A<9$7. 1*plain in your own words what you learned from this Scripture. @. (s you seek and receive the anointing for service to the /ord, you must give the /ord thanksgiving and glory. How can you do !oth A. efore God can !less you with a powerful anointing, two things must !e evident !etween you and God. =a> here must !e aQQQQQQQ!etween you and God. =!> He must !e a!le toQQQQQQQyou. Cha/ter 8 !n 4nusual #oman of *o$
$. aking a lesson from 2athryn 2uhlman's personal story, what must remain in first place in our lives
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&. Identify part of the price we need to pay for the anointing. @. (s it happened in 2athryn 2uhlman's life, what will God do with your repented sins 0ead salm $7@9$& for the answer. Cha/ter 9 #hat "s "t
$. /ist the five attri!utes that come with the presence of God. )hich attri!ute do you need to understand !etter &. )hat is the anointing @. 0ead Jesus' words in (cts $96. )hat will the !eliever receive after the Holy Spirit comes upon him or her A. )hat is the purpose of the power ;. 0ead Galatians ;9&&:&@, and list the fruit of the Spirit. )hat evidence of this fruit do you see in your life <. Scripture uses various sym!ols, such as a dove, fire, oil, wind, and water, to refer to the Holy Spirit. =a> Is He any of these =!> )hat is He . o fulfill the roles to which the Holy Spirit is calling you, what must you have Cha/ter : +ou (ust Ha1e "t
$. he anointing is mandatory if you are called to serve the /ord. )ithout it, your ministry will lackQQQQQQ, QQQQQQQ, andQQQQQQQQ &. 5n page 6$, the author shares a secret for an
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increase in the anointing. )hat is that secret ingredient @. 5n page 6&, he shares another secret a!out the flowing of the anointing to touch others. -othing will happen if you areQQQQQQQQ A. he author says he knew and o!eyed the /ord, !ut if people try to minister without a relationship with God, they will !e mocked !y devils. 0ead (cts $%9$@:$< and e*plain what happened to the Jewish e*orcists. ;. (t the !ottom of page 6A, the author reveals yet another secret to the anointing. )hat is this secret Cha/ter ; Three !nointings
$. 1*plain the leper's anointing and how it relates to your life. &. 1*plain the priestly anointing. Have you received it @. How often do you need the leper's anointing How often do you need the priestly anointing A. )hat authority do you receive under the kingly anointing ;. /et's review how we receive the three anointings9 =a> he leper's anointing comes !y QQQQQQ Jesus. =!> he priestly anointing comes !yQQQQQQQ )ith Jesus. =c> he kingly anointing comes !yQQQQQQQJesus. Cha/ter = "t Di$n6t Begin +ester$ay
$. How many anointings did David receive
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&. How many anointings did the apostles receive @. he author mentions three things that marked the !elievers in the !ook of (cts. "an you name them without looking Cha/ter >esusA the " !(
$. )hat is the primary purpose of the Holy Spirit &. 0ead "olossians $9$<:$. hrough whom were all things created @. 0ead He!rews $9@. hink a!out this verse and then e*plain in your own words the wonder e*pressed in it. A. /ike (dam, each of us must choose !etween the ree of /ife and the ree of Death. hink a!out the day you made that choice. =a> Do you know someone who is facing that choice =!> "an you force that person to make the choice for the ree of /ife =c> Did God force your decision ;. Do you desire more and more of an understanding of the /ord Jesus )rite out 1phesians @9$<:$%. )hat is the advantage of making this a personal daily prayer Cha/ter ' "t6s for +ou?No3
$. ill in the !lanks related to the progression of events in receiving the anointing. irst comes HisQQQQQQQ, then theQQQQQQQof the Spirit, and then theQQQQQQ
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&. )hat does the author say is the first result of God: consciousness @. (fter reading $ hessalonians ;9$, e*plain what this verse means to you. A. )hat do you think the /ord wants to develop through this kind of prayer ;. Do you have a regular time in your daily schedule for reading Scripture and praying )hat is the !iggest hindrance to this special time in your life )hat can you do to change this Cha/ter . T3o Profoun$ Basics
$. )hat is the purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit into a !eliever's life, as told in (cts $96 &. 5n page $&%, the author lists four things a!out which we are to witness concerning Jesus. -ame them, and think of e*amples of each one. @. he author gives us another key to the anointing on page $&%. )hat is that key A. 0eread the section )hat Does It 3ean )hat is the Holy Spirit directing you to do now ;. he i!le teaches us that the shed !lood of Jesus "hrist causes si* things to occur in our lives. =a> Jesus "hrist's !lood redeems us from theQQQQQQ =!> hrough His !lood, we haveQQQQQQQfrom past sins. =c> His !lood QQQQQQQQQ us from daily sins. =d> Jesus' shed !lood protects us from the future QQQQQQQ, which is to come. =e> He has restoredQQQQQQQ!etween us and God.
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=f> He hasQQQQQQQthe !eliever. <. he author identifies three keys that we need to cover ourselves with the !lood. )hat are they Cha/ter 2 The Eesus
$. /uke A9$6:$% lists si* reasons for the corning of the anointing. )hat are they &. Jesus referred to the poor in /uke A9$6. )ho are they @. Identify the only power on earth that can destroy the power of Satan. A. (s noted in /uke A9$6, what kind of sight do you think can !e recovered ;. )hat great thing can we do that Jesus did not do <. he day is coming when the anointing of the Holy Spirit will !e so great that we will see many miraculous things. 0ecall some that the author discusses, and note their impact on the world. . 5n page $;$, the author gives another key to the anointing. )hat key is it 6. "ite e*amples of some things you must do if you want to hear the /ord's voice. Cha/ter 5 Change +our Oil
$. Identify three ways !y which you replenish the oil of the Holy Spirit. Do you seem to turn to one way more fre+uently than the others )hy &. 0ead 1phesians A and then think of any holes in your life where the oil of the Holy Spirit is leaking out.
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@. Is it possi!le to lose your kingly anointing If so, how can it happen A. 5n pages $<&:<@, the author discusses three keys to keeping and increasing the anointing. "onsider each one as it applies to your life. Cha/ter 8 *etting a Double Portion
$. 0ead hilippians @9$@, and then e*amine your life. (re there things in your past you need to let go of that would hinder you from receiving a dou!le portion of the anointing &. Have you !een complacent in your spiritual life (re you satisfied with the status +uo )hy @. (s you seek the dou!le portion of the anointing, in which areas are you finding your greatest !attles? opposition from Satan, your finances, your !ody, your mind, or your family hink of specific ways to win the victory in these areas. A. Do you have a vision for what God has in store for you )rite it down as an act of faith. "arry it with you and refer to it often. Cha/ter 9 #ill +ou Pay the Price
$. )hat is the price to !e paid for the anointing &. How do you go a!out paying this price @. Do anointed !elievers ever reach a point in their lives when Satan leaves them alone /uke %9&@ and $ "orinthians $;9@$ can help you with the answer. )hat can you do to overcome this A. (s you complete this study and discussion guide, !e sure that you can answer these four important
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+uestions a!out the anointing9 =a> )hat is it =!> Do you want it =c> How do you get it =d> Do you want to pay the price
!bout the !uthor
enny Hinn is a recogniFed and respected pastor, teacher, healing evangelist, and !est:selling author. (s founder and pastor of )orld 5utreach "enter, he ministers to a thriving interdenominational church with more than seven thousand in attendance each week. His teaching ministry effectively touches millions each week through his daily half:hour television program called This Is 8o#r 2ay&, which airs internationally. ens of thousands gather at his monthly miracle crusades held throughout the Cnited States and around the world to witness God's saving and healing power. Hinn has written several !est:selling !ooks including Good Morning, Holy Spirit, which has sold more than one million copies The Anointing. Welcome, Holy Spirit. and The Biblical Road to Blessing" Hinn and his wife, SuFanne, reside in 5rlando, lorida, with their four children?three daughters, Jessica, -atasha, and 1leasha, and a son, Joshua.
