Anointing

Preparing For a Spiritual Snowmageddon

I know most all of you battled the grocery stores to stock cabinets before snowmageddon makes her grand entrance. Why? Because your preparedness enables you to make it through this snow storm. We have grocery shopped, filled out deck bin with fire wood, stacked my indoor wood basket, gathered my candles and laugh if you will, but I have filled our bath tub with water for flushing should we lose power. Ya never know, right? Better safe than sorry.

We prepare for things all the time:  study for tests, practice for a concert, save money for a rainy day, make a nursery for the new baby or formulate a retirement plan. There are just some things you can’t wait until the last minute to prepare for or we will be caught ill-equipped to handle what comes our way.  But do we “prepare” for a spiritual snowmageddon?

I’m not talking about having a doomsday prepper mentality. And I do NOT believe we should go around with forebodings; always expecting bad things to happen. But you can’t wait until you’re snowed in, and lose power to decide you need flashlight batteries and candles.

Yet, many times this is precisely what we do as Christians, and I’ll be the first to admit that I have done this.  But God wants us spiritually prepared so we can face any situation with power and victory. He has given us a survivor’s manual (The Bible), and our own personal guide (The Holy Spirit). Yes, it’s that simple!

You may say that you don’t understand the Bible when you read it, OR you may say that you don’t know how to pray. No worries, the Holy Spirit will teach you HOW!

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26 (rsv)

“…and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.”  1 John 2:27 (niv)

Anointing the Talent

Greater anointing is not found in increasing talents and skills, or by getting a degree to serve in ministry. These things are good, but alone they are useless and empty without the anointing.

Time in God’s Presence anoints the talent.

I’ve seen many crazy talented people use their gifts in ministry.  But it doesn’t amount to much without God’s anointing. To illustrate, think of the account in scripture when Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000 with just FIVE loaves of bread and TWO fish.

WITHOUT the anointing, I’m guessing that perhaps a small group of 5-7 people could have been fed by this good meal. A meal that had been prepared for just such a purpose: to feed and nourish. But it would only go so far.

WITH the anointing, not only were more than 5,000 fed as much as they wanted, but there was enough left over to fill twelve baskets using the five loaves of bread and two fish. How did this happen?

The simple answer: time in the presence of Jesus changes everything. The complicated answer: time in the presence of Jesus changes everything.

Let me encourage you to never think what you have to offer is too small or insignificant. Whatever you do have know this: spending more time with God can amplify, multiply and intensify your skills and talents.

Related scriptures:
Mathew 14:13-21