THE ANOINTING CALLS YOU

Isaiah 10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

While this scripture speaks of the bondage of the children of Israel, it speaks spiritually of our bondage to sin and Satan. Because our yoke can be destroyed by the anointing, we need to explore and come to a deeper understanding of the anointing. The anointing is only in the sovereignty of God, and we can see this scripturally by the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah regarding Cyrus;

II Chronicles 36:22, 23 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.

The Word tells us that God stirred up Cyrus to perform the word spoken by Jeremiah. Isaiah further states this in prophesying of the anointing and blessings of God that would come on Cyrus first, in order for him to be in place to perform God’s will. These first three verses tell us that by God’s foretelling of Cyrus, and his blessings upon him, Cyrus would know God;

Isaiah 45:1 – 3 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

God further says that Cyrus was called by name to also confirm to Jacob and Israel that it is God alone;

Isaiah 45:4 – 7 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

God is literally saying that He foretold of Cyrus, named him, anointed him, and used him so that all will know that He is the Lord, and there is no other! If you allow God to anoint this word to your ears, the rest of the chapter will also bless you with a greater knowledge and understanding of God, but our emphasis here is on the anointing.

The prophet Samuel was told by God that a man would be sent to him to be anointed;

I Samuel 9:16 To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

From what God told Samuel we can know that the lost asses and every step that Saul took in looking for them was ordered of God. Saul did not know where or at what time he was to come to Samuel, nor did he even know he was “sent” to Samuel; even the asses had to have been controlled of God to order the events he told Samuel of. Chapter 10 then records the anointing;

I Samuel 10:1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

In verses 2 through 5 Samuel told Saul of the things that would occur to him that day, to give Saul confirmation of his calling. Verses 6 and 7 continue that prophecy;

I Samuel 10:6, 7 And the spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.

In addition to giving him the confirmation of the items Samuel foretold would happen, God changed Saul into another man, and equipped him for what God had for him to do. King Saul was chosen and anointed of God for a time, a place, and a purpose. Each of us has a calling to a time, a place, and a purpose;

Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

The calling and gifts God has for you do not change. However, we must search for, find, and obey this calling. Although he had seen and experienced all the confirming signs, and had been turned into another man, at first Saul hid from his calling (I Samuel 10:21 – 23). As king, Saul came to acknowledge the time and place of his calling, but refused to fully obey God and His purposes. His failings were many, and are admonitions to us today.

God then sought a man after His own heart. Samuel was sent to Jesse to anoint one of his sons. Jesse sent his sons one by one: seven brothers came as Jesse sent them, but none of them were anointed. Neither Jesse nor Samuel knew who would be chosen. Then David was called;

I Samuel 16:12, 13 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

What if David had walked in the anointing and the spirit that was on him, but failed or refused to become king? His end would have been no better than King Saul’s. But David is described scripturally as a man after God’s own heart (I Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22).

David was a man who acknowledged God’s deliverance (I Samuel 17:37) and the blessings of the anointing (read the Psalms). David recognized and respected the anointing so much that he would not touch King Saul (I Samuel 24:6, 10, I Samuel 26:9, 11, 23). David honored the word God purposed about Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob. David spoke what was known, but not in recorded scripture to that point in time; “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” It later was recorded in scripture (I Chronicles 16:22, Psalm 105:15). We need to heed this still today; God will deal with His anointed, we should never rise against them without direct instruction from God (for instance Nathan the prophet, II Samuel 12:1 – 12). But let us get back to our look at the anointing.

Spiritually there is an anointing to sing; an anointing to speak; to pray; to teach; to preach; to be a prophet. It is frankly easy to question whether God has called us. However, you are called (or chosen) by the anointing, and then the anointing calls you. In other words, the anointing is evidence of your calling, while you may not yet know when or where God wants you to go.

Paul (Saul) is a good example of this. We hear frequently of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, and his calling in Damascus. God told him … how great things he must suffer. Paul records in the Book of Galatians that he did not learn the gospel from man, but he learned by the revelation of Jesus. Later in the book of Acts (11:22 – 26) Barnabas and Saul assembled and taught in Antioch for a full year, and were so successful the disciples were first called Christians there. Despite all their preparation, their diligence, and their success in the Lord, they did not yet have their specific calling. Despite being listed among the prophets and teachers in Acts 13:1 they had not received their calling. They were walking in obedience, diligence, and in faith. Paul later says he laboured more abundantly than all the apostles. Paul and Barnabas had prepared and were ready to receive the call;

Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

The Holy Ghost is now telling them of the specific work they had been called for! Everything up to that point was in preparation and in being diligent in the things of God. Paul chose to please God after God chose him! Jesus plainly speaks of it being His choosing;

John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

The definition for the word ordained used here says; to place in a passive or horizontal posture. It is a place, like Jesus, of being meek and humble in heart.

Paul was chosen, ordained, and then brought forth fruit. That fruit remains so much so that the word speaks of it at Antioch and through the rest of the book of Acts. Your fruit should also remain; how diligent have you been to see God glorified by your life and fruit? Don’t wait for the calling, be fruitful and glorify God.

If you have the anointing, you are called, and God has a purpose you must find in total obedience if you want to walk with Him;

Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

It is only in full obedience that you can be faithful; will you hear and obey? We have now covered that your calling is without repentance; that you have not chosen Him but He has chosen you; and that you must be faithful. What are we waiting for? Lay aside every weight and sin, and run the race that is set before you!

The best example of following the call of the anointing is, of course, Jesus. The book of Acts records his anointing, and what he did with it;

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Why was God with Him? Was it only because of His anointing? That didn’t work for King Saul, or for Satan (Ezekiel 28:13 – 19). It didn’t work for Eli or his sons (I Samuel 2:27 – 36). The answer to having God with you is in obedience;

John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone: for I do always those things that please him.

By saying … he that sent me … Jesus acknowledges His calling. He then speaks of His obedience in doing always the things that please God. The book of Hebrews further confirms Jesus love for good, and the things of God, when speaking of the Son;

Hebrews 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Jesus was anointed … above thy fellows, because He loved righteousness and hated iniquity. The depth, strength, and the availability of your anointing will depend on your sanctification and holiness. If you want a greater anointing give up the weights and sins that so easily beset you!

We can also find a difference that was observed in Jesus, due to the anointing, in scripture. In Luke 4 it records;

Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath, stood, and read; the Word tells us it was His custom to do so. This was not a new occurrence.  But this time the people see a difference;

Luke 4:17 – 20 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

After Jesus read the scriptures, the eyes of all were fastened on Him. The anointing that was on Him made it so. As He continued to speak the people wondered at the anointed words, and questioned if it is the same man;

Luke 4:21 – 22 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

A similar occurrence is told of Smith Wigglesworth. Hearing him preach for the first time under the anointing his wife said, That’s not my Smith! Do not be surprised when people see the difference in you due to the anointing – the anointing calls you.

But Jesus calling did not end with the preaching, healings, miracles, or power; His calling took him to the purpose God sent Him for, to reconcile us to the Father by the cross. All of the miracles and healings that Jesus did were not enough to have delivered us; His obedience had to take Him to the cross;

Hebrews 5:7 – 10 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Brother B. H. Clendennen said it well when he talked of Psalm 2:8, where it says Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance …; it meant Jesus had to die for them. Jesus learned obedience and it took Him all the way to the cross. Hebrews 5:9 then requires us to obey Him! A “sometimes” obedience to the anointing can leave you with the failure of King Saul.

What does that speak to us? There are promises we can walk in, just as Jesus did;

II Corinthians 1:20 – 22  For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God: Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

The promises of God are there for us; true, just, and sure in our God, if we will find a walk in righteousness and hate iniquity. Allow Him to work that promise in your life; let Him establish, anoint, and seal you, and then answer your calling in the earnest of the Spirit He has given! Walk in faith that He will keep you and be strength for you;

Psalm 20:6, 7 Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

Now if we recognize that the anointing is given by God; the anointing stays on you; the anointing will teach you if you will allow it; then we must also know that we must abide in Him;

I John 2:27 – 29 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Do you choose to continue the path to destruction, or the path to righteousness? We must serve one master or the other; choose to walk with Jesus. We began with a yoke, so let us end with a yoke; take upon you that which Jesus exhorts;

Matthew 11:28 – 30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

We must find that place of being ordained to His purpose, learn of Him, and walk in obedience. God will provide everything else we need, and allow us to enter into His rest.