in pursuit of the anointing

IN PURSUIT OF THE ANOINTING 2 kgs 2:1-15 There is no greater desire for anything within Christendom than to have the anointing of the Spirit of God resting and operating in an individual. We have heard over the many years that we’ve been saved; “Lord, let your anointing fall on me.” We pray for it, seek for it, and some of us even fast to receive it, and sad to say, some believe that they have it, but that’s not the case. The anointing is a precious gift from God. It is not given to anyone just like that. There is a criterion to which one must qualify in order to receive it. Then there are different variants of anointing. Everyone does not have the same anointing. The anointing upon the life of a pastor is not the anointing that a person in the ministry of helps would have and so forth and so on. The degree of the anointing comes with dedication, commitment and capability to do. I have heard TD Jakes say, “You want some of this?” I pray that you have this and that happen to you… and he list a series of things that he had to face in his life that was not pleasant. The anointing on someone else’s life may look good, but the journey is what actually tells the story. Is the anointing not worth anything to you? It was worth everything to Elisha. When he return-ed to the Jordan river, he did as Elijah did and smote the waters and exactly what was done before happened again. He had gotten it. It was in his hand; it was all over him. Hear the words of the prophets who was viewing the scene from the distance. “Truly the spirit of Elijah is on Elisha.” And they came and bowed themselves down to him. There would be those waiting in the wing for the anointing to be revealed in your life. Lives that must be impacted by what is in you. Hinder NO longer. Let the release of the anointing be hindered any longer. Rise up now and pursue. Separation: When Elisha was called by Elijah, he was ploughing in the field. 1Kg 19:19, He immediately left everything to follow the Man of God. There was something that was pulling him towards the anointing. He probably didn’t understand what was happening, but just knew he had to obey. He said goodbye to his parents and went. In order to pursue that desired thing, sacrifices must be made. As a young teenager, going through the anointing line in our midweek service, my then pastor said to me 3 consecutive times, “Separate yourself”. I didn’t know what he was talking about, so I began to question God as to what that meant and to show me what I needed to separate from, and God did. God caused an upsetness in the relationship between my best friend (not the one you meet) and myself and thereafter, began to use me in the area of praise and worship. I didn’t realize it until years later when the Spirit of God revealed that is what He did to bring me into the place He needed me to be in. I couldn’t continue in that relationship because God knew that that individual was not a good in fluence in my life. Saved as she was, the connection was not right. When there is anointing waiting to be poured out on you, there must be a separation. Elisha had to separate from his parents. He couldn’t continue to live with Mama and Papa. That was a hinderance to receiving the anointing. Sometimes you’ve just got to leave your place of comfort. Many of us are too comfortable, but God is waiting on our obedience. Leave those bad habits, those besetting sins, those must-haves and pursue after that anointing. The woman of God said, on last week, why settle for the “just enough”, or the “not enough”. You what the overflow? Well there is something you’ve got to do. Get up and go, pursue. What in your life that is so dear to you that is holding you back? God wants you to let it go. Say GOODBYE! to it. God cannot use you until you are willing to separate, leave behind, and go after. Humility: The spirit of humility is important in the pursuit. We cannot be high-minded and expect to gain. Humility must be one of the attributes demonstrated in order to receive. Verse 21 of ch 19 of 1 Kings says, and Elisha ministered unto Elijah. There is a place and a position where the anointing flows, and that’s at the bottom and downwards. The willingness to stoop, to be trampled on, to be bent, to be subservient. He washed the Prophet’s feet. No doubt, his clothes to and maybe cook for him. It was a servant job. It was not glamorous. Sometimes servants are not seen, or even recognized for their labor by their master. However, God who sees all have a purpose for those who in humility wait in pursuit of the anointing while serving Sacrifice: Elisha wanted what he saw his master, Elijah had, and knew he couldn’t stop short of the journey. Whatever his master had to face would be what he must face. There was no cheating the process. The journey is not always pleasant, but the trials always gives way to the glorious outcome. This is one area we don’t like treading. No one wants to give up their nice home to move to the slums of India to reach the lost. No one wants to move across the country in an unfamiliar place to a job that pays less than they are making. That is uncomfortable to many, but what are you willing to give up in your pursuit? Where are you willing to go and what are you willing to do in your pursuit? God does not just dole out anointing to those that are not willing to sacrifice. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice and look what He gave up and did for us. He pursued us through His death on the cross. The anointing is COSTLY. There is a price to pay for the anointing. That’s why no “Fly by night” preacher/evangelist/apostle or prophet” can cause to manifest the parting of the waters because they did not go through the pursuing process. The scripture in …….says, Seek Me while I am found. Ask of me. The anointing is precious. It is not just something we Christian acquire. It is something given by the Holy Spirit as we pursue Him and He knows what variance of the anointing to give which individual. The anointing to preach would not be given to a person who is supposed to be the janitor, or the Sunday school teacher. There is a specific anointing for each position in ministry and the application is of vital importance. Elijah said to Elisha at Gilgal, stay here, but Elisha refused knowing that there was something greater coming, he just didn’t know when, or where. He was not going to allow the moment to pass him by. Then at Bethel and Jericho he was entreated to remain. Yet again, he refused. In his mind, he probably was thinking, it didn’t happen here, but sooner or later, it will. I can’t stay here. It was not until they crossed over the Jordan, that Elijah asked him the question that was the reason for his hot pursuit. In essence, “What do you want from me?” And there it was. What I was waiting and pursued all this time was finally coming my way. Sometimes we may have to cross hot deserts, deep oceans and high mountains to get that desired anointing. It would not be handed to you on a silver platter. My friend, Joseph could testify of that very thing. Paul, the same. We all want the anointing, but are we willing to pursue it? We want the anointing, but are we willing to sacrifice for it. We want the anointing, but are we willing to give up, get rid of those hinderances in our lives. EVERYONE STANDING ON THEIR FEET REACHING OUT TO THE LORD!!!!