Understanding the Anointing pt 11
We’re going to continue teaching on flowing in the anointing of God. As we have said many times in this teaching “You are anointed.” John said in (1 John 2:20), “But ye have an unction (or anointing) from the Holy One.” And he goes on to say a few Vs later in (1 John 2:27) “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth (or dwells) in you.”
Before you can ever walk in the anointing to any degree, you must accept what the Word says and the fact that you are anointed.
I) Last week we started teaching on ways to have the anointing increase.
A) 1 of the points that I brought out was to “WALK IN THE SPIRIT.”
1) When you’re walking in the spirit you’re not going to be fulfilling the lust of the flesh.
(a) The flesh is going to stop the anointing.
2) But just as walking in the flesh stops or hinders the anointing; walking in the spirit is going to cause the anointing to flow in a greater measure.
(a) I’ve said this before, but I need to repeat it, “The anointing is part of the character and personality of the HS.”
(i) When you’re walking in the anointing you’re putting on the HS, with all of His power, might, and ability.
3) But when you put on the HS and you’re walking in the spirit you’re going to be putting on more than just the anointing. You’re also going to be putting on His attributes.
B) Those attributes are the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. GAL 5:22-23
1) When you’re walking in the Fruit of the Spirit, that Fruit is anointed to bring you victory.
(a) The 1st fruit that is mentioned is LOVE.
(i) Walking in love brings the anointing and victory over hatred and all the defeat and demonic activity that goes with it.
(b) PEACE, the 2nd fruit has the anointing to bring victory over fear, worry, and anxiety.
(i) Fear, worry and anxiety are faith in the devil and his ability to bring about the worse.
(ii) But when you’re walking in the fruit called PEACE, you have peace because you know that God will come through.
(iii) That’s faith in God and in His ability to bring about the very best.
II) Now there are a few of the Fruits of the spirit that seem to stand out above the rest when it comes to helping you operate in the power of God.
A) Of course LOVE is important.
1) (1 Corinthians 13:2-3) Says, “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. (3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” KJV
2) Just from this V we can see the importance of walking in LOVE.
(a) The anointing will amount to nothing without LOVE.
B) But there is another Fruit of the spirit that will greatly affect the anointing that you’re walking in and THAT IS “TEMPERANCE.”
1) Without “TEMPERANCE” you can forget about tapping into the FULL power of the anointing.
2) TEMPERANCE basically means “SELF-CONTROL.”
(a) It is the ability to control the flesh and bring it into subjection to the spirit.
(i) Without Temperance, what the flesh wants the flesh gets.
(ii) Once your flesh starts calling the shots, the mind will follow. Then you start rationalizing.
(iii) Your flesh and mind will start telling you, “You don’t have to go through any trouble to have the anointing. After all, the anointing is already on the inside of you. You can just call on that anointing when you get into trouble.”
(iv) Your mind and body will convince you that there is no need to fast and pray. But 1 day when trouble comes, you will discover that the spiritual power has been turned off.
(b) When you’re walking in Temperance, your flesh and your soul will no longer dictate your course of action.
(c) Without Temperance in your life you will never be able to make an APPROPRIATE exchange for the anointing.
(i) Remember what (Isaiah 55:1) Says, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” KJV
(ii) WATER refers to the Holy Ghost and the anointing, but he says come to the water and buy without money.
(iii) The only way you can buy without money is to make an exchange for it.
(iv) Without temperance there is no exchange to purchase the anointing. (no money)
C) Turn with me to 1COR 9:24-27
1) Paul warns that unless you get your body under control, you will become a castaway.
(a) The word “CASTAWAY” means “UNAPPROVED, REJECTED, UNFIT, and REPROBATE.”
(b) It’s a pretty stiff warning.
(c) But he doesn’t stop there.
2) He continues with the word “MOREOVER,” which means what is to follow is even more important.
D) Look at what he says next 1COR 10:1-13
1) In (V 5) Paul says, “But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”
(a) WHY?
2) From reading what Paul said in (1COR 9:27) which says, “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.” AND what he said in (1COR 10 13). “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
(a) Their Problem was a lack of Temperance or SELF-CONTROL.
III) There were 4 major areas in which the children of Israel were overcome, and they’re found right here in (1COR 10), and they are IDOLATRY, FORNICATION, TEMPTING CHRIST, and MURMURING.
A) But keep in mind that each of these can be overcome with TEMPERANCE OR SELF-CONTROL.
1) Alright, let’s look at the 1st, IDOLATRY and it comes from (1COR 10:7) “Neither be ye idolaters.”
(a) The common definition of “IDOLATRY” is “bowing down to a graven image.”
(i) Now not many of us today have an urge to bow down and worship a golden cow.
(ii) But “Idolatry” goes beyond the worship of a cow.
(b) Look at COL 3:5
(i) Anything that we put before God is an idol to us. It might be your job, it might be money, TV, and it can even be your family.
(ii) If it comes before obeying the Word, then it’s an idol.
B) The 2nd thing that is mentioned in (1COR 10) is found in (V 8), which says, “Neither let us commit fornication.”
1) I think that we all know that the Word of God say that sex outside of marriage is wrong. And it is very serious.
2) But there is another area that is just as wrong and that is SPIRITUAL FORNICATION.
(a) What is SPIRITUAL FORNICATION?
(i) Very simply, it’s being in FRIENDSHIP with the WORLD.
(b) (James 4:4) Says, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” KJV
(i) The world’s system is opposed to God.
(ii) When you line yourself up with the World’s system, you involve yourself with something in opposition to the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. That’s spiritual fornication.
(c) You can operate your finances according to the world’s system or the WORD’S system.
(i) TEMPERANCE, when in operation will give you the power to choose God’s way of doing things. It will give you victory over physical and spiritual fornication.
C) The 3rd thing mentioned in (1COR 10) is found in (V 9) Which says, “Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.”
1) Another function of TEMPERANCE is to prevent you from tempting Christ.
2) Look at NUM 21:5-7
(a) Tempting Christ was by God’s people speaking against God and His Leadership.
(b) Saints of God please don’t speak against God’s anointed. The Israelites died for doing that.
(i) They had no power for victory. The only thing that they reaped was defeat and destruction.
(c) To have victory over this area- (tempting Christ) exercise temperance, don’t say a word against God’s anointed, and pray over the situation.
(i) Believe me, that’s in your best interest.
(ii) (Hebrews 13:17) “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” KJV
D) The 4th thing that is mentioned comes from (1 Corinthians 10:10) which says, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.” KJV
1) MURMURING is slightly different from Tempting Christ.
(a) Murmuring is complaining about circumstances and situation in your life.
(b) It’s speaking out the problem, and complaining about it.
(i) The Bible teaches that you are going to have what you say.
2) TEMPERANCE is also needed in this area.
(a) Exercise self-control by refraining for murmuring and complaining, and speak the Word of God only.
(i) When you do that you’re going to have the power and the anointing for victory in your situation.
IV) If a person lacks temperance in their life, they are walking in the flesh. And the only things they are going to reap are destruction or defeat.
A) But if we walk in the Fruit of Temperance we’re positioning ourselves in a place to receive God’s GRACE, POWER, and ANOINTING.
B) The more we walk in the Fruit of Temperance the more we’re going to experience the fullness of the anointing and Victory.
WOLCC Sunday, 9/7/97