The Lesson Of The Anointing

1 John 2:27 ESV - "But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie - just as it has taught you, abide in him."

Only a select group of people were anointed in the Hebrew scriptures. Kings and priests. It was very special. The recipe for the anointing oil was guarded and it was illegal to duplicate. The anointing oil in the scriptures points to the Holy Spirit. He is the true anointing.

I think it is the specialness that teaches us. We don't deserve to be annointed or to sense an anointing on others. The priests had their ears, a toe and a finger annointed for service. We can hear in the Spirit. Walk in the Spirit. Do things that are Spirit led things. We don't deserve that but still it us ours. It is a grace gift that the Holy Spirit will never leave us or forsake us and the knowledge of that reality teaches us. Knowing we have something we don't deserve makes us teachable in every situation.

I don't think it is a hyperspiritual sixth sense that is subjective. I think it is more like the state David must have been in after the prophet came to his fathers house and anointed him in secret. The prophet said David would be a king but David was just a boy. He must have looked back on that day and the knowledge that he was anointed must have informed his decisions. He could be brave knowing that he would not die. The prophet anointed him and what the prophet said had not yet come to pass.

We have that kind of information. If God has given us the Spirit then we have a purpose on the planet. Knowing we have a purpose teaches us a thing no one else can tell us but we can know with certainty.

You are special. God doesn't anoint everyone. Your ear can be touched by God. Your finger and toe can be sanctified for service.

I want this knowledge to inform me in ways no earthly teacher can. If I understand the anointing in me I have something precious that can't be taught in a classroom.

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Showing Us Where To Rest

People use this next passage about God's word in strange ways out of context but 'in context' we see that Bible words are a tool to show us where we are 'striving' or 'working' when we should be 'resting' in what Christ has already done.

"So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:9-13 ESV

The Spirit uses 'Bible words', ideas and concepts to lay things open and make a division between soul (our personality) and spirit (our new identity in Christ).

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." - 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

The new believing you can rest... should rest... needs to be shown where to rest in places where there has never been rest or rest has been lost because of a lie.

People think the Bible is going to show them what to do but first and foremost it is to show us what God has done so we can rest in that. Then we will want to be part of what He Is doing because there is rest there also.

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Cities Of Refuge

I believe in every age God provides cities of refuge because there are always going to be runners who need a place to run to.

"The cities that you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities." - Numbers 35:6 ESV

"The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment." - Numbers 35:12 ESV

"And the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he had fled, and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the boundaries of his city of refuge to which he fled, and the avenger of blood finds him outside the boundaries of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood. For he must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession." - Numbers 35:25-28 ESV

I believe in this age these are places that name the name of Christ. Those places should be places where you are safe from your past. The runner running from guilt and shame should be able to rest there.

I'm not talking about freedom from the penalty of crimes. Murder is still murder. Stolen money or property still need to be repaid and have penalties above and beyond.

Jesus Himself is the true city of refuge. His blood blots out all our sin and He Is available day and night.

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Go In With Him

We get to go into the garden with Him.

"And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, 'Pray that you may not enter into temptation.' And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, 'Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.' And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. and when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow," - Luke 22:39-45 ESV

His disciple were sleeping but if you read that passage you just went in with Him. Read it again. You know what He said. The book records it so you could 'hear' it. The Bible has given you 'insider information'.

Look at Him in the garden. Are you looking?

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." - Colossians 3:2-3 ESV

'Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.'

Religious people quote it and theologians argue about it but I just want to be there hearing it and seeing Him say it... and we are... the Bible can take us there if we just mix faith with what is being said.

The Bible can show us a side of many things we could never see ourselves. God gave us this book, in part, so that could happen.

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Behold, New Things Have Come

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, [this person is] a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." - 2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB20

That is the most literal translation I have found of this passage.

The word 'behold' in the Greek is idou (Strong's G2400) which is the second person singular imperative middle voice of the root word εἴδω (G1492). Imperative means it is a command. The middle voice is something we do to our self. So it basically means 'look at yourself'. Visualize the old things then look at the new things take their place.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation." - 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ESV

The old things will pass away? No. They have.

New things are here but the only way to see them is in / by / though Christ. This new identity parallels what Jesus has done.

The world and everyone in it deserved to be cut off but Jesus came and made a way of reconciliation. If we have believed in Him we are now partakers of the gift and caught up in the dynamic of reconciliation.

Don't hide from the old things. Don't sweep them under the rug. Look at yourself and say, 'New things have come. Right now newness is available in the person of Jesus Christ.'

What He has done has put us on a new path of reconciliation.

We can say, 'That is not who i am anymore. I am who God has made me to be.'

A child of God
A new creature
A king and a priest
Sealed with the Spirit
Access to God is opened
Forgiven
Justified
Sanctified
Seated in Heavenly places with Christ
A citizen of Heaven
Free from condemnation
Complete in Him (Christ)
...
the list goes on...

These are new things not old things. These must be seen and believed as we mix faith with what the Bible says. Jesus did this. He made this possible. Our cycles, strongholds, wounds and walls fall as we see who we seem to be but declare who we are by faith.

We hear about these new things in the Bible and in a good Church that teaches the Bible. We hear them and it begins to sink in. We see the transformation in people. We talk to each other as if these things are true.

'...The old has passed away; behold, the new has come...'

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Instant Interaction And People You Have Known A Long Time

Here are two things that are very important for relationships with people from 2 Timothy chapter four. Paul is talking to a young leader here but we can all benefit from this...

'...preach the word; be ready in season and out of season...'
That means all the time from the start and all through the relationship. Preaching or just talking about honest, real eternal things.

'...reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching...'
This is not instant. That phrase 'complete patience' speaks of long investment times. Teaching means your have and are discussing real things with that person or those people. They know that you care and are invested and they also know that truth is something that is important to you and that you have something weighty to contribute to their life.

Rebuking a stranger may just make them angry and with good reason because who are you to them? Have you visited them in the hospital? Have talked things out? No. Their first, second or even third impression is a rebuke? A humble wise person might receive that rebuke but that is a lot to ask from anyone.

"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching..," - 2 Timothy 4:1-3a ESV

I'd say that time is now but maybe part of the reason people won't hear sound teaching is because they have been rebuked with unsound and unkind words.

"We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church." - Ephesians 4:14b-15 NLT

Relationships can grow into something beautiful. Once they have deep roots they can withstand storms.

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A Royal Honor Code Of Love

"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." - Matthew 7:12 ESV

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." - John 13:34-35 ESV

There is a royal honor code. People have boundaries that other people should never cross. Respecting those lines is a way we love people.

Then there are lines that should be approached and only crossed if given permission.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20 ESV

"Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works." - 2 Timothy 4:14 NKJV

It is right to warn people about people if they are dangerous. That is also love. Not a rumor or gossip... a first hand account.

Knowing people is a great honor. Care can help someone out of a rut that they could not get out of themselves. Love can reveal a Risen Saviour. Carelessness can divide.

"A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. When wickedness comes, contempt comes also, and with dishonor comes disgrace." - Proverbs 18:2-3 ESV

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." - Psalm 19:14 ESV

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Plans And Problems

Does God see us or our behavior as a problem to be solved?

Just sitting here thinking about troubleshooting, problem solving, planning, God's will, response versus reaction and decision making in general.

Planning can be formulaic ( this + that = the expected outcome ) or it can be more experimental.

Troubleshooting is more problem or hindrance oriented.

These subjects may be things we have thought a lot about or not very much at all.

Does God have problems? What are His plans like as a being that lives outside of time with no beginning and no end? What is His will?

Yes, What is His will and how does that affect or involve us as individuals?

"...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works," - Hebrews 10:22-24 ESV

"But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." - Jude 1:20-25 ESV

We can have a prayer life full of adoration, planning and problem solving.

We can be proactive planners who act on what we know and move constructively into a thought out future that is experimental but is also working towards real outcomes.

We can think with God. I said we can think with the God who Is outside of time.

"[Lamedh]
Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast. By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts. The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your testimonies. I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad." - Psalm 119:89-96 ESV

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