As we continue in this study it important that we bring out the popular concepts and language used to talk about the “The Anointing” and “The Gifts of the Holy Spirit” within the Church setting. As we look at these ideas, we will be able to fit them into a Grace based paradigm and recognise the error of legalism we have all been exposed to for so long. Lets address the points often raised one by one.
Impartations
Can someone who is ministering under the Anointing impart Gifts, and Graces or Anointing to another person? The answer is yes and no. When you come under the field of influence that the anointing of the person ministering has it can affect you in a great way. Yes, the power of God can be administered from one person to another. Mark 5:25-34
People on the receiving end of the Anointing on the Preacher can be healed, delivered, or helped in many ways. It is even possible that some gift (ability) of the Holy Spirit is imparted to others so that they to end up operating in that same gift. In reality they’re not receiving anything they didn’t already have. They just weren’t working that gift yet. Watching another person flow in that gift and being under the influence of that Preacher’s anointing has jump started their awareness of that same gift within them. There will likely have been a transference of power from the Preacher to the receiving person. That power has then stirred up the gift within them and the Holy Spirit will teach them how to express that gift in their own unique personal way.
Those supernatural impartations, however, are a work orchestrated by God Himself. There may also the divine leading of God in your life where He causes you to be exposed to that ministry or minister for that purpose.
Most of the time what happens is that your exposure to the anointing working through someone else will stir up the anointing and gifts in you.
You may initially copycat someone else’s delivery style or method. However, if you let God teach you, it will eventually grow into your own personalized way of administering the gift. Remember you can’t just copycat anyone because you think it is the “in” thing or the latest exciting fad. Be honest and open with yourself and yield to and participate with what God is trying to teach or train you in. He may use others to give you a push in the back but ultimately you must develop your own sensory acuity to the leading of the Holy Spirit in you.
We all have access to all the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
When we say “I have this gift and you have these two gifts, we must remember they are not your or my gifts. They are the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In fact I don’t believe that the word “Gift” is the appropriate translation from the Greek word “Charis”. This word is often translated as “Grace” and even here it is important that the word Charis should be better translated as meaning “Ability”.
These gifts are not our abilities but the abilities of the Holy Spirit. If you go to a Church service, do you go with all of your being, or do you leave your head on the bed site cabinet? No, of course not. You go with the whole of you. When the Holy Spirit came to dwell in you, He came with all of Himself. He came with all His abilities. He came with all His gifts.
The following scripture is often used to talk about impartations. But you can’t just randomly impart gifts of the Spirit to anyone.
Rom 1:11 KJV
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established.
Much of the modern Christian Church has sadly developed a culture where the attendees of a local Church or Ministry are encouraged to become dependent upon the Preacher with the Anointing and certain “Gifts” of the Holy Spirit. This mentality of celebrity preachers puts them on a pedestal of “the man or woman of God” who hold the monopoly on the Anointing and the people who follow them learn to see themselves as “less anointed”. It is not always the preachers fault. It is a mentality that has been with us for a very long time, and often it it is the people who follow them who raise the preacher up to hero status. When the preacher does nothing to help change the people’s way of thinking they are endorsing a leadership style that is anti-grace principles. This paradigm of leadership also endorses a “top-down” hierarchical chain of command and is an environment that will quickly develop sectarian characteristics. Jesus said that it shall not be this way among you (Matthew 20:26). The type of leadership that is based on the principles of the Kingdom of God and Grace is one of servant hood. The word “minister” means servant. We are to encourage believers that 1) they can receive from God through the anointing and gift that operates through us, and more importantly 2) there is nothing I can give you, that you don’t already have. In the long term it is my job as a preacher and teacher of God’s word to coach and help the best (Christ) to come forth from within you. Below is a list of the meanings from the words used in this verse from the original Greek.
Impart = from the Greek Metadidomi meaning – to impart, and from the root Greek word didomi meaning – to cause to come forth i.e. to draw forth from within
Unto you = with you, together, collectively
Spiritual = Supernatural
Gift = working of Grace / God’s ability and Might
To the end = for the purpose of
Established = Strengthened
Now we can also read the above verse this way: I long to see you so that we may collectively draw upon the supernatural working of God’s ability within us for the purpose that we may be strengthened.
An unlimited portion
John 3:31-35 KJV
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. 32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. 33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. 34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. 35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
By measure also translates as: a limited portion. The words “unto Him” in verse John 3: 34 are not in the Greek Manuscripts. They were added by the translators.
Notice the words “For God” in verse 34, suggesting that God the Father gave the Holy Spirit to Jesus without measure. Technically this is true, but not conform to the context of the passage. The mention of “God” here is also not in the original Greek. The word “for” is not there either. For the sentence to flow correctly the addition word of “and” can be used. Therefore, the sentence can open with: “and He” (Meaning Jesus). John the Baptist was talking about Jesus and was describing what His ministry would do. In Mark 1:8 John the Baptist spoke of Jesus who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist says that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit (and fire – referring to the judgment that came on Jerusalem and apostate Israel 70 A.D.).
So clearly it is Jesus who pours out the Holy Spirit on all flesh. The Father promised the Holy Spirit for Jesus to give to the world. And when Jesus gave the Holy Spirit, He gave all of the Holy Spirit with all of His Gifts (abilities). John 15:26 and John 16:7-15.
The context of the passage is about Jesus and when leaving out the words “for God” and “unto Him” the sentence reads different. It is Jesus who is sent forth by God the Father and speaks the words of God and gives forth no limited portion of the Holy Spirit.
Example: For He (Jesus) whom God sends speaks the Words of God, and He (Jesus) does not give forth a limited portion of the Spirit.
It has been taught that Jesus had all the anointing and we believers only received a limited portion of the Spirit. Throughout, Jesus’ ministry He functioned in the entire fivefold ministry (Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher, and Evangelist) and took advantage of the full anointing that was upon His life. Though most of us will probably not all minister in all the fivefold ministry gifts this does not mean that we have been given a limited portion of the Holy Spirit.
I personally don’t like to think in limits when it comes to the anointing. If God sends me to do something I will have more than enough anointing available to accomplish what He wants to do through me.
From this concept of a limited portion of the Holy Spirit, as if the Holy Spirit could be divided up into portions, evolves the assumption that different believers each have their own apportioned stronger or lesser anointing. The Bible doesn’t emphasize that God designated special or different anointings to each believer by random selection. What is clear in scripture is that many different people took advantage of the Holy Spirit’s anointing to a lesser or greater degree and flowed in many different operations of the Holy Spirit.
Increase the Anointing
It has also often been taught that we could increase the anointing upon us through our own spiritual discipline. But there is nothing we can do to earn more of the Spirit or more of the anointing. The Anointing is directly related to the baptism with the Holy Spirit. We can’t get more of the Holy Spirit, and Power once we have been baptised with the Holy Spirit. But there are things we can do to operate in more or less of the fullness of the Holy Spirit, the power of God and the anointing available to us. Eternal redemption was something Christ secured for all of humanity by His faith. We receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit by our faith. Being baptised in the Holy Spirit is only the beginning of learning to yield to Him and draw on His work in us.
Once filled with the Holy Spirit can you receive more of His Spirit?
No. You can’t have more of His Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit can have more of you. The key is to learn to yield to the Holy Spirit. Factors which can influence our sensitivity to the direction of the Holy Spirit are:
Being established in the healthy doctrine of the Gospel Truth
Study the Word of God and increase your overall knowledge of the general outline of the Bible, the congruence of the books in the Bible and comprehend how the Gospel emerges through the scriptures.
Prayer, with importance on praying in unknown tongues, also known as praying in the Spirit.
Keeping a conscience clear of guilt. However, when you know you have conducted yourself in way not representative of Christ’s divine nature in you and you are struggling with a sense of guilt, It is crucial to apply your faith in the finished work of Christ as soon as you can. The faith that the blood of Jesus keeps us cleansed of all sin and unrighteousness that will give us a sense of being forgiven and made righteous. Being established in that truth will cause our conscience to bear witness to to that truth testify forgiveness and acceptance to our hearts.
Be Filled
The book of Luke and the book of Acts were written by Luke. Anytime, we read the words: “filled” within the context of being filled with the Holy Spirit, the Greek word actually means: Influence.
Ephesians 5:18 KJV
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (rioting, recklessness, confusion); but be filled with the Spirit.
The late Dr Kenneth E. Hagin Sr. explains the word “be” from the above verse as actually saying: “to be, being” (double positive) explained in practical English as “to be continually filled”.
So then instead of being intoxicated with wine wherein is excess be continually influenced by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit dwells in our spirit. He doesn’t leave. You can’t have more of the Holy Spirit in your spirit. But your heart and soul could experience sense of lack of the presence of God the Holy Spirit.
John 7:37-39 KJV
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Through your faith in Jesus and the Gospel truth in a figure of speech as used in the above verses, you continually drink from His anointing which always abides in your spirit 24/7 and irrigate your heart and soul. By believing His Word and acting upon your faith you are yielding to the Holy Spirit so allow His influence in you and through you. Drinking from the rivers of living water is a symbolic way of saying we should yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit by faith.
That’s why some believers may have more of an expression of God’s power by the Holy Spirit than others. It’s because some people yield themselves more to the Holy Spirit than others. However, we all have access to the same well of salvation, and rivers of living water, which never run dry.
Ephesians 3:19 KJV
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
The word “know” in the above verse is from the Greek ginosko and means, experiencing, feeling.
Being filled with all the fullness of God, which will be by the Holy Spirit, can happen through the laying on of hands by another minister/believer. However, this scripture tells us clearly that feeling and experiencing the fullness of God is determined by how much we experience the love of Christ. Experiencing the love of Christ can happen through all kinds of circumstances, but there is no substitute for being rooted and grounded in the Gospel truth of God’s love for you. In addition, to be strengthened with might (empowered) by His Holy Spirit in our inner man is a direct result from being rooted and grounded in the revelation and the experience of the love that God has for you in Christ. Contrary to the believe of many Christians, the inner man is not the spirit. It is our Mind, Soul and heart. Our spirit doesn’t need strengthening. Our spirit is complete and made ONE spirit with Christ. The Holy Spirit dwells in our spirit and from our spirit flow into our inner man where we need strengthening (material for another study).
Ephesians 3:16-17 KJV
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,..
The Holy Spirit leaking out of you?
Seriously, of all the ridiculous statements I heard in services; this one tops it. The Holy Spirit lives in you. He is there to stay. He will not abandon you. Even when you sin? Yes, even if you sin. But the Holy Spirit can’t speak to sinners. Really? How then would He convince anyone of their need to put faith in Jesus? The Holy Spirit is not fragile and scared when you make foolish decisions. He is there to convince you that there is a better way. When you decided to do your own thing anyway, and feel guilty afterward, He is there to let you know that God the Father still loves you, and you are still accepted and forgiven. This is no a get out clause to live a destructive lifestyle. This is the power out of the vicious trap of condemnation, and then to learn to live a life that expresses the resurrection life of Christ through your personality by victory over temptation.
Passing on the mantle
1 Kings 19:19 KJV
19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
Taken from this example of Elijah the mantle symbolizes the anointing upon someone being passed onto someone else who continues in a similar ministry. The mantle thrown over Elisha would mean that he was called to follow Elijah to receive training and eventually his anointing.
When you follow another’s ministry closely you will be influenced by it. This can be an opportunity that was orchestrated by God. He will bring you in contact with the right people who will play a vital part in your training and development. However, you should also understand that Elijah’s mantle is a type of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit under the Old Testament Covenants being passed onto the New Covenant in the New Testament. We can see that the Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New Covenant is more powerful than it was under the Old Covenants.
A double portion
2 Kings 2:9 KJV
9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
You will probably have seen Preachers lay hands on others praying for a double portion of their anointing to come upon the recipient. But to stay true to the scriptures, the double portion is a type of the anointing in the New Testament. Elijah who was taken up is a type and a shadow of the ascension of Christ. Elisha is a type and shadow of the New Covenant Church. The mantle and double portion are the type and shadow of the empowerment by the Holy Spirit since the day of Pentecost. The Church received the mantle of Jesus and a double portion of His anointing that is upon Him.
John 14:12 KJV
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
The works Jesus did are referring to the miracles and healings performed in His ministry. The greater works refer to the fact that we would lead people to the revelation of the new birth which Jesus couldn’t do Himself before His resurrection. He alluded to the resurrection and the birth of the new creation, but it did not yet exist during His time of Ministry. One such great example is His conversation with Nicodemus in John 3. The next great work that Jesus could not do during His time of Ministry before His death and resurrection was to announce universal forgiveness for all men, women, and children across the world. This has become our Good News in a nutshell, you are forgiven, fully accepted in the beloved, you are born of God made a new creation.
The Stamp of Approval
Acts 2:22 KJV
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of (by) God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Meaning of the word “approved” in the English dictionary means: to have or express a favorable opinion of, to accept as satisfactory. The word “by” just before the word “miracles” does not exist in the original manuscript. But the word “by” is hidden in this sentence in plain sight in the Greek original. It is part of the word that was translated as “approved”. The Greek word is “apo” and means preposition with further supporting words such as “because of”. It is also often not clear where there should be a “comma”, or “full stop” punctuation to indicate the break or end of a sentence in the Greek manuscript.
So then the above verse could read; Acts 2:22 (Patrick)
“Ye men of Israel, hear these words concerning; Because Jesus of Nazareth, was a man approved (accepted, and that God had a favorable opinion of Him, and that God being satisfied with Him) of God among you, God did miracles and wonders and signs through him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know”
Being anointed or filled with the Holy Spirit is not what caused Christians to display God’s power. We know that to be true because we currently have millions of Christians around the world who are filled with the Holy Spirit but haven’t got the slightest clue how the exercise the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and they do not operate in the power of God.
It is not the baptism with the Holy Spirit that will cause a believer to manifest the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is the revelation knowledge that you are approved of God that will give you the confidence and the boldness to know that God is with you as you take a step of faith to operate in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 2:1-4 KJV
1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts (distributed) of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.
These words, “according to His will” does that mean; if He wills to do something then He will do it, but if He doesn’t will to do something it won’t get done? If that were so we have absolutely nothing to do with it. Even if we were to take a step of faith how then would you know He wills to move? Faith is not blind but acts upon the evidence of God’s word.
What these word “according to His will” convey is “I accomplished my goal just as I determined to”. So then read verse 4 this way, “God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers’ miracles, and gifts even as the Holy Spirit predetermined to perform those gifts”.
The question should not be whether it is God’s will to move now? The question should be, are you willing to yield and participate with Him?
Anointed by works or through faith?
Gal 3:1-5 KJV
1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Does one receive the Holy Spirit because they have made themselves holy enough through self-effort and self-discipline? Did they qualify themselves? Or did they receive the Holy Spirit by faith according to the scriptures? The one who ministers in the gifts of the Holy Spirit does he it because he is living an impressive disciplined lifestyle and cultivated his holiness or does he operate them by faith? It is often mistakenly assumed that someone who does minister in the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit has reached a certain level of spirituality. The truth is new believers can operate in the power of the Holy Spirit even though they have not had formal training, or obtained a degree in Theology, and had a senior Christian show them how to do it.
Being used by God to operate in the power of the Holy Spirit is not necessarily proof of spirituality. Some have said our love walk is the sure proof of spirituality. Even though that would be closer to the truth I think of King David who committed murder to cover his adultery and yet was called a man after God’s heart. Abraham almost sold out his own wife twice to safe his own skin and was called the Father of Faith. The Apostle Peter denied the Lord three times. After he repented and was filled with the Holy Spirit, he still had tendencies towards a hypocritical attitude. In Galatians we read how the Apostle Paul confronted Peter for not wanting to be seen eating with the Gentile Christians when Jewish Christians came to visit the Church in Antioch. Some seem to believe that Paul was perfect. He was the Apostle who had a personal revelation of Jesus and was used to explain the Gospel in his letters making up more than half of the New Testament. However, he had his character issues as well.
In 1 Samuel where the Lord refers to David as a man after God’s own heart, it does not mean that David had a perfect heart. It meant that David had a heart that sought after God. When David realized his wrongs, he turned to God for forgiveness and restoration. He was willing to put God first at the expense of His reputation. This is by no means the excuse for sin or wrong-doing but it does describe the character of a person who is spiritual. A person who is spiritual is an individual who seeks after God and walks with Him whether they are at their best or worse. They are learning to trust God. Right living will not produce right believing but right believing will ultimately produce right living.
In order to allow for the ministry of the Holy Spirit and any move or manifestation of the Holy Spirit it is vital that we are established in the revelation of the Gospel of Grace.
In 1993 I witnessed many of the meetings in the United States known as “Holy Ghost Meetings”. Some of them were extremely powerful and life changing. In fact, the memories of the experiences I had in those meetings is partly my reason for this study. This move quickly swept across America and then the rest of the world to some degree or another. June 6, 1996, we moved from Tulsa, OK to Austria to help a ministry organisation there. At that time many of the ministers were trying to reproduce that same kind of “Holy Ghost” meetings in Austria. It was a horrible experience having been in so many of these wonderful meetings back in the USA and then witness people’s extreme efforts to try and copy it all. Even though there were moments where the Lord was genuinely doing some great things during those types of meetings in Austria, eventually it all died down. That’s because if you’re trying to fabricate a move of God in the flesh you will get tired quickly. By the end of 1997 that particular move of God even seemed to gradually decrease everywhere else in the world.
There are different reasons why that happened. It involves motives of the heart; it takes knowing the Holy Spirit to some degree but more than anything it takes being established in New Covenant of Grace. Even those who are used of God and display a level power in their ministry; to the degree that their doctrine is legalistic (performance-based righteousness) to that degree they are guaranteed to eventually kill the move of the Holy Spirit. I believe that is partly what happened in 1997/98. The Church as a whole still requires much more renewing of the mind into the New Covenant revelation of grace. When the message of Grace (righteousness through the faith of Christ) and the love of God for us is strongly taught across the world it will be accompanied by the mightiest move and workings of the Holy Spirit more than ever seen in all of Church history.