Do Not Become Lost In The Crowd; Stay By His Side. Peter’s Mistake, I Believe, Was That He Left The Side Of The Savior To Warm Himself By Strange Fires. If You Want Direction In Your Lives, No Matter How Good It Appears To Be: STAY BY HIS SIDE...

Warming Ourselves by the Enemy’s Fire: Do not become lost in the crowd; keep fixated on the Lord. Stay by His side. Peter’s mistake, I believe, was that he left the side of the Savior and warmed himself in the camp of the ones who were out to destroy Him and all those connected to Him. We warm ourselves by the fires of greed, fame, power, judgment, lust, gossip, worthlessness, anger, and envy and then cry out, “Where are You, Jesus? He never left our side; we left His side to warm ourselves with other things than His love. If you want to see miracles happen, healing takes place, and if you want direction in your lives, whatever it takes, STAY BY HIS SIDE, not at a distance. I now try to be like the other disciples and to follow Him even unto the cross. I want to be the one who will go to the ends of the earth with Jesus.

Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So, the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”  Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves.

Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself…. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So, they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”  One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?”  Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed. John 18: 15 -18; 25 – 27

As a leader, minister, Rev, evangelist, and pastor I often hear different people ask, “Why does it seem that my life is going nowhere?” When I ask for clarity, they share that it seems like their spiritual lives are stagnating and stale. And as we dive deeper into the discussion, it often becomes revealed that they are not near the Lord. They share that they were following the Lord and somehow noticed one day He was not anywhere to be found.

What a sad discovery to come upon; especially when it is YOU who realizes this. Do not lose heart, dear friends, you are not the only ones this happens to many people; even those who were walking closely with the Lord. In this passage, we see two disciples: Peter and the other disciple (many scholars believe this to be John the Beloved; the one whom Jesus gave charge over His mother to at the crucifixion.) coming to be with Jesus during His last night on earth before His resurrection. John follows Jesus into the courtyard and Peter decided to warm himself by the fires of those who have just turned their backs on Jesus. These people followed the ways of earthly rulers and leaders because they did not see Jesus for who He is. Both Peter and John did see this, and John never wanted to leave the side of Christ. Peter decided to warm himself up at the enemy’s fire.

While there, Peter is confronted by those around him that he (Peter) was with Jesus. It is not fair for me to say that Peter thought this or that at that time, so I will not pretend to know. However, what I do know is that just hours before, Peter pledged to not only live for Jesus but was willing to die for Him. Jesus, knowing all things, told Peter that he would deny even knowing Him. Peter, being the hard-headed person he was, argued with Jesus that it would never happen! As the story shares, it came to pass. In Luke’s passage (Luke 22:31 – 32), Jesus even shares how He prayed for Peter and testified that he (Peter) would be restored to fellowship with Him.

Mark 14:54: Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself by the fire. NIV

Mark 14:66-68. While Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the servant girls of the high priest came down and saw him warming himself there. She looked at Peter and said, “You also were with Jesus the Nazarene.”  But he denied it. “I do not know or even understand what you are talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, and the rooster crowed.… Peter’s mistake, I believe, was that he left the side of the Savior and warmed himself in the camp of the ones who were out to destroy Him and all those connected to Him. That same experience is happening today. Some follow Jesus even into the courtyards and the possibility of facing the same fate as Him and there are those (even “Christians”) who will be content separating themselves from Him to be warmed by the worldly fires. And like Peter, will deny even knowing Jesus. We warm ourselves by the fires of greed, fame, power, judgment, lust, gossip, worthlessness, anger, and envy and then cry out, “Where are You, Jesus? Why did You leave me?” He never left our side; we left His side to warm ourselves with other things than His love.

Jesus, unlike ourselves, can be in the world and not of it (meaning that He can be around those people who influence us to stray from God’s side and stand firm.)

We can spend time by the enemy’s fire; warming ourselves with its light only to find that we were colder and more bitter than when we were with Jesus. I now try to be like the other disciple and to follow Him even unto the cross.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18, “Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light the best friend with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way: “I’ll live in them, move into them; I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people. So, leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good,” says God. I want you all for myself. I’ll be a Father to you; you’ll be sons and daughters to me.” The Word of the Master, God.” (MSG)

Do you find yourself suddenly apart from the Lord? Wonder where you lost sight of Him? Are you warming yourselves by the fires of your soul’s enemy? Do not become lost in the crowd; keep fixated on the Lord. Stay by His side. Grab hold of Him if you need to. Whatever it takes, STAY BY HIS SIDE if you want to see miracles happen, healing takes place, and if you want direction in your lives.

We cannot blind ourselves though; you can easily still have moments of what I call “Peter Syndrome”, meaning that you might try to warm yourself with the enemy’s fire. Trying to rekindle an old flame while married, this will only keep your infidelity warm temporarily, traveling down shady lane, where drugs or alcohol are surely to be found, the casinos have gone from casual visiting to your living quarters, lying, stealing, gossiping, backbiting, things a person find themselves doing because they have distanced themselves from staying close to Jesus. I hope that whoever is reading this inspirational reading never develops a relapse of it; some of us already know what would happen.

If you’re needing to know God’s direction right now, don’t focus so much on figuring out The Plan. Focus on staying close to the man, to Jesus, whose plan it is. Living in God’s Will isn’t supposed to be this stressful spiritual mystery game. Relax and do the things that get you really close to the person, or in the words of the Bible Stay close to the King … wherever He goes!

There are eight words in 2 Chronicles 23:7 that I’ve typed out and posted on my computer desk. These eight words remind me of the secret of knowing and doing what God has planned in any given situation. In this chapter, a coalition of military and spiritual leaders is working to put the rightful king on the throne in Judah – even though he’s only a boy. The temple staff, the Levites, are given a straightforward assignment, and here are those eight words: Stay close to the king wherever He goes. That’s our assignment, too. And when we fulfill this assignment, we’ll be led naturally and supernaturally – into the next steps we’re supposed to take knowing God’s Will for our lives. It’s not your cleverness in figuring it out; It’s Your Closeness to the God Whose Will You’re Looking For! That’s the Focus of John 10, which describes us as sheep following our Shepherd. Jesus said, My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow Me; (John 10:27) NIV. See, it’s about being where you can hear His voice – not figuring out some spiritual jigsaw puzzle called The Will of God.

You see the Bible list many scriptures about fire, but when you start keeping yourself warm by other fires, that’s not of God, we have a problem. From literal the fire of God’s wrath and destruction, to the symbolic imagery of vision, baptism, and judgment, fire is one of the most powerful themes in the Bible. These Bible Verses include the many ways fire was represented in the biblical text.

Exodus 19:18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently.

Mark 14:54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.

Luke 22:56. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him. and said, “This man was with him.”

Father, there is nothing more warming than to be by Your side. Please take our hand when we want to warm ourselves with anything else that is not Your Love. I want to follow You like John and when I stray from Your side, let me have the heart of Peter and weep bitterly for ever leaving your side. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com

“Paul And Silas Have Turned The Rest Of The World Upside Down, Now They Are Here Disturbing Our City,” They Shouted.” When Is The Last Time We Touched The World, In Such A Way That We Disturbed Their Sin? When Is The Last Time You Disturbed The Devil...

Acts 17:6, “…PAUL AND SILAS HAVE TURNED THE REST OF THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN, AND NOW THEY ARE HERE DISTURBING OUR CITY,” THEY SHOUTED.” (TLB) – Now, when is the last time we touched the world, and unbelievers, in such a way that we disturbed them? Disturbed their sin, their wickedness, their unbelief, their habits and addictions. When is the last time you disturbed the devil? When is the last time you turn the city upside down? When is the last time you gave someone a taste of God by giving them a touch from God?

One of the most encouraging Psalms that I meditate on is this one. It always soothes my soul. Psalm 103 KJV—Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.  When your identity is grounded in God, you become part of a bigger picture when you trust in Him. And you will begin to live out the excellent plan He has written for your life.

Matthew 5:13, “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.” (MSG)

The whole reason we’re here is to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. But if the salt never touches anything, how does it change anything? Which makes me think of the evangelism that has so greatly halted in our churches. Oh, we go to church week-after-week, Sunday School; Sunday worship; prayer; bible study; meetings; rehearsals; revivals; special services and the like, and we’re quite comfortable sitting in our sanctuaries (aka “saltshakers”), well contained! Problem? Salt is touching salt but touching nothing else! Selah…

For you to TASTE salt, it must TOUCH something! For salt to change something, it has to touch something. For us salty Christians to change something, or someone, we’ve got to touch it and them! We can’t remain in the saltshaker, where we’re useless because we’re touchless and tasteless.

Therefore, we can’t sit in our churches and complain about the world and the way it is, while we sit in the salt-shaker sanctuary touching nothing and no one. Just imagine if we left the salt-shaker sanctuary and went to shake some salt in the nursing homes, in the hospitals, in the prisons, in the homeless shelters, in the soup kitchens. What change might we bring about if only we’d leave the salt-shaker sanctuary? If we shook some salt while standing in the grocery aisle, in the barbershop, or at the nail and hair salon? What if we shook some salt at our jobs, in our families and in our communities? What if we shook some salt on that drug-infested park, or gang-infested territory? What if we shook some salt as we walked the streets from day-to-day, passing countless ‘tasteless’ individuals on the way? I mean after all, the Bible says that’s what we’re here for, right? Isn’t that our purpose? Isn’t that our charge? Isn’t that our call?

Is it possible that people haven’t tasted God because we haven’t touched them with Him? With His unconditional love, His sufficient grace, and new mercies. With His forgiveness, kindness, compassion, and encouragement. With His protection, provision, and presence. With His unspeakable joy and reassuring peace. I reiterate, is it possible that people haven’t tasted God, because we haven’t touched them with Him?

James 4:17, “REMEMBER, IT IS SIN TO KNOW WHAT YOU OUGHT TO DO AND THEN NOT DO IT.” (NLT) Disobedience is Still Sin! Selah…

Do you remember when you opened your life to Christ how dependent you were on Him; how hungry you were to get into His Word; how boldly and frequently you prayed; how trusting you were? Well, you see, these verses are necessary to talk to us about our roots because we have a tendency to get lazy about those spiritual roots! There was a time when you couldn’t kick us out of the church; we left school, work and anywhere else to be in the House of the Lord…and now people don’t even know if we’re still members because they rarely, if ever, see us in attendance. Many believers today behave like unbelievers, we’ve become annual holiday visitors to church! But when we first believed, we lived to be in the church. We were at every meeting; every rehearsal; every lesson; every sermon; every outreach program. We had a hunger and thirst to be in the House of the Lord, building the House of the Lord! There was desperation that has since evaporated! What happened? There was a time when we were so close to the Living Waters, digesting every drop, flourishing and waving our leaves of victory…and then suddenly everything evaporated!

This speaks of what we are to look like and live like. This speaks of our conduct, behavior, character, growth, and development. This speaks of the examples and standards that we are to set. This speaks of the image, likeness, reflection, and representation we are to show forth. We are to walk as one with Him. Conform to Him. Look, think and act like Him. And how do we do this? We do so by having our roots (the core of who and what we are) being firmly and deeply planted in Him, fixed, and founded in Him. That sounds like we need to put some serious work in! Which means this is not for the lazy, or the weak. To make something firm or to give something in depth or to ensure something is planted, fixed, and founded, requires work! This doesn’t happen overnight. Nor can you snap your finger and have growth, maturity, and development appear. As believers, this will take the consistency of bible study, Sunday school, prayer, fasting, devotional time, and consecration to the Lord to attain. You cannot, however, get this by showing up part-time on the most celebratory services of the church. You can’t get this by the position or title you hold, or the chair that happens to hold you. You don’t get this via popularity or electoral vote. You don’t get this because of how long you’ve been there, who you’re connected to, or who you are (or think you are) in your own high-minded imagination. No, this comes through servanthood, humility, obedience, discipline, diligence, perseverance, and faithfulness!

Church, what has happened to us?

Our attitudes haven’t improved; our dress attire looks no different than it did when we were unsaved in the club; we still cuss, drink, smoke (you know, all those things we like to call our ‘struggles and strongholds’, when in fact they’re more like our comfortable habits and addictions that we have no intentions on changing (especially if no one else finds out about them). We can’t reflect the image and likeness of Christ, but we can sure selfie. We can text in church but can’t properly expound on a sermon text. We have thousands of friends in our social media circles but can’t count 10 people in our church circle that can confirm our character. We can network on the web but not meet the needs of the needy in our neighborhoods. We have more saints on ‘Facebook live’ than we have ‘living epistles’ in the church.

I have a question? Where did we lose the cutting edge? We used to be sharp, we used to be on fire, but then we lost it, where did you lose it?  Most of us, if somebody asked, know exactly where you lost it. You say, you know I was 32 years old; you know that I was this age, and I was that age, and I was over there when I went off to college. You know I moved to another city; you know exactly where you lost it. Go back, He said when you use to be on fire for me. Go back to where you used to be passionate and didn’t have anything, but Me and you had to trust Me. Go back to that place and depend on Me like your very life depended on it. Go back to the place where you lost it and put a stick on it.

Go back & stick to your prayers, stick to your confessions, go back, and stick to your studying, the word of God, go back to tithing, go back, go back to it and stick to it and find the place where you were winning and stick to what you were doing. Go back to your core and when you do go back, you will discover that God was just sending you back to the basics because so many people begin to fail, because they walked away from their basics. It amazes me when people started doing well, they came out of noting, and all of a sudden they start putting God on a back burner and God say we need to go back to our basics, go back to our core before we had degrees, go back before we had advanced training and special seminars for this and more sophisticated equipment and computers, go back when you had to trust Me when nobody but you and a few family members, go back when it was just you and a friend, go back the way you prayed then, like your life depended on it. Go back to the basics.

Because the Bible reads: “Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights HE WAS TESTED BY THE DEVIL. He ate nothing during those days, and when the time was up, he was hungry. The Devil, playing on his hunger, gave the first test: “Since you’re God’s Son, command this stone to turn into a loaf of bread.” JESUS ANSWERED BY QUOTING DEUTERONOMY: “It takes more than bread to really live.” For the second test he led him up and spread out all the kingdoms of the earth on display at once. Then the Devil said, “They’re yours in all their splendor to serve your pleasure. I’m in charge of them all and can turn them over to whomever I wish. Worship me and they’re yours, the whole works.” JESUS REFUSED, AGAIN BACKING HIS REFUSAL WITH DEUTERONOMY: “Worship the Lord your God and only the Lord your God. Serve him with absolute singleheartedness.” For the third test the Devil took him to Jerusalem and put him on top of the Temple. He said, “If you are God’s Son, jump. It’s written, isn’t it, that ‘he has placed you in the care of angels to protect you; they will catch you; you won’t so much as stub your toe on a stone’?” “YES,” SAID JESUS, “AND IT’S ALSO WRITTEN, ‘Don’t you dare tempt the Lord your God.’” That completed the testing. The Devil retreated temporarily, lying in wait for another opportunity.” (Luke 4:1-11 MSG)

JESUS WASN’T LURED BY THE SMOOTH PATTER OF THE DEVIL’S TONGUE…SO WHY ARE WE (WHO HAVE HIS POWER WITHIN) SO EASILY BEGUILED?

Which is why I reiterate, how did we get here Church? How did we reach such heights, with no depth? How did we get to this place of importance that we traded it for significance? When did we become so engrossed in becoming the same that we’ve forfeited making a difference? When did entertainment supersede education, encouragement, and empowerment? When did our calendars become busier than our calling? When did our fruit begin rotting?

I find this most terrifying because in the same breath, we can look around us at what’s happening and listen to the radio and see all that’s going on in the news and in our government and still we’ll say, we’re living in the end times.’ But if in fact we are, is this what the church should look and live like? Is this what we as believers should reflect in our public and private lives and lifestyles?  Do you wonder, when the trumpet sounds, can we honestly say that we’ve made people aware, and that we’ve lived in a state of readiness? When He returns, are we sure that we’ll return with Him?

Do you know some things about the Lord that you didn’t know a month ago? Have you given Him some new ground that He didn’t have a month ago? Are you praying in fresh, new ways? Is your relationship with God mostly vertical…not horizontal, just when you’re with His people? In the right social settings and circles. Can you say that you’re growing in God daily and not just giving the appearance of growth?

Today is a great day for us to begin again. A day to repent, turn and change. A day to restore, revive, renew, and redeem the remainder of our days that we will have made an impact on the world, instead of just an impression. Let today be the day that you go deeper in God. Not just Sunday services, but personal devotional services with just you and God in your prayer closet. I know in this day and age; everything has to be seen. But sometimes you need a moment away from the limelight and spotlight and simply spend quiet time with God in your dim prayer closet. Ask Him to develop your negatives in the darkroom so you can become the light of the world that you should have been all along.

Instead of being a show for the world, let’s show the world Him. No personal glory, just God. Let’s show them what humility looks like. What servanthood looks like. What discipleship looks like. What growth, maturity and development look like. What faith, hope, trust, and obedience look like. What does unconditional love look like? What does accountability and responsibility look like? What change looks like. What do depth and roots look like? Today, Let’s Not Worry About Going Higher, But Going Deeper!

Luke 8:14-15, “And as for what fell among the thorns, these are [the people] who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked and suffocated with the anxieties and cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not ripen (come to maturity and perfection). But as for [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just (noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience.” (AMPC); When you read Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the Sower in the Message translation it brings a real sense of what happens concerning the Word that God gives. I must look at what I’m doing with the seeds God places in my heart.

Psalm 34:8, “Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see – how good God is. Blessed are you who run to Him.” (MSG)

How can people “taste” how good God is, if we’re His salt, but we never leave the salt-shaker?

I’m sure God would love to hear His salt getting out of the shaker more often! After all, the work salt is supposed to do is not inside the saltshaker, all clustered together with the other salt. It’s supposed to get out and change the flavor of something!

Furthermore, how are they to be BAPTIZED, without us touching them?

And how do we use anything as an excuse, when God Himself said, “…AND LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS [REMAINING WITH YOU PERPETUALLY – REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE, AND ON EVERY OCCASION], EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE.” What can we possibly use as an excuse for why we have not done what He “COMMANDED”?

According to Jesus, “You are the salt of the earth… “, not of the sanctuary! But of the entire Earth! Which means we must leave from within the church walls. We must operate outside of our comfort zones, our pulpits, and pews. We must leave the meeting and the auxiliaries. We must leave the Fellowship to go Fellow-Ship before they all Drown!

Can you imagine the horror on the face of an individual who’s fighting with all their might, absolutely terrified that they may die any minute while trying to stay afloat in the troubling waters of life…and yet, we, the church, Jesus’ Life-Guards, are standing on the shore, watching…equipped to help…but just watching…knowing how to save…but choosing to just watch…having the Word that will deliver from destruction…and yet we remain, just watching.

People are struggling at sea because the saints are only concerned with their safety on shore. We are comfortable standing on the shore before we are afraid to go out into the deep. This should not be!

You don’t keep salt stored up together in the shaker any more than you stand as a lifeguard on shore and watch someone drown. No, you scatter salt around so it will be in contact with the things that need their flavor changed. No lifeguard just stands on the shore and yells, “see if you can make it over here to me, then I can help you”. No, it’s the lifeguard’s job to look for those who may need him, and he goes out to them, he does not wait and hopes they will come to him. And unfortunately, that’s what we’ve been doing as a church. We see people struggling to stay afloat in the troubling waters of life, and instead of going out to help them, we’re standing on shore, yelling, “see if you can make it over here to my church, my service, my program, then I can help you.” That’s not how this is supposed to work.

Listen, Jesus left Heaven to get to us, Satan left Hell to get to us, and yet we won’t even leave the church to make disciples?

As Christians we were never meant to be all clustered together in a spiritual saltshaker, just salting each other and soaking up more blessings, miracles, and the like for ourselves. The salt’s got to be in direct contact with the meat or the vegetables that need it. So, guess what? You and I must be in meaningful contact with the people who really, really need our Jesus. We’re not supposed to be hiding out, playing defense all the time, trying to keep from being contaminated by avoiding the world that Jesus left us here to change! We need to have the world testify about us as they did about some of Jesus’ more effective disciples:

(MSG) When is the last time we’ve made an impact like this on the world as the church?! When is the last time we went door-to-door letting them know Jesus is King? When is the last time we’ve attacked sin, the very thing the unbeliever holds dear? When is the last time we touched the world in such a manner that they couldn’t deny the taste of God? They took the gospel message “EVERYWHERE”! And we can’t get folks to leave the sanctuary or the community!

People of God, we must do more than rub shoulders with each other in the saltshaker sanctuary! Think about it, salt on top of salt is dangerous and deadly to our physical health…could be just as dangerous and deadly to our spiritual health as well?

Listen, if we are in the last evil days we should be: Preaching the gospel truth message to the masses as God’s servants! Not to each other! But to others! If we don’t touch, they don’t taste, they’ll just settle for tickling! Do you really want to be held responsible for that?

Like it or not, but if your time is pretty much spent with Christians, well you’re missing your mission! We’ll do that in heaven! We’ll hang out together all the time, for all eternity! But right now, we’ve got to be involved with some people who aren’t going to heaven yet! It’s time for you to take all that you’ve been storing up spiritually and start taking it to places and people where it’s really needed. They’re all around us waiting for a touch and a taste, let’s not let them down! Remember: “…if you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness?” They can’t taste godliness without first touching your saltiness. So, are you within reach? Are you salty? Are you in use? Are you available? Are you touchable?

Let today be the day that you challenge yourself, your family and friends, your community and certainly your church to come out the saltshaker and touch the world with a taste of God! Many are waiting, to be counted in number with the few who are in fact available to proclaim the message of salvation to the masses!

Remember: Salt With No Touch Has No Taste! Reach Them Today!

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com

The Devil Hasn’t Been Fighting You For Where You Are, But For Where You’re GOING…He Was Trying To Block Your Future. Stay Close To God And Stay On Your Path… And Watch The Lord Bring It To Pass! Remember These Seven Vital Lessons On The Anointing Oil...

The Fresh Anointing Oil. According to the Bible, the "COSTLY ANOINTING OIL" is tied directly to "how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in UNITY." And yet, somehow, the church still manages to fight and compete for more over the "anointing/anointed" than they are willing to come together and work together on the same team for the same goal. Listen, you can't tell me you're anointed and yet you're at odds with your brothers and sisters in Christ who are connected and fitly joined in the same One Body. The anointing is yoked to your unity, not disunity. 

A Well-Known Fact Is This: If People Can Lift You Up, They Can Also Very Well Let You Down! Remember That!  And if you think they won't do the very same to you, just ask Jesus! The same that yelled "Hosanna, Hosanna," in one breath, were the very same people who inhaled then exhaled "Crucify Him, Crucify Him." The anointing is yoked to your unity, not disunity. 

The Psalmist writes: "How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along! It's like costly anointing oil FLOWING DOWN head and beard, FLOWING DOWN Aaron's beard, FLOWING DOWN the collar of his priestly robes. It's like the dew on Mount Hermon FLOWING DOWN the slopes of Zion. Yes, that's where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life." (Psalm 133:1-3 MSG).

I want us to look at a few (7) vital lessons found here:

1…According to the Bible, the "COSTLY ANOINTING OIL" is tied directly to "how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in UNITY." And yet, somehow, the church still manages to fight and compete for more over the "anointing/anointed" than they are willing to come together and work together on the same team for the same goal. Listen, you can't tell me you're anointed and yet you're at odds with your brothers and sisters in Christ who are connected and fitly joined in the same One Body. The anointing is yoked to your unity, not disunity. So, if you're so "anointed" that you can't get along with your brothers and sisters, perhaps you're not necessarily "anointed", just "oily." Look at it like this: Pouring oil on raw chicken then serving it to others is unhealthy and deadly. Yet, pouring oil on the same raw chicken, however, placing it in the oven to thoroughly cook until it's done and then serving it to others, feeds and nourishes them. The difference is one went through nothing, and the other went through a process. With that said, I've come to discover that some people are just "oily", possessing no nutritional value whatsoever, and can be deadly in their words, actions, and attitude, because they've endured no process. They just threw on some oil and assumed it was the same as the anointing. And yet you also have those who have more than just "oil" because they've been processed. Which is why a lot of "oily" folks are immature; while processed "anointed" folks are mature. You see, they've learned to respect process; time; persistence; endurance; patience; and waiting. All things that the immature can't handle. On the other hand, the maturity of the anointed knows that the key is dwelling and working together in unity with your brothers and sisters. Anything less, is just immature, oily folks who cause malnutrition to the Body of Christ. Which is why it's so vital to remember: Ephesians 4:16, "From Him the WHOLE BODY [THE CHURCH, IN ALL ITS VARIOUS PARTS], JOINED AND KNITTED FIRMLY TOGETHER by what EVERY JOINT supplies, when EACH PART IS WORKING PROPERLY, CAUSES THE BODY TO GROW AND MATURE, BUILDING ITSELF UP IN [UNSELFISH] LOVE." (AMP) The Costly Anointing Oil is Yoked to Unity in the Body of Christ.

2…According to the Bible, the "anointing oil" is "PRECIOUS". It is not to be used as a tool of competition and comparison. It is to be treated as the precious treasure that it is, not fruitless attempts to outdo, or be better than someone else. We've so grievously misused and mishandled the anointing. But it was never given for the purpose of trying to outshine anyone else. The anointing serves a purpose, and that purpose is not a selfish tool used at your whim. "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." (Isaiah 10:27). Does that sound like the anointing should be used in a common manner? Certainly not. Therefore, today, realize the purpose, plan and power of the anointing, and handle it as the precious oil that it is. It should never be handled haphazardly for it's the necessity to the destruction of yokes! The word "precious" is defined as "having great value. The anointing is too costly to be utilized in such a cheap manner as to degrade it with competition and comparisons. Remember that the next time you see someone tempted to out-preach, out-teach, out-pray, out-sing, out-shout, out-praise their brethren! That is not the purpose for something this precious and priceless. The Costly Anointing Oil is Precious.

3…According to the Bible, the "anointing oil" covered "…the collar and skirts of his GARMENTS…" Can you imagine the anointing covering your garments? Sometimes I wonder if the anointing is as present on us, in us and with us as we say? Because shouldn't at some point in time, contact with the anointing alter your garments? In Scripture the "anointing oil" covered "…the collar and skirts of his garments…" Shouldn't the church be seen differently than the world, even in our attire? And if so, why do our "holy garments" look no different than their "fashion statements"? Think about this: Being crafted in His image and likeness; being called the righteousness of God and ambassadors of Christ, shouldn't we be a bit more cautious and careful in how we present ourselves, or should I say more importantly, how we present and represent HIM?  Make sure that you are sending the right message.  There should never be cause for people to need to take a double-look or question if we're a part of the Kingdom of Light or the Kingdom of Darkness. The Costly Anointing Oil Should Alter Our Attire.

4…According to the Bible, the "anointing oil" did something special "…it consecrated the whole body." The word "consecrate" is defined as "to make or declare sacred; to ordain to a sacred office." In this day and age of the church we don't see much consecration, dedication or devotion to GOD. The “anointing oil" is precious and serves to consecrate. It signifies that you've been set apart for no other reason, purpose, motive, intention, or agenda than to simply be used of God. "…the whole body…" was consecrated. Head to Toe. Which makes me wonder do we make sure that our minds, thoughts, deeds, actions, words, emotions, and the like are all set apart for God as well as our bodies? Does He have ALL of us, or just the parts we're willing to give Him? Think about it: When the Father gave us His Son, He didn't give us pieces of Him, He gave us His Whole Son. He sacrificed All that He is, just to have all that we are, and to use us to draw in others with the same loving-kindness. Is the anointing that special to you? Does it mean so much to you that you're willing to give God ALL of you for His use in His service for His kingdom? Or is the anointing just special to people when they are assigned to preach, to teach, to pray, to lead, or to be visible to others? The Costly Anointing Oil Consecrates the WHOLE Body.

5…According to the Bible, the "anointing oil" and the "unity of the brethren" is also tied directly to "the dew of Mount Hermon…that comes on the hills of Zion; for there the Lord has commanded the blessing even life forever more…" How amazing is it that the anointing is attached to a place where the Lord has commanded blessings and eternal life? And yet, we treat it so commonplace. But our anointing is a blessing and its life! Our anointing is not so we can teach awesomely or pray like the intercessor of the month. Our anointing is where the Lord has commanded blessings and life, treat it as such and don't devalue it by abusing it carelessly. The Costly Anointing Oil Gives Blessings and Life.

6…According to the Bible, the "anointing oil" is "…upon the high and the lowly…" The anointing does not discriminate. It doesn't wait until Sunday morning, special services, consecrations, conferences and convocations to flow. It doesn't need to be attired in full vestments to flow. It serves 2 people no differently than it serves 200 or 2 million. So, a good question to ask is, do I flow to All, or just stagnate toward a few? The anointing reaches the "…the highly and the lowly…" It treats alike the rich and the poor, the white and the black, the educated and the challenged, the sick and the well, the old and the young, the women and the men, all equally. Do you? Honestly, would we teach to the same degree with a class of 3 that we do in a class of 30? Do we carry ourselves the same whether meeting with the CEO or the janitor? The anointing is consistent and does not change roles like characters in a play. And if we are amongst the anointed, neither should we. The Costly Anointing Oil Does Not Discriminate.

7…Lastly, according to the Bible, "the anointing oil" "…FLOWS DOWN…"

Despite what you see in a lot of our churches today, God still works through Structure and Order! "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." (1 Corinthians 14:33). The New Living Translation says it like this: "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God's holy people." (NLT). In other words, the Oil Flows DOWN, Not UP! That would be confusion and contradiction, doing the opposite of what the Word has already declared.

Like it or not, but leadership and anointing come with the requirement of complete submission and total surrender. I don't care how many people pat you on your back, never let it go to your head! Meek, lowly, humble are all characteristics that every anointed leader or laity should carry. It keeps you from becoming pompous, arrogant and conceited. Remember: the anointing flowed down from Aaron (the leader, the high priest). It did not flow from Israelite to Israelite. It flowed from the High Priest down…In Order!

Until we understand that, we’ll be susceptible to those who, for their own reasons, and hidden agendas, want to tell you how wonderful you are and how you should be running the show! However, in God's Kingdom, you're not approved by people, you're approved by God: "…This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him." (Matthew 17:5); Remember we are not trying to win the approval of people, but of God/ If pleasing people was our goal, we would not be Christ servants. Be assured that when we speak or teach, we're not after crowd approval—only God approval. Bottom Line: The Anointing is Approved of By God, Than the Leadership in Which We Are Submitted, Subjected and Surrendered to, NOT By the People Who Pat and Applaud Us!

God is still a God of structure and order.  The anointing is not like ordinary oil, it does not run out. So even if you must wait for the appointment, the appropriate time, WAIT. Your anointing will never be assigned to someone else. Nor will it dry up and deplete itself. Nothing from the Holy Spirit lacks or is deficient in any way. So, I admonish you, don't allow people, especially your inner circle, clique, crew etc.…to push you before God's allotted time. Respect the process and wait. Let the oil flow DOWN from the head to you!

And the start of any proper protocol to any position is submission and surrender. The ability to wait with expectation and a good attitude. And the first step of protocol to your anointing is to remember that the Oil Flows DOWN! So, stay low, stay meek, stay humble. It is after all, the place where the anointing flows and settles.

In conclusion: The "anointing oil" reminds me a lot of the Old Testament leader Joash, who was the keeper of the cellars of oil. When you get a chance make sure you study it, it is valuable information for leaders and laity alike! However, in a nutshell: He was responsible for keeping the oil; making sure it stayed in place; and watching out for intruders. But the downside, as some would say, to his position was that he was unnoticed, uncomfortable, lonely and unappreciated. He couldn't come out at the bottom of the cellar until the king called for him. And much is the same for you, the anointed possessors of the anointing. The oil flows DOWN, not in a prominent, visible, highly acknowledged position. But it's lowly and unnoticed UNTIL the king calls you forth. Make sure you remember that the very next time someone attempts to "encourage you to follow them instead of the flow of the anointing oil." Stay low and humble, continue to serve because even when you think no eyes are on you, they are.

When the Lord looks at you, He sees a MASTERPIECE. Don’t look at your mistakes, your shortcomings, your feelings or your fears. Right now, the Lord is saying: COME TO ME! I LOVE YOU! YOU ARE MY CHILD! I WILL HELP AND BLESS YOU! Do you receive this right now?! Tell Jesus YES!

YES, THIS WORD IS FOR YOU: God has so many great things for your life. Things you can’t imagine! Things you have only dreamed of! Stay close to Him and stay on your path… and watch the Lord bring it to pass! So don't leave the church, argue with leadership, get caught up in the gossip mill, resign, walk away, throw in the towel and give up. Just be patient and wait. The anointing oil is still flowing!

The devil hasn’t been fighting you for where you are, but for where you’re GOING…he was trying to block your future. Stay Close To God And Stay On Your Path… And Watch The Lord Bring It To Pass! Remember these seven vital lessons on the anointing oil.

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com