[스크랩] KEYS TO GROW IN THE ANOINTING - Todd Bentley
KEYS TO GROW IN THE ANOINTING
KEYS TO GROW IN THE ANOINTING PART 1 of 3
Date: 2007-12-03 Author: Todd Bentley
This is a three-part teaching, entitled: Keys to Grow in the Anointing. This week in Part One, Todd reveals that it is God’s desire to release—in this hour—the double blessing. Therefore, to seize this kiros time, he is releasing eight main keys that are sure to help you grow in the anointing so that you can fully receive the double portion blessing that God has reserved for you. Then in Part Two, Todd exposes eight pitfalls that cause the anointing to be squandered. Finally, in Part Three, you will discover eight more outstanding keys to help you increase and sustain the anointing. So be blessed and don’t miss what God is doing in this hour! Deep intimacy with Jesus Christ will always cause the very nature of God to flow out of your innermost being like rivers of living water! As those heavenly streams spring forth, not only will His radiance shine from your face, but His anointing will rest upon everything you say and everything you do. After all, Jesus said when we abide in Him, we will bear much fruit. Conversely, without intimacy, God’s anointing will not shine through; for apart from Him, you and I can do nothing (John 15:5). So, friends, intimacy with God is essential for growing in the anointing and it is the foundation upon which this teaching series is built. Now we’re ready to begin.
THE ANOINTING IS TANGIBLE AND TRANSFERABLE
There is a favor that comes, a blessing that comes with the anointing! When God called me ten years ago, He said, “Todd, one of the blessings in your life and ministry will be the anointing, and I want you to give it away. It is tangible and it is transferable.”
So I had a vision when the Spirit of God touched my life that we would lay hands on thousands around the world. This revelation was a great comfort to me because I remember, after I got saved, thinking: God, I would love to have gone to one of Kathryn Kuhlman’s meetings and have her lay hands on me. I remember, too, being so hungry for all that God had for me and looking up to other saints who walked in the anointing like Reinhard Bonnke, Benny Hinn or other leaders of big ministries. Over the years I have come to realize that God did something in my heart right from day one; He placed something remarkable inside of me—“I placed a value in you Todd, for the anointing, and I placed a value in you, a core value, for impartation. Everywhere you go, I’m going to release an anointing and that anointing is going to flow. People are going to receive it.” So I had faith to believe that great things would happen, and the moment we would lay hands on hungry people the Holy Spirit would be given; men and women would receive, and they too would be commissioned and launched. Therefore in every meeting we have we believe that something will be imparted when we lay hands on hungry, thirsty people. Hey! If you’re like me you love to drink from what God has placed upon anointed men and women of God. You get around them and you drink what’s there! And so if you have that same love, this teaching series is going to be invaluable to you because I’m going to share pertinent insights that have been keys to receiving from the Spirit of God over the last ten years. These keys have helped me learn how to move in the power of God and how to receive and release the anointing.
With that in view, this week in Part One, we will examine eight keys that will help you to both grow in the anointing and stay with it.
However, before we examine those eight keys, I want to explain two relevant points with you that go hand in hand with the anointing. One point concerns a revelation about God’s “economy” in connection with growing in the anointing—it’s an actual blessing that God is releasing right now. The second point is about the great value God places on the anointing. Let’s begin by turning to Isaiah 61.
Growing—Double
We see in the first chapter of Isaiah 61 that after Isaiah prophesied about the purpose of the anointing, there was another promise—the anointing to bring restoration—which in and of itself is notable (vv. 1–6). Yet don’t miss this: Then scripture goes on to the promise of double honor instead of shame (v. 7). How many of you would like to receive double honor, double blessing, and double everlasting joy? Think about it! Double! That’s the revelation God gave me. Talk about growing in the anointing! He spoke to me and said, “Todd, I’m ready to begin to release the double portion.” Furthermore, in connection with God’s promise, I know that the measure in which impartation is released through me is going to increase and at times it will be twice as much as I have ever delivered to people before. I know this because God said: “It is multiplication time, acceleration time.” So I have been saying to God, “I want to receive a portion of Your Spirit that is twice as big as what’s been upon my life until this moment!” I need a double portion! How many of you know that if you are going to do what God has called you to do, you need a double anointing, too? Listen. With a conviction like that, it’s time for you to pray for it to come upon your life! Now let’s turn to Proverbs 21:20.
Great Value—Costly Treasure
“There is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it” (Prov. 21:20). There is a desirable treasure. Do you know what it is? It’s the anointing! It is a very costly oil; a very precious ointment; and it’s something we desire.
No money in the world, nothing is as precious. Many of you know this because every time you have been in the anointing or in worship, when you have touched “that place” in the presence of God, you never want it to end. Thank God for those moments. [We’ll examine more of Proverbs 21:20 later in this teaching.] So keep these two points in mind as we go on to examine eight keys to grow and maintain the anointing.
EIGHT KEYS TO GROW IN THE ANOINTING AND MAINTAIN IT
1. Value the Anointing
Value the anointing as a treasure (Prov. 21:20) that is more costly than gold. [Study The Parable of the Hidden Treasure—Matt. 13:44; and The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price—Matt. 13:45.] It’s a desirable treasure and that’s a “Number One Principle” that you need to understand if you want to receive an increase of the anointing.
It’s a precious power that God allows to come on your life—a supernatural grace to enable you to do what you cannot do in the natural. The anointing is God’s power on your flesh, supernaturally enabling you to do the impossible and the supernatural. So be prepared . . . in order to have the anointing it will cost you something! In fact, it will cost you everything, and that price is your life. It’s like this: “I lose my life. My life is the Father’s business; but in that, I have life; I found my life.” The apostle Paul said, “I die daily” (1 Cor. 15:31). It’s the crucified life. Therefore, if you want the anointing, if you want the double portion, are you prepared to sacrifice, to lay down your life in a greater way? Are you prepared to die, to give it all? You have to value the anointing; for the anointing makes the difference in every aspect of your life and service to the Lord, and it is connected to favor, and favor brings blessing. Also, the anointing is the hidden treasure, and it’s not just “lying” around! It’s found in the dwelling of the wise; and sometimes you have to go halfway around the world to get it! I’ve seen leaders who so value the anointing that they travel to other countries and stand in line so that they can receive an impartation of the anointing from a trusted servant of God. Actually, sometimes I wonder why someone wasn’t in line . . . because sometimes we get so familiar. Here’s what I mean: Familiarity is the greatest killer of the anointing. If you get so familiar with a servant of God that the respect is gone and you have an unteachable spirit, then you no longer can receive and you might as well move on.
2. Find the Oil and Make a Demand on it through your Giving
A significant symbol of the anointing is oil, and certain servants of God possess it. The prophet Elisha was such a servant. So let’s learn more by studying 2 Kings 4:8–17 because this passage of scripture reveals how a prominent Shunammite woman found the oil [anointing/Elisha] and made a demand on “it” through her giving. First of all, she discerned correctly, after asking Elisha into her home for meals when he was passing through, that he was a holy man of God—he had the oil. Then she said to her husband (paraphrase): “Hey! Let’s make a room and furnish it for him so that he can rest here.” Her attitude was like this (paraphrase): “If that guy is coming by, I’d sure like his mantle to come to my house!” Actually, what was happening here was that she was making room for the anointing in her life. Equally, and likely without her even realizing it, she was making a demand on the anointing. How? There were two ways. First, by taking action to go above and beyond the norm with hospitality, willingly giving, and also spending her money on renovating her home so the prophet could have a room. Second, her actions caused a reaction to well up within Elisha . . . somehow all her giving “spoke” to him.
Something in Elisha’s spirit was being released to give her a blessing—“What is to be done for you?” That prophet was saying (paraphrase): “It’s upon my life to declare it, whatever you want, out of my belly, you can have it. Now what do you want me to do for you?” But when he asked her that question she said she didn’t need anything! Yet, her generosity still made a demand on the anointing because when she honored the prophet she was due to receive the prophet’s reward! God attaches rewards to honor! (See Matthew 10:41.) What was the prophet’s reward? It was connected to Elisha’s question: “What is to be done for you?” That was the prophet’s reward. It was the blessing that the prophet would give—his prophecy: “About this time next year you shall embrace a son” (2 Kings 4:16). And she did!
Now don’t miss this: To make a demand, you do that by giving. Now here’s one practical way for giving that I can share from my own experience: My wife and I make a demand by writing checks! We don’t just give to a ministry. We walk up to a man or woman of God and say, “This is for you.” We see that person’s anointing and realize, “Bam! I want it!” My team does the same thing. It’s making a demand on heaven! Listen! We don’t, and we can’t, buy the anointing. But we can make a demand on the anointing, and that’s by giving. In other words, if you want to receive the anointing you need to give as you are led by God’s Spirit, and when you do you’ll start seeing the person/ministry that you give to, their mantle, coming on your life.
3. Strengthen Yourself in the Lord
Your anointing is only as strong as your inner man. I believe that God is saying for 2008: “Strengthen yourself in the Lord. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” So build yourself up in the inner man and focus on what is going to make you stronger. (In this regard, I can recommend two Fresh Fire resources: Faith and Power [audio, 4 CDs] and Real Power [3 DVDs].)
4. Intimacy
Just as I shared in the beginning of this teaching, if you want an increase in the anointing it will only come through intimacy with the Lord.
5. Be in the Hidden Place
When I think of the hidden place, David comes to mind. Not long after he was anointed king of Israel (1 Sam. 16:12, 13) he had to flee from King Saul and he hid in the cave of Adullam (1 Sam 22:1). It’s there that he cried out to the Lord and wrote Psalm 142: “I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living’ (v. 5, emphasis mine). The cave of Adullam means: refuge.
Listen! The anointing always begins in the “cave,” the hidden place. The anointing always begins in the refuge. God is a shelter and a refuge—“For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy” (Ps. 61:3). “Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily; be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me” (Ps. 31:2). “In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God” (Ps. 62:7).
In that hidden place King Saul could not find David! But David’s family and about 400 outcasts did—“everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him” (1 Sam. 22:2). They were drawn there! (It wasn’t the doctors, the lawyers, the great theologians, or the ones that we think will make the team strong.)
In fact, David’s escape to that cave helped to forge him into the great leader that God intended. Listen. You build your ministry in the hidden place. You are not going to have an increase—a double portion of the anointing—if you have no cave; if you have no “cave of Adullam.”
6. Alliance and Association
Every great man or woman of God that I know has been tested by God in a season of alliance and association with someone who had more than they had. For instance Mahesh Chavda served under Derek Prince for 15 years. You aren’t going to get to “Zion” without seasons of alliance, partnership, association, and coming alongside men and women that have more than you do. You need someone that has an influence in your life. The apostle Paul and Timothy are examples of this and so are Elijah and Elisha.
7. Be a Part of Something Bigger than Yourself
If you are willing to plug into something (or someone) bigger than yourself, you will get where God wants you to go. It works! On the other hand I have seen very gifted Christians who have great potential but they have no character, no grounding, no partnership, no covering, no association, no team, no culture; and the list goes on. Look. It’s like there is an epidemic in the charismatic church today that if people can’t find room to demonstrate their gifts, they just leave.
8. Cultivate Covenant Relationships
One of the greatest keys to receiving the anointing is: environment, influence, and association. There are certain leaders that I am in covenant relationship with and have been for years . . . that is the main reason that we’re lasting, building, growing, and getting bigger and stronger in Abbotsford, BC. So cultivate covenant relationships.
CLOSING
Friends, these eight keys did not come cheaply, so take them to heart soberly and put them to work in your life. Thank God for the double blessing that He is giving you. Next week we will examine a different aspect—eight ways that the anointing is squandered. Then in Part Three, I will outline eight more keys to increase and sustain the anointing.
For those of you who wish to study this subject-matter in more depth, I would like to recommend: Keys to Grow in the Anointing [DVDs/CDs from The Power of Impartation (2007 gathering) from which this teaching is taken]; and The Holy Spirit & the Anointing [CD’s].
KEYS TO GROW IN THE ANOINTING PART 2 of 3
Date: 2007-12-10 Author: Todd Bentley
This is Part Two of a three-part teaching entitled: Keys to Grow in the Anointing. Last week Todd emphasized that the anointing is a precious treasure to be highly valued. He also explained that in this kiros time, it is God’s desire to release the double portion blessing, and in that context he shared eight main keys for growing in the anointing. This week Todd shows you how to avoid wasting or ruining the anointing by exposing eight pitfalls that cause the anointing to be squandered. Then in Part Three we’ll see eight more outstanding keys for increasing and maintaining the anointing. Be blessed as you grow in the anointing that God is releasing to you!
Before we examine eight ways in which the anointing is squandered, let’s begin by recalling the eight keys for growing in and maintaining the anointing, that we studied in Part One.
1. Value the Anointing
2. Find the Oil and Make a Demand on it through your Giving
3. Strengthen Yourself in the Lord
4. Intimacy
5. Be in the Hidden Place
6. Alliance and Association
7. Be a Part of Something Bigger than Yourself
8. Be in Covenant Relationships
Remember, too, it’s “double blessing” time and as you put these eight keys to work in your life, you’ll be in the right position to receive double. In fact, you’ll be the person that others can look up to; someone who’s not squandering the anointing!
EIGHT WAYS THE ANOINTING IS SQUANDERED
1. Having No Vision for Souls
One way to explain how the anointing is squandered, or how it stops, is illustrated in the story of a poor widow in 2 Kings 4:1–7. We see that her miraculous supply of oil continued only as far as there were empty vessels to fill. Once she ran out of vessels, the oil supply dried up.
Oil symbolizes the anointing, and empty vessels symbolize lost souls, and so my point is this: Just like the widow’s oil supply dried up when she ran out of empty vessels, so will the anointing stop if and when there are no empty vessels to fill. You can only get empty vessels by going to the lost.
If a ministry has little vision for soul-winning, only focusing on what’s going on in the house, and it has a “bless me” mentality, then the level of anointing will diminish more and more. The moment there’s no passion to reach out beyond what you have and touch the life of empty, broken, vessels; the oil will cease. It will get stagnant. Do you know what happens to a body of water that stops moving? Yeah, it gets stagnant. So the river must keep flowing! You want the anointing? Find the empty vessels. Find the lost! God said He came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10), and He will bless those that go for the empty vessel. The oil won’t cease.
Fresh Fire Ministries is constantly blessed by God because we have a vision and passion for souls. We’ve had a million decisions for Christ so far, and I have faith for a million more in 2008!
2. Living on Someone Else’s Anointing
Another example is found in the story of the foolish virgins (Matt. 25:1–13). When the time came for the ten virgins to go out and meet the bridegroom, five foolish virgins weren’t ready. Note this: Just like the five wise virgins, the foolish virgins didn’t have a lot of oil in their lamps either! But unlike the five wise virgins, they did not have extra oil with them. So they wanted to borrow some from the wise virgins—“Give us some of your oil.” Unashamedly they were denied and told to go and buy some oil at the dealers.
Listen. There are some believers that live on someone else’s anointing, or someone else’s oil. They live on corporate anointing or corporate prayer meetings; they live on getting prayer and impartation; they live on the moment of blessing; and revival services. But they have no personal intimacy. Look. Someone else’s anointing, i.e. revelation, (or receiving impartation) will only help you get started. It’s like receiving gas in your car. Gas will get your car started but it’s going to eventually run out!
So it’s vital to learn how to dig for your own oil and get your own anointing. Go to the Source in your personal prayer times and those intimate times with the Lord. Get the oil in the Word of God. Listen. To avoid squandering the anointing, be diligent, be filled and ready . . . then you can “buy” the whole gas bar!
3. Failing to do Something with your Anointing
If you are faithful in little, in other words if you develop the anointing that God has given you and put that anointing to work, then more anointing will be given (Luke 19:17). On the other hand, if you squander what you have, then you will lose it all—“For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him” (v. 26). Use it or lose it! Do something with the anointing!
4. Failing to Abide in Christ
Christ is the head of the church (Col. 1:18). He said to abide in Him (John 15:4). If you’re not plugged-in to the head, Jesus Christ, where the oil is, you’ll just dry up! That’s squandering. As well, you have to find those “oily places,” those oily men and women of God. In fact, there are times when some of you may need to leave dead, old, structures. There’s stuff out there that’s so obsolete it’s next to impossible to receive any real blessing from God. Listen. We need to be plugged-in to the oil; plugged-in to the culture—plugged right in to Jesus Christ!
5. Spending the Anointing on Yourself
The anointing will always draw the crowds and if you don’t keep your motives right or your heart right in the anointing, you could end up spending the anointing on yourself. How? Here are a couple of ways: by being seduced into making your name great by self-promotion, or running off and making yourself rich from the anointing. Don’t “cross the line” by squandering the anointing by manipulation. It’s a holy thing.
6. Failing to Know when to Stop
I’ve learned something by experience; something I want to pass on to you. Don’t operate in human compassion by answering to the pressure of needs; be led by the Holy Spirit. For instance, when you are tired and God is showing you it’s time to stop, if you keep going, you’ll squander away your anointing. You’ll burn out. Jesus said to the disciples, “Come aside . . . and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31). I had to learn to do what God says, know the limits, and say, “Done!” If you want to go the distance in the anointing, then know when to stop.
7. Failing to Continually Grow and Receive
No matter how mature you are in the Lord, don’t fail to pick up the challenge to find those servants of God that can feed you. Sometimes you get to a place in the anointing and in revelation where it can be difficult to find somebody that can minister to you. But that’s not an excuse. For me, I’ve got to find those books, or find certain men and women of God from whom I can learn. There are people out there who have more than I have.
Therefore, if you want to receive and grow in the anointing, stay fed! Otherwise you’ll end up squandering what you have.
8. 8. Failing to Cut Off the Little Foxes that Spoil the Vine
The little foxes—it might be distractions, wounds, tradition of man, compromise, sin, little lies, or business, to name just a few—and before you know it, you’re drifting so far away. Actually, far away from the secret place . . . where it all began. It’s here where the challenge becomes an issue of the heart. So it’s important to ask God: “Are there any little foxes in my life that are eating away or squandering away my anointing?” God will show you any areas so that you can cut off those little foxes!
So take these eight points into careful consideration. Use them to your advantage and as you do, you will grow in the anointing. Then the enemy of your soul won
For those of you who wish to study this subject-matter in more depth, I would like to recommend: Keys to Grow in the Anointing [DVDs/CDs from The Power of Impartation (2007 gathering) from which this teaching is taken]; and The Holy Spirit & the Anointing [CD’s].
KEYS TO GROW IN THE ANOINTING PART 3 of 3
Date: 2007-12-17 Author: Todd Bentley
This is Part Three of: Keys to Grow in the Anointing. This week Todd shares from personal experience, eight more excellent keys to help you grow and maintain the anointing of God in your life. You’ll come to appreciate the value of focused prayer, as well as the affect that giving, impartation, and praying in tongues have on the anointing. In addition, you’ll understand why a thankful attitude, studying God’s Word, brokenness and humility, and dreaming bigger with God are all essential if you want to grow. By applying these keys and all of the other ones in this teaching series, you are certain grow tall in the anointing and well able to maintain it! What an impact this will have on everything you do and every place you go!
Before we begin examining eight more keys to help you increase and sustain the anointing, let’s review what we studied last week in Part Two—eight ways the anointing is squandered.
1. Having No Vision for souls
2. Living on Someone Else’s Anointing
3. Failing to Do Something with your Anointing
4. Failing to Abide in Christ
5. Spending the Oil on Yourself
6. Failing to Know when to Stop
7. Failing to Continually Grow and Receive
8. Failing to Cut Off the Little Foxes that Spoil the Vine
Today, my hope is that you will take all the keys presented so far, along with the ones outlined here in Part Three, and implement them. Remember, the anointing is priceless, and yes, it will cost you everything. Yet, in my estimation, what an honor it is for you and me to surrender our lives to, and for, Jesus Christ.
“He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:15).
“For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Rom. 14:8).
“For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:19, 20).
So let’s get started! I share the following keys through the eyes of personal experience.
EIGHT KEYS TO HELP YOU INCREASE AND SUSTAIN THE ANOINTING
1. Have Extended Seasons of Prayer and Pressing-In
There is an extended season of focused prayer and pressing in that precedes every increase of the anointing on my life. I never receive the increase without an extended season of focused, pressing-in prayer.
2. Give
There are times I have sowed my way into the increase of the anointing! I just get radical and sow seed! There are seasons when my giving becomes extravagant, in seed form. After giving, then I’m in the right position to “make a demand.” Please let me explain. It might be by giving a financial seed to a man or woman of God, like I shared in Part One, and then making a demand by asking God for the same kind of mantle they carry to fall on my life, too. Or it might be when I give by praying for someone else’s loved one, friend or neighbor to come to the Lord and be saved. Then I take that seed of prayer for souls, and make a demand on the Lord of the Harvest to reap souls back in my own family, friends and neighbors, (and more), asking God to multiply it back 30, 60, 100-fold in souls.
3. Get Impartation
Every time I am around a man or woman, no matter if they are younger or older than I am, and that person carries something I want—for example, Heidi Baker, R. W. Shambach, Rodney Howard Brown, or Joshua Mills—I say, “You need to pray for me. You’re not leaving until you pray for me!” I make a demand on my guest speakers; I get impartation. That’s a big key to increasing the anointing!
4. Pray in Tongues
Every time a breakthrough comes, and an increase of God’s power comes upon my life, there is an increase of focused praying in tongues! The fact is, when I pray in tongues (about anything) for about four hours, I’ve “got it!” There are times when literally, all it takes is a focused, four hours of praying in tongues and I receive the breakthrough. It’s amazing what comes out of heaven when I pray in tongues. Now, when I pray in tongues, it’s not intercession just for me. I believe I’m speaking mysteries. I believe I’m building my ministry (just one example), when I pray in tongues. My attitude is like this: God, the reason I’m praying in tongues right now is because I don’t know what I ought to pray. I’m going to build my ministry by asking the Holy Spirit to help me. Afterwards, often there are times when my understanding grasps what I’m praying for. I start getting vision and ideas.
5. Be Thankful
Kathryn Kuhlman would always say to God, “Thanks a million!” Have you ever made it your goal to try and say, “thank you” a million times?! Some people are just SO thankful. There are times when I take an entire hour and it’s just “Thank You, God!”
Consider this. There’s enough amazement in just thinking about your salvation, to make you give thanks for an hour! So let’s resist any attitude that says, “If God blessed me, I’d give thanks” or “If God delivered me of death, I’d give thanks” or “If God healed me, I’d give thanks.” Ungrateful people never receive the anointing. Being ungrateful is a real turn off. You know, sometimes we’re not thankful enough; we take the anointing for granted. Oh, the day the anointing is taken for granted . . . I want you to think about that for a moment. Look out ! Thank God for the anointing! As a matter of fact, just take a moment right now, and thank Him for that costly oil, thank God for the impartation. “Thank you God!” Thank Him for anointing. Ultimately, being thankful should mark our lives! When I come home from great miracle meetings I never just go to bed without thanksgiving! I always go into thanks!
6. Study the Word of God
When I see the increase of the anointing upon my life, it’s invariably because I’m in the Bible! I might be on an airplane, eight hours, in the Bible, or I’ll be meditating on the Word of God. Sometimes I’ll read the all of the gospels in one sitting (the books of: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). I’ve observed that when I meditate on the gospels and read them all, then while I’m ministering and preaching later, the miracles are always “times ten.” So I asked God about this, because I didn’t even pray an extra eight hours, and He said, “But you read the gospels!” I find that I preach more passionately then, when I present Christ. Yes, I already know the gospel, but there is something that comes—it’s the Holy Spirit—during the altar call, and miracles happen. As a matter of fact, if you know me, you’ll know that I love to hear Billy Graham preach the gospel! I love to hear Steve Hill preach the gospel! The same for R. W. Shambach! I’m a Christian first and foremost, and I love being in meetings where the evangelist preaches salvation. That’s because there is something that happens inside of me when I read the Word of God and when I hear the Word of God. I become more in charge! There’s more passion! I just want to win souls! So let’s not be like a lot of people in church today that say, “Ah! It’s just an evangelistic meeting. Let’s not go to one of those.” That’s like saying: “I’m already saved. Why do I need to hear another salvation message? I’ve read the gospel so many times; I know the cross. What’s to read in the book of Matthew? I’ve read all the miracle stories. I’ve been saved 20 years. I’ve read it 100 times.” Listen, the Word of God is key! “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
7. Welcome Deeper Brokenness and Humility
For eighteen months God broke me and stripped me. It was a dark night of the soul, and He did a deep work in my heart that I’ve come to really appreciate. Actually, every time there is a deeper brokenness, every time there is a deeper humility, there’s an increase in the anointing. Suffering and glory. So, if you’re in a season right now with pain, hardship, warfare, and suffering, you’re going to come out full of power. Every season of promotion and increase in the anointing is preceded by a wilderness experience. When Jesus came up out of the wilderness, He came up in the power of the Spirit. He went into the wilderness filled with the Spirit (Luke 4:1), battled for 40 days (v.2), yet afterwards He came out in the power of the Spirit (v.14). Did you catch that? Jesus went into the wilderness filled with the Spirit and came out in the power of the Spirit. There’s a difference between being “filled with the Spirit” and being “in the power of the Spirit”. You might be filled with the Spirit and speak in tongues but it doesn’t mean you’re in the power of the Spirit. Jesus came up out of the wilderness in the power of the spirit. Every season of wilderness, hardship, suffering, warfare, is followed by power. So be encouraged.
8. Increase your Vision, Dream Bigger
I’m going to give you a secret, one of the greatest keys. Here it is: When I am preparing my life and ministry to receive a greater increase of the anointing and provision, everything hinges on, whether I can, in the realm of dreaming bigger, in faith, believe it, see it, declare it, and expect it. Why? Because there is no increase of the anointing until there’s an increase of vision. People that don’t dream bigger; people that are content; don’t have increases in the anointing. It’s as simple as that! Your anointing level only increases to the measure in which you dream (with God) and expect. In fact, the anointing stops flowing in my life when I just begin to ride the wave.
Yet every time I take on something new, something happens. Listen. The first meeting we did in Bellingham, Washington, the atmosphere was electric. Revival was in the air. I was watching something new. That same electricity happens whenever there is vision and something new; for instance, the first time I was on television, and the first time I go into a country I’ve never been in before. When you begin to dream about something you’ve never dreamed before and you begin to have faith for it, God honors that, something is generated; there is an anointing that you accomplish!
Now it’s time to bring this extensive teaching series to a close.
LIVE DEEPLY IN CHRIST
It’s not often that we put together a three-part teaching, but it was well worth the effort because I know God is preparing, training and equipping so many of you to walk in the increase of His anointing. Wow. Also, the fact that it’s “double blessing time” really puts the icing on the cake.
So, friends, be blessed. Be encouraged as you apply these keys [actually twenty-four keys altogether in the whole series], into your life. Above all, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth—“Christ’s anointing teaches you the truth on everything you need to know about yourself and Him, uncontaminated by a single lie. Live deeply in what you were taught. And now, children, stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ. Then we’ll be ready for Him when He appears, ready to receive Him with open arms, with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when He arrives” (1 John 2:27b, 28, The Message Bible, emphasis mine).
For those of you who wish to study this subject-matter in more depth, I would like to recommend: Keys to Grow in the Anointing [DVDs/CDs from The Power of Impartation (2007 gathering) from which this teaching is taken]; and The Holy Spirit & the Anointing [CD’s].
INCREASE OF THE ANOINTING ~ PART 1
By Revivalist and Founder of Fresh Fire Ministries: Todd Bentley
This is a two-part teaching called Increase of the Anointing. This week Todd examines several excellent, foundational, building-blocks that are crucial to walking in the power and anointing of God---intimacy, friendship with the Holy Spirit and much more. Next week Todd uncovers four unusual keys found in four prophetic places in ancient Israel that will boost your faith and shoot you higher in your pursuit of the anointing and the increase of the anointing.
Intimacy! Although talk about intimacy seems to be on the tip of almost everyone’s tongue lately, nevertheless, I don’t want that to stop me today from discussing this important subject with you. No way; since intimacy with God is the connection between us and anything characterizing the kingdom of God manifesting through us that has eternal weight and glory!
The fact is when we’re connected to God by intimate relationship, when we’re His friend, not only does God’s anointing naturally flow through us, it increases. And that’s what I want to discuss with you in this teaching series---how to walk in the increase of the anointing. Walking in the anointing and the increase is meant for everyone to experience. What’s more, it should be natural or normal.
So let’s begin, first, by discovering the true state of our hearts because that will lead us to a key building-block that will help us walk in the anointing and the increase of the anointing.
ARE WE REALLY INTIMATE WITH GOD?
Did you know that sometimes there’s a conflict between our hearts [what we think], and our actions? Often our hearts seem to say one thing, while our actions indicate something quite different. Take the Shulammite Bride in Song of Songs, for instance. Surprisingly, when the love of her life came knocking it was actually very inconvenient for her to welcome him by getting up and out of bed to open the door! Her excuse was that she was falling asleep after getting all ready for bed---“I have taken off my robe; how can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; how can I defile them?” (So. 5:3).
Look. How could that be? After all, he was her beloved! On the surface, her attitude was---"I sleep, but my heart is awake; it is the voice of my beloved!" (So. 5:2a). But there was something deeper that needed to be revealed. So the bride’s heart was tested! And in that testing process she actually ended up grieving the one she loved by not responding to him the way an on-fire lover would (5:3). Her lack of insight and attention drove him away immediately. How sad.
Now, let’s consider her unresponsiveness and also take a look at ourselves. Even though we don’t like to think about it, the bride’s apathy towards her beloved is like a mirror that reflects how we behave sometimes! For example, we lie down at night sensing the still small voice of God, our beloved---“Get your Bible because I want to speak with you. I want to be intimate with you.” But instead, all too often, we roll over and go to sleep. Then in the morning we wonder why it’s so hard to enter into His presence! So let’s be honest; are we really intimate with God? Is He truly our friend? Are we only hungry for Him? I ask because true intimacy with God is a key building block, like a corner stone, for walking in the anointing and the increase
FRIENDSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS PRICELESS
Many of you know already that the key to anything that God has given me has come out of hunger for Him and hunger for the anointing (because I want to receive and reflect all that He has for me so that I’m fully equipped to serve Him). Therefore, I can’t help but talk about the importance of having a hunger for God and for the things of God in almost every teaching I do. I hope you never get sick of hearing this message!
Now having said all that, how many of you are saying, “I want more of the anointing?” That’s good because we need the anointing and we need to trust and depend on the presence and power of the Holy Spirit for everything. We don’t want to do anything of our own self. So get a desperate hunger for God, His person and His presence because that’s the key to the power of God and the anointing. Hunger is a major building block, too!
Today, at times, when the Holy Spirit comes and visits me and speaks to me, it’s like a living person; the presence of a living person in the room, as I pray. He’s become very intimate. He’s become very close to me. We have an intimate bond together. Our friendship is priceless. In fact, friendship with God is another essential building block to walking in the anointing and the increase. But years ago, although I was baptized in the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues, and moving in the gifts of the Spirit, I never knew the Holy Spirit as a personal friend. I never knew the presence of the Holy Spirit and He was never real to me like He is now.
But back then (and today) I was hungry and I was on a journey to know Him and the power of His resurrection; to be transformed or conformed into His image. “Jesus, I want to be more like you!” I had a passion in my heart for His presence and the power of God. I remember in the first couple of months that I was saved, I said, “God I want the kind of anointing that is on Benny Hinn’s life, and the kind of anointing for miracles that was on Kathryn Kuhlman’s ministry. I want the kind of anointing that was on the revivalists of old, those men and women who turned whole nations upside down.”
The Lord spoke to me specifically in the beginning and He said, “Todd I can give you any anointing that I have ever given to any man or woman or ministry if you can do what they did to get what they got.” So I started to study what they did to get what they got! I read “Good Morning Holy Spirit” (by Benny Hinn), listened to healing stories of Kathryn Kuhlman, and studied the lives of other great saints. Each saint was a friend of the Holy Spirit and what blew me away too, was that in each of their lives there was a thriving prayer life. Hey! Here are two more significant building-blocks---study and prayer.
Take Evan Roberts for instance. Before God used him to spark the Welsh Revival and turn a nation and literally hundreds of thousands of youth to Jesus, God touched him to pray. Look at this. Prior to that revival, prior to God using that great revivalist, the Holy Spirit began to visit him and wake him up at 1 a.m. The Spirit of grace and supplication and the Spirit of prayer would come upon him and he would pray until 4 or 5 a.m. Later he would get up about 9 in the morning and pray until 3 p.m. This went on for three months, eight hours a day---visitation in the night season---prior to God releasing that mighty revival.
Also as I studied the lives of other men and women that God anointed for ministry, I noticed that an anointing called increase was upon them. There was something of God’s power upon those men and women that I didn’t see upon a whole lot of men and women today, so I began to hunger for an increase. I wanted more of the anointing.
GET A HOLY JEALOUSY FOR WHAT THE HISTORY MAKERS HAD!
Consequently, God began to shape my mindset and I thought: If Evan Roberts prayed eight hours a day, I’ll pray 16 hours. I purposed within my heart whatever it was going to cost me I was going pay, in order to get the anointing of God’s Spirit on my life. “Whatever the cost! Whatever the price! I will give my life for the power of God! Holy Spirit fill me! Holy Spirit anoint me! Holy Spirit, whatever it costs me!”
So there was a journey whereby I began to press in and pursue the increase of the anointing. I remember in the beginning as I prayed for that anointing that I’d be checking my watch and after only about 30 minutes I was running out of things to pray about. However, I purposed that the next day I was going to press in to have fellowship and communion with the Holy Spirit; just love Him, embrace Him and His presence, for 45 minutes. But it felt like it was more like six hours. So I purposed in my heart that the next day I was going to take a little bit more ground in the Spirit and that I was going to get a breakthrough. Then communion with the Holy Spirit went to an hour and a half.
On a daily basis I set aside time and I purposed in my heart to have an encounter and that I would pursue, I would seek, I would search for the Lord with all my heart. I wanted an increase of the anointing. I wanted the power of God upon my life and ministry.
It didn’t matter that I wasn’t in the ministry at that time and I’d just been saved a few months. What mattered was I had become jealous with a holy jealousy for the kind of anointing of God’s Spirit that rested upon other men and women that God anointed to shake nations throughout history. Listen! Holy jealousy is a vital building block, as well, if you long to walk in the anointing and the increase.
So I purposed in my heart to set aside everything else but having an encounter with the Holy Spirit. Soon one hour with the Holy Spirit turned into three hours, and three hours turned into five hours, and five hours turned into seven hours, and seven hours turned into ten hours, and ten hours turned into 12 hours. To this day I still take days where I will lock myself away for hours with the Lord. We need a lifestyle of maintaining relationship and devotions. But we also need the increase! So let’s look at a little metaphor.
You know, by maintaining our relationship with Jesus, we could be like a driver maintaining the fuel levels in his car! But we need to understand that when the Lord gives us a vehicle, if all we ever do is keep it topped up with gas, that’s like praying an hour or two everyday, keeping devotions, reading the Scriptures---all the things that you need to do as a Christian, sometimes as a Christian duty. But really, all we’re doing is maintaining, and we’re not increasing. We’re not actually, maintaining, sustaining and increasing the level of what God is doing in our life and ministry. We are not hitting that next level.
Listen! Every once in a while we need to get at the motor and give it a complete overhaul! Deal with the ‘heart’ of the car, the engine! An overhaul isn’t like the usual ‘just keeping the vehicle full of gas and running.’ After an overhaul we say, “This feels like the way the car was when it was running at its best. I remember when it was ‘hot’ back then.” Without an occasional overhaul your vehicle will be running pretty rough and you’ll probably say, “I don’t know what happened. It used to be a good vehicle!” In other words, “I don’t know; I’m still praying one or two hours a day but I’ve lost what sparked it all. I’ve lost what birthed it; that extended time in God’s presence.”
Yet, it’s not just about the hours (that extended time). It’s more about the heart. It’s about the hunger. It’s about the pursuit of His presence. It’s as if God wants to give us an ‘overhaul.’ He wants us to maintain well, but at the same time increase the level of the anointing.
So in this teaching series let’s press in and get into more of the blazing journey that God takes us through so that we can walk in the anointing and the increase. I say ‘blazing journey’ because I believe that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that the disciples (and others) received on the day of Pentecost is for us too, if we’re going to walk in the power of God and the increase of the anointing. We need to blaze with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire---a huge building-block
THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE IS COMING AGAIN!
John the Baptist had revelation. He spent lots of time in God’s presence and he knew what was coming---the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire! John said, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” Matt. 3:11).
By studying the first few chapters in the Book of Acts you’ll see that before revival hit Jerusalem, Pentecost happened; that great day when God poured out the Holy Spirit on about 120 believers who pressed in for their breakthrough in the Upper Room. The Holy Spirit filled that Upper Room and one Bible translation likened it to a sudden “rushing of a violent tempest blast.” Then fire, resembling tongues, settled on each person! Wow!
Right away they were filled with the Holy Spirit and power, just like Jesus said would happen---“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). After the Promise came upon them, revival hit the city of Jerusalem when Peter began to boldly declare God’s message---“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:41). All those who received Peter’s word in their hearts got saved and they probably returned to their respective cities on fire for God.
Listen! If we want to see revival and if we want to walk in the anointing (and see the increase of that anointing), then we need to press in just like the disciples did in that Upper Room. We need to do what they did to get what they got! Listen!! I can’t help but talk about the importance of doing what those disciples did, just like I can’t help but talk about the importance of having a hunger for God!!
In the Book of Acts you will see how they maintained and sustained the revival by continually pressing into the things of God. They said, “God we are not going to let up!” Because they didn’t let up God gave them another level, and then they didn’t let up again and God gave them another level, and they didn’t let up and God gave them another level. More and more!
There was an increase of the momentum of the revival that was taking place in the New Testament Church. But first they pressed in to receive the Promise of the Father---the Holy Spirit---in the Upper Room. Now watch this. Then they had favor and angelic help; they overcame intimidation and persecution; demonstrated miracles, signs and wonders; walked in great power and great grace; sparked tremendous fear of the Lord; and they saw thousands through to salvation! TALK ABOUT INCREASE! (See Acts 1---6.)
Friends, we need to be set ablaze in the Holy Ghost and to burn continually just like the disciples and those New Testament believers
BE A BURNING, SHINING LAMP!
Jesus said, “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning” (Luke 12:35). How many of you want to be a burning, shining lamp? If that’s you, here’s the key. The key to be the burning and the fire is the oil, pure oil---Exodus 27:20, 21:
“And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually. In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children of Israel.”
I’m talking about the Holy Ghost here, the anointing; and the key here is the oil. And where did Aaron and his sons tend the oil? It was in the tabernacle of meeting – which is a prophetic picture of being in the presence of God from evening until morning; not letting up.
Now let’s look at Exodus 30:8 to get some insight into what’s going to help us light the fire as well as maintain and sustain the blaze and bring the increase of the anointing--- “And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.”
Here we see Aaron at the tabernacle of the meeting in the presence of God in prayer burning incense. What does the incense represent? It symbolizes prayer and the incense was ‘perpetual incense.’ Perpetual means lasting forever or for a long time; continuing without interruption; constant [Webster’s New World Dictionary]. In the context of this definition, the anointing of God’s Spirit comes as you take care of your ‘lamp’ and as you pray continually. Without taking care in prayer, your lamp will go out. Continual prayer will keep the oil and the fire! That’s what’s going to keep the light of the Holy Ghost and revelation. Stoking the fire by prayer is yet another big building-block!
So we need to purpose in our hearts, now, to tend to the lamp-stand because then we’ll never lose our fire and we never lose our blaze. The increase will come! And next week we’ll dive into terms like the double portion, seven-fold, supernatural provision, and much more.
This week in Increase of the Anointing you will discover three different aspects of "increase"---multiplication, sevenfold return and the double portion increase. Then, as Todd explains, you will be lead on an intense journey through four ancient, prophetic places in Israel; each place illustrating a necessary step that must be taken so that you can walk in the anointing and the increase of the anointing. Get ready for your faith and your determination to be strengthened. The victory is yours!
INCREASE OF THE ANOINTING
PART 2: CONCLUSION
By Revivalist and Founder of Fresh Fire Ministries: Todd Bentley
There's something about the number eight! Did you know that eight means new beginnings? So, before we review the eight building-blocks that will help you walk in the anointing and the increase of the anointing, I want to make a declaration. Here we go!
"You WILL experience new beginnings and a new level in the anointing and the increase of the anointing as you take steps to incorporate those eight building-blocks into your foundation."
Keeping that declaration in mind, let's review these eight important building-blocks outlined in last week's teaching. Then we'll begin this week's lesson.
1. Intimacy with God
2. Hunger for God
3. Friendship with God
4. Study (the Bible and the history makers)
5. Prayer
6. Holy jealousy (for what the history makers had)
7. Baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire
8. Stoking the fire of prayer
Now let's take a look at several topics that illustrate God's willingness to move in this whole area of increase---multiplication, the seven-fold return, and the double portion increase---the latter we'll study in greater detail.
MULTIPLICATION AND SEVENFOLD RETURN
You know, when we're thinking about the increase of the anointing we need to remember that God is a God of multiplication. Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fish to feed 5,000 and there were 12 baskets left over (Matt. 14:20). That's only one prime example of just the way God has always been---so generous! Furthermore, every time God restores biblically, He relents and leaves a blessing and He always brings the situation back to the way that it was and then increases it. He always adds another level. [See Restoration, a previous Teaching of the Week.]
As well, the Bible promises a sevenfold return---"Yet when he (the thief) is found, he must restore sevenfold; he may have to give up all the substance of his house" (parenthesis mine, Prov. 6:31.) Sevenfold is big. Consider – 1 x 7 = 7 (or) 7 x 7 = 49 – and beyond!
THE DOUBLE PORTION INCREASE
Now I'm going to share about the double portion through scriptures in Isaiah and Job. And also we'll examine in detail some highpoints in the lives of the prophets Elijah and Elisha (in the context of key scriptures) and we'll see what it took for a double portion of anointing to come upon one of these great prophets.
Prophecy through Isaiah---"Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be theirs" (Is. 61:7). Double honor, double joy, double portion---all rightfully ours! Because when Christ redeems us (and we're born again) we're part of the royal priesthood (61:6; 1 Pet. 2:9).
Restoration to Job---"And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before" (Job 42:10). Notice when Job received the double portion!
Elijah and Elisha---"And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?' Elisha said, ‘Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me'" (2 Kin. 2:9). Now before we discover if Elisha received a double portion of the spirit of Elijah, let's look at Elijah's stature and some historical context and go on from there.
· The people of Israel knew the prophet Elijah was one of the most cutting edge prophets---taking down 450 prophets of Baal (1 Kin. 18:19–40). And it was after that victory when God told Elijah to anoint Elisha as prophet in his place (as well as two future kings---19:16). So Elijah obeyed and threw his mantle on Elisha (v. 19). Now, although Elisha immediately ran after the great prophet to follow him, he asked if he could say good bye to his parents first (v. 20). Elijah didn't give him permission and instead answered, "Go back again, for what have I done for you?"
You see, on the one hand Elijah wanted to test Elisha. In other words he was asking Elisha: "How much do you really want this? I think you should just go back because in your estimation it looks like I haven't done anything much." Elijah knew what he was doing and it was like he was saying, "It isn't going to come easy. God is calling you. Can you go where I go? Can you walk through what I walk through? Can you pay the price that I pay?"
On the other hand Elisha really did recognize that God's call was important and that it was significant that Elijah threw his mantle on him. He knew also that to walk in the increase of the anointing required something of sacrifice. (Which is a prophetic picture of you/us following Jesus.) So he killed and sacrificed two oxen, shared the sacrifice, and then he followed Elijah promptly (v. 21).
He was willing to lose everything, get out of his job, give up his land, and get out of his country. He would go where Elijah wanted to go, do what Elijah told him to do, and he would have no identity of his own anymore. Verse 21 ends by saying that Elisha "became his servant," and in a different translation it says Elisha "ministered to him."
Likewise, in order for us to step into the increase of God's anointing we need to ask God, "What do I need to cut off? What is no longer permissible in this next season?" Listen. Not everything that is permissible is beneficial. For example, every time God is ready to bring me to a new level, there is a place in my heart like Elisha where I have to purpose in my heart and ask myself, "What am I going to kill?" "What am I going to cut off?"
GO FULL BORE AFTER THE ANOINTING!
Back to Elisha! It's like he had to take everything that represented his former old life and everything that he found joy in and listen to God say: "Burn it! Slaughter it! Kill it! Get rid of it! It's not who you are! Get out of your land! Get out of your country! It's not who you are! Give it all up!" So he said within his heart, "Yes, Lord . . . whatever this anointing is going to cost me!" Not until THEN was Elisha ready to go with Elijah to begin the process.
Look. You might have to give up some of the dreams that you have of the white picket fence, retirement and the pretty little house you're going to have. Know this---God's plan and God's dream sometimes isn't our plan, it isn't sometimes our dream. But whichever---you need to be prepared because God is going to call out laborers in these end days---the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.
God, over night, is going to speak by the Holy Ghost just like He did when He had need of Paul and Barnabas---"Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them" (Acts 13:2). Still, I wonder how many men and women of God won't go because they don't want to let go of some of the things that God requires in order for them to go ‘full bore' after the anointing. Or they won't go because they didn't think they were prepared.
FOUR ANCIENT, PROPHETIC PLACES OF PREPARATION
Yet the fact is, if we are willing, God will prepare us to move on from the beginning stages. He'll take us places. That's what happened to Elisha. New places and new levels after Elijah threw his mantle on him---Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho, the Jordan (river).
"And it came to pass, when the LORD was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Then Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel.' But Elisha said, ‘As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!' So they went down to Bethel" (2 Kin. 2:1, 2).
GILGAL
Here they are in Gilgal and Elijah is thinking: OK. You've come this far. You want the anointing? Well, I'm going on to Bethel and I don't think you want to come with me. So Elisha, I think you should stay here in Gilgal. I want to know how hungry you are. I want to know how much you are really willing to give your life for this thing. A lot of people make commitments at an emotional time. A lot of people make commitments for the wrong reasons.
Gilgal is level one, where we all start from, and it represents the spiritual place called faith. Historically, Gilgal is the first place where Joshua settled (for awhile) after he led the sons of Israel through the Jordan [river] (Josh. 5:1–9). It's the place where, for the first time, they all ate some of the produce of the land and it's the place where the continual supernatural provision of manna stopped (Josh. 5:12). No more manna appearing! So we see that God wasn't going to be ‘conventional' anymore and do things exactly the same way that He did for 40 years. A major shift happened and when God shifted gears in Gilgal, a whole new life of faith would be required.
Gilgal has a lesson for us to learn. We're going to have to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). Believe God and call forth those things that do not exist as though they did (Rom. 4:17). Regardless of what we feel and regardless of what we see, we'll have to believe within our hearts that God wants to anoint us and to use us. It's about believing that you can have the anointing.
Now look at this. When Elijah tells Elisha to stay in Gilgal, it's like he's actually saying, "Why don't you just stay in the place of faith." Listen. That's where most Christians are tempted to live! They stay in the place of faith and hope. They don't move into the place of action or make anything happen and take some steps. All they have is faith. "I have faith that I can heal the sick," but they never actually heal the sick. People have faith, but the Bible says that faith without works is dead (Jas. 2:17).
"OK, Elisha. You stay here in Gilgal. You stay in the place of faith---believing and hoping and dreaming that you can eventually do something and that God will act. I am going on to Bethel, but you stay here, because I'm not convinced that you're ready to go to Bethel." But Elisha looks at him and says, "As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you" (2 Kin. 2: 2). THEN they both went on to Bethel!
Take note that before we get the increase, before we get the double portion, we're going to start in Gilgal, the spiritual place to have faith for a new level. And it's there where we'll have faith for a new mantle. It's the place that God brings us back to so that our faith can be built up for the next level, the next assignment, that God has for us. For instance, when I've had a holy dissatisfaction with a certain level of anointing that I have been walking in, I've had to come back all over again to the spiritual place called ‘Gilgal,' where, within my heart, I have to believe that I can go to another level. THEN I'm ready to move on . . . to ‘Bethel.'
BETHEL
Bethel is level two. It represents the spiritual place of vows and decisions. It's the place where Jacob made a vow to God. Prophetically, Bethel is the place where you have to purpose within your heart, that you want a new level of anointing. It takes a whole new level of commitment, a whole new level of sacrifice, a whole new level of denying yourself. God wants a clear decision and it's like He's saying: "What are you going to do with what I give you? Why should I trust you with more? How are you going to be faithful with what I give you? What steps will you take?"
God is looking for the right response within our heart to such questions; for example, a good response like Jacob's, when he said, "God if you bring me back to this place (Bethel), I promise a tenth, I promise a tithe of everything you ever give me. If you prosper me all the days of my life, I purpose within my heart that this is what I will do." (paraphrase---Gen. 28:20–22). The Bible says that because of Jacob's commitment, at the set time God brought him back to Bethel, the ‘house of God,' and the gateway of heaven (Gen. 28:17, 35:1).
Likewise, if you purpose and make a decision in your heart---"God if you give me the anointing, with that increase, this is what I will do . . ." and there is a commitment in your heart to take action, then that anointing (when it comes) is a direct response from God to your commitment. So when God takes you to Bethel, it's like He'll be saying: "OK. You have the faith for it now. You have the dream for it now. You believe that I can act on your behalf. You need to take action. Let's start moving into the increase of the anointing. Now it's time to move on to Jericho!"
But Jericho is a whole new realm. Elijah might have spoken words something like this to Elisha: "Now listen Elisha. You had faith, you had hope, and you had a dream. You believed that God could, you believed that God would, and you came with me to Bethel. You purposed, you sacrificed; there was a deeper commitment in your heart. You made a decision. I required something of you and you gave it to me. OK. But I'm going on to Jericho (2 Kin. 2:4)!
You want the anointing and I'm ready to give the anointing, but I don't think you want to come to Jericho with me because Jericho is the place of warfare. New levels and new devils. I don't know if you can handle the warfare and the devils and the controversy and the persecution and all the stuff that is going to come with the anointing. So why don't you just stay in the place where you have faith. Why not stay in Bethel, the place where you made vows and decisions?"
But just like before when he left Gilgal for Bethel, Elisha says to Elijah, "As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" (2:2). THEN the two of them went on to Jericho."
JERICHO
Jericho is level three and it represents the spiritual place of warfare. Listen! When you get the anointing of God's Spirit on your life you're going to be a controversial figure and you have to come to terms with the fact that you can't have the anointing and have everyone happy. As a matter of fact, there's a whole lot of attack from the media and a whole lot of warfare that comes on your life. Listen at the level I function in today the media likes to watch what we do.
You see, it costs me because now people examine and watch everything I do and say. This is because when the anointing gets on your life and things really begin to happen people are going to know you and people are going to look to you. And there is a whole lot of responsibility that comes with that. And there is a whole lot of warfare that comes with that. The Devil knows who you are! He's got you on his hit list. You are on his top ten. So, you need to be ready. You have to be prepared to pay the price. You have to be prepared to go to Jericho. There is going to be warfare.
So here they are in a place of warfare and Elijah says [paraphrased], "Hey, I'm going on to the Jordan (river). I'm going to the place of the open heaven where the Spirit of the Lord is about to come upon my life. I want you to stay here in Jericho (2:6). You stay here in the place of warfare." And Elisha says [paraphrased], "No way! God hasn't taken me this far to turn back now! If you are going on to the Jordan, I'm going with you! I know what comes after the warfare and I know what comes after the battle and the trial. I didn't give up when all the voices around me were saying, ‘How come he is in this level of warfare?' Don't even think that you're going on without me!"
Listen!! If you're in a place of warfare right now and every devil of hell is against you, I want to declare to you right now my friend what is coming next! It's the Jordan!
JORDAN (RIVER)
Do you know what the Jordan (river) is? The Jordan is level four and it's the spiritual place of new vision. The Jordan is the anointing. It's the river where Jesus was baptized and the heavens opened and the Holy Ghost descended upon Him like a dove (Matt. 3:16). I tell you, when the river Jordan is crossed, that's when we step into the land of promise. We go on to the new anointing. It's new vision! Heaven is about to open and come down!
When you've gone through the process (Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho) you're ready to move on to the Jordan! When you've come up out of the fire, the furnace of affliction, it's the Jordan that lies ahead. It's the new vision! You're going to get a new anointing! Heaven will open and the increase, the double portion of the anointing will come upon your life! IT'S THE INCREASE OF THE ANOINTING. HALLALUJAH!
Look! Something awesome happened after Elijah and Elisha crossed the Jordan together (2 Kin. 2:8). When Elijah was taken up into the glory of heaven in a whirlwind, his mantle fell on the ground and Elisha picked up the mantle---the increase of the anointing---the double portion of the spirit of Elijah (vv. 11, 13). He knew it was a double portion, the answer to his prayers, the moment that he struck the waters of the Jordan with that mantle because those waters parted! (v. 14). He walked through the Jordan on dry ground. What a great miracle!
YOU'LL GO FULL CIRCLE
When God is ready to take your life and your ministry to a new level you will go through the whole process just like Elisha did---Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho, and the Jordan River. And when God is ready to take you to another level, once again you will go through the whole process! All over again you will die and you will count the cost. All over again you will have faith for another level. You will dream another dream.
In fact, you'll be ready to step out and experience a bigger dimension, and with that, you will go through a whole new level of warfare again. A whole new level of the adversary again. A whole new level of "I don't know if I'm ready to pay this. I didn't think it was going to be like this." And when you've gone through that whole process you will come out and there will be yet another level again. You'll go full circle!
Listen. Bearing all if this in mind, are you ready today to say "yes" to the increase of the anointing? I want you to pray for you as we close this teaching series . . .
"Father, you see the ones who truly desire to walk with You step by step through those prophetic places so they can learn how to glorify You and receive an increase of the anointing in order to serve you. Please God, take their hand and lead them on in victory! Encourage their hearts and strengthen them not to give up. Pour out Your Spirit upon them O God, that they would be fully anointed and fully on-fire to advance your kingdom on the earth. In Jesus's name . . . Amen."
This week in Increase of the Anointing you will discover three different aspects of "increase"---multiplication, sevenfold return and the double portion increase. Then, as Todd explains, you will be lead on an intense journey through four ancient, prophetic places in Israel; each place illustrating a necessary step that must be taken so that you can walk in the anointing and the increase of the anointing. Get ready for your faith and your determination to be strengthened. The victory is yours!