But Ahab was killed in the battle.
But Ahab was killed in the battle.
The Christian imitators pray vigorously for the needs of other people, but their prayers are not anointed. They may live a more righteous life than those who have the Spirit of Christ. Only a veteran of the cross can detect that the Holy Spirit is not present in their personality.
God told Moses that every item of furniture in the Tabernacle of the Congregation had to be anointed with oil. In other words, only that which is anointed by the Spirit of God has eternal value in a Christian church service.
Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy. (Exodus 40:9)
I suppose that the problems of the future in America, when it may cost our life or the life of our children to be known as a Christian, will separate the imitators from the true priesthood. Or, it may happen that many of them will actually become Christians and share in the Spirit of Christ, by asking the Lord Jesus to make the anointing of the Spirit true in their lives.
When the Spirit of God is dwelling us, the moral image of God can be seen in our behavior. "Grace" is being offered today as a substitute for growth in righteous behavior. However, no amount of religious service will compensate for the lack of holy, righteous behavior.
Eternal love, joy, and peace are not the fruit of any Christian. They are the fruit always borne by the Spirit of God alone.
It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. (Psalms 133:2,3)
The Body of Christ is the Body of the Anointed One. The Anointing flows down from the Head, just as the priestly anointing of Aaron, the High Priest, ran down on the collar of his robes. Each member of the Body is anointed by the Holy Spirit and is to minister by the wisdom and power of the Spirit of God, just as the Head does.
If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.. (John 14:15-17)
The Holy Spirit of God resides in every true Christian, and will lead them into all truth if they will follow Christ patiently.
I think people receive the Holy Spirit when they are born again. The indwelling of Christ and the Father are mentioned a few verses later, in John 14:23. I do not believe the two indwellings (John 14:15-17and John 14:23) are the same experience.
I said "when they are born again." We receive the Holy Spirit when we truly are born again, I believe.
Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit." (John 3:5)
What we of today refer to as being "born again" is actually conversion to the Christian faith. We confess our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, His blood atonement and His resurrection. It is a change in our beliefs.
We call that religious confession, "being born again."
You know, we ought to think more about what we are declaring. We ought to know that a change in our religious philosophy is not birth, except in some figurative sense.
I know when and where I was born again. It took place after I had made a profession of faith in Christ. I was in Hawaii. I walked out of the Quonset hut. The whole world looked different. The stars looked different.
I wrote to my mother in California to tell her about this experience. She wrote me at the same time. Our letters crossed in the mail.
She had just started to get up in the morning. A "man" in white stood at the foot of her bed. She could see him only from the waist up.
He said, " I have been reborn and renewed." Then he disappeared.
My point is, being born again is a supernatural experience. It is not a theologic statement of faith in Christ. The statement of faith is absolutely necessary. But it should be accompanied by some kind of experience.
If, as I stated, the Spirit of God is given to us at that time, if we actually are born of the Spirit, then we should realize in some manner in keeping with our own personality and circumstances, that we have been reborn and renewed. Do you agree with that?
From this point forward we should live differently. We have just been born. In fact, I would say we have just been conceived, looking at it that way. It will be some time before Christ comes forth in us in a significant manner.
But in order for Christ to come forth, we must obey the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. Not the Law of Moses, but the Law of the Spirit of Christ. This means that we must follow and obey Christ diligently at all times and in every circumstance!
There is a travail, as Paul mentioned (Galatians 4:19). Finally Christ comes forth in us and is caught up to the right hand of the Father, awaiting the time for the revealing of the sons of God.
So in every true Christian, not every person active in a Christian church, there is a crown of anointing. We cannot always see it, but it is there. If it is not, the individual is not of Christ, no matter how active they may be in "Christian" activities.
It is the crown of anointing that identifies us as a member of God's Royal Priesthood.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (I Peter 2:9)
God has called the Lord Jesus as a Priest in "the likeness of Melchizedek." Since we are members of the Body of the High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, we also, by the power of the Spirit of God, are a priest after the order of Melxhizedek, by the "power of an indestructible life."
Just think of that! We may be a brand new Christian at the present moment. But if we follow the Lord Jesus Christ faithfully, obeying His commands at all times, we will be serving God and man as a priest for eternity.
Next Part So it is written!