Luke 5:37 In biblical times, skins were used as containers for liquids. Over a period of time these skins would dry out and become hard and brittle. And so what people would do is they would dip the skins in water and then rub them with oil to soften and restore the skins so that they could be used again. Now watch this, if, by chance, these skins were not processed in this way, they would become useless because of their hardness and lack of flexibility. Jesus gave this parable as an example of what He desires to do in His Church. You see, He desires to change our hard and dry hearts into soft and pliable vessels, vessels prepared to yield to His will; vessels that can contain His new wine. Now each person, each heart varies in its experience as this change takes place but if our hearts remain stiff, the new wine will eventually break our old wineskin. The new wine represents a new move of God’s Spirit. Listen, there is a new move of God taking place but if we’re going to flow with this new move we’re going to need a certain level of sensitivity in our preparation, so that we can recognize and maintain this new anointing when it comes forth. The old wineskins were first dipped in water to restore the moisture. Listen, this is no secret; the spirit of people is becoming dry and parched. There’s no moisture; there needs to be a restoration of the moisture; a cleansing needs to take place in the heart through “the washing of water by the Word of God” because without this cleansing we’ll just start building up resistance; resistance to the truth, resistance to the Word of God. Next thing you know, we’re operating in unbelief and the only thing that will succeed in doing is keep us from receiving the flow of God’s power in our lives. After those old wineskins were dipped in water they were then rubbed with fresh oil to bring back their flexibility and endurance of strength. Yeah, fresh oil! Just like those old wineskins needed fresh oil, we need fresh oil. Fresh oil represents a new anointing in our lives; an anointing that gives us the flexibility to move with God and walk in the new wine of His Spirit. The Bible says in Acts 2:1 “when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” There was an anointing already flowing in the atmosphere so that when the Holy Ghost showed up He found them all speaking the same thing; they were all seeking the same thing making it easy for the Holy Ghost to descend. God help us all to begin to speak the same things, help us God, to begin to seek the same things so that your Spirit has free access to flow in our midst. We need fresh oil!! Why? Because we’re in a very fragile time right now. There are some really powerful things that have and are presently taking place within the Body of Christ; nevertheless we’ve been here before. Yeah, it’s a wonderful thing when we receive a refreshing from God because we know that He has heard our cry, it’s wonderful, but can I tell you something? In order for us to continue to benefit from the blessings that God has in store for us, we’ve got to get some spiritual vision. Vision that looks beyond ourselves and sees directly into the very heart of God; vision that allows us to begin seeking His purpose and His will for our lives. I don’t know if you can see it, but if you look close enough, there is this picture unfolding before our very eyes. It’s a panoramic unfolding of His practical outworking as it is being made manifest in our lives but God’s ultimate intention as we see this picture unfolding before us is that it would take us from strength to strength and from glory to glory. I’m talking about a panoramic unfolding that distinguishes between man’s earthly viewpoint and God’s eternal viewpoint. I desire to see a move of God that will bring change to the Body of Christ. A move of God that brings a deeper level of maturity and commitment to the Lord. A move that would cause believers to settle down and stop all the gossip, backbiting, lying and stealing. A move that would produce the character of Christ in believers. A move that would bring forth people who can be trusted. Im happy some folks are getting healed, but that should be just a part of normal every day Christianity. I am sick of having to deal with folk who claim to have the Holy Spirit yet live like the devil. During the late ‘90’s into the turn of the century the Church experienced what was known as the Apostolic Movement. This apostolic reformation was to have produced this move but it has not happened because most who are calling themselves Apostles do not deal with the character issue, just the anointing. This apostolic reformation was to have been different in the fact that it was in reality a deep inner move that would then produce the outward manifestation of Christ in our lives. A move that would bring about change. There is a place that God is moving us into. It is a place we have not been before. It is greater than former days. It is more than a refreshing; it is a place where there are true changes. It goes beyond visitation and on into habitation. The saints are nailed to the Holy Place, pierced through with His Love. They live in heaven while still on this earth. They have learned how to live in Christ in heaven, and walk the streets of this earth releasing His glory in season and out of season. When the refreshing fades away they are pressing onward in spite of. So what’s the bottom line? We need fresh oil!!! Word For Today But my horn shalt Thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil. – Psalm 92:10 - It is the life of Christ in the soul that will make our life beautiful to behold and powerful for good.
Posted on: Wed, 22 Jan 2014 09:53:55 +0000
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