This morning I posted about the still small voice, and I have seen recently in other groups that the only way God will speak to you is through the Word. While that has some truth I find it is severely putting Our God in a box. So here is a short study. There is only one place in Scripture where God is said to speak in a “still small voice,” and it was to Elijah after his dramatic victory over the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:20-40; 19:12).1Ki 18:20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 1Ki 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 1Ki 18:22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baals prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 1Ki 18:23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: 1Ki 18:24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. 1Ki 18:25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. 1Ki 18:26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. 1Ki 18:27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 1Ki 18:28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. 1Ki 18:29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. 1Ki 18:30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. 1Ki 18:31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 1Ki 18:32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. 1Ki 18:33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 1Ki 18:34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 1Ki 18:35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 1Ki 18:36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 1Ki 18:37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 1Ki 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 1Ki 18:39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. 1Ki 18:40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. 1Ki 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. Told that Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, king of Israel, was seeking kill him, Elijah ran into the wilderness and collapsed in exhaustion. God sent an angel with food and water to strengthen him, told him to rest, and then sent him to Horeb. In a cave there, Elijah voices his complaint that all of God’s prophets had been killed by Jezebel and he alone had survived. God instructed him to stand on the mountain in His presence. Then the Lord sent a mighty wind which broke the rocks in pieces; then He sent an earthquake and a fire, but His voice was in none of them. After all that, the Lord spoke to Elijah in the still small voice, or “gentle whisper.” The point of God speaking in the still small voice was to show Elijah that the work of God need not always be accompanied by dramatic revelation or manifestations. Divine silence does not necessarily mean divine inactivity. Zechariah 4:6 tells us that God’s work is “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” meaning that overt displays of power are not necessary for God to work. Because He is God, He is not confined to a single manner of communicating with His people. Elsewhere in Scripture, He is said to communicate through a whirlwind (Job 38:1), to announce His presence by an earthquake (Exodus 19:18), and to speak in a voice that sounds like thunder (1 Samuel 2:10, Job 37:2, Psalm 104:7, John 12:29). In Psalm 77:18, His voice is compared to both thunder and whirlwind. And in Revelation 4:5, we’re told that lightning and thunder proceed from the throne in heaven. Nor is God limited to natural phenomena when He speaks. All through Scripture, He speaks through His prophets over and over. The common thread in all the prophets is the phrase, “Thus says the Lord…”. He speaks through the writers of Scripture. Most graciously, however, He speaks through His Son, the Lord Jesus. The writer to the Hebrews opens his letter with this truth: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1-2). The difference between God speaking through the thunder and whirlwind, then through the still small voice can be also considered as showing the difference between the two dispensations of law and grace. The law is a voice of terrible words and was given amidst a tempest of wind, thunder, and lightning, attended with an earthquake, Hebrews 12:18-24, but the Gospel is a gentle voice of love, grace, and mercy, of peace, pardon, righteousness, and the free gift of salvation through Christ. The law breaks the rocky hearts of men in pieces, shakes their consciences, and fills their minds with a sense of God’s fiery wrath and punishment they deserve, and then the gospel speaks gently to them of the peace and pardon available in Christ. It is less important how God speaks to us than what we do with what He says. God speaks most clearly to us in this day through His Word. The more we learn it, the more ready we will be to recognize His voice when He speaks, and the more likely we are to obey what we hear. And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you, but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him (NASB). You are anointed of God. Have you ever considered yourself to be an anointed Christian? Maybe youve thought that only certain people in ministry are anointed? Maybe youve only considered that the O.T. prophets and the N.T. apostles were the only ones anointed and that you are not. No matter what you have or havent thought about the anointing of God, if you are a Christian, then you have received an anointing. Do you know what this anointing is? Do you know what it means to be anointed? According to Websters Dictionary, to anoint means to rub oil or ointment on, to put oil on in a ceremony of consecration. So, to anoint something or someone is to apply something, in this case oil, to an object. Maybe you have been anointed with oil in a prayer service or when someone has prayed over you for healing. Maybe youve even done the anointing. Then again, perhaps the idea of anointing with oil is foreign to you. Whatever the case, anointing is found all over the Bible. Prophets were anointed 1 Kings 19:16 says, Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet (NIV) Priests were anointed Exodus 40:13, says Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (NIV). Kings were anointed 1 Samuel 16:3, 13 says, Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate . . . 13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah. (NIV). The sick were anointed. Mark 6:13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them (NIV). Objects were anointed Leviticus 8:10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. (NIV). For what purpose were they anointed? Prophets were anointed to be able to proclaim Gods word. Priests were anointed to carry out their duties of worship and sacrifice. Kings were anointed, so they could rule. People were anointed for healing. Object were anointed, so they could be set aside for holy use. As you can see, anointing is a very biblical concept and a common occurrence. As I said, anointing occurs for a purpose: for proclaiming, for worship, for sacrifice, for ruling, for healing, and to make something ready for holy use. In fact, that is why Jesus was anointed so that He could carry out His ministry. In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus quoted from Isaiah 61:1-2 and said, The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lords favor. (NIV). Alright, so now you know that anointing is biblical, that it was done for a variety of reasons, and that even Jesus was anointed. You may ask why this is important. It is important because it helps you understand better your need for anointing. 1 John 2:27 says that you have received an anointing. You have been anointed but with what? For a clue to that, lets go to Jesus baptism in Matt. 3:13-17: Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? 15 Jesus replied, Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness. Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. (NIV) Have you ever wondered why Jesus was baptized into Johns baptism of repentance? Some say it was to identify with us; there is much truth in that. Others say it was to be an example; there is also much truth there, too. Probably the main reason that Jesus was baptized was that it was at His baptism that He began His ministry and entered into the Melchizedek priesthood, so He could become the High Priest and be the Holy Sacrifice. Amos 3:7 Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. Exodus 29:1, 4-7 This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests: . . . (after offering a blood sacrifice) 4Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. 5Take the garments and dress Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself and the breast piece. Fasten the ephod on him by its skillfully woven waistband. 6Put the turban on his head and attach the sacred diadem to the turban. 7Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head (NIV). Numbers 4:3 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work in the Tent of Meeting (NIV). So Jesus was probably 30 years old when He began His ministry. In Jesus baptism, He was anointed with the Holy Spirit that descended as a dove. Jesus was washed in baptism, and He was anointed with the Spirit of God. If Jesus needed to be anointed, then so do you. Jesus said that He would send the Holy Spirit who would teach us all things (John 14:26). John 14:26, But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit, just as it has taught you, remain in him. The anointing you have received, then, is the Holy Spirit. What does this mean, then, that you are anointed with the Holy Spirit? It means that you are anointed for Christian ministry while you live in this world. It means that you have been enabled, entrusted, and empowered to accomplish Gods will. In my research about this I found about 40 things you are anointed to do. Ten of them are: To be able to discern truth--1 John 2:27. To testify of the truth--1 John 5:6 This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. To be able to pray--Rom. 8:39 and Ephesians 6:18 which says, And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. . . To Live a righteous life--Romans 8:4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. To be strengthened with power in your inner being--Ephesians 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, To be led by God--Romans 8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. To live in joy--Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, To live in hope--Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. To receive spiritual gifts--1 Corinthians 12:4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To bear spiritual fruit--Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. It is this anointing that opens your mind, teaches you, guides you, calls you to pray, empowers you, and enables you to be stronger Christians--more powerful Christians--not just people who are saved but people who are saved, indwelt, and empowered. How, then, is this anointing received The Cross The Holy Spirit is received by faith in the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. Jesus said that He would send the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit would indwell His people. It is only because of the cross that you have forgiveness of sins and the privilege of the indwelling Spirit no only in you but upon you. Conclusion You are anointed vessels of God. You have been cleansed by God and been filled with the Holy Spirit. Not only is He in you but also He is upon you. As the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples at Pentecost in the upper room and anointed them for service, you, too, have been anointed by God with the Holy Spirit for Christian service. I have taught you this so that you would learn about your anointing. Hopefully, with a better understanding of what God has given you in Christ and by the Holy Spirit, you will be better able to live for God, better able to pray to Him, love Him, trust Him, and better able to dwell in hope and joy.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 18:39:15 +0000
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