Week of Monday, December 13 – Sunday, December 19
Anointing – Man as Instructor
“I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.” – 1 John 2:26-27 ESV
It was an old Civil War Era Chaplain named E.M. Bounds who once said, “What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use—men of prayer, men mighty in prayer.” The Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity, enables us to recognize and know the truth as opposed to deception and lies. Resourced by God’s word, in the hands of God’s Holy Spirit, the man of God has the tremendous capacity to not only live a godly life, but to effectively instruct others as well!
Don’t miss the fact that God’s gift of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer is described in terms of an anointing here. In the Old Testament, a priest or a king was inducted into office by being anointed with oil, which was taken as a symbol of God’s Spirit. It was God’s Spirit in us to guide us that Jesus prayed for in John’s Gospel: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17 ESV). Remember also that Jesus told his disciples: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26 ESV).
John was incredibly close to Jesus, even known as the “beloved disciple.” He was the only one of the 12 who was there to comfort Mary when Jesus was on the cross, and the one to whom Jesus entrusted her care. After Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, John continued that intimate relationship with Jesus through the person of his Spirit. The great news is that you can have that close, intimate relationship as well. The reality is you will only have as much of Jesus in your life as you want! It is entirely up to you. The indwelling of the Spirit of Jesus is not in question. It is his filling, that is, his controlling influence that hangs in the balance. His filling requires our surrender. To use the words of John the Baptist regarding Jesus: “He must increase but I must decrease” (John 3:30 ESV). John was saying, “I need to be filled with less of me and more of God.”
That gets us back to the text in verse 27, which is to “abide in him” through constant prayer and staying in his word. As an Instructor, that close intimate relationship through abiding is the key to experiencing his anointing. I can tell you from experience that I have come to rely more and more on his anointing as I lead and speak. You need that anointing as well if you are going to function as a godly and effective Instructor in your home.
Make no mistake, Satan is tirelessly at work through those “trying to deceive” the precious minds and hearts of those we each hold dear (v. 26). There are millions of wives and children throughout America who desperately need the men they look up to and love to become the anointed, Spirit-filled leader in the home God has called them to be. Will you make a commitment to become that man?
Anointing – Man as Instructor
“I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.” – 1 John 2:26-27 ESV
It was an old Civil War Era Chaplain named E.M. Bounds who once said, “What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use—men of prayer, men mighty in prayer.” The Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity, enables us to recognize and know the truth as opposed to deception and lies. Resourced by God’s word, in the hands of God’s Holy Spirit, the man of God has the tremendous capacity to not only live a godly life, but to effectively instruct others as well!
Don’t miss the fact that God’s gift of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer is described in terms of an anointing here. In the Old Testament, a priest or a king was inducted into office by being anointed with oil, which was taken as a symbol of God’s Spirit. It was God’s Spirit in us to guide us that Jesus prayed for in John’s Gospel: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17 ESV). Remember also that Jesus told his disciples: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26 ESV).
John was incredibly close to Jesus, even known as the “beloved disciple.” He was the only one of the 12 who was there to comfort Mary when Jesus was on the cross, and the one to whom Jesus entrusted her care. After Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, John continued that intimate relationship with Jesus through the person of his Spirit. The great news is that you can have that close, intimate relationship as well. The reality is you will only have as much of Jesus in your life as you want! It is entirely up to you. The indwelling of the Spirit of Jesus is not in question. It is his filling, that is, his controlling influence that hangs in the balance. His filling requires our surrender. To use the words of John the Baptist regarding Jesus: “He must increase but I must decrease” (John 3:30 ESV). John was saying, “I need to be filled with less of me and more of God.”
That gets us back to the text in verse 27, which is to “abide in him” through constant prayer and staying in his word. As an Instructor, that close intimate relationship through abiding is the key to experiencing his anointing. I can tell you from experience that I have come to rely more and more on his anointing as I lead and speak. You need that anointing as well if you are going to function as a godly and effective Instructor in your home.
Make no mistake, Satan is tirelessly at work through those “trying to deceive” the precious minds and hearts of those we each hold dear (v. 26). There are millions of wives and children throughout America who desperately need the men they look up to and love to become the anointed, Spirit-filled leader in the home God has called them to be. Will you make a commitment to become that man?
- Ask the Lord to reveal the level of closeness and intimacy you currently have with the Lord Jesus. Remember, you cannot lead your family to a place you have never been with the Lord. What adjustments do you need to make to change that?
- What plans do you need to put in place today that will help you toward the goal of becoming a Spirit-anointed Instructor?
- Ask God to help you get that mindset John the Baptist had: “He must increase but I must decrease.” Ask God to fill and anoint you with his Spirit for your role as the Instructor.