JOTS FROM OLD JAKE
ANOINTED APOSTLES
Sunday, Oct. 07, 2007 - 5:55 p.m.
The Greek word apostolos, translated �apostle� means �one sent forth, a sent one.� The greatest example of a sent one is Jesus Christ:
(John 20:21 KJV) Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Jesus was an Apostle of God the Father. The ones sent out by Jesus Christ are apostles of Jesus Christ!
A true apostle has been sent with a commission to do something. Jesus was sent to the world by the Father to, among other things, bring redemption to those who will believe in Jesus and the reason He was sent!
Jesus has commissioned His believers to go and teach of Him, to lay hands on the sick that they may recover, to facilitate followers of His gospel, and to magnify the Lord by signs and wonders.
Mark 16:15-18 (KJV) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
This is the commission by Jesus Christ to be sent out to do a the job expressed, also telling what signs will follow the course of doing that job.
2 Cor 12:12 (KJV) Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
Don�t you know that if you make a new hundred dollar bill that it would not be long before some evil being would make a phony bill that looks just like the genuine bill? Well the same is true with the signs that follow the apostles. The adversary will do every thing possible to discredit the genuine, or to do a counterfeit of the same.
So how do you know if the sign is phony or genuine? Well through the discernment by the Holy Spirit within you. Until you know that you know it is from the Lord and the credit has been given to Jesus� leave it on the shelf and pray for discernment.
Anyway that commission given was given to you and me and all followers and believers who faith in Him. This means that all just mentioned should have the signs of the apostles following us. The signs will very from individual to individual but the commission is there.
To put the commission into practice you must seek the anointing to do the particular job that is to be done. This job is like an assignment for the individual. When the anointing is on you to proceed with the job then you follow your instructions, given by the Holy Spirit, and do the action He requires from you and He does the rest.
Example: several years ago the Lord used me in the gift of healing. As I was learning how to use this gift I found out that I could get ahead of the Lord in my exuberance and nothing happened� but if I waited for His instruction miracles would occur. One of the ways I could tell the anointing was ready to be used was; I would feel like a heat sensation in the palm of my hand. When I placed my hand on the individual being prayed for many times they could feel that sensation going from my hand down to the bottom of their feet, and they would be healed of what ever it was we were praying about!
Not everyone who is used in the gift of healing has the same sensation. I know of one man who the Lord would show his minds eye an image of the organ or problem to be healed. That only happened to me once.
I am not a special person that the Lord should have used me in that way� He used me because I made myself available to be used of Him and was doing my best to be obedient to Him.
If you don�t use the anointing you will loose it. That is not to say that you can�t get the anointing back but it is best not to loose it to begin with.
I wonder if we are not allowing the signs to follow us if we are not guilty not being all we can be for the Lord. I mean the anointing that is not being used is being wasted and the church, our brothers and sisters are hurting because of it!... Anyway food for thought�
VERSE FOR THIS ENTRY!
Colossians 1:21-23 (NIV) Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
ULTERIOR WORDS OF WISDOM� OR/NOT!
A leader is a dealer in hope!
~Napoleon Bonaparte~
I learned however, when I was quite young that, �A good leader must first be a good follower!�
~I don�t remember who said it but I believe it to be true!~
May you be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit!
