SURVIVING THE ANOINTING

            When I visited Paris for the first time, I was taken to visit the Eiffel tower. I was told that from the top of the Eiffel tower you can almost see the all city of Paris. In fact, you should not go to Paris without visiting the Eiffel tower. It’s as though you haven’t been in Paris. As I was under that mass of steel and concrete I thought, what if someone was to get on top of this tower by climbing? It would take him a great deal of pain and, for sure, an extra time than if they would take the elevator. The elevator would spare time and energy. This is so similar to the anointing. The anointing in our lives does exactly that. Besides the eternal life, the anointing is certainly the most important thing God has to give. It is God’s own supernatural ability entrusted with man. It’s the Holy Ghost in and on us.

            As exciting and precious as the anointing happens to be, it is more difficult to live with it, and much more to survive it, if we do not abide by its rules.

I know nothing holy in the bible so close to death like the anointing: a priest would fall dead just for daring to handle it out of the rules (Leviticus10:1-7 & 1 Samuel 2:22-35). Likewise the word of the Lord, the anointing is a double edged sword. It will uplift you to the summit of the light (glory) or bring down to the depths of the darkness. If God has anointed you for an assignment, stick to it and play by the rules lest you begin to dig your own grave. Before we can thirst or hunger for the anointing, it is good to know all the implications.

            Let’s take a journey with Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings 2:9-15: Elijah said to Elisha “Ask what I may do for you before I am taken?” “Please let the double portion of your spirit be upon me” Elisha answered. Elijah replied: “You have asked a HARD THING. Nevertheless if you see ME when I am taken…it shall be so for you; but if you do not, it shall not be so”.

Elisha’s challenge was not the double portion but to keep sight of Elijah and not loose it even a second when he would ascend. There was a test to pass and succeed, otherwise it’s all gone. Nothing really prepared Elisha for what would happen prior to the double portion he longed for. He never expected in a million years the kind of shock-and-awe in Elijah’s ascension that he witnessed. No matter how stunning and amazing the spectacle was to be, the challenge remained to stay focus on his master and not to be carried away by the horses and chariots of fire.  The anointing would give you influence, perhaps bring to your feet and usher you into the glory of which you never, or only barely dreamed. That is now the moment of truth, a moment of self testing.

            That is the time whereby you would tell if you would survive the anointing –and stay long in business-by keeping the focus on the master or be carried away by its achievements in your life or ministry.

            If Elisha would keep the focus on Elijah in spite of the impressive show of horses and chariots of fire, he would definitely keep focused on the giver of the double portion and would not be carried away by the gift, however outstanding it proves to be.

          There is a thin line between life and death, love and hatred. There is also a thin line between glory and defeat, rising and falling, anointing and death. The position and the attitude you have are critical to whether you survive it or die from it.

            There is an interesting segment in the movie, Spiderman 1, when the bad guy proposes a very tempting deal. He says something like this: “Do you know that there are 8 million people in this city who live just to uplift the few lucky guys like you and I that have power?…” This is so true in America, in the world and even in the church. I returned from India a few weeks ago, and though originally from Africa, nothing prepared me for the kind of idolatry I saw in India. I was told Indians worship some 300 million gods (idols). We might be shocked but we, too, have our own type of idols: celebrities. Right here in America, on TV or the public place people almost fall prostrate when their favorite star makes his appearance. This is also true in the Christian world. When serving an honorable God it is natural to be honored and people would even praise you.

Honor has to do with appreciation for serving God and it is recommended by Him (1 Timothy 5:17). Because God will exalt you (Joshua 3:7) people will fear, praise and obey you. At this point our greatest challenge will be to survive such influence in our hand, to survive the anointing in our lives. Humility and how we treat our fellow men must always guide us. It is an important ingredient to help us survive the anointing (Matthew23:12). It is true in this world that those who have the power and influence are regarded as supermen and sometimes even as gods, each one in their level.

            Celebrity status is obviously a form of deity in the western culture. In this context, it is not easy to stop people from acting the way they act, but we can certainly stop ourselves from getting what belongs to God; His glory. The only prevention is to die to ourselves. The anointing in our lives is there to glorify Jesus Christ, not to help build our own kingdom. However, because we carry Him in us and He uses our body, it is logical that we walk on the red carpet just like the donkey in the bible that had the privilege of walking on the cloaks of the people laid on the ground to the glory of Jesus ( Luke 19:30). If we can be that man of God, on the front line with signs and wonders, so close to the godhead and yet we are the loving brother we once were, conscientious of our humanity, we have probably passed the test and are qualified by God to walk the thin line with no risk of falling from grace. If we always depend on God, He will certainly keep us longer in glory, bless our work and be satisfied with our lives. To God be all the Glory.