he Acts of the Apostles is called so because of the unprecedented display of power by the Apostles of Christ. Most of them were unschooled, untrained ordinary individuals that were filled with the overwhelming anointing of the Holy Spirit. None of their great feats were based on intellect, financial prowess, status or personal finesse; it was all about the power of the Holy Spirit: “Now when they saw the boldness and unfettered eloquence of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and untrained in the schools [common men with no educational advantages] they marveled; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13, AMP). The world is searching for answers, souls are crying out and the world is at her wits end, and as God’s children, He has made us His vessels through which He reaches the world with solutions. But it’s unfortunate that today, most sons of God are attempting to achieve such impact by the wisdom of the world, believing in their physical strength, intellect and financial positions. This is impossible, because you cannot change the world using the parameters of the world system!
As God’s children we must equally understand that the things of God cannot be done by the philosophies or strategies of the world. This was why Jesus Christ (after His resurrection) told His disciples to wait for one thing and one thing only – the power of the Holy Spirit: “…He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised…But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth” (Acts 1:4b, 8, AMP). Beloved, in a world that is fast losing its soul, the need for the anointing (empowerment of the Holy Spirit) is critical for every child of God to function effectively without getting dragged away from the things of God: “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ” (Colossians 2:8, NLT).
Taking our stand against the wiles of the world is impossible without an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Beloved, praying for blessings is good, but praying for the anointing (power) of God is much better, because it carries within it not only the demonstrations of power but the blessings of God as well! We cannot compromise the anointing of God for blessings. The anointing of God is what makes the difference; it distinguishes you completely from the rest and makes you an effective vessel for His Kingdom. So many believe that the ‘blessings’ is what makes the difference! Look around you, there are so many blessed children of God and men of God yet the problems of the country and the killings of Christians have gone on unabated. Something must be wrong! Blessings do no damage to the kingdom of darkness, but the Anointing of God does!
Beloved, what does this anointing mean? It means to “rub off”, to “smear all over”, to “rub into”, “to pour on”. None of these actions are possible without close contact. When someone or something rubs off on you or rub into you, it leaves an indelible proof or evidence that you have had contact with that thing or person. This is what is needed now more than ever: “For the creation eagerly awaits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed” (Romans 8:19). Not people that bear ‘Christian’ because they go to Church, born into Christian families or by their names, but people that are actually carrying the very Nature of Christ and exhibiting His power. If you claim to serve Him but exhibiting character that says otherwise, something else has rubbed off on you. One more thing, His anointing dictates your appetite and desires. It is not enough to preach the blessings of Christ alone; we need to live His Power Now!
Lest we forget, to be a Christian actually means ‘the follower of the anointed one’. The disciples were first called so because they showed evidence of their relationship with Christ. There was an abiding presence of Christ in and on them such that it was impossible to differentiate them from Christ. The Sanhedrin recognized it and marveled! It is time for the world to equally recognize it and marvel! Beloved, Jesus Christ is calling, requesting us to seek His power even as we see the Day draw ever nearer: “Accept My instruction, instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is better than precious stones and nothing desirable can compare with it” (Proverbs 8: 10-11). God bless you as you heed His call, in Jesus Christ name!
