What we generally have been taught, understood and largely operated in is milk, but God wants us to get to the meat of being a Christian. We have operated from a mindset that being a Christian is about how we treat others and how we act. Do we keep His commandments? Do we love our neighbor as we love ourself? Yes, that is part of it!
We observe these commandments and principles because...? He says so...we get favor if we do...we will be blessed if we do...on and on. Is it about what we receive from God? Sure, that is part... there is a reward.
However, we are being prepared for a new season and a new level of Christ-likeness. Christ said in Mark 10:45, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” There is a new level of serving that we need to understand - a new level that will require a different mindset of what it means to be Christian.
The Father did not send the Holy Spirit when Christ was raised, so we could just be better at receiving favor and blessing. He sent the Holy Spirit so we could become more like His Son, so we could be taught to serve rather than be served. He sent the Holy Spirit so He could anoint us - which is what the Holy Spirit did to Christ - 'the anointed One'.
Acts 10:38 says, "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." If we fully embrace what it means to be Christian, to be Christ-like, then we must come to a new understanding that God has anointed us with the Holy Spirit and power - not so we can have more favor and blessing - but so we can be Christ-like and go about 'doing good and healing'.
Jesus told us when He 'opened their minds to understand the Scriptures', in Mark 24, that we receive that same power:
"And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Mark 24:49
We will be entering a year where our voice will carry new power for deliverance. (I talked about this in detail earlier this year.) It is an active part of the new wine that is being released and, we will not be those that say, "The old is good enough."
When Christ was reading in the synagogue in Luke 4:17-19, it says,
17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
In this new season, we 'stay in the city until' we are trained to speak deliverance in a great and new way - a way that 'eye has not seen and ear has not heard'. A way that:
- proclaim(s) release to the captives, and
- recovery of sight to the blind
- set(s) free those who are oppressed.
- proclaiming deliverance in the Bible study
- proclaiming healing in the worship service and
- setting the oppressed free with the preached good news.
It will no longer be about big ministries but about individual Christians.
It will no longer be about methods but it will be about results.
Results that 'eye has not seen and ear has not heard'.
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