MAINTAINING THE ANOINTING[Recorded 12/5/00]

You know last week we were talking about the pathway to the anointing and in John 14:6, if you will turn there please for a second. Just a quick review so we can continue on with tonight’s teaching. John 14. Oh, Holy Spirit, you are the teacher – come and teach us and bring your Word alive - in Jesus’ name. In John 14 - Hallelujah - verse 6. Let’s read this together. And Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father, except through me. Now we must understand something, the “way” is a representation of the blood, which we talked about. Because it’s a representation of the cross. No one can come to Jesus and have fellowship with him without going through the blood of the lamb. The “truth” - we must walk in truth so that we can get in the Spirit. Amen? In other words, it maintains that anointing— it is something that is– the anointing is available to us. That pathway to the anointing. The pathway to life is through the blood and the truth– through the blood and the truth. And as soon as one of those things gets messed up, you will find that the anointing begins to lift from us. It begins to lift from us. We find that we begin to go back into the flesh. We find that certain things begin to irritate us more. So, God who— Jesus is God who is known as the Christ, came so that you and I could have the anointing. So when you look at Jesus, you look at him as the anointed one and his anointing. That he not only wanted to walk with his disciples but he wanted to live in his disciples. Amen? Praise God. So tonight’s teaching is called Maintaining the Anointing. We wanted to go from the pathway of the anointing or the pathway to the anointing to maintaining the anointing. And I want to share a few things about that tonight. So let’s go to Matthew 5 first. Hallelujah. Matthew 5. Maintaining the anointing - Glory to the Lamb! In verse 13. Matthew 5:13, let’s read this together. You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? So you have to understand something— if you are the salt of the earth, you need to have a flavor. I mean salt has a distinctive flavor, doesn’t it. Wow does it have a distinctive flavor! And some people really love salt– I mean they go after salt like mad! But it has a distinctive flavor and we also know that salt is used to preserve, isn’t it. So you and I are preserving something precious. Does everybody get that? You and I are preserving something precious. So if the salt loses its flavor— let’s go a little further. It is then good for what? —nothing, and to be thrown out and be trampled under foot by who? Men. Let me tell you something. When the salt loses its flavor— or you lose your zealousness, or when you begin to mess up and the anointing begins to lift – or you are walking out of Christ – the devil is going to use man to get at you. That’s what he does, doesn’t he. He uses man. The devil just doesn’t show up all the time, does he— and say, Hey here I am, the devil! Hello. The bible tells us not to throw our pearls before who? Swine. Well, he’s not talking about pigs, is he. He is talking about those who would trample your pearls,

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those who will trample your blessings. Those who would trample the testimony of Christ. That’s why the Lord tells us to have fellowship with him so we know who to throw our pearls before. Okay, let’s go a little further. In verse 14, You are the what? —light of the world. A city that is set on high cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lamp stand and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven. Remember we talked about in the Pathway to the Anointing— it was to bring glory to God, wasn’t it. The anointing is to bring glory to God. So if we lose our flavor, or if the salt (which is preserving something precious) loses that flavor— In other words, you and I must protect that anointing. Does everybody understand that? We must protect the anointing and it’s important. Why? Because we are the salt of the world and the light of the world. And without protecting the anointing, which is our responsibility, the salt loses its flavor and the light begins to get dim. Okay. Now, let’s go to Mark 9. So it must be seasoned. It must be seasoned. And the anointing seasons you and me. Does everybody get that? In Mark 9. Is everybody alright in here tonight? Amen. Okay. Praise be to God. In Mark 9:49 - Blessed be the name of the Lord. Mark 9:49. Hallelujah. Is everybody there? Let’s read it together. For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it. Have salt in yourselves and peace with one another. Praise be to God. So how do you season it? By fire. Now, he’s talking about the Holy Spirit. Does everyone get that? You are to be seasoned by what? Fire. By the Holy Spirit. The anointing is a representation of the seasoning. Am I losing anyone? The anointing is a representation of the seasoning. Okay. We see here that the seasoning is the Holy Spirit, or fire. Now watch— go to Matthew 3. In verse 11. Matthew 3:11. Hallelujah. Praise be to God. Let’s read it together. And this is John speaking– John the Baptist is speaking. And what is he saying? I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. But he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry: he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire. The seasoning. The seasoning. That’s why it is so important for you and me to maintain the anointing - so that we can continue to be the salt and the light of this world. Did you ever notice believers who started off on fire for God, they were doing good and you noticed the anointing on their lives. And all of a sudden you see them two years later and it has lifted. Where’s the anointing, man? Where’s the anointing! That brother or sister is in the flesh. You can tell. They have walked from underneath the anointing. And you know that they are engaged in more of the affairs of the world. They are talking about getting more fulfillment out of the things of the world instead of the things of God. Why? You can tell them by their fruit. Amen? So we must maintain the anointing in our life. Because the anointing breaks the yoke of bondage. The anointing keeps you and I free. Amen? Now, let’s go to Acts 10 - praise be

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to God. In verse 36, The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) That word, you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God what? —anointed— Anointed who? —Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with what? —power. Oh, so do you think fire is a representation and has something to do with power also? He said that one was going to come and baptize you and me with the Holy Spirit and with fire, right? That’s why when people get tongues– They are on fire. It’s a representation of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Tongues of fire. Hallelujah. Praise be to God. Now, we see here— let’s read verse 38 again. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by who? —the devil; for God was with him. See the salt and the light are allowing people to see God with you. God with you. If people don’t see God with you, how are you going to witness Jesus. Because he is God that came to the earth. If they don’t see power, you know the bible tells us that the kingdom of God is not just word, but power. We must have power! We know that in the bible in Acts 1:8, it says that when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you shall have what? —power! So we need to have power to be a witness. We need to have power to be a witness. You know I run across a lot of brothers who started off really good and I know that some of them have been through jail and whatever and you know the next thing I know they are doing is picking up a cigarette. And I share this all the time— you know what’s happened? There is no power there anymore. It is a sure sign of no more power. Why? Because now their flesh is leading them. Where is the witness? Where is the power? Amen? Go out and pick up another drink. Go out and do things that are desires of the world. Where’s the witness? How can you tell someone about Jesus— and have the power and witness of Jesus Christ, the anointed one and his anointing, when we are still getting fulfillment from desires of creation and the world. And not of the creator. Amen? Oh, to God be the glory! We need to maintain that anointing. And it’s your responsibility and my responsibility to maintain the anointing of God almighty! Because the bible says we can quench the Spirit. The bible tells us that the Spirit can lift from you and me. Hallelujah. So we must maintain the anointing and that’s what the teaching is about— maintaining the anointing. Now, I want to go a little bit further before we get into this whole— I want to go to I Timothy 4:1. Glory to God. Oh, hallelujah. I Timothy 4:1, is everybody there? Glory to God. In verse 1, let’s read this together. Now the Spirit expressly says— Now what Spirit is this? The Holy Spirit. So we see here that the Holy Spirit is speaking, isn’t he. The Spirit expressly says that what? In latter times, some will depart from the faith giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. Now let me share something with you. The reason why they are going to take heed of these things– heed means listen— That means a demon is going to come up to you and try and deceive you, isn’t he. He is going to try and lead you astray into doctrines of

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demons known as— Listen, a doctrine of demons just doesn’t mean it’s the bible of satan. It means the things that are taken out of the word of God but falsified. Or things not preached. Hello. If God wants you and me to have power then it should be preached that we need to have power. Do you know how many places are not preaching the baptism of the Holy Ghost? That’s a doctrine of demons. Does everybody understand that? If some place is not preaching power, that means they are deceived by the devil and they are not preaching the truth. And that’s why people are not getting free. It’s our responsibility not only to lead someone to Jesus, but to lead them to the Holy Ghost! That’s our responsibility. If we are not telling them the truth, then that’s a doctrine of a demon. Does everybody get it? Paul warned us that many would come and preach Jesus— they would come and preach the same gospel but it would be a different Jesus. He warned us that many would come in his name. Now we know that many are out there preaching other things and saying that the gifts aren’t for now, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and so forth are not for now. That’s a doctrine of demons because it’s not the truth. It’s a lie! Now are they doing it on purpose? No. They’re deceived, aren’t they. Because that’s what the devil does, he deceives. That’s his job. We know that there wouldn’t be denominations. It’s a shame that when you go up to somebody who says they’re a believer and they say, Hi, I’m a catholic, or I’m a baptist, or I’m a pentecost. That’s a shame. Because we are children of the Most High God. There are no denominations in the bible. That’s a doctrine of demons. But God deals with us as individuals, doesn’t he. Amen? And that’s a wonderful thing. You know but it hurts my heart when somebody acknowledges their denomination instead of Christ and I know it hurts the heart of God. Praise be to God. So we see here that there is deception and that’s the devil, right? So, in the anointing— Oh, praise God!! Let’s just go to John 14 and let the word speak for itself. So many are going to depart from the faith, aren’t they? You know why? The anointing has lifted. Hello. John 14. They are not walking in the Spirit, are they. Oh, to God be the glory. John 14, somewhere. Oh, blessed be the name of the Lord. Let’s start at verse 12. Most assuredly I say to you [now this is Jesus speaking], he who believes in me, the works that I do he will do also. Oh, praise be to God!!! Jesus said what? Those who what? Believe in me— now what does the word “believe” mean? Follow. Glory. Those who follow me— Now if you are truly a follower of Jesus Christ and the truth of the word, you will be baptized in the Holy Ghost and you will pray in the Holy Ghost. Now, most assuredly I say to you, he who follows me [or believes in me], the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to my Father. And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If you love me, keep my commandments. This is a criteria. Now listen to this. If you love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Helper, that he may abide with you forever. Now what is he saying? If you love me, keep my

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commandments. In other words, if you love me, you will follow me and he is going to send you the gift of the Holy Ghost. Does everybody get it? Now, in verse 17, this is what I love, let’s read this together. The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him, nor knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and will be in you. So the Spirit of truth is going to what? He is going to guide you and me into all truth. Go to John 16. In verse 13, somewhere around there. Let’s start at verse 12, I wouldn’t want to skip this. The importance of maintaining the anointing. Is everybody there? Okay, in verse 12, Jesus is speaking to his disciples and says, I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. [Because they didn’t have the Holy Ghost.] However, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth: for he will not speak on his own authority; but whatever he hears, he will speak: and he will tell you things to come. He will glorify me: for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you. So all things are yours and mine, aren’t they. The what? The Spirit of truth. So why are there denominations? The spirit of error. They have not followed the truth. Does everybody understand that? That’s why one place teaches one thing and one place teaches another. Why? Because they are not following and having fellowship with the Holy Ghost. They are running on what man has taught them and it has been sent down the line. Sent down the line. Taught by the mind and not by the Spirit. Does everybody get it? So when you and I have fellowship with the Spirit of truth he is going to guide us into all truth and he is going to order your steps. Isn’t it funny how he ordered our steps right here. Amen! To God be the glory. So it is important that you and I maintain the anointing so that we can be led into all truth. Amen? Now, of course we talked about, in Pathway to the Anointing, repenting quickly. Right? And walking in the truth, which brings us to the anointing. Okay and now we want to maintain the anointing. Now we just shared that many will fall from the faith. Why? Because they are going to take heed to deceiving spirits, aren’t they. Doctrines of demons. They are going to listen to what a demon has told a man and that man is going to tell somebody else. And lead them to the wrong doctrine and never fulfill the promises of God in their lives. You know, you and I are the ones that are going to have to fulfill the promises. They are available for you and me. But if you don’t know them, how are you going to get them? If the Holy Ghost doesn’t lead you to them— He is going to lead you into all truth. Right? Then they are going to manifest in your life, aren’t they. Hallelujah. Okay, let’s go to 2 Timothy 3. Praise be to God. Is everybody alright here? Everybody with me? Ohhhhhh– thank you Jesus! 2 Timothy 3. Hallelujah. Is everybody there? Good. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. Now we just saw that in the last days many will depart from the faith. Now we see here that— we get another warning from Timothy in his second letter - this is the second letter. Now we see here that he says there are going to be perilous times, which means things are going to get more difficult. Things are more difficult now than they were last year. More evil is

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being revealed. Things are not easier to walk— which is why we must walk in the anointing. We must be able to give up everything for Christ. So perilous times will come and we are walking in those perilous times and it’s going to get worse. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying its power: and from such people turn away. You know, they come knocking on my door sometimes. Hi— having a form of godliness. They seem to be sweet people sometimes. You almost want to invite them in— have a seat. Then you want to share the truth with them and they run. I have had to chase some of them down the street! They wouldn’t stay and listen. I wanted to grab them and pray with them. I started praying in the Holy Ghost and they almost fainted! [Lots of laughter.] We had one guy here, he was a Jehovah’s witness and I wanted to share with him the understanding– I had a two or three page teaching on the name of God and I shared with him— And the dude was like— I mean he was running down the street from me! I finally got hold of the dude and I put the teaching right in his hand, you know. But praise God!! Here we are talking again about— they don’t know the Holy Ghost. So the Holy Ghost isn’t guiding them to truth. So they are deceived. They have a form of godliness but they deny the power. So when they come to your house say, Listen I believe in Jesus - can we pray? And then pray in the Holy Ghost. Whew!!! [Lots of laughter.] Hey, you might gain a pair of shoes, you never know. They might bless you with a pair of shoes! [More laughter.] Hallelujah. Praise be to God. Now listen, in verse 6 - okay? Verse 6, For of this sort are those which creep into households and make captives of gullible people [I’m not just going to say women] loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts. You know like - you are going to hell if you don’t go to church on Saturday. Hello. Okay. Always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. In other words, they are learning, they’re learning, they’re learning, but they are not coming to the truth because they don’t have the Spirit of truth to lead them. Does everybody get it? So they have a form of godliness but they deny the power. Do you know how many denominations have demon— or drug addicts and they don’t know what to do with them. People bound by drugs and alcohol and lust. They don’t know what to do with them! But praise God – God raises up other ministries so that people can come to them. I remember we had a brother who had been going to a church for five years. The pastor there had never cast out a devil and nobody ever— they didn’t want to talk about that stuff. They taught, they worked it all around the baptism of the Holy Ghost and casting out demons. And praise be to God the man came to a service and the first night God delivered him. Instantaneously. And the wife was about to divorce him but within two weeks the whole family was praying in the Holy Ghost! They were reunited and now they are out serving the Lord. Why? The Spirit of

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truth. Amen? The Spirit of truth. The bible says it’s truth that makes you free. Well if you are not fellowshipping with the Spirit of truth, you are not going to have the truth. You are going to walk by fables – and become one of those who have a form of godliness but no power. Then you have to run away from your own self. Hallelujah. Always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Amen? Praise God. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith. But they will progress no further: for their folly shall be manifest to all men, as theirs also was. So they are not going to progress any further. In other words, they can’t go any further in the Spirit. See you can get knowledge, knowledge, knowledge and never have understanding. Always coming to the knowledge or always learning but never able to operate in the knowledge of the truth. And that’s with wisdom, isn’t it. In other words, you can have knowledge and no wisdom. Wisdom tells you how to use the knowledge. And if you don’t know— if you don’t have the truth of the knowledge, then the knowledge that you have is false. Is everybody with me? In other words you can gain a lot of knowledge but it might not be truth. I have had a lot of people— First, I went to go visit this guy in jail one day and I was waiting to get in. And this preacher came up to me and quoted a scripture to me. And I didn’t know the location off— he said the location. And then the Holy Ghost let me know because I didn’t remember the location - that it was about someone with a ponytail— long hair. He said Corinthians— and the Holy Ghost let me know, he’s talking about your hair, Guy. I said, Oh. I said, Listen brother that’s the difference between religion and relationship. And I left it at that. I walked away and went to go visit this dude. It was blowing my mind— cause— but I didn’t know the scripture – and the Holy Ghost quickened me. So, you know I just shared with the man that’s the difference between religion and relationship. In a nice way. I didn’t tell him —a form of godliness or anything, I just left it at that. Let the Holy Ghost deal with him afterwards. My job was done. I went to go visit the brother. So we see that perilous times are here and they are going to get worse. We see that many believers are departing from the faith because they either never had the Holy Ghost from the beginning or they walked with the Holy Spirit and broke covenant. Or didn’t maintain the anointing. Does everybody understand that? So it is very, very important that you and I maintain the anointing of the Holy Spirit. To God be the glory. Now we see here, and we read it already that seasoning is a representation of the Holy Spirit. So you and I are seasoned with the Holy Ghost. You know why? Somebody wants what you have. You taste good and look good!! And to God be the glory!! Hallelujah. Let’s talk a little bit first of all about what the anointing does. Alright. What does the anointing do? In 1 Samuel— there are seven things the anointing does in our lives —and why we must maintain it. In 1 Samuel 10, I know we have gone over some of these things already but that’s okay. What does the anointing bring? Glory to God. Hallelujah. In 1 Samuel 10. Glory to God. Seven things the anointing brings.

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In verse 6, can we read it together. And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you shall prophesy with them, and be turned into another man. What happened - the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he became a what? Hallelujah. You become another man. When you get baptized in the Holy Ghost, you become another man. Oh, to God be the glory. The bible also tells us that the kingdom of God is peace, joy and righteousness in the Holy Ghost. So when you get baptized in the Holy Spirit, which is a whole other teaching about the kingdom of God, the kingdom of God begins to manifest in you - with power. And you begin to walk in peace, joy and righteousness in the Holy Ghost. Not your own, but of God’s. Is everybody with me? So we see here the first thing that we are talking about is that the anointing comes upon you and you become another man. You get turned into another man. You get new garments. Why? Because people see that you are a different person. Man, what happened to you! [Pastor prays in the Spirit.] Whoa!!!! Whoa!!!!! [Laughter.] A SIGN! Man, where did you pick that up? College?! Is that Hebrew? No man, that’s the Holy Spirit dwelling in me. Praying through my spirit. Wow, how do you do that? Come here, let me lay hands on you. [Laughter.] Hallelujah. So we see here that the anointing what? The first thing it does is turn us into another man. Not a man of the world. A man of the Spirit. Glory to God. The second thing it does - Acts 1:8. Hallelujah! Yeah, when I got off that plane in New Mexico and the woman I was married to for eight years and who had divorced me— and she was a nurse in New Mexico and I was getting ready to go to jail - mandatory minimum four years. I went to go say goodbye to her. She sent me tickets. I was there on a Wednesday, got baptized in the Holy Ghost on a Saturday. So the Saturday before I was going to go see her. I got off the plane and she said to me, You’re an alien. She poked me! Who are you? Because the baptism of the Holy Ghost, the anointing, turned me into another man. Changed my whole countenance— my tongue, everything. Poked me— who are you? You’re an alien. AMEN!! I’m not from this world. TO GOD BE THE GLORRRRYYYY!!!! [Laughter.] In Acts 1:8, HALLELUJAH! But you shall receive what? Power when the Holy Spirit shall come upon you and you shall be a what? Witness to me and Jerusalem and to all Judea and Samaria unto the end of the earth. So the second thing the anointing does for you and I, is that it makes us a witness with power. A witness with power. Spiritual strength, spiritual power. And makes you and me a witness with power. Nobody says anymore, Man you know that dude has a form of godliness but he can never walk it - He doesn’t have any power - only a form of godliness. A form of godliness, but no power. A lot of knowledge, no power. No understanding. You know we had this guy in our class in jail and we were praising and worshiping the Lord. He came up to me and said, You know I respect your zealousness for God. And I said, Well I thank you. He said, But I have a discrepancy with your words. He said, I have walked with the Lord for 17 years. And he had a discrepancy, he said, I have been in and out of colleges and the teachings of the bible. And he was trying to explain

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to me about Joel 2:28 and I said, Brother you’re deceived. You need to get baptized in the Holy Ghost so you know the truth! Oh, did he get offended!!! He went around to everybody telling everybody that I told him he didn’t have the Spirit. He was offended. And I told him he didn’t have the Spirit and that he was a danger to those he was teaching - for his 17 years of whatever. I tried to explain to him, Well obviously something was not right because I’m the one teaching and you are the one in jail. [Lots of laughter.] Something can’t be right! Hello. Oh man, he would buck at me every time I would come in! Buck at me every time I’d come in. And the wild thing was that his name was “Die.” His name was “Die.” Strange name. But he needed to die to himself. But that’s okay. I prayed for him for a long time. Hopefully something happened by now! The third thing that happens - Hallelujah. In Luke 4. Glory to God. Matthew, Mark, Luke 4. Is everybody there? In verse 18. Now I want everybody to first of all look at this and understand that this is the first thing that Jesus began to preach. He went in the synagogue, didn’t he. He went back into the synagogue and said this, The Spirit of Lord is upon me. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Praise be to God. Because he has what? Anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor— In other words, if you are not anointed to preach the gospel, don’t preach it. Hello. Now, it’s not— don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with planting a seed. Amen? The Holy Spirit says that he has anointed those to be apostles. Right? Pastors, evangelists, teachers and so forth. So the anointing of the Spirit of God must be upon us so that we can preach the gospel in truth, in spirit and in power. Amen? So we see here that he says also, he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed by who? The devil. And to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Let me share this with you. The anointing of God by the Spirit of God brings you boldness and purpose. He brings you boldness and purpose. You no longer have fellowship with the wicked. You no longer have fellowship with the wicked – he brings you boldness and purpose! That is the third thing that the anointing of the Holy Spirit brings. We must know what the anointing brings, right? And the fourth thing that the anointing brings is in 2 Corinthians 3:17. Glory to God. 2 Corinthians 3:17. Hallelujah. I think sometimes this verse seems to be erased out of many people’s bibles. Let’s back up a little bit and go to verse 16. Nevertheless when one turns toward the Lord, the veil is taken away. The veil over the what? Over the scales of the eyes. The veil that prevents people from getting the truth out of the word of God. Amen? You know you can study this bible for a lifetime and still not get it all. Because there is so much in here. Because it’s beyond the letters, it’s in the Spirit. So it says that when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the next verse explains who the Lord is. Let’s read it. Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty or freedom. Freedom! So we must understand that the anointing brings what? Freedom. The bible tells us that the anointing destroys the yoke of

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bondage off of our lives. You will have rest and you will have peace, won’t you. Because the freedom is there. That’s why I share with people, if you are bound— if you are worried, confused, frustrated, tormented, there’s no freedom in that is there? So you have to get in the Spirit. Because the Spirit of the Lord brings freedom! That’s what happens sometimes, you will be at work and stuff and be all frustrated— Aw man, I’m ready to kill this person! Start praying in the Holy Ghost! Get in the Spirit. The Spirit of the Lord brings you freedom. When you find yourself frustrated, stop what you’re doing and go pray. Sometimes you need someone to tell you to go pray! Go pray. Shut up!! And go pray!! Amen? [Laughter.] Sometimes the Holy Ghost is telling you and I - go pray! Drop what you are doing and go pray. It’s for our own benefit, isn’t it. And there is nothing wrong with just ripping off in the Holy Spirit while you are driving. The person next to you thinks your singing anyway. You are praying in the Holy Spirit, and they’re looking at you thinking, Man, that must be some great music! [More laughter.] You would just be praying in the Holy Ghost with your hands lifted up and your knees doing the steering wheel! Hallelujah— [Pastor prays in the Spirit.] Praise God. So we see here that the first thing the anointing brings is a new man. Holy garments. The second thing is a witness of power. Spiritual strength. The third thing is boldness and purpose. The fourth thing is freedom! Peace, joy and righteousness in the Holy Ghost. And the fifth thing is— of course I already said it but let’s go to Isaiah 10:27. Hallelujah. The anointing– Isaiah 10:27. Hallelujah. Seven things the anointing brings and the purposes of why we must maintain the anointing. Glory to God. Is everybody there? Let’s read it together. And it will come to pass in that day, that his burden will be taken away from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing oil. Now I’m talking about the yoke being destroyed. Some people have been walking with the Lord for a long time. They still cuss, they still do other things that they are bound to, right? When they get baptized in the Holy Ghost all of a sudden those things are busted off of them! Because the anointing destroys the yoke. Now of course we know that if we don’t maintain the anointing those things can come right back on. Amen? Everybody get it? They can come right back on. Praise be to God. So the fifth thing is you are loosed from sin and satan. Does everybody get it? You become loosed from sin and satan. Because now you have dominion over them, don’t you. The sixth thing that the anointing brings— Acts 19. [Pastor prays in the Spirit.] I love you Lord.... Acts 19. Oh, thank you for the anointing Lord. Thank you for the anointing. In verse 11. Hold on one second. I just want to read verse 6 quickly. It says when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Hallelujah. Whoa, something happened. When Paul had laid hands on them, they got baptized in the Holy Spirit, the transfer of the anointing was there, they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Hmm. Now go to verse 11. Now God worked unusual miracles by the hand of Paul so that

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even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits went out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the LORD Jesus, over those who had evil spirits saying, We exorcize you by Jesus whom Paul preaches. Sounds like a form of godliness but denying the power. They were trying to cast out a devil in the name of Jesus, but they didn’t have Jesus. And they said, We exorcize you by Jesus whom Paul preaches. Verse 14, Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so, and the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, prevailed against them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. You see something, you have to have the anointing. If you go and try and cast out a devil without the anointing, that devil is going to eat you up. Or he isn’t going to budge. Hello. So we see here that the sixth thing the anointing brings are signs and wonders. Signs and wonders. It brings you dominion! The anointing brings you dominion! Is everybody with me? The anointing brings dominion. And Jesus said in Mark 16:16, 17, And those who follow me (or those who believe in me) will cast out devils and pray and speak in new tongues. Also with this I want to share with you that in addition to dominion and signs and wonders in number six— because gifts are signs and wonders. Gifts of the Spirit are signs and wonders. So it also brings gifts of the Spirit and that is in 1 Corinthians 12:1 and verse 11. You can write that down. So the anointing brings what? Not only signs and wonders of power and dominion over powers of darkness and healing, but also gifts of the Spirit. And the seventh thing that the anointing brings is in 2 Kings 13. Glory to God. 2 Kings 13. Hallelujah. Okay in chapter 13, verse 14. We will read this together. Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, my father, my father, the chariots of Israel, and their horsemen. And Elisha said to him, Take a bow and some arrows. And he took a bow and some arrows. Then he said to the king of Israel, Put your hand on the bow. And he put his hand on it: and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands. And he said, Open the east window. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for you must smite the Syrians in Aphek, till you have consumed them. And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, Strike the ground. So he struck three times and stopped. And the man of God was angry with him, and said, You should have struck five or six time; then had you would have struck Syria until you had destroyed. But you will now strike Syria only three times. And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the Spring of the year. And so it was, as they were burying a man, that, suddenly they spied a band of raiders men; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood on

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his feet. He became what? Alive. Not only does the anointing bring life but it brings— remembering favor of God’s grace. Does everybody understand that? Listen, when David realized that the Ark, God’s presence, was bringing favor— remember it was in that dude’s house. So what did he do? He went to go get the Ark, didn’t he. It brought him favor, didn’t it. The anointing brings you favor and blessing. But in this circumstance that anointing brought remembering favor of who Elisha was. When that man touched that anointing— it was still there on a dead man’s bones. That anointing was still there. Man I would have carried one of his bones around in my pocket!! [Laughter.] I’m telling you — they could have called me “bonehead” all they wanted— it would have been anointed!! Hallelujah! So we see here the seven things: It brings change, witness and power, freedom (or boldness), purpose, freedom, loose from sin and satan, brings signs and wonders and power and it brings God’s remembering grace or favor. Hallelujah. Now that we know what the anointing brings, we must know how to protect the anointing. Amen? But before we can go to that, I have to share with you three quick things. Is everybody with me? Is everybody alright? The first thing that the anointing does— I want you to understand, the first thing the anointing does is that it draws us. It draws us. In John 6:54 it says that the father draws you by the Holy Spirit - number one. Is everybody with me. The scripture is John 6:54. Also in reference to that in John 20:22, Jesus breathed on his disciples. Does everybody understand that? Jesus was standing before them and he said listen, I command you to go – not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, which was the baptism of the Holy Ghost. So he breathed upon them, didn’t he. He breathed upon them. What was it doing? Drawing them. It was holding them and drawing them so that they would stay— go into the upper room— stay in Jerusalem and go into the upper room and stay there. Does everybody understand that? So the first part of the anointing draws me and you to God. And it even draws an unbeliever, doesn’t it. To God. Okay, the second part of the anointing is known as the priestly anointing where you and I are anointed. And the first office God gives me and you is the priestly anointing where we minister to the Lord. That anointing, and you can see this in Exodus 28:41– it is the priestly anointing. That anointing is not used for fighting devils or to be a warrior. That anointing is used to minister to the Lord. Okay. That anointing is used to minister to the Lord. Now the third part of the anointing - praise be to God - is where in 2 Samuel 2:4 and chapter 5, verse 3. I am just giving you these references. This is where David became king after many years of service and is now a full-armored warrior for the Lord. So we see the third part of the anointing makes you and I a warrior. Here’s another reference, Acts 5:12-15– here we see the anointing increases. Acts 5:12-15, the anointing increases. So we see the first part of the anointing when you and I are baptized in the Holy Ghost, people are drawn to you, aren’t they. You and I were drawn to the Lord. So the first anointing draws. The second anointing is priestly. And the third

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part of the anointing is the warrior– where you and I fight devils and take dominion over the powers of darkness. Amen? Okay, to God be the glory! Now, how to protect the anointing. The first thing that protects the anointing or maintains the anointing in your life and my life— the first thing we must have is a prayer life. Does everybody understand that? The devil always tries to push you out of prayer. Just like I shared— How are we going to maintain the anointing? The first thing is prayer. When you feel frustrated, pull over to the side of the road and begin to pray. While you’re praying, pray in the Holy Ghost. Amen? Prayer and seeking God. I want to give you a reference on that, 2 Chronicles 7:12-14. It says to pray and seek God. 2 Chronicles 7:12-14. Prayer. And of course we know the bible says in Jude 20, praying in the Holy Ghost builds up your most holy faith. So we must pray. In Matthew 6:33, these are references of prayer. The bible says seek ye the kingdom of God first and all things will be added unto you. Amen? In fact, Jesus in Luke (here’s another reference) in Luke 22:39-43, we see Jesus was strengthened by the angels. What did the angels do? They came and brought more of God’s presence to him. Man, one day I was working on the roof and unfortunately, I think it was in May, whew! Was it hot!! But I decided to take on this project myself. I was re-roofing my roof, and maaaannn... I was dying. I was dying. I was about to collapse and I said Lord please send your angels and strengthen me. I’m telling you within two minutes, I was revived. A wind blew around me - Hallelujah! And I was up there pounding and laying. What happened? The anointing increased on my life - I got revived. So what did I do? I asked. I prayed. So the first thing to maintain the anointing in your life is prayer. Prayer. You must understand that you must not only maintain it and keep it up, but you must protect it. It is our responsibility. Amen? The second thing we know— we know from being in this ministry, is worship. WORSHIP. No worship, no anointing. No worship, no anointing. I don’t care how much teaching, how much bible study you are reading — no worship, no anointing. You will have a word of dry bones. Hallelujah. In John 4:23, 24, the bible says the Father looks for worshipers. He looks for worshipers! So while you are worshiping you are getting refreshed. You are getting refreshed. He tells us here that God is looking for those who will worship him in truth and in spirit. Another reference here is John 9:31. The Lord says here that God doesn’t hear the prayer of a sinner – but the prayer of a worshiper. Wow! Why? Because the anointing helps you destroy the yoke of the bondage of sin. So if you are a worshiper you are not practicing sin. Amen? If you are a worshiper you are not practicing sin. So we see here that worship— God hears the prayers of a worshiper. Worship increases the anointing in your life. Amen? The next thing is fellowship. Fellowship. In Psalm 133 it tells us about how good it is for brethren to dwell together. It talks about the ointment that runs down the beard from Aaron onto his garments. Hallelujah. So we see that fellowship is important. Did you ever notice that when you are going through a struggle and you get together, even as you come into the house of

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the Lord or a prayer meeting or something, man you notice that just getting together with believers— there’s like a freedom beginning to happen already because people are carrying the anointing with them. So fellowship is very very important. In Matthew 18:20 the bible says when two or more are gathered in his name he is there in the midst, isn’t he. So we must have fellowship. Not only that, if you notice the full armor of God is everywhere but your back. With fellowship, your back is protected. Amen? Your back is protected. So fellowship is important. Not only that, you might not see something where somebody else does. And the sheep— Who wants to eat the sheep? The wolf. And what he wants to do is remove one from the flock. So he begins to speak to us, Man, you know you don’t need to do this. You don’t need to do that. You don’t need to worship God. Well we know that’s a lie from hell. The taking heed of a deceiving spirit. The next thing you know, we are listening to that voice of the stranger and within a few days we are going through struggles. Big time. Big time! So fellowship is very, very important. Amen? The next thing is humbling ourselves. Humbling ourselves. The Lord says if you will be humble, he will exalt you. In James 4:6-10, and I’d like to go there please. James 4:6-10. Glory! Hallelujah!! Maintaining the anointing. Is everybody there? Praise be to God. James 4:6, But he gives more grace. Therefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Wow!! So you know what? If you are exalting yourself, you are not submitting, are you. If you are humble, you’re submitting to God. That’s why the bible tells us to depart from evil. And we must depart from evil. In verse 8, Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded. Now let me share something with you. Without the maintaining of the anointing, you become double minded. Amen big time. You become double minded. You get tossed to and fro. Amen? Okay. Let’s go to the next one. Lament— next verse. Lament and mourn and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will what? Lift you up. Maintaining the anointing— prayer, worship, fellowship, humbling— And one of the wonderful ways of humbling yourself is fasting. Fasting. Fasting is the last thing I want to talk about. It’s important that we fast. Psalm 35. Hallelujah. Some of us need to go on a year fast. Then we will be glorified. [Laughter.] You’d be dead! Praise God. The next thing we would see is a glorified body. Hallelujah. Fasting. And we have talked about fasting before. Not only is it a fasting from food, but of fasting from the world. Fasting from the world. It’s time we started fasting. Glory to God. In Psalm 35:13, is everybody there? Let’s read it together. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer returned to my own heart. To my own heart— in other words, his prayer got answered. What did he humble himself with? Fasting. He was sick wasn’t he. So he humbled himself with fasting and God healed him. To God be the glory. So humble yourself with

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fasting. In Matthew 17. Oh, to God be the glory. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. In Matthew 17— Glory to God. In verse 14. This is about Jesus and his disciples. And when they were come to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is an epileptic, and suffers severely: for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water. So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear you? Bring him to me. And Jesus rebuked the demon; and it came out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, Why could we not cast it out? So Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief: for assuredly I say to you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there; and it will move; and nothing will be impossible. So what was he telling them? Lack of faith. Let’s go on further. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. Now understand this— prayer and fasting isn’t moving the hand of God. God’s hand has already moved. The fasting is positioning me and you in a place where our faith is increased. Fasting is chastening your flesh! Or putting your flesh and your soul under submission, so that your Spirit can arise in faith. Amen? Is everybody with me? So, God’s hand is already ready to move. Fasting doesn’t move the hand of God. It moves you into position so that the hand of God can move through you. Is everybody with me? It’s so important. Fasting. Now like I shared before, fasting is not just about fasting from food. It’s about fasting from the world. Why do you want to protect the anointing? Why do you want to maintain the anointing? So that you can continue to be a witness of God’s love, of his power and of his truth. Amen? So let me repeat this. What brings the anointing and what maintains it? Prayer, worship, fellowship, humbling and fasting. Amen? Praise be to God. So, let’s take what the Holy Spirit has shared with us tonight and let’s begin to use it and let Him work through each and every one of us. That we may be a witness with signs and wonders. Father we thank you for your word. We thank you for your mercies and your grace. I plead the blood of Jesus on this seed that has been imparted here tonight. We ask that you give us the strength to be obedient to the ways of maintaining the anointing. That signs and wonders would follow us and that we would bring glory to your name and expand your kingdom. In Jesus’ mighty name. And everybody said? AMEN!!

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