His Manifest Presence

The Five Fold Purpose Of The Anointing

The anointing is the unusual presence of the Holy Spirit in a person or a place at a particular time.
Zachariah 4:6 says, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts”.
 
In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit anointing came on people to accomplish a specific task through them (read Judges 14:6 & 19).
 
In the New Testament era, the Holy Spirit has come to stay with believers. 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 teaches us,
 
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For ‘who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”
 
Once you have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit from Jesus the anointing will empower you to do many things. Consider this verse in 2 Corinthians 1:21,
 
“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God”
 
THERE ARE FIVE MAIN PURPOSES FOR THE ANOINTING:
 
1. Anointed For Deliverance
The anointing will enable you to minister deliverance to the captives in the kingdom of darkness. Isaiah 61:1 and Matthew 18:18-19 teaches,
 
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”
 
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
 
2. Anointed For Healing
The sick are to be anointed with oil which is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. We as born again believing children of God have been given the authority and power over every sickness. We have been anointed to destroy sickness in the name of Jesus. James teaches us this in chapter 5:14-15 in his book,
 
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
 
Mark 16:16-18 emphatically teaches us the authority that we have through the anointing over sickness and disease,
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
 
3. Anointed For Success
The anointing not only empowers but will teach believers to enjoy success and prosperity as they yield to the Holy Spirit. 1 John 2:27 and 3 John 2 states the following,
 
“But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”
 
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”
 
4. Anointed For Protection
God gives supernatural protection to His anointed, called, and chosen children. Let’s have a closer look at Psalm 105:13-15, Isaiah 54:17 and Hebrews 1:7,14
 
“When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people, He permitted no one to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.”
 
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,’ Says the Lord.”
 
“And of the angels He says: ‘Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire’.”
 
“Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?”
 
5. Anointed For Ministry
When a person has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit from Jesus Christ he will be anointed to fulfil and perform the ministry that has been distributed to him by the Holy Spirit. The believer who has received the anointing has the potential to be very effective in ministering to the hurting, to the sick, to the oppressed, depressed, and possessed. This is what 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 and Acts 1:8 teaches us,
 
“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.  And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all”
 
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
 
 Mark chapter 1:8 teaches us that Jesus will baptize us with the Holy Spirit,
 
“I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
 
Once you have received the anointing and the baptism of the Holy Spirit you will be empowered to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God. The anointing comes through the Holy Spirit but you need to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. Receive from Him today!

Revelational Knowledge

“For You will light my lamp, the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, and by My God I can leap over a wall.” (Ps. 18:28-29)

God has made a promise to “light my lamp”… my spirit is alive with His revelation knowledge! The Hebrew word for light, “owr” means to be or become light, to shine, to be illuminated. It carries the meaning of spiritual revelation. When God shines His glorious light into our spiritual journey, we experience the sensation of a real awakening. Something is being turned on and its this “lamp of revelation knowledge” that destroys the dominion of darkness that surrounds our understanding.

Revelation is an Unfolding of Reality:

This “aha” moment causes us to see things for what they really are. Being enlightened simply opens our eyes to what is already there, but hidden from our understanding. God often hides things for our discovery! He wants us to come into Truth with a commitment to obey and abide in it. When you and I become aware of spiritual things and possess a fresh understanding about life in relationship with God, we are walking in the spirit of revelation. You receive revelation knowledge by drawing near to Him, not simply by getting information about Him (Jms. 4:8-10).

Another place in Scripture we see this little word (owr) used is in Psalms 119:130. The Amplified Bible says, “The entrance and unfolding of Your words give light (owr); their unfolding gives understanding (discernment and comprehension) to the simple”.

Revelation Transforms:

We must realize the impact of revelation knowledge. At its entrance and unfolding; discernment and comprehension come to even the most simple minded man. We can and need to walk in revelation knowledge everyday, because our enemy, Satan is like a prowling lion looking for the moments of blindness in our lives, so that he can pounce and drag us into deception (1 Pe. 5:8). With spiritual revelation comes wisdom from God and intuition about spiritual things. Our greatest thoughts, visions or strategies for life are yet to be revealed in us, yet they give us the advantage God offers His Children.

We must train our spirit to receive revelation knowledge or we will find ourselves walking after the patterns of this world. Its not wrong to have natural knowledge (the world’s wisdom), but it is a more limited form of discernment. When we walk in spiritual revelation our understanding is not limited by our five senses; sight, hearing, feelings, smelling or tasting. Living under the influence of what God is revealing is the definition of the renewed mind (Rom. 12:1-2).

Tapping into Deeper Revelation:

It is by the Holy Spirit that the deeper things of God become available to our perception. Therefore, we need to be taught how to open ourselves to the ministry of the Holy Spirit and how to recognize what He is imparting to us on the inside. Our spiritual growth and effectiveness in ministry depend upon the ability to hear a current word from God (Rom. 10:17). The more the Word of God renews our mind and the Holy Spirit positions our heart toward obedience, the more clarity we receive in the spirit realm. Its no different than if we turn the dial on a radio and hear the variety of music styles in the air… tuning in offers clarity.

What Revelation Knowledge will do for you:

1) Change Your Perceptions:
a. of God – (1 Cor. 2:10) “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.”
b. of yourself – (2 Cor. 3:18) “…beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, (we) are being transformed… from glory to glory…”
c. of your purpose – When the Lord spoke to Moses, he understood that his purpose was to set the children of Israel free. (Exod. 2-3)
d. of your destiny – A meeting with Christ on the way to Damascus Paul’s destiny was totally changed (Acts 26:15-18).
2) Activate Faith: In 2 Kings 4:9 that woman had to take action to make sure that they prepared a room for the man of God. The knowledge that she had was coming from inside so she could not rest until she had fulfilled what the Spirit had told her.
3) Deepen Your Discernment: The Apostle Paul would not know of his future until he got a revelation of what was about to happen. After that he knew they were going to survive and was able to deliver such a message (Acts 27:22-25).
4) Clarify Your Focus: There was great focus in Paul’s ministry because he had a revelation of God.
5) Increase Your Passion: The Apostles Peter and John ministered with passion and with fresh vision for ministry. Paul said, “to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). That kind of life can only be lived by people with a revelation of Christ.
6) Release A Spiritual Boldness – Its the Pioneering Heart! With a word in your spirit from God nothing can stop you from fulfilling your destiny (Lk. 1:37)

KINGDOM INVASION

Invasion!

We are being invaded. Did you realize that? Right now. It is, in fact, an invasion that has been going on for the last two thousand years.

When we think about the plan of God, most of us tend to think in terms of us going to heaven when we die. But aside from the Truth of our eternal destiny, a closer look at scripture hints at something wider in breadth. Rather than limit God’s purpose merely to us going to be with God, the Bible talks much more about God coming down to be with US. Indeed, the Bible talks about INVASION – the "invasion" of the kingdom of God upon this earth.

This invasion shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Before it began, God announced it would begin – He announced it continually over the course of four thousand years. He sent messenger after messenger. He had it all written down. Then He finally sent the KING Himself. Since then, for two thousand years, God has been telling us that the invasion is taking place.

This invasion is that of the kingdom of God. The actual invasion started two thousand years ago when there was one born who was to be King of kings. Jesus Christ was God Incarnate, Lord, and Savior. But He was also a King.

Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ…..the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

(1 Tim. 6:15)

Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?…..Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice. (John 18:33-37)

Jesus is Lord and Savior. But He is also King of kings. His kingdom is one which has no limits, and is one which cannot be defeated. And the invasion of that kingdom, in anticipation of the Second Coming of Jesus, is well under way.

The Kingdom of God

And, behold, thou shall conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:31-33)

God started his kingdom with one man, Abraham. And then with the nation Israel, prospering under David. Here, we see God announcing that His own Son would be the final King. His "throne" was to encompass the entire world. As the angel said, "of His kingdom there shall be NO END."

Again we read about a KINGDOM – the kingdom of God. But what is the "kingdom of God?" And what does this "kingdom of God" mean for each one of us?

The kingdom of God was the theme of much of Jesus’ teaching. But those who heard Him interpreted the term along traditional lines, rather than upon Biblical lines. They thought the kingdom was to be physical, with the Messiah reigning over Israel. Many Christians continue in a similar error today. Many think that the "kingdom of God" is the church. Others think that the kingdom is what will be set up in the "millennium." And then there are those who think that the kingdom is heaven itself. But the "kingdom of God," while it does include all of the above, is NOT limited to any of those things. Once we limit the kingdom to any one of those things, we lose it’s meaning.

The kingdom of God is the REIGN and RULE of God. Period. Thus, you will not find the kingdom of God on a map. It is not a place. It is God’s rule over any place – or person.

The kingdom of God is the rule of God itself. It is God’s sovereignty and possession. Those things which "come under" God’s rule can therefore be said to BE IN His kingdom. That is why Jesus continually spoke of entering the kingdom. You cannot enter the kingdom until the rule of God enters into YOU.

We must understand this principle. In order to enter into the kingdom of God, the kingdom of God must enter into YOU. Or, to put it another way, to be IN the kingdom of God, you must belong to God. You must have His reign and rule governing YOU, in your heart and life. Then, you are in His kingdom.

Once we understand this, many passages of scripture begin to make sense. For instance, Jesus said:

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God comes not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20-21)

But then, on another occasion, Jesus said:

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)

One the one hand, we are told the kingdom is potentially WITHIN US. On the other, we are told we must ENTER the kingdom. But there is no confusion or contradiction here, any more than there is when Paul says we must be "in Christ," and that Christ is "in us." Once we grasp the fact that the kingdom of God is the rule of God, and not a "place" into which we enter, we see that the two phrases are saying the same thing. I "enter into" the rule of God by allowing the rule of God to "enter into" ME.

When you and I become converted to Christ, by definition what we are doing is forsaking self-rule, and surrendering ourselves to God. We are ENTERING into, and coming under, the rule of God. We become new creations – those who have come under the rule of God through the death and resurrection of Christ, and are therefore now IN the kingdom of God.

We need to understand that self-rule IS sin. That is what sin is at it’s root. But self-rule is not only sin against God, it is also self-destructive. Sin KILLS. Self-rule KILLS.

Man was not made capable of ruling himself. That isn’t the KIND of creature he is. He was made for God – to benefit from God’s grace. The fact that, to us, self-rule is normal, doesn’t change the fact. The fact that self-rule seems normal, and God’s rule over us seems abnormal, is nothing more than an indication of how far the fall of man was. We have lost our knowledge of God. What is normal to God is abnormal to us. And visa versa.

Jesus came to bring man back to not only the right relationship with God, but also to restore IN MAN the right nature – one capable of having that relationship. This is accomplished through the new birth.

What this all boils down to is this: You can only enter into the kingdom of God by being born again. But this means there must first come death to our old life – the life of self-rule. Then, by being born again, we are under God’s rule. We enter into His kingdom or rule through this transformation.

Now right away we see the absolute necessity of the Cross. If sin, by definition, is self-rule, then obviously, this is THE sin I must forsake and repent of when I come to the Cross. Of course. Forsaking self-rule and surrendering to Christ is what faith IS! I give my life to Christ and want to belong to HIM. I do this by fully relinquishing my right to myself. It is because I do this at the Cross, that it is possible for me to be raised a new creation.

But notice: If that surrender of self-rule IS repentance, and is an essential to conversion, then by definition, the new creation in Christ has already forsaken self-rule. By definition, the new creation already has it settled: He belongs to God. Making that surrender is HOW HE GOT born again! He came to the Cross and died in Christ. That is how he got born again.

Here we see precisely what Jesus told Nicodemus. He said, "You must be born of water and of Spirit to enter the kingdom." In other words, you must be baptized into the death of Christ and then resurrected in Him by the Spirit of God. THEN you are entered into the kingdom. Why? Because you have become a new creation through death and resurrection in Christ.

The only people able to enter the kingdom of God are new creations in Christ Jesus. Why? Because they have come under the rule of God by surrendering self-rule at the Cross. Again, you enter the kingdom, if the kingdom enters you!

The Kingdom is At Hand

This invasion of the kingdom of God was the message of John the Baptist. And when Jesus began to preach and teach, it was also at the center of His message:

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:14-15)

Can we see what Jesus is saying? He is saying that the kingdom of God is upon us. Thus, we are faced with a choice. We must repent and believe the good news.

How many of us have realized that the kingdom of God, right now, is invading this planet? That this invasion starts with US, and will continue on through the purposes and plan of God? It is precisely because the kingdom of God is invading this planet that God beckons all of us to repent. We are out of time.

A Limitless Kingdom

God’s kingdom is God’s rule. Thus, to enter the kingdom, I must come under God’s rule. I must surrender myself to Him and be born again. But as we quoted, God has already begun the invasion of His rule upon this earth. He is saying to us: "Repent, for the kingdom, or rule of God, is at hand."

When did God begin His invasion? He began to announce it, almost from the beginning, when Adam sinned. He continued it all through the Old Testament era. John the Baptist was the final voice who was called to "prepare the way of the Lord." He was the last OT prophet. The fullness of God’s kingdom, however, could not invade this realm until Jesus came. He had to die and be raised. It was then that the kingdom of God really was not only "at hand," but actually HERE.

God’s invasion of this realm, with His reign and rule, started quite small. It started in a stable, over 2000 years ago. Indeed, it is more than symbolic that there was "no room for them in the inn," when Mary and Joseph entered Bethlehem. This world didn’t have a place for Jesus Christ. No room. But God found a place. Jesus was born in relative obscurity.

Of course, God did let some people know that the Messiah, the King of His kingdom, was being born. We read earlier what the angel told Mary, Jesus’ mother. He also told Joseph, and a few others. But as small as was that beginning, there is another aspect of the kingdom which we must now address: The fact that it is limitless.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:31-33)

One vital point to see here is the phrase "of his kingdom there shall be no end." Often, we limit this to a TIME frame, and say that this means the kingdom of God will go on and on forever. But there is more to this than simply that interpretation. The kingdom is, in fact, TIMELESS. And what is being said here is really that the rule of God is LIMITLESS. That is what is meant by the phrase, "of his kingdom there shall be no end." What is meant is that the rule of God with without limits, and cannot be contained in time, space, or by anything which exists.

Of course. Nothing can stop the reign and rule of God. Nothing can stop His invasion. Now, this does not mean that people MUST choose to come under God’s reign. But it does mean that God’s kingdom is invading. Our choice is whether we will come under it, or finally decide to spend eternity resisting it – in the torment of belonging to ourselves.

It is amazing, and quite like God, to begin the invasion of an eternal kingdom – a kingdom without limits – in such a small way. Through one woman. In a stable. THAT is the kingdom that would eventually grow without limits.

This limitless aspect of the kingdom is carried continually throughout the Old Testament with regard to the promised Messiah and Savior:

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Dan. 7:13-14)

There is nothing which can stop the advance of the kingdom of God – although the gates of hell will try. Jesus said, "Upon this Rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." Notice that the "gates of hell" are what are "occupying" territory which the Truth about Jesus will conquer. The "gates of hell" will fall. The kingdom of God – with the liberating Truth about Jesus Christ – has already won the victory. It is a simple matter of taking possession of that which is already won.

Surrender

Many people act as if surrendering to God is nothing more than a resignation to a power greater than ourselves. We act as if God is imposing His will on us, and thus, we had better surrender, lest we suffer the consequences. The Truth is, God’s invasion upon this earth, and upon our lives, is not an imposition. It is deliverance.

Those of us who think that the rule of God is an imposition upon them are betraying the fact that they are comfortable with the kingdom in which they now live. If we could only see it, we would see that we are living in the kingdom of sin and darkness. Jesus came, and is now coming, to set us free from this kingdom of darkness.

Jesus, on what might be called the first day of His ministry, walked into the synagogue in Nazareth and applied a prophecy of the Messiah, from Isaiah, to Himself:

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:16-19)

Here we see deliverance. Jesus is not coming to impose His will upon you. He is coming to save you from YOUR will. Of course, part of what God does when He draws someone to Christ is show them they NEED to be delivered. Some won’t be. Some will continue to want to belong to themselves and have their own way – despite the fact that it is precisely this which destroys each one of us.

Here we see that all will not be saved. Nope. Make no question, God is going to invade EVERYTHING. But there will be those whom God will approach, but who will continually "retreat" from Him. Hell is the only place left for them. It is the last place of retreat. Hell is a condition of continual refusal to surrender to God’s rule.

Notice: Hell is completely under God’s control. It isn’t a place where you escape God. Rather, it is where you are UNDER God’s rule, but don’t have God’s rule IN YOU.

There are people, right now, who may not be in a literal hell, but they already have hell in them. Right now, they are living in retreat from God. That is their condition. And just as you must have the kingdom of God in you, to enter into the kingdom, so if you have hell in you, you will enter into hell. You can count on it. It is as sure as God in heaven.

The fact is, right now you have either surrendered to the rule of God, or you are retreating away from His ongoing invasion. You have either surrendered and come under His rule – entered into His advancing kingdom – or you are trying to escape it.

He Will Reign

In case you hadn’t noticed, despite the fact that Jesus was born to be a King, He did not take the position as a King during His first visitation. Rather, He came THEN as a Lamb – the Lamb of God who was to take away the sin of the world. It was upon the foundation of this sacrifice that the kingdom of God would be built.

A primary tension between Jesus, his disciples, and the crowds of that day, was that He came to be a Lamb first, and a King later, but they wanted a King right away. Thus, we see instances such as the one in John 6:

When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. (John 6:15)

Jesus had to first die, in order that all those who would receive Him, could be set free from the kingdom of darkness, and be born anew into the Kingdom of God. In other words, Jesus made possible the kingdom within us – by defeating those forces of Satan, sin, and darkness – which had previously occupied and governed us. He accomplished that goal through His death and resurrection. He was not about to allow any temptation or suggestion of the enemy to divert Him from that goal.

Once Jesus accomplished God’s goal, He then ascended. But wait. What about the kingdom? Well, for the last two thousand years Jesus has been putting His kingdom together. Did you know that? The "advance force" of the kingdom, through the power of the Holy Spirit, has been invading this planet. How? By setting up the kingdom of God in the hearts and lives of PEOPLE. By birthing people into the kingdom. As mentioned earlier, what God does is always REAL. The kingdom within comes first. Then comes the kingdom without. I have to come under the rule of God within, or I cannot enter the kingdom.

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. (Heb 10:12-18)

Here we see Jesus "at the right hand of God" – from where all of "his enemies will be made his footstool." First, by bringing INTO the kingdom all who will allow God to "write" His laws upon their hearts and minds. Then, by eventually returning to this earth and literally setting up His kingdom.

This was always the order and the message. Jesus spoke of it time and time again. Note especially the introduction of one of the most profound parables on the subject:

And as they heard these things, he added and spoke a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. (Luke 19:11-12)

Note what Jesus said here. He said He would go "into a far country TO RECEIVE for Himself a kingdom, and to return." In other words, Jesus didn’t leave the kingdom behind. He didn’t even go TO the kingdom. He went TO RECEIVE a kingdom. For the last two thousand years Jesus is calling people out of this world, and into His kingdom. THAT is the kingdom within. Once that is finished, then the kingdom will be fully "received." Then He will return.

Everything which belongs to the kingdom of God was paid for, and won, through the finished work of Jesus Christ. All of it. And right now, Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God, and He is taking possession of His kingdom. There is an invasion going on. The question for us is whether we will be born again so that we can enter that kingdom. He invites us to do so. He says, "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." This is not bad news. It is good news – THE good news of the gospel. *

GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN

INTRODUCTION:
A. I would like to direct our attention to the Old Testament in order to glean some
New Testament instruction and motivation.
 1. Romans 15:4 - For whatever things were written before were written for our
learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might
have hope.
 2. 1 Corinthians 10:6 - Now these things became our examples . . .
B. Attention is called to one of my favorite Old Testament characters.
 1. Joshua 14:12 - Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the LORD
spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there,
and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the LORD will be
with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the LORD said."
 2. Joshua 15:13 - Now to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a share
among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD
to Joshua, namely, Kirjath Arba, which is Hebron (Arba was the father of
Anak).
 a. This passage is the fulfillment of a promise made many years earlier.
 b. In fact, after more than 40 years this aged leader gets his reward from
 God.
 c. The very fact that Caleb had been able to enter Canaan was a lesson in
and of itself.
C. The background of these events is found in the Book of Numbers, chapters 13
and 14.
 1. A man from each tribe was selected to spy out the promised land.
 2. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, was selected from the tribe of Judah.
 3. The 12 spies were gone for 40 days in carrying out their mission.
 4. Upon their return to the camp of Israel, 10 reported that the land could not
be taken.
 a. Two (Joshua and Caleb) reported that God would help them take it.
 b. Numbers 13:30 - Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and
said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to
overcome it."
 5. A series of events occurred:
 a. The people wept sore.
 b. Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes in disgust of the faithlessness of the
people.
 c. God was angry and threatened to destroy the faithless people.
 d. Moses interceded.
e. A year of wilderness was assigned for each day the spies had been
gone.
 f. All twenty years of age or above would fall in the wilderness. The
exception being Joshua and Caleb.
 g. The other ten spies died of a plague.
 h. Numbers 14:38 - But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of
Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out the land.
D. The life of Caleb is worth of imitation, yea, this side of the cross of Calvary.
 1. Let’s study why God gave him his mountain.
 2. If we apply these principles to our lives, God will help us claim our
mountains.
E. Consider these parallels as we study together:
 1. Joshua & Caleb — Elders & Deacons
 2. Spying out the land — Exploring the areas of work needed to be
undertaken.
 3. Joshua & Caleb’s report — A call to rise up and undertake the work that
has been described.
 a. Good things to be undertaken.
 b. Good things to be accomplished.
 c. Good benefits to be accomplished.
 4. The 10 spies — The negative elements.
 a. “We can’t do it.”
 b. It will be too hard.”
 c. “I don’t want to be involved.”
 d. “I don’t think it is a good idea.
 e. “I’m not interested.”
CALEB WAS A RESPECTED LEADER
A. Numbers 13:1-3 - And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
 "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children
of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a
leader among them."
 So Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the
command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the children of
Israel.
B. These men were carefully chosen.
 1. It takes hard work to earn this kind of respect.
 2. We must work to develop respect as we lead for the Lord.
C. You respected them enough to appoint them . . . now respect them
enough to follow their lead and work with them.
CALEB ACCEPTED A DANGEROUS ASSIGNMENT
A. It takes nerve and faith in God to go as a spy into an unknown land.
B. Caleb did not have a spirit of fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 - For God has not given us a
spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
C. Like Caleb, we must arise and work. Titus 3:1 - Remind them . . . to be ready
for every good work.
CALEB WAS AN OPTIMIST
A. Ten of Caleb’s fellow spies said they couldn’t take the land.
 1. Caleb and Joshua were outnumbered.
 2. More people won’t than will.
B. Caleb said, “Let go up at once.” Numbers 13:30
C. A negative spirit kills faith very quickly
D. We need to be optimistically involved.
CALEB ALWAYS TRUSTED GOD
A. Numbers 14:8 - If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land
and give it to us a land which flows with milk and honey.
 1. Caleb knew the source of his strength was God.
 2. Caleb said in Number 14:9 - “The Lord is with us.”
B. We do not work alone.
 1. When we do god’s work, God works with us.
 2. 1 John 4:4 - You are of God, little children, and have overcome them,
because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
CALEB WAS A MAN OF COURAGE CALEB WAS A MAN OF COURAGE
A. in Numbers 14:10, the people were going to stone Joshua and Caleb
 1. His life and his faith were on the line.
 2. He didn’t back down . . . nor did he change his faith.
 3. He didn’t back down or change his words.
B. The Lord needs:
 1. Courageous leaders in each local congregation.
 2. Courageous workers in each local congregation.
CALEB’S KEY TO SUCCESS
A. Joshua 14:8 - Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart
of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God.
 1. Joshua 14:14 - Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son
of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the
LORD God of Israel.
2. Caleb had a choice. a. He could have chosen foolishly as did ten of the twelve spies. b. He chose God’s will and God’s work. B. Faithful workers are special to God. C. We want you to be among them. CONCLUSION: A. Caleb said: “Now therefore, give me this mountain . . .” Joshua 14:12 B. What does all this mean to us? 1. There are mountains yet to be claimed. a. There are places of work yet to be filled. b. There are opportunities yet to be grasped. c. There are areas of service yet to be fulfilled. d. What mountain has your name on it. 2. The opportunity is before you. C. God’s Plan for Man’s Salvation 

THE SPIRIT OF FAITH

The scripture states in 2 Corinthians 4:13, 14:

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. (Italics added for emphasis).

The term "Spirit of Faith," as used in the verse above, can be viewed and understood in many ways, and, in fact, much has been taught about this phrase by many ministers of the Gospel. Brother Kenneth Copeland has referred to this "Spirit of Faith" as an "overcoming, winning attitude."

Now the thing that I want to talk to you about is the Spirit of Faith. Now this is not talking about the Holy Spirit, it’s not talking about your spirit, its not talking about a spirit ‘personality’ here. It’s using the phrase ‘the Spirit of Faith’ the same way you would use the phrase ‘espirit de corps;’ the ‘spirit of the corps;’ the ‘spirit of the team;’ the ‘team spirit;’ the ‘school spirit;’ you know what I’m talking about? (Copeland: The Spirit of Faith: The Spirit of Faith Teaching Tape Series)

Brother Copeland points out that the "Spirit of Faith" he is describing is not a "spirit" in the sense of being a specific spirit personality, but can be viewed as an attitude:

I want you to see part of this Spirit of Faith, this attitude of faith...the attitude of faith is so, so important to the life of the believer. The Bible says that you need the spirit of your mind renewed in the Book of Ephesians, it tells us to renew the spirit of our mind. What’s the spirit of your mind? That’s your attitude! Renew your attitude! How do you do that? You do it with God’s Word! You need a winning attitude, you need a faith attitude. Your attitude about things ought to be like Jesus’ attitude. (Copeland: A Winning Attitude of Faith: The Spirit of Faith Teaching Tape Series)

Brother Copeland further explains his view on the Spirit of Faith as a "winning attitude" by comparing the spiritual activity and lifestyle of a believer to the manifestation of "satanic activity" in the lifestyle of a sinner:

"I believe therefore have I spoken." Now there are a lot of people, that a lot of places and a lot of times say, "Well, those guys talk about that confession stuff, and that speaking stuff all the time, that’s just all they talk about!" Well that’s because we’re involved with the Spirit of Faith. We’re in the spirit of the thing. I mean, I’m caught up with the spirit of it. Of course, the Spirit that’s Lord over it, is the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of Faith! And when you get around Him you just act and talk that way. You can go into any nation of the world, and I don’t care what language they speak, they all act just alike. And did you know that they all (also) act just like the devil...just alike? Wherever you go, you can spot the devil. He acts the same way when he’s drunk. He acts the same way when he’s on drugs...a human being, whether he speaks English, German, French, Swahili, or "Gabi-Gabi," or anything else that you can find. Or one that just stands around and grunts and moans...will act the same way when he’s drunk. He’ll act the same way when he’s on drugs. He’ll act the same way when he’s overcome by some kind of an emotion. He’ll act the same way when he’s mad. He’ll act the same way under any influence of satan. The spirit of that thing is all the same, all over the world. And by the same token, they act the same way when they get born again. They act the same way when they go to praising God in other tongues. They act the same way when the Spirit of God comes on the scene. And you teach them how to operate in faith and go to talking about faith and they’ll go just as nutty somewhere else as they do here… its the same Spirit of Faith! It’s the same Spirit, led by the same one! Thank God! (Copeland: The Spirit of Faith: The Spirit of Faith Teaching Tape Series)

While this view no doubt has instructional value and is an important aspect of this scripture reference, it is not the actual, literal translation of this verse. We can infer that the Spirit of Faith is simply an attitude, but we can not concretely say that it can, and should, only be viewed as an attitude of the heart. In the quotation above, Brother Copeland says that the "Spirit" that is Lord over this attitude is the Holy Spirit of God. We need to dig deeper into the actual meaning of this verse in the original language.

The Greek Definition

In fact, the phrase "Spirit of Faith" used in 2 Corinthians 3:14 is translated as follows from the original Greek:

Spirit
4151 pneuma (pnyoo'-mah);
from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:
KJV-- ghost, life, spirit (-ual, -ually), mind. Compare 5590.
of
3588 ho (ho);
including the feminine he (hay); and the neuter to (to); in all their inflections; the def. article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):
KJV-- the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc..
Faith
4102 pistis (pis'-tis);
from 3982; persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:
KJV-- assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity. (Biblesoft: PC Study Bible: Strong’s Concordance)

In other words, the term " Spirit of Faith" begins with a word that is actually translated directly as a personality such as the spirit of a man, or the Spirit of God. This word simply means "spirit," and, if we examine the context, it must be a "spirit" that we can all share as believers. That is, we are each individually unique spirits in the concrete sense. Each of us is a separate and unique human spirit, we each have a soul, and we each live in a separate physical body.

Tripartite Man

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

This scripture indicates that the "whole" man is composed of the spirit, the soul and the body. E.W. Kenyon refers to this fact in his book,The Hidden Man of the Heart: An Unveiling of the Subconcious Mind:

Here are some spirit facts: man is a spirit, he has a soul. The soul is composed of his reasoning faculties. He lives in a physical body. The physical body possesses the five senses, they are the educators and teachers of the brain. (Kenyon: The Hidden Man of the Heart: 8)

Kenyon explains that this totality of the "tripartite man" can be recognized in the training and growth of the human being from birth through life.

In the babe we see purely the physical. Then as the child’s mind begins to reach out and becomes inquisitive, the child becomes simply mind and body to us.
We are careful to feed its body, to build it up, to train the mind and make it efficient, but who has ever taught or trained the spirit?
We heard much in psychological discussions about the subconscious mind. At first we were thrilled with it. Then we discovered that it was nothing but our own spirit.
We found that the conscience is the voice of the spirit, reason is the voice of our mind, and feelings are the voice of our body. (Kenyon: The Hidden Man of the Heart: 25, 26)

To support this truth further, John Osteen relates in his book, How to Flow in the Super Supernatural, "You are a spirit. You have a soul. You live in a body." So, we see, that the "real you" is a unique spirit man. The "real you" has, or possesses, a soul, which can be referred to as "the mind, will and emotions," and lives in a physical body.
Yet, no one can know another man’s spirit in the natural. That is, it is impossible to "read the mind" (or the spirit) of another outside of supernatural activity beyond the operation of the five natural senses. The following scripture makes this clear in 1 Corinthians 2:9-12:

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

The "heart" and the "spirit" are synonymous. Quoting Brother E.W. Kenyon again:

Psychology has to do with the mind, and the New Birth has to do with the "hidden man of the heart," or the spirit of man. (Kenyon: The Hidden Man of the Heart: 7)

His reference to "hidden man of the heart" is from this scripture reference:

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. (1 Peter 3:3, 4, emphasis added.)

As we see, the reference to the term "heart" is, indeed, synonymous with the word "spirit" in the same verse.
No one can "know" the things that are in another man’s spirit, but we can know the things that are freely given to us of the Spirit of God. Why is this? Because God has placed His Own Spirit within each of us that are born again! We are sealed by the Holy Spirit of God, which is the earnest of our inheritance.

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13, 14)

That is why the scripture can assert that we have access to the things that are in God’s Spirit. As we noted in 1 Corinthians 2:12:

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

We have each, as believers, received the Holy Spirit of God, therefore, when we review the context and translation of 2 Corinthians 4:13, we must conclude that if Paul asserts that we (implying all the believers that he was addressing) have the same Spirit of Faith, then this Spirit must, in fact, be the Holy Spirit. There is no other common spirit personality that we can all share.
Given this fact, what conclusion can we draw? We must realize that the attitude that Brother Copeland refers to as a "winning, overcoming attitude" must be the result of the Spirit of God operating in the believer. The "Spirit of Faith" is an outward manifestation of the inward operation and manifestation of the Spirit of God.

The Operation of the Spirit of Faith

Now, let’s examine what the results of the "Spirit of Faith’s" operation is in this scripture:

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak...
(2 Corinthians 4:13).

"I believed, and therefore have I spoken..." Apparently, the Holy Spirit’s operation in the believer’s life, producing this winning attitude, also produces an unction to speak out words of faith. Let us remember our definition of the word "pistis," or "faith," from Strong’s Concordance:

from 3982; persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:
KJV-- assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity. (Biblesoft: PC Study Bible: Strong’s Concordance)

Note the fact that "pistis" is a "persuasion", and it also implies "constancy in such profession." It would seem that confession, or speaking one’s faith, or beliefs, is a key part of what it means to be a believer, and certainly one that operates in this "Spirit of Faith."

The first and most fundamental fact these verses (2 Corinthians 4:13-18) reveal about the spirit of faith is that itbelieves.
What does it believe? The Word of God. What’s more, faith believes God’s Word just because God said it -- whether natural circumstances seem to agree or not.
That means if you want to maintain a spirit of faith in the area of healing, for example, you must start by getting your Bible and finding out what God has said about healing. (Gloria Copeland: The Unbeatable Spirit of Faith: 6, 7)

The Spirit of Faith believes the Word of God in spite of what the circumstances say, then it speaks what God’s Word says about the circumstance or situation.

That’s what the spirit of faith does. It stands in the midst of the most impossible circumstances and believes God anyway! Then it begins to speak. (Gloria Copeland: The Unbeatable Spirit of Faith: 11)

The Spirit of Faith, then, can be viewed as operating in a prevailing attitude of victory that arises from the fact that the Holy Spirit of God within us is at work bringing the Word of God in our lives to pass. You must live by faith, walk by faith and talk by faith. Then you will be living in the Spirit of Faith.

Right now you may be thinking, I really want to walk and talk by faith. The problem is, every time I look at the mess I’m in, I get discouraged.
Then stop looking at the mess! Instead, focus your attention on the promise of God. Keep His Word in front of your eyes and in your ears until you see it coming to pass with the eyes of your spirit.
That’s what the spirit of faith does. It looks "not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Of course, I’m not saying you should ignore your problems or close you eyes to them as if they aren’t real. They are real. But according to the Word they are temporal. That means subject to change. And you can be assured that if you keep looking at the Word, they will change! (Gloria Copeland: The Unbeatable Spirit of Faith: 15, 16)

The Importance of Speaking

Our key scripture in our study of the Spirit of Faith in 2 Corinthians 4:13 says that:

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak...

From what we have learned from the Word during the recent "Word of Faith," or "Teaching Revival;" what we say is what comes to pass in our lives. This principle is at the heart of "faith teaching." We are to believe in our heart and confess with our mouth.

But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:8, 9)

This is the very essence of "the Word of Faith," which we preach! Now the Spirit of Faith compels us to speak our faith!

He said here that faith has a spirit about it. Well to find out what the spirit of something is, you just listen to it speak for a little bit and you’ll find out what the spirit is that prevails over it. How does it speak, how does it act? How does it walk, how does it conduct itself? What does it do? What prevails when more than one faith person comes together, what is the spirit that prevails in that place? How do they all act? They’ll all act the same way if its all the same faith. If they all have faith in the same thing then they are all going to act the same way when they come together. (Copeland: The Spirit of Faith: The Spirit of Faith Teaching Tape Series)

People who act in faith, speak the Word, and live the "faith life" are the one’s that overcome in life!
We will see further confirmation of these truths with regard to the Spirit of Faith as we explore the scriptures verse by verse in 2 Corinthians Chapters Three through Five to see the meaning of this term within context in the writings of Paul in Chapter Four of this dissertation. Before we move on to that examination, we need to establish a correlation between the Spirit of God and the Glory of God.