15 Then he [Moses] said to Him [God], "IF YOUR PRESENCE DOES NOT GO WITH US, DO NOT BRING US UP FROM HERE.
16 "For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found GRACE in Your sight, EXCEPT YOU GO WITH US? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth."
Exodus 33:15,16 (NKJV)
• God's anointing on one can be increased or decreased, and can even be lost:
"THIS IS WHY I REMIND YOU TO FAN INTO FLAMES THE SPIRITUAL GIFT God gave you when I laid my hands on you" (2 Timothy 1:6 NLT).
- The fire of the Holy Spirit on the inside of you can be fanned to the flame, and it can be quenched, it all depends on you: "DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT" (1 Thessalonians 5:19 NKJV).
- If you give yourself to the natural side of life so much, it can be to the detriment of your spiritual life—your fellowship with God and your usefulness in the Kingdom.
- If you stopped the spiritual exercises: studying of the Word, praying, fasting, communion with the Holy Spirit, and other things which you usually engaged in; which had contributed to your spiritual growth, that fire of the Holy Spirit could be doused.
• The anointing on a person's life comes gradually and in measures, as you practice spiritual exercises.
- Also, the anointing leaves gradually the same way it came; when you stop practicing or engaging in those things, spiritual exercises, which you used to do or engage in before.
- If you had been anointed by God, that is, you had been experiencing or witnessing the move of the Holy Spirit whenever you minister to other people; either one on one, or in a congregation, I want to enjoin you to keep the fire burning—keep the anointing.
- Those things which you have been doing that brought you to the point of seeing people testifying to God's goodness in your meetings, should not be stopped.
- Instead of stopping those exercises, you rather increase in the practicing of them.
(i) Do not stop reading, studying, and meditating or pondering on the Word of God (Joshua 1:8: Psalm 1:1-3).
(ii) Do not stop fasting and praying, but rather increase or advance in doing them (Matthew 17:21; Acts 9:9; 13:2,3; 14:23; 2 Corinthians 11:27).
(iii) Your fellowshipping or communion with the Holy Spirit should also be consistent and be on the increase or growth.
(iv) Your quest to know whatever God is saying per time should be on the increase also.
(v) And your promptness in obeying should not be compromised.
• God would be increasing the standards set for you in your relationship with Him and on the work which you do for Him.
- The higher you go in God, the tougher the challenges, and the stricter the instruction given to you by Him, and the severer the discipline or chastisement If you missed it:
"MY brethren, LET NOT MANY OF YOU BECOME TEACHERS, KNOWING THAT WE SHALL RECEIVE A STRICTER JUDGMENT" (James 3:1 NKJV). - God expects and demands for much, from whoever wants to walk intimately with Him, and be used of Him:
"FOR everyone to MUCH IS GIVEN, from him MUCH WILL BE REQUIRED; and to WHOM MUCH HAS BEEN COMMITTED, of him THEY WILL ASK THE MORE" (Luke 12:48 NKJV).
READ: 2 Timothy 3:12 - If you wanted to walk intimately with God, in a covenant relationship, and wanted to be used of Him; you had to be Discipline. Soldiers are DISCIPLINED people (2 Timothy 2:3).
- People who can control themselves, deny themselves, curb themselves from certain things, and may NOT need any close supervisions before they do the right and necessary things.
- If you still needed to be monitored whether you have read your Bible, prayed, and did some other things which a growing believer should do daily, it means you are still not mature enough to lead others.
- A leader leads by example, setting the standards for those who are following him or her. Thus, the Bible admonishes that a novice, an immature person, should not be given a leadership position (1 Timothy 3:6).
- Whoever would be trusted with power, the anointing, wealth, fame; because the anointing will bring all these, has to be a disciplined person—a person who has control over his or her appetites, craves or desires, and emotion (Hebrews 12:2,3).
a. Someone who is rugged and can endure and persevere (Romans 5:3-5; 2 Timothy 1:8; 2:3; 4:5; James 1:2,3).
b. A person who can tame the flesh, has control or rule over the flesh, and would not easily yield to temptations or carnal desires (Colossians 3:5-9).
• Walking with God and working for Him, could be tasking; but it is rewarding. It is glorious, and has eternal rewards (1 Timothy 4:8).
- If you had just sensed the call of God on your life, or you are already doing the work, l want to admonish you to keep at those things, the spiritual exercises; fervency, zealousness, that led to your appointment by God, and keep at them.
- Working for God, being a vessel in His hand, is a thing of honour and great privilege that could not be bought with money or anything else:
"AND NO MAN TAKES THIS HONOUR TO HIMSELF, BUT he who is called by God, just as Aaron WAS" (Hebrews 5:4 NKJV).
READ: Acts 8:18-21; 1 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 2:20,21 - Being considered to be used of God, to work in His vineyard, should be greatly valued and treasured, and not be trivialized by whoever is given such a privilege.
- Although the work may be tasking and demanding, but the price to pay is not more than the Grace. And the Grace is always available and sufficient for whoever is called or assigned! (Lamentations 3:22,23)
- The work may be big and enormous in your sight, and it looks like what could not be done or accomplished (Exodus 3:4-14). But then, you do have a big and enormous God, Who has assigned you to do it—Who is always by your side in the assignment, you are never left alone.
- Jesus has promised to be with us:
" "TEACHING them to observe all things that I [Jesus] have commanded you; AND LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE" (Matthew 28:20 NKJV). - God would not assigned you to do a particular work and abandon you, and you, be without His help. He would not leave you to fend for yourself!
- If God's absence was felt by anyone who claimed to be called by Him; It was either the person has derailed from the work, or from the pattern given to him or her, or such was no longer carrying God along, such did not have a sweet and strong communion or fellowship with Him again.
• When a minister misses it in the place of fellowship and the obedience to the instructions given to him or her; God's absence could not but be felt.
- His absence or withdrawal is not an abandonment, but a sign. That is, such a sign is meant to inform, alert, or notify the person that God needed his or her attention.
- It means God has something to tell the person which He has been trying to convey to him or her, but such has not been listening.
- Thus, God's absence does not mean His withdrawal or abandonment. If you have been feeling His absence, or having a sense of being abandoned by Him; you would need to take a time out and seek His face, in order to know the reason why He has withdrawn from you.
"I [God] WILL RETURN AGAIN TO MY PLACE TILL THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR OFFENSE. THEN they will SEEK MY FACE; in their AFFLICTION they will earnestly SEEK ME."
Hosea 5:15 (NKJV)
• You will not fail Jesus' name.
Peace!