Don't Go Back to Egypt

"...Were it not better for us to return to Egypt?"-(Numbers 14:3)
The words issued from the mouths and hearts of rebellious Israelites freed from their 400 year bondage represent a grave danger in the life of a child of God. The danger is looking back in conditioned, romanticized remembrance of the very situation we pray and ask God to deliver us from, only to regress. This is a situation that the Lord would not have us repeat. If God delivers us from sin, and transforms us into "new creations" we are not to even look back. Jesus tells the man who asks to first go back and say goodbye to his family before following Him "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."-(Luke 9:62)
God shows us the importance of not even glancing back toward that which we have been delivered from through the account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah when Lot's wife chooses to look back at what they were leaving: "But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt."-(Genesis 19:26) Why does this happen? How is it possible that we can have such incredible, supernatural events split the fabric of time and space through the very hand of God to deliver, heal, save or redeem us, and our reaction is often to turn back to that from which we have been removed?

My beloved bride are tremendously blessed to have witnessed firsthand many incredible supernatural healings. I remember fairly recently at one of our meetings with Pastor Benny Hinn, a woman who had a painful, crippling condition for more than 20 years. That day was her day for a miracle. She came in faith to the meeting, and God most certainly met her there, and healed her. It was incredible to see the joy in her countenance when she gave her testimony of what the Lord had done for her. Tears of glorious appreciation and sincere awe that the King of Kings would deliver her out of her bodily affliction captivated her persona. She literally "jumped for joy". As the line of testimonies continued on, the woman walked of her own strength down from the platform and proceeded to pass the line of discarded walkers, wheelchairs and crutches, and in hesitation, stopped to fetch her old wheelchair from the apron of the stage. And then, after looking thoughtfully at it for a moment, sat back down in it and triggered the controls to begin wheeling back to her seat. I was baffled. She was absolutely healed. Not only did we and the rest of the ministry team witness it, but the entire gathering of over 9,000 did as well. Pastor Benny was taken aback. He interrupted those who were being interviewed for their healing and called her out. "What on earth are you doing?" No response. "Why is that woman back in her wheelchair?" She kept on motoring along... I prayerfully asked God the same question, and immediately heard in my spirit: "She is going back to Egypt".

As incredulous as it may be, that is the plight of so many who receive long-awaited deliverances, healings, breakthroughs and supernatural provisions from the Lord. Which leads me once again to the familiar and imperative 'Why?'- Why would anyone who has suffered any plight that only the Lord could remove return to it? "Like a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool returns to their folly."-(Proverbs 26:11) But is it concious folly when one returns to their condition of imprisonment? I believe that when some return to certain sins, particularly sins of the flesh that create short-term seasonal pleasure, it is strictly out of addictive bondage to that pleasure. But the same principle exists on the opposite end of logic. Take for instance those who have spent enough time in prison to become institutionalized. They may see the light of freedom again, but oftentimes they long to return to the routine and (albeit inconceivable) comfort of the 6'x8' cell that they inhabited during their penalization. Another possibility for one's attempt to return to bondage is the comfort of victimized living. Rather than having to tend for oneself, there are those who either fear developing or re-developing self-sufficiency or simply wish to be served out of their condition, and therefore become "permanent victims". It is often fear... fear of the unknown, or fear of being uncomfortable that drives the reversion; And fear is a disease. In any case, the true reasoning is spiritually hindered, flesh-feeding (and in some cases), demonized oppression, but it all boils down to COMFORT.

There is a morbid comfort of the flesh found in the prison bars, the sick bed, the wheelchair or the addiction that literally holds some people captive. It is familiar, and therefore, (in a completely self-decaying capacity) it is a predictable magnetic force for return. "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."-(Matthew 26:41) It is in the weakness of our flesh that we can be defeated. It is in the frailty of the human condition that we revert to our captive state. Jesus identified that in the Garden of Gethsemane when he warned Peter, John and James as they were falling asleep to "Watch and Pray, so that you do not fall into temptation." Their spirits were willing, but their flesh was weak. Jesus knew that in order to conquer those situations where the flesh could turn back, it is imperative that we connect completely to the spirit man. Our flesh is incapable of holding onto deliverance, redemption, healing and the miraculous. But while the flesh inevitably fails, the spirit is eternally victorious through Christ. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts."-(Zechariah 4:6)

It is one of the adversary's greatest weapons of deception to manipulate us into thinking that we are responsible in the flesh or mind to hold onto the gifts and callings of the Lord. But that is a lie. What is more, that is a transparent confusion of the will of God for those under the covenant of Abraham, and as believers through Jesus Christ we also share the bounty of that same covenant. "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."-(Romans 11:29) Which leads us back to the wandering Israelites... How is it that they did not receive the Promised Land within the first generation that left the bondage and reproach of Egypt? Perhaps a better question would be- How is it that the children of Israel disregarded the immediate witness of the plagues over Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the utter destruction of the Horse and Riders of Egypt, the pillar of fire by night, and the cloud of smoke by day, the manna and the quail, the water from the rocks? How is it possible that even after crying out unto God for generations to send deliverance, in rebellion they moaned and complained that they wished to return to the same bondage they had been delivered from?

The answer is defined in one word: Faith. It takes FAITH to hold onto the promise, healing, deliverance or blessing. It takes the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen to receive that which God supernaturally grants us. "Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."-(Hebrews 11:6) It takes the faith of Joshua and Caleb to look into the Promised Land and while the other spys return with reports of negativity and fear of defeat and say "Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it."-(Numbers 13:30)

There is a great lyric in the hymn "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" that goes: "I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back, No turning back..." So as you go forth through the journey of this beautiful, wonderous faith- Do not turn back, and when you receive "IT", DON'T GO BACK TO EGYPT.

The Anointing Of The Lord

"At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him."-(Mark 1:9-13)

After the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove, and then led him out into the wilderness to be tested, the Lord returned to the civilization of Galilee to begin His ministry. "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 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 4:14-19) And He returned in the POWER of the Spirit. Jesus began His ministry with the empowerment and authority given through the anointing. The glorious witness of every act of grace, power and the miraculous borne of the anointing of the Lord.

Jesus IS the anointed one of God. He is the Messiah. The word "Messiah" (Hebrew 'Mashiach') comes from the verb mashach, which means to smear or anoint with oil, usually for the purpose of dedicating or consecrating something (such as a temple vessel)or someone (such as a prophet, priest or king) for the service of Adonai, the Lord God.

The power of His presence, the very being of His grace was and is surrounded by the substance of the anointing. What is more wonderful, and perhaps most impressive to me, is the revelation that Jesus was anointed by God, the Apostles were anointed by Jesus, we are the recipients of the anointing by way of the sacrifice and substantiation of the new covenant. "He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac,
And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant"-(1 Chronicles 16:14-17) Through the shed blood of the lamb of God, we are heirs to the Abrahamic Covenant, and through the anointing we also gain divine consecration from the Father: " He permitted no man to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, Saying, 'Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.'"-(1 Chronicles 16:22)

"Anointed" renders one to be definitively sanctified, consecrated and set apart for a task or a position by God. We find this same word used for "anointed" in the Old Testament termed for prophets, priests, kings and judges. Their anointings were often temporary, empowering them to accomplish their assignment. These offices were types and shadows which pointed to Jesus, THE anointed one. Jesus is singularly perfect in fulfilling all the offices; He came as a prophet-"The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren."-(Deuteronomy 18:15), He is now functioning as our high priest-"You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek"-(Hebrews 5:5) and when He returns He will become judge and reign as our king-He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."-(Revelation 17:14)
Today, we believers who are purchased by the blood are anointed priests who are able to transport people to be cleansed by the very same blood of Jesus Christ, our high priest by way of the powerfully anointed message of the Gospel.

Perhaps the most dynamic and awe-inspiring attribute of the anointing of the Lord is its supernatural power to shatter bondage. "And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing."-(Isaiah 10:27) My father-in-law wrote an incredibly powerful song that my wife and I minister with, which proclaims "The Anointing of the Lord breaks the yoke of bondage, The Anointing of the Lord sets the Captives free, The Anointing of the Lord brings rivers to your desert, that Anointing is raining on me, That Anointing is raining on me..." I love that song, because as we minister with it, the Holy Spirit brings explosive breakthrough into the lives of those pressing into the flow of the very power of God. I have witnessed the anointing deliver people from addiction, affliction and every type of sin. God uses His power to accomplish His plans and to increase the current of His will.

But the greatest purpose of our becoming the Anointed of the Lord is definitely NOT self-gratification. It is to fulfill the Great Commission. Jesus said "Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believeth in Me, the works that I do he shall do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto My Father."-(John 14:12) We are given the person of the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us here on earth and the empowerment of the anointing to preach the gospel. "And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the Word with signs following. Amen."-(Mark 16:20)