Memorise: Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Acts 3:6
Read: Acts 1:3-8
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Bible in one year: 1 Kings 20 Acts 7:3-22
AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL
1. In Matthew 13:45, our Lord Jesus Christ likened the kingdom of heaven to precious pearls which a merchant sought. On finding just one of great value, he went and sold all that he had to buy it. In other words, there are some things worth more than gold, which every wise man or woman must go after. In addition t the kingdom of God, the anointing of the Holy Spirit is another of such things. I have on several occasions encouraged our ministers to seek the anointing more than any material thing.
2. Today’s memory verse confirms the prime value of the anointing over any material thing in the life of a believer, particularly ministers of God. Although the early Church leaders did not have much in terms of material possessions, they were rich in the anointing of the Holy Ghost. One ordinary day, Peter and John were going into the temple for prayers when they saw a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb begging them for alms. The lame man was used to receiving alms, but Peter and John had nothing to give except the anointing. This anointing caused the lame man to rise up and walk. What Peter and John had was more than gold.
3. In our Bible text, we read about the promise Jesus Christ made to His disciples concerning the Holy Spirit, who is the Giver of the anointing. Jesus told His disciples that they must wait for the coming. Jesus told His disciples that they must wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit before they could begin to exercise the authority in the Great Commission. For you to receive the anointing, you must learn to wait upon the Lord. It is worth waiting for because after the Holy Ghost anointing has come upon you, you will begin to effortlessly do exploits for God just as Peter was doing after he was baptized in the Holy Ghost.
4. Beloved, it is wisdom to prefer the Holy Ghost anointing to material things because at the end of the day, the anointing will attract those things that men run after to you. A classic example of a wise servant of God was Elisha, who demanded the double portion of his master’s anointing. It is rather unfortunate that the man who should have inherited the anointing of Elisha chose to inherit material things from an ex-leper.
5. Alas, he inherited leprosy along with the material things he coveted (2 Kings 5:26-27). May that not be your story in Jesus’ Name. To receive the anointing, you must believe in the Name of Jesus Christ and live according to His standards. Develop a relationship with the Giver of the anointing by making Him your friend, and He will readily release His power to you.
SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS
Truly being spiritually endowed is greatly profitable and it is wise to seek anointing of the Holy Ghost and be spiritually gifted just as Apostle Paul encouraged the church to covet the gift of the Spirit in 1 Corinthian 12 vs 31 ” But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way”. May the Lord help us. Glory to God for using His son Pastor E.A Adeboye in bringing to us His word daily.
Prayer Point:
Father, the anointing of the Holy Spirit is more than enough for me; please release it to me to
Hymn
Nearer, my God, to Thee;
Nearer to Thee;
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
Though, like a wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness comes over me,
My rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
There let me see the sight,
An open heaven;
All that Thou sendest me,
In mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise,
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
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