Topic: Something More Than Gold [Open Heavens 6th June 2018, Wednesday Daily Devotional]
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 (KJV)
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 6:1-7:3-22
MESSAGE:
In Matthew 13:45, our Lord Jesus Christlikened the kingdom of heaven to precious pearl 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 to 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. 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.
In the 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 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.
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. Alas, he inherited leprosy long 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.
Prayer Point: Father, the anointing of the Holy Spirit is more than enough for me; please release it to me today
Hymn 15: Nearer My God To Thee
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 to Thee!
Though like the 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 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 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 to Thee!
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