THE ANOINTING IS FOR SERVICE

08/19/2023

"I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing" (Genesis 12:2).

One major sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit is an unquenchable desire to joyfully and selflessly serve others. Acts 10:38 says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him." Pay attention to the expression, "Who went about doing good." It means that the anointing compelled Jesus to serve. Jesus attested to this when He said, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many." Jesus was never about fulfilling His personal agenda or will. His life's goal was to see us become all that God purposed for us. Some Christians may have excused Jesus from service, being that He was the son of God. But Jesus understood that the anointing that was upon His life was upon Him for service. And if Jesus could roll up His sleeves to serve, what excuse could we possibly have? 

God said to Abram, "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing" (Genesis 12:2). God could have stopped at "I will make your name great," but He added, "…and you will be a blessing." This reveals to us the intent of God in making Abraham's name great; it was so that he could be a blessing to others or serve others. There is a principle we must learn from this Scripture, and it is the principle that whatever God gives to you, it is for the purpose of being more effective at serving others. If God blesses you with a house or a car, it is so that you can more effectively serve Him and others.

Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me." If you put the grace of honor that you have received to work, by serving others, and by advancing the cause of the gospel, you will experience greater expressions of the blessing in your life. 

So here is my question to you: Is your life all about you, or have you positioned yourself to improve the lives of people around you? Remember that you have received God's grace primarily for the purpose of furthering the gospel of Christ, and there is no better way to do so than serving those around you with joy. One act of kindness done in the name of Jesus is worth more than a hundred sermons.

Find someone and serve them today.

Faith-Filled Confession:

I am a vessel of love, kindness, grace and God's goodness to my world today. I chosoe God's agenda, desire and will over mine today in serving the needs of those around me. I receive the grace and inspiration to be about what God designed this day to be. In Jesus name. Amen 

Prayer of Affirmation:

Precious Father, I thank you for making me the crown of your creation, and the best of all that you've made. I live with the consciousness of who I am in Christ: a pearl of great price and inestimable value, created to set forth your wonderful deeds and display your virtues and perfections to my world, in Jesus' Name. Amen.