I don’t know how reading this makes you feel, but for me I am reassured that every stage of my life, every day of my life and every moment of my life are continually before God. I have absolutely nothing to worry about. I will not sit on the motion-less rocking chair of worry. If I trust God and walk with Him, like the good Father that He is, He will keep me away from destruction, He will preserve, protect and provide for me.

If you are ever in doubt of what makes the list of Acts of God, John 10:10 would help you…
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

We are to love all people; lovers, users, haters, persecutors, cursers, etc with the love of God. We are to bless them, do good to them, and pray for them (Matthew 5:43‭-‬48). Responding with love where love seems underserved is one way we grow and mature in love (agape).

A time of captivity is not a time to amass wealth. It is certainly not a time for marriage ceremonies, baby showers, or baby christening. For one, a captive is more likely to be hatching an escape plan than indulge in such social exigencies. Two, you really don’t want to offend or threaten your captors else they give you more hell.
“Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished.“

You know, as I thought about the uneventful ‘disappearance’ of the poisonous serpents, I realized that actually that is how life problems ‘pass away‘ as we move our focus away from them and fix them instead on Jesus and His Word. Suddenly, the pain stops, suddenly the lump is no more, suddenly your marriage is restored.

According to Romans 13:8, love is a debt we owe every man. And every man really do mean every man without exception. You know, it is a lot easier to reciprocate love when you feel loved. But sometimes we encounter people who are not so nice and who ordinarily should fit into an ‘unlovable’ group, but God said to love every man.
Jesus identified 4 groups of possible enemies in Matthew 5: 43-48. These are people we would ordinarily not want to love…

All of Your peace. All of the healing You bought for me. All of Your manifest provision and abundance, to accomplish the job You have entrusted to my care. That Your people may know You Jesus. And that they may know the Father. That they may appreciate the dept of Your great love with which You loved them. That they may find hope, love and peace in You. All of You Jesus. Until my job is done.

Daniel was a young good-looking man said to have no blemish. He was gifted in wisdom, possessed knowledge and had quick understanding. He was skilled; he had the ability to serve in the King’s palace, he was a teachable quick learner. He also had understanding of dreams and visions. And God gave Daniel favor and goodwill.
I love Daniel’s resume. And as much as we recognize that Daniel was specially gifted with wisdom, guess what? Anyone can have Godly wisdom. I am reminded of James 1:5…

The Epistles constitute letters written to the early Churches in different locations. As Christians, these letters are directed at us as well. From these letters we learn about our identity, rights and privileges in Christ, etc. So Christians are to live on the new testament (especially the epistles).

As true as that is, we cannot deny that we still learn a lot of lessons from the old testament. Most practices of the old testament may be obsolete but the principles remain timeless and still applies to us today.

Second Kings 8:1-13 is an interesting old testament scripture. It is a really long portion of scripture but it made an interesting and insightful read to me …..

“And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, “Get yourself ready, take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. Now when you arrive at that place, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go in and make him rise up from among his associates, and take him to an inner room. Then take the flask of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord : “I have anointed you king over Israel.” ’ Then open the door and flee, and do not delay.” So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. And when he arrived, there were the captains of the army sitting; and he said, “I have a message for you, Commander.” Jehu said, “For which one of us?” And he said, “For you, Commander.” Then he arose and went into the house. And he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord , over Israel. You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord , at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab all the males in Israel, both bond and free. So I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. The dogs shall eat Jezebel on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. ’ ” And he opened the door and fled. Then Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “ Is all well? Why did this madman come to you?” And he said to them, “You know the man and his babble.” And they said, “A lie! Tell us now.” So he said, “Thus and thus he spoke to me, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord : “I have anointed you king over Israel.” ’ ” Then each man hastened to take his garment and put it under him on the top of the steps; and they blew trumpets, saying, “Jehu is king!” “
II Kings 9:1‭-‬13 NKJV

There is just so much being said about anointing in this passage..

Through the Bible we find 3 groups of persons who were anointed in a similar way as Jehu; Priests, Prophets and Kings.

Some of the applications of the term ‘anointing/anointed‘ in the Bible include; for consecrating a place, a vessel, a body before burial, or as a tradition following a wash.

The process of becoming anointed as narrated for Jehu is quite different from how Jesus was anointed. For one, there was no physical pouring of oil on Jesus’s head by any prophet. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost by God Himself…..

“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
Acts 10:38 NKJV

This was a special form of anointing different from what upheld in the old testament. However, despite the obvious differences in the method of the anointing of Jesus and Jehu, we see similarities in the events that follow someone’s anointing…

Jehu was as much God’s choice for His people at the time he was anointed as Jesus was. So although Jehu received the pouring of oil on the head by a prophet (while Jesus did not), Jehu was first chosen by God.

There is just so much we can glean from Jehu’s story. When God anoints you….

1. He Separates you.

2. He promotes and honors you.

3 He puts you over a territory with a specific assignment.

4. He gives you authority and power.

5. He gives you influence

6. He defends you.

“Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.” “
Psalms 105:15 NKJV

7. He sets you up for celebration.

Well then, who is qualified to receive these privileges? Anyone who is anointed by God!

As Christians we receive the same anointing as Jesus did when we become baptized by the Holy Spirit.

“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
II Corinthians 1:21‭-‬22 NKJV

Have you located your territory? Are you wielding your authority and exercising your power? Are you assured of the special protection available to those chosen of God?

The purpose of the anointing is to make power available for good works to be done. Don’t waste it..

“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.”
Acts 1:8 KJV

When God anoints you, you have power to witness for Christ.

We have all of God’s promises in Christ.
In Christ God said YES to all His promises. Oh yes! You can have them ALL.