“…I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…” 2 Timothy 1:6b

Carman, a Christian recording artist, while visiting his sister as an east coast Italian kid, black Afro, silk shirt with black slacks, was radically saved (born-again) at an Andrae Crouch concert. His beginning in Christ is where songs like Serve the Lord and No Way Not Ashamed came from. He admits, “I know what it’s like to serve. I served in my local church for about six years before going full time in the music ministry.

Those were hard years sometimes. However, I would not trade them because it taught me ministry. It taught me how to identify the Spirit of God. It taught me where and when the anointing was present. I learned when and when not to minister.

Through serving, I learned how to accomplish great things in the Kingdom of God. Any person who has ever done anything great for the Lord has dedicated years to the Lord. If you can handle the details, the mundane things of ministry, you can accomplish great things for God.”

God’s gifts and callings are with out repentance, but the anointing may decrease and fade.⁶ I compare the anointing with the talents Jesus spoke of in His parable of the talents.⁷ The master gave one man a level one measure of anointing. Another received a level two anointing. Yet, another was given a level five anointing, each according to his ability.

Two of them used what he gave them and it multiplied. The one that received the level one anointing did not use his anointing and suffered great loss. Kenneth Hagin recommends going to the Lord if the fires of your anointing wane.

He remarks, “I went to the Lord about my anointing decreasing. He told me, ‘If your anointing decreases, fast and pray until it comes back.’ Now whenever the anointing fades, I wait upon the Lord in prayer and fasting and the same anointing comes upon me again.”⁸ To keep your zeal and anointing burning hot:

1. Acknowledge your zeal and anointing may have decreased. I have learned the first step to any change is the acknowledgement that it needs changing. If you find yourself not doing the things you first did. Decide today to repent and go back to your first love (Christ). Our Father God awaits us with open arms.

2. Keep your first love first. We do well to remember the warning given to the Laodicean church, “I know your deeds that you are neither cold nor hot I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”⁹

3. Protect your anointing. We protect our anointing by living a holy separated, consecrated life. Our Father God requires that we be holy as He is holy.¹⁰ In my own life, God has gifted and anointed me to the discerning of spirits. He often enables me to see into the spiritual realm. The Holy Spirit has instructed me to guard my eyes (being careful what I allow them to see) as a part of the protection of the anointing in my life.

4. Become a student of the Bible. Study to show yourself a workman approved unto God and rightly dividing the truth Many men of God started out great, but ended up religious fanatics because they became imbalanced somewhere along the way. All Bible and no Holy Spirit will often lead you off the path. On the other hand, all trying to be led by the Holy Spirit and no Word will leave you equally imbalanced.

5. Live a fasted lifestyle. Deny your flesh all it wants, often. The Apostle Paul admonished us in the race of life, “I make my body do what I want it to do so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”¹¹

6. Walk in love. How can we love God and not love our fellowman? Again, we gain instruction from the Apostle Paul simply paraphrased, “The gifts are useless in your life if you don’t have love.”¹²

7. Live prayerfully. Jesus went apart often to pray and listen to the Father. We must follow His example to continue to walk in His anointing. Prayer prepares you for anointed service. Additionally, it helps you continue in anointed ministry. Get to know God in prayer and get to know His plans of service for you.¹³

Most people think of the anointing as something mystical that either you have or do not have. On the other hand, many mistakenly think God’s power to do only rests upon those who publicly minister — preach, teach, prophesy, etc. I have heard it often said of someone, “He’s not anointed to do anything. He has no ministry.”

Yet, when I see this person operating in their gifts of administration and helps, I see the anointing. When I observe them doing the work of the ministry of helps, I recognize the anointing to serve. God’s anointing empowers you to do whatever He calls you to do. If the Holy Spirit has gifted you to serve, begin to recognize and stir the anointing. Know that you have the anointing and equipment to do all that God created you to be and do. Now be sure to stir it up to the glory of God.

Written by Earma Brown

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