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Again, such a teaching is arrived at only by not rightly dividing the Word of truth.

Romans 8:16-19
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

That passage says that we are the children of God, and heirs. A heir is one whose right to certain things is post-dated. Paul uses the term ‘heirs’ here to show that we will share (future tense) in the glory that is to be ushered in at the return of Christ.

That’s why he says that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us”. Contrary to what earthly-minded preachers teach, there is suffering in this world for both believers and unbelievers. That suffering exists because we do not have our redemption in full manifestation.

This sufferings include: sickness, disease, as well as persecution for the sake of Christ. This present world is suffering. I don’t know about you, but I long to get out of this limited mortal body that pulls me in a direction different from that of my Saviour. You see, James says that we are tempted when we are drawn away by our own lusts.

I do not understand how a believer can feel at home in this world. From the political systems, through the economic systems, educational systems, and even its religious systems as typified in the false religions and much of the visible Church today, are a source of suffering.

Until our redemption is enforced in full at the return of Christ, all of creation will continue to await the manifestation of the sons of God. In other words, we are sons now, but we are like everyone else – fully human. We are subject to all human frailties, passions and limitations.

Romans 8:22-23
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

The entire creation which was subject to corruption, as we were, groans to be delivered from this state. The Bible says we groan also because we do not have the redemption of our bodies yet. That’s why our bodies cry for the wrong things, and that’s why our bodies still fall sick.

Revelations 21:4, speaking about the afterlife, says:

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away”.

If God is going to wipe these negatives out of the believer’s life in the future, that means they still exist in the believer’s life now. It is no use denying it. Those who claim that believers ought to never fall sick, to never lack or to never die young themselves have succumbed to the very things they preach is not their lot. All the confessions of faith and denial will not wipe away reality.

We must stick with the truth of God’s Word or we will get hurt and offended and fall away when things do not happen the way we have been told they should.

A few years ago back on the University of Lagos campus, a lady who belonged to Christ Embassy asked me in tears and much hurt, “Why did my friend die of sickle cell anemia like that? We believed God, we prayed, we confessed! We stood on His Word!“.

Well, they were believing an error, praying amiss, and confessing in vain. Contrary to what she thought and said, they were not standing on God’s Word at all. They were standing on the unBiblical teaching of their pastor. They were acting on a presumption.

God’s Word does not promise us immunity from the frailties of this life. Rather, God’s Word promises to sustain us through the painful realities of this life and to give to us a glorious future when our Lord returns.

Romans 8:23 says that we “have the firstfruits of the Spirit“, that is, a guarantee, and that we also long to be delivered from this mortal bodies of ours. Because we have the guarantee now, we are assured of the full package when the time comes. Verses 24 and 25 encourage us to keep our hope alive. This is what the Bible means when it says “Christ in you the hope of glory”!

Finally, the apostle John corroborates Paul’s teaching here when he wrote:

1 John 3:2,3
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Brothers and sisters, our faith and hope is not an earthly one, and is not for earthly things. It is for a future glory. If you want to be a partaker of that glory, keep yourself pure from the world and all that is in it.

Biblically, it is not time yet for the sons of God to be manifested.

Those of us who have accepted the task of declaring truth are often maligned and mocked, despised and persecuted on all fronts. At times, it gets so bad that we are often tempted to tone it down a bit and not rock the boat so much.

Last week, I told a sister how I have at times felt like giving up preaching the Gospel. Her response:

Really? You have fooled me. You seem resilient!

When I further told her how I cry almost everyday, how my heart breaks everyday and how I am weak everyday, and keep crying to the Lord, she responded:

Please stop. You are scaring me. What do u mean? You are strong!

It was an interesting discussion. Well, I shared with her how the Lord’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. Like our brother Paul, my boast will always be in my weakness, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. And in those weaknesses do I take pleasure; in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Standing for the Lord is often a lonely job, but we have several examples of men who did so in Scriptures, and we can be certain that the Lord will keep us.

The accounts in 1 Kings 22 show us the sterling example of a relatively unsung prophet named Micaiah. He has no book to his name, but this brief account reveals a man of character, a man who knew and respected the Lord above anyone else, and a man who dared to speak the truth regardless of who’s ox is gored.

400 prophets claimed to be speaking for God, but they were all speaking by a false spirit. Do the math – 400 lying prophets. They had all probably come out of the school of the prophets; yet they prophesied by a lying spirit.

In practice, the odds that 400 prophets are lying and only one is telling the truth are terrific. But that’s what it was.

It is the same way that people question the odds that our numerous self-appointed General Overseers, Bishops, Senior Pastors et al are lying and only a handful of us are telling the truth. Odds or not, that’s the way it is.

Unity is a good thing, but only when built on truth. Micaiah had enough sense to refuse unity on a platter of falsehood. He would not get in on the bandwagon with the majority.

In all probability, he was not being mentored by any of the 400 prophets. He was not upwardly mobile. He had no desire for acceptance and recognition. He was not seeking to build the fastest growing church in the land.

Note also that Micaiah respected not the evil king. All God’s messengers all through the Bible have this stamped on them. When men rebelled against God, respect for status, age, position or authority went out the window.

While our self-serving pastors today continue to tell corrupt and wicked men in power that it is well with them and that they are God’s anointed ones, invite them to speak at their events, and even collect money from them “for the Lord’s work”, Micaiah would have none of that.

Note in verse 13 that the messenger that was sent to Micaiah had even attempted to persuade him to speak “that which is good” to the king.

But the prophet wouldn’t. He was made of a different cloth from the sort of people that the bishop at Otta and the overseer by the highway are – those men who claim to hear God but whom God didn’t (and still does not) tell that the politicians and characters they frolic with are evil.

Micaiah was certainly non-conformist, and was not out to earn points, build a followership or fan anybody’s ego. He was a man of God in the truest sense of the word.

He was not going to go motivational either and tell the King that he could make it if he believed it. He was only going to tell Him what the Lord said.

I pray that God would give us more men of the stock of Micaiah today. We need men who will speak the truth whether it is popular or not. We need godly shepherds and preachers who won’t tell people what they want to hear but what they need to hear.

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:11-13)

Over the years, we have observed people use Jesus’ statement in John 14:12 to say that believers should all be operating with as much and even more power than Jesus did or they are not living up to God’s calling. According to this teaching, we should do greater miracles and healings than Jesus did while He was physically here on earth.

Jesus – Anointed as Messiah
The first problem with that standpoint is that they ignore the very fact that Jesus was God manifested in the flesh, and that if that be so, it is impossible for the creature to do greater works than the Creator. They ignore and deny that Jesus came as the Messiah, and that the very signs of the Messiah are miracles and healings.

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. (Acts 10:38)

To anoint means to consecrate to an office or religious service through the idea of contact or smearing/rubbing with oil. To what office was Jesus consecrated by the Father?n The office of the Messiah, the Christ. No other person in the New Testament dared claim this title or office. Paul never referred to himself as an ‘anointed’ one. Neither did Peter or any other minister under the New Testament. Why? It is such a sacred office reserved for only One Person in history.

Believers – Anointed and Consecrated as Truth
Bearers
Yes, 1 John 2 talks about all believers being anointed, but note that it is different from the Anointing of Jesus. Jesus was anointed (shown forth to be the Messiah) with the Holy Ghoist and power. 1 John says that believers are anointed differently (shown forth as God’s people) with truth. Let me put it simply:

The miracles and healings Jesus performed were the means by which people would identify Him to be the Messiah. The truth that believers know and uphold is the means by which we are identified as belonging to God. These are profound truths we must never, never forget.

Jesus, when praying for His own, said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17). To sanctify means to consecrate – to set apart. How are believers known? By truth. Not by miracles, signs and wonders. As a matter of fact, Jesus clearly taught that many who work signs and wonders will not make it:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:27)

That passage is clear that physical miracles are not the ways to recognise believers. Adherence to truth is.

The Messiah, God in the Flesh
John chapter 5 gives us great insight into the Person of Jesus. It is here that the Jews got riled against Him because He presented Himself as equal with God – and indeed He was God (John 5:18)

He also said in that chapter, “But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me” (John 5:36). He was saying that the works He did were the validation of the Father.

The average Jew who had studied prophecy knew that when the Messiah came, He would work great miracles and healings such as no man had ever or would ever work. As such, when John sent people to enquire of Jesus, the Lord did not answer him directly; instead He pointed to the works He did:

“Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.

And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” (Luke 7:22-23)

That answer was sufficient, because only the Messiah could produce such. He was God manifested in the flesh. The Bible says so:

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)

But Jesus said that we would do the works He did
Yes; He said it, and He meant it. God uses believers to heal and works His miracles through men. But – and a big ‘but’ – only as He wills.

1 Corinthians 12:10 to another the working of miracles….
1 Corinthians 12:11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

Paul’s writings and other passages make it absolutely clear that no-one can produce a manifestation of the Spirit as he wills or desires. This is contrary to what many preachers claim and would have us believe today.

while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (Hebrews 2:4)

Jesus was God – absolutely One with the Holy Spirit. He had the Spirit without measure. He was the Messiah. He could heal whosoever He willed. Believers are not God. We are under the authority of God, and we can only minister healing or produce a miracle as the Lord wills. None of us can walk around and heal anyone as we will. Only the Messiah – God Himself in human form – could pull that off.

All manifestations of the Spirit are given as the Spirit wills – including healings, miracles and tongues.

On a side note, everyone opening their mouth to ’speak in tongues as they will today are just blabbing. Genuine tongues are given as the Spirit wills, and I daresay are not regular, everyday things, same way miracles and healings are not everyday things. If you have been observant, you will have noticed that almost everyone who claims to be baptised in the Holy Spirit today simply do a repetition of words and phrases – all in the name of speaking in tongues. That is proof that it is a product of their minds.

Any examples of anyone working greater miracles than
Jesus?
It is important as we study Scriptures that we follow clear teachings and also look for examples. This ensures that we get the picture clearly. As such, note that not one of the Apostles of the Lamb, not one of the apostles and prophets did physical miracles and healings greater than Jesus did.

Clearly, one of the most amazing things Jesus did was raise Lazarus from the dead. The man had been dead 4 days, yet Jesus raised him up with a command. No apostle outdid this. No-one in the Bible did.

How about post-Bible times? Can anyone point to any individual who has done greater miracles and healings than Jesus did? I know of none. Not Oral Roberts. Not Kenneth Hagin (in his 60 years of “ministry”). Not Chris Oyakhilome. Not Charles and Frances Hunters. Not John G. Lake. Not David Oyedepo. Not E.A. Adeboye. They are all pretenders to the claim of “greater works”. Not one of them have produced any physical miracle greater than what Jesus did.

Everyone Jesus ministered to was healed. Jesus had 100% success rate in healing and miracles. Everyone He ministered healing to got healed. Not one of those men who claim ‘greater works’ are close. Many they minister to, lay hands on, anoint with oil, return home sick and even die of those illnesses. Why? They are not the Messiah. They cannot beat the Messiah at the signs of His peculiar office.

How can a goat bark better than a dog?

If no-one has done greater physical miracles, then did Jesus lie?
God forbid! I am glad to let you know that Jesus did not lie. As the Holy Spirit wills, God may use believers (not just some selected species of men claiming to be ‘anointed’) to do certain physical healings and miracles.

Note that Jesus tied the ‘greater works’ to His going back to the Father, meaning His death, resurrection and ascension to Heaven. The cross opened the door for the greater works, but of a different kind. What works did Jesus not do during His earthly ministry?

In John 5:21, He said, “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will“. Here’s a comparison between the raising of the physical dead and the raising of the spiritual dead. While Jesus was here on earth, He never raised those who are spiritually dead. Why? Regeneration of dead souls/spirits could not take place until the cross was accomplished. But after His death, resurrection, and ascension, those who were
dead in their trespasses could then be made alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:5).

The Greater Works
A clear study of the subject shows us that the greater works Christ spoke about is works of a different kind than what He did while physically present on earth – the spiritual regeneration that takes place when the Gospel is preached.

Someone may say, “But it is God that regenerates spiritually!” I say, it is God too who raises the physically dead; not man. Raising a dead man is as much a divine act as regenerating a spiritually dead man.

More importantly, raising a man who is dead spiritually is infinitely a greater work than raising a physically dead man. Think about it, the physically dead were being raised all through Bible times before and without the price Jesus paid. On the other hand, the regeneration of spiritually dead people was impossible without the death, resurrection and ascension of the Lamb of God.

Conclusion
Jesus said that believers would do the works He did – and we see from Scriptures that this is possible but only as the Holy Spirit wills. Unlike Jesus, no-one can – or has been able to – do it at their own discretion and with 100% results.

Secondly, we see that indeed, Jesus did not raise any spiritually dead people to life during His earthly ministry, but that since His death His followers have been instruments in God’s hands to bring the spiritually dead to life. Preaching the cross of Christ is presenting ourselves as vessels through which God’s greater works are being done today: getting people born again.

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)

Sound character is a hallmark of true believers. All through the Gospels and the accounts and writings of the apostles, character is a finely woven theme that cannot be missed. Terms like “fruit of the Spirit”, “led by the Spirit”, “new creature”, and “new man” are all used to paint a picture of the character of the believer in Christ Jesus.

Also, we read of “good works” as fruits of the new life in Christ all through the writings of the apostles.

We must make no mistake about it – sound character is a trait and characteristic of the regenerated man and the renewed mind. Jesus stated clearly that men are known by their fruit.

2 Timothy 2:19 gives us the seal of the two-sided foundation of God that stand sure. The first is that the Lord knows those who are His (and sovereignly calls them to Himself through the preaching of the Word). The second is that those who are His (among those that name the name of Christ) will depart from iniquity.

It is the height of absurdity that certain people lay claim to belonging to the Lord but live like devils. It is absolute nonsense. If we are His, our lives will show forth fruit of righteousness and holiness. We will abound in every good work.

This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. (Titus 3:8)

Brothers and sisters, let your light shine!

After you’ve written down every religious saying or “nuggets” of wisdom you think you hear and say at church or Bible study, close up the notepad or paper and put it in your pocket. Keep it there for at least a week because as days go by and you listen to so-called “christian” radio or watch “christian” TV, you’ll hear some that you may have forgotten or simply remember some old ones. Write them in the note, too. Be sure to take your sayings list to church and Bible study at least once and write every saying down. EVERY one. Here are a few examples of popular sayings:

• God helps those who help themselves
• Who are you to judge?
• Make the gospel relevant
• You will be tight if you do not tithe
• God doesn’t want any of His children poor or sick
• Love them into the Kingdom
• Lifestyle evangelism
• Give God something to work with
• People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care
• The Pharisees were too into following everything the Bible says
• Doctrine isn’t important
• Jesus is too much of a gentleman to make you repent
• God doesn’t hate anybody
• Hate the sin; love the sinner
• God doesn’t send anybody to hell
• Don’t preach to people
• Pray this prayer to be saved…
• God wants me happy
• Accept Jesus into your life
• Plant a seed offering
• Try God
• Givers never lack

When you’re satisfied you have them all, sit down again. Look up each saying in a concordance or a topical Bible. If you can’t find them, what does that tell you? It tells you they probably aren’t in the Bible, doesn’t it? Drop them and never say them again. Replace them with Bible verses and partial verses.

If you do find one of your old sayings, like “Don’t judge”, read the entire chapter where you found it. It might not mean what you thought it did. If you find one in the Bible and it really means what you thought it meant, GREAT! Keep it. You’re good.

Read enough Bible regularly that you get new Bible verses all the time to replace the old sayings as they drop away and don’t try to remember all of them. That’s not the point. Just keep doing this. You will begin to change. You will see the world through brand new eyes, eyes filled with the Spirit of God.

In a very short time you will be amazed at just how silly some of the things you used to say were. Then start reading the Bible over and over and over. Read it through at least once a year. Anything less puts you in danger.

Original article: A CHALLENGE FOR MODERN EVANGELICALS

The question now is, Did Jesus really heal every sick person He met? If not, what does the above verse really say or mean then?

One of the laws of responsible interpretation of the Bible is that you look at examples as well as statements. Acts 10:38 has made a statement that many suppose means that Jesus healed every sick person he came in contact with. However, Bible records provide examples of situations in which He did not.

One such situations was at the pool at Bethesda. The story also actually provides more light on whether faith is an absolute requirement for healing or not. Here is the account:

John 5:2-9
2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Note that Jesus walked in there, met a multitude of sick, diseased and maimed people. He walked up to ONE of them and healed him, then walked out, leaving many more in the state He had met them. But note a few more things:

1. The man Jesus healed did not express “faith”. Apparently, he had no idea who it was that was addressing him
2. Jesus did not preach a sermon on “How to obtain your healing”, “How to activate your faith for healing”, and the like (and He never did anywhere else either)
3. Jesus healed one man and walked away, leaving many more still sick. Jesus DID NOT heal every sick person He met; He did not heal ALL that were sick and oppressed in the literal sense of every sick person that He met.

Acts 10:38: Sickness from demonic oppression?

If Jesus did not heal “all”, what does Acts 10:38 mean? Honestly, I do not have all the answers, but at least it is clear that He did not heal “all” in the sense of “all He came in contact with”.

Could it be that He healed all whose sicknesses were a direct consequence of demonic oppression? That verse says “healing all that were oppressed of the devil“. Note that His healings were often associated with demons being cast out.

Mark 1:34: And he healed many [not all] that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

Mark 6:13: And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick [again, not all], and healed them.

Jesus certainly did not heal all that were sick, but it does seem that where a physical infirmity was the consequence of demonic or spiritual assault, Jesus cast out the demon, and the sickness, infirmity or physical condition left. That is the only sense I see in which Acts 10:38 stands. If anyone has other insights, feel free to share.

The Healings of Jesus

But we do have numerous records of Jesus healing people, and in some of those circumstances, He responded with statements like “thy faith hath made thee whole” (Mark 5:34). There were times such “faith” was not required, like in the passage above.

Notice also that everyone Jesus did pray for or ministered to got healed without fail. And none of them developed symptoms of that disease and die of it later. We cannot, however, say this of our modern-day “healers”. At times, some people get healed, and at other times they do not get healed under the ministry of the same man.

The Purpose of Jesus’ Healings

To understand this divine healing business, we must never forget that the healings and miracles Jesus worked were for a purpose: to validate His Person.

Matthew 11:2-6
2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

John went through a dark period of his life and sent emissaries to Jesus. Note the Lord’s response: Jesus pointed to His works. Matthew 8:17 says He healed “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses”.

The purposes of Jesus’ healings and miracles was divine validation. Acts 10:38 confirms that as well: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth”.

Jesus’ Anointing

Anointing: The act of anointing was significant of consecration to a holy or sacred use; hence the anointing of the high priest (Ex. 29:29; Lev. 4:3) and of the sacred vessels (Ex. 30:26). The high priest and the king are thus called “the anointed” (Lev. 4:3, 5, 16; 6:20; Ps. 132:10). Anointing a king was equivalent to crowning him (1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 2:4, etc.). Prophets were also anointed (1 Kings 19:16; 1 Chr. 16:22; Ps. 105:15). The expression, “anoint the shield” (Isa. 21:5), refers to the custom of rubbing oil on the leather of the shield so as to make it supple and fit for use in war.

Source: Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary

To “anoint” (Greek word, chrio) means to choose specially for a work. Here, Luke was saying that God set Jesus apart to this work, and was with Him, acknowledging Him as the Messiah. How did God show that Jesus was His Chosen One? “with the Holy Ghost and with power”.

God declared Jesus as the Messiah by placing on Him the Holy Ghost and His power. Contrary to what people have been told by compromised teachers and preachers, the anointing is NOT the power of God. It is a public ceremony or sign or display to indicate that a person has been chosen for a task.

Under the Old Testament, usually a horn of oil would be poured on a chosen person. Remember how kings were “anointed” with oil? It was a sign to people that this person has been chosen. That is all there is to the anointing.

In this case, the way God demonstrated that Jesus was His Chosen One, the Saviour, and the Messiah was by giving Him the Holy Spirit and power. For example, one of the aspects of His status is that He was God.

Mark 2:9-11
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

He healed that man to demonstrate His Divinity. He did it to demonstrate the fact that He had the power to forgive sins.

Are We Not Anointed Too?

No; we are not, at least not in the sense that Jesus was chosen. Jesus belongs in a class not one of us are in, or ever will be. He was God in the flesh! We are men.

Have you noticed that there is NOT one single reference to anyone else in the New Testament as an “anointed” one? Paul never referred to himself that way. Peter did not. James did not. Not one reference in Acts or Revelations either.

The Believer’s Anointing

There is a general sense in which ALL believers are said to be “anointed”:

1 John 2:20, 21, 27
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Note that this “anointing” teaches us to recognise truth and expose error. Sadly, it is this very anointing that it seems many modern-day believers have lost. This general “anointing” teaches. Nothing else. It does not validate anybody’s person or ministry via healings and miracles, but via truth. It teaches.

God validated the Person and status of Jesus with the miracles and healings He did. God validates our status as true believers with how much we recognise truth from error, and by whether we abide in truth or not. Take some time to think this over. The consequences of this realization are mind-blowing.

Healings and miracles are not a means of validating anyone else besides Jesus Christ. Hear Jesus:

Matthew 7:22-23
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Jesus did not respond that they were lying, and that they did not do those works in His Name. He simply said, “I do not know you”. Beware of people claiming to be “anointed”. In all probability, they are wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Isn’t it strange that every Kenneth, Fred and Benny today are calling themselves “anointed”? Jesus occupies that sole position. He is the only one whose word we must obey.

A Healing Anointing?

There is no such thing as a healing anointing, a breakthrough anointing, a prosperity anointing, or any of those other “anointings” we hear men on our pulpits tout. There is nothing in the Bible that even remotely suggests that there is.

For example, what the Bible teaches – and what many may mistakenly tag a “healing anointing” – is “the gifts of healing by the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:9). Note that this is listed along with what Paul refers to as “the manifestation of the Spirit” (verse 7), and he says specifically that the Holy Spirit manifests “as he will” (verse 11).

That means men cannot turn the manifestations of the Spirit, gifts of healing inclusive, on and off as they will. Rather than wait for God to move and manifest among us, our preachers want to turn it on by “faith” and all that, something that is clearly beyond their jurisdiction. But because the manifestations are as the Lord wills, these things do NOT work all the time. The Bible says they do not work all the time. They work only as and when the Lord wills.

Is faith always a criteria?

The plain answer is a “no”. We have seen in the passage we read that faith is not always required for healing. Here is a passage that seems to introduce some difficulties:

Matthew 17:14-21

14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Here, it is obvious that the problem was the disciples’ lack of faith. But balancing it with other passages of Scriptures, it simply shows that there are times faith is an issue, and there are times it is not. And note that the issue here was not faith to receive something for ourselves; it was faith in Him to minister on His behalf.

This is contrary to the claims by the “faith” gang that if you have faith, you will always be healed, and that it is always God’s will to heal.

Epaphroditus was healed by the mercy of God (Philippians 2:25-27). Take note of Paul’s words. There is no mention of “claiming healing” or “the believer’s rights”. The word is “mercy”.

In 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul mentioned that he left Trophimus at Miletum sick.

In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul instructed Timothy, “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities”. That would be like me instructing another member of my pastoral or ministry team to take Panadol Extra for a headache.

In 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Paul requested for a particular infirmity to be taken away. Whatever that infirmity is, we do not know, but we do know that it was not a good or pleasant thing. Did God take it away? No; God’s answer was “no”. Instead, He offered Paul grace to endure the infirmity.

Did Paul not have faith? But he did. God did not say, “Paul, your unbelief is the problem”.

The right to ask is Not a right to have

Where people get confused is that they mistake a right to ask for a right to have. But they are two different things entirely.

As a son growing up in my father’s house, it was my right by birth to go to my father for whatever I needed (or even wanted). History bears me record that I did not always get what I asked for, even when my father possessed the resources to grant that request.

My right to ask certainly did not equal a right to have. That was discipline. Today, I am glad my father did not spoil me by giving me everything I wanted. I developed some of the character that it takes to stand upright in life that way.

Like any true father, our heavenly Father also disciplines us.

Hebrews 12:6-11
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

When we hear the word “discipline”, we think it means that we must have done something wrong and now God is punishing us. No; discipline can be positive and pro-active, and often it is.

As God’s children, we have the right to go to Him in prayer for our needs, including healing; but do not mistake that as the right to have it. The right to grant or deny whatever you request lies with God.

Conclusion

Let us not make any mistake about it: God still healed people after Jesus departed the earth. He healed through the apostles and others. And He still heals today. But what the “faith” movement teaches on the subjects of faith and healing is far from balanced, Biblical truth.

Stay blessed.

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

Being rhetorical questions, the answer to each and everyone of them is “NO”.

So, the answer to the question, “Do all [believers] speak with tongues?” is: No; all believers do not speak with tongues.

Note the context: it is that of presenting believers as different parts of the body, such that they are all not the same. How can anyone read such a clear statement as made by the apostle Paul here and still suppose that all believers should speak with tongues?

The world keeps prompting people to spend money they don’t have for things they don’t need, to impress people they don’t like.

It is called keeping with the Joneses. And it is sheer folly. Yet, many who profess the Name of Christ are part of this public spectacle.

The result was that the word of God was choked in the midst of it all. All that line-up of activities was a big distraction to ther only needful thing. The key individuals behind the event were mostly running up and down during the meeting itself. It was more of Hollywood than church. I felt like fish out of water in there. Sadly, that scenario is pretty much what most “church” meetings are like today.

In contrast, I spoke at another church congregation about a month ago. There was no officialese. We started off straight with the Bible teaching, followed by a discussion of what was taught, a simple collection of offering without any pulls and appeals, and thereafter the meeting was dismissed. I felt at home in there.

One meeting was totally activity-driven; the other was a meeting in which people gathered to take heed to doctrine. These two scenarios remind me of Jesus’ visit to Mary’s home.

Luke 10:38-42
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.

But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Are we entertaining the people or giving them that one thing that is necesarry?