T. Bentley: Anointing/ Giving
My response to Todd Bentley’s teaching on giving can be found HERE.
The following is provided for reference only.
KEYS TO GROW IN THE ANOINTING
by Revivalist Todd Bentley [as edited by Kathy Thorne]
PART 1 of 3
Deep intimacy with Jesus Christ will always cause the very nature of God to flow out of your innermost being like rivers of living water! As those heavenly streams spring forth, not only will His radiance shine from your face, but His anointing will rest upon everything you say and everything you do. After all, Jesus said when we abide in Him, we will bear much fruit. Conversely, without intimacy, God’s anointing will not shine through; for apart from Him, you and I can do nothing (John 15:5).
So, friends, intimacy with God is essential for growing in the anointing and it is the foundation upon which this teaching series is built. Now we’re ready to begin.
THE ANOINTING IS TANGIBLE AND TRANSFERABLE
There is a favor that comes, a blessing that comes with the anointing! When God called me ten years ago, He said, “Todd, one of the blessings in your life and ministry will be the anointing, and I want you to give it away. It is tangible and it is transferable.”
So I had a vision when the Spirit of God touched my life that we would lay hands on thousands around the world. This revelation was a great comfort to me because I remember, after I got saved, thinking: God, I would love to have gone to one of Kathryn Kuhlman’s meetings and have her lay hands on me. I remember, too, being so hungry for all that God had for me and looking up to other saints who walked in the anointing like Reinhard Bonnke, Benny Hinn or other leaders of big ministries.
Over the years I have come to realize that God did something in my heart right from day one; He placed something remarkable inside of me—“I placed a value in you Todd, for the anointing, and I placed a value in you, a core value, for impartation. Everywhere you go, I’m going to release an anointing and that anointing is going to flow. People are going to receive it.” So I had faith to believe that great things would happen, and the moment we would lay hands on hungry people the Holy Spirit would be given; men and women would receive, and they too would be commissioned and launched. Therefore in every meeting we have we believe that something will be imparted when we lay hands on hungry, thirsty people.
Hey! If you’re like me you love to drink from what God has placed upon anointed men and women of God. You get around them and you drink what’s there! And so if you have that same love, this teaching series is going to be invaluable to you because I’m going to share pertinent insights that have been keys to receiving from the Spirit of God over the last ten years. These keys have helped me learn how to move in the power of God and how to receive and release the anointing.
With that in view, this week in Part One, we will examine eight keys that will help you to both grow in the anointing and stay with it.
However, before we examine those eight keys, I want to explain two relevant points with you that go hand in hand with the anointing. One point concerns a revelation about God’s “economy” in connection with growing in the anointing—it’s an actual blessing that God is releasing right now. The second point is about the great value God places on the anointing. Let’s begin by turning to Isaiah 61.
Growing—Double
We see in the first chapter of Isaiah 61 that after Isaiah prophesied about the purpose of the anointing, there was another promise—the anointing to bring restoration—which in and of itself is notable (vv. 1–6). Yet don’t miss this: Then scripture goes on to the promise of double honor instead of shame (v. 7). How many of you would like to receive double honor, double blessing, and double everlasting joy?
Think about it! Double! That’s the revelation God gave me. Talk about growing in the anointing! He spoke to me and said, “Todd, I’m ready to begin to release the double portion.” Furthermore, in connection with God’s promise, I know that the measure in which impartation is released through me is going to increase and at times it will be twice as much as I have ever delivered to people before.
I know this because God said: “It is multiplication time, acceleration time.” So I have been saying to God, “I want to receive a portion of Your Spirit that is twice as big as what’s been upon my life until this moment!” I need a double portion! How many of you know that if you are going to do what God has called you to do, you need a double anointing, too? Listen. With a conviction like that, it’s time for you to pray for it to come upon your life!
Now let’s turn to Proverbs 21:20.
Great Value—Costly Treasure
“There is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it” (Prov. 21:20). There is a desirable treasure. Do you know what it is? It’s the anointing! It is a very costly oil; a very precious ointment; and it’s something we desire.
No money in the world, nothing is as precious. Many of you know this because every time you have been in the anointing or in worship, when you have touched “that place” in the presence of God, you never want it to end. Thank God for those moments. [We’ll examine more of Proverbs 21:20 later in this teaching.]
So keep these two points in mind as we go on to examine eight keys to grow and maintain the anointing.
EIGHT KEYS TO GROW IN THE ANOINTING AND MAINTAIN IT
Value the Anointing
Value the anointing as a treasure (Prov. 21:20) that is more costly than gold. [Study The Parable of the Hidden Treasure—Matt. 13:44; and The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price—Matt. 13:45.] It’s a desirable treasure and that’s a “Number One Principle” that you need to understand if you want to receive an increase of the anointing.
It’s a precious power that God allows to come on your life—a supernatural grace to enable you to do what you cannot do in the natural. The anointing is God’s power on your flesh, supernaturally enabling you to do the impossible and the supernatural.
So be prepared . . . in order to have the anointing it will cost you something! In fact, it will cost you everything, and that price is your life. It’s like this: “I lose my life. My life is the Father’s business; but in that, I have life; I found my life.” The apostle Paul said, “I die daily” (1 Cor. 15:31). It’s the crucified life.
Therefore, if you want the anointing, if you want the double portion, are you prepared to sacrifice, to lay down your life in a greater way? Are you prepared to die, to give it all? You have to value the anointing; for the anointing makes the difference in every aspect of your life and service to the Lord, and it is connected to favor, and favor brings blessing.
Also, the anointing is the hidden treasure, and it’s not just “lying” around! It’s found in the dwelling of the wise; and sometimes you have to go halfway around the world to get it! I’ve seen leaders who so value the anointing that they travel to other countries and stand in line so that they can receive an impartation of the anointing from a trusted servant of God.
Actually, sometimes I wonder why someone wasn’t in line . . . because sometimes we get so familiar. Here’s what I mean: Familiarity is the greatest killer of the anointing. If you get so familiar with a servant of God that the respect is gone and you have an unteachable spirit, then you no longer can receive and you might as well move on.
Find the Oil and Make a Demand on it through your Giving
A significant symbol of the anointing is oil, and certain servants of God possess it. The prophet Elisha was such a servant. So let’s learn more by studying 2 Kings 4:8–17 because this passage of scripture reveals how a prominent Shunammite woman found the oil [anointing/Elisha] and made a demand on “it” through her giving.
First of all, she discerned correctly, after asking Elisha into her home for meals when he was passing through, that he was a holy man of God—he had the oil. Then she said to her husband (paraphrase): “Hey! Let’s make a room and furnish it for him so that he can rest here.” Her attitude was like this (paraphrase): “If that guy is coming by, I’d sure like his mantle to come to my house!”
Actually, what was happening here was that she was making room for the anointing in her life. Equally, and likely without her even realizing it, she was making a demand on the anointing. How? There were two ways. First, by taking action to go above and beyond the norm with hospitality, willingly giving, and also spending her money on renovating her home so the prophet could have a room. Second, her actions caused a reaction to well up within Elisha . . . somehow all her giving “spoke” to him.
Something in Elisha’s spirit was being released to give her a blessing—“What is to be done for you?” That prophet was saying (paraphrase): “It’s upon my life to declare it, whatever you want, out of my belly, you can have it. Now what do you want me to do for you?”
But when he asked her that question she said she didn’t need anything! Yet, her generosity still made a demand on the anointing because when she honored the prophet she was due to receive the prophet’s reward! God attaches rewards to honor! (See Matthew 10:41.) What was the prophet’s reward? It was connected to Elisha’s question: “What is to be done for you?” That was the prophet’s reward. It was the blessing that the prophet would give—his prophecy: “About this time next year you shall embrace a son” (2 Kings 4:16). And she did!
Now don’t miss this: To make a demand, you do that by giving. Now here’s one practical way for giving that I can share from my own experience: My wife and I make a demand by writing checks! We don’t just give to a ministry. We walk up to a man or woman of God and say, “This is for you.” We see that person’s anointing and realize, “Bam! I want it!” My team does the same thing. It’s making a demand on heaven!
Listen! We don’t, and we can’t, buy the anointing. But we can make a demand on the anointing, and that’s by giving. In other words, if you want to receive the anointing you need to give as you are led by God’s Spirit, and when you do you’ll start seeing the person/ministry that you give to, their mantle, coming on your life.
Strengthen Yourself in the Lord
Your anointing is only as strong as your inner man. I believe that God is saying for 2008: “Strengthen yourself in the Lord. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” So build yourself up in the inner man and focus on what is going to make you stronger. (In this regard, I can recommend two Fresh Fire resources: Faith and Power [audio, 4 CDs] and Real Power [3 DVDs].)
Intimacy
Just as I shared in the beginning of this teaching, if you want an increase in the anointing it will only come through intimacy with the Lord.
Be in the Hidden Place
When I think of the hidden place, David comes to mind. Not long after he was anointed king of Israel (1 Sam. 16:12, 13) he had to flee from King Saul and he hid in the cave of Adullam (1 Sam 22:1). It’s there that he cried out to the Lord and wrote Psalm 142: “I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living’ (v. 5, emphasis mine). The cave of Adullam means: refuge.
Listen! The anointing always begins in the “cave,” the hidden place. The anointing always begins in the refuge. God is a shelter and a refuge—“For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy” (Ps. 61:3). “Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily; be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me” (Ps. 31:2). “In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God” (Ps. 62:7).
In that hidden place King Saul could not find David! But David’s family and about 400 outcasts did—“everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him” (1 Sam. 22:2). They were drawn there! (It wasn’t the doctors, the lawyers, the great theologians, or the ones that we think will make the team strong.)
In fact, David’s escape to that cave helped to forge him into the great leader that God intended. Listen. You build your ministry in the hidden place. You are not going to have an increase—a double portion of the anointing—if you have no cave; if you have no “cave of Adullam.”
Alliance and Association
Every great man or woman of God that I know has been tested by God in a season of alliance and association with someone who had more than they had. For instance Mahesh Chavda served under Derek Prince for 15 years. You aren’t going to get to “Zion” without seasons of alliance, partnership, association, and coming alongside men and women that have more than you do. You need someone that has an influence in your life. The apostle Paul and Timothy are examples of this and so are Elijah and Elisha.
Be a Part of Something Bigger than Yourself
If you are willing to plug into something (or someone) bigger than yourself, you will get where God wants you to go. It works! On the other hand I have seen very gifted Christians who have great potential but they have no character, no grounding, no partnership, no covering, no association, no team, no culture; and the list goes on. Look. It’s like there is an epidemic in the charismatic church today that if people can’t find room to demonstrate their gifts, they just leave.
Cultivate Covenant Relationships
One of the greatest keys to receiving the anointing is: environment, influence, and association. There are certain leaders that I am in covenant relationship with and have been for years . . . that is the main reason that we’re lasting, building, growing, and getting bigger and stronger in Abbotsford, BC. So cultivate covenant relationships.
A report by Stephen Strader of Ignited Church:
In tonight’s report: GLORY SMOKE fills the stage area! Multiple people have their SCARS disappear in the Glory! April 12th, 2008
Notes from Todd’s sermon… Squandering the Anointing!
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Friday night in the Florida Healing Revival
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The building was packed within minutes of the doors opening. The overflow filled up within 30 minutes. We had over 1,000 inside the building. People were stuffed into the sanctuary. On the floor. Standing up against the walls. Others decided to enjoy the overflow room. Todd surprised them with a personal in-person walk through.
The worship was DEAFENING… The sound from the people was LOUDER than the P.A. system… everyone was dancing or jumping!!!
The Glory came on Todd and the ushers helped him on the stage. Minutes later, he fell out under the power!!!
A few minutes later he stood up, and YOU COULD SMELL SMOKE IN THE ROOM!!
The churches building supervisor ran through the back stage… then went outside all the way around the building… he could only smell the smoke on the stage & back stage & just outside the stage door entrance. When he walked 30 feet from the door, the smell was gone.
It literally smelled like a sweet barbeque!! IT MADE US HUNGRY FOR GOD!!!
The worship leader, Roy, cried out… THE GLORY IS HERE!!! He whirled around several times… the fire hit his feet… and he jumped into the air and fell flat on his face!!!
Todd began giving a word of knowledge… Body parts… birth defects… scars… burns…
A young man had 3d degree burns from a fireworks accident… Todd called out scars from burns… the young man pulled up his pants leg and THE SCARS ARE GONE!!!
An 8 yr old girl went into a vision in the morning service and saw herself in heaven, jumping with her brother because he was healed…
A lady came out of the overflow… she had scar tissue on her throat from surgery and the SCAR TISSUE IS GONE!!!
Suddenly, Todd felt like he was going into a hospital room… he commanded, “receive your healing now!!!”
TOUCH YOUR COMPUTER, many reading these reports are healed or experience God’s power!
Todd declares: Creative miracles are being released right now!!! Paralysis be healed!!! Cancers & Tumors falling off!!! Every infirmity be gone!!!
Todd had a word that God was healing withered hands on a child…
A lady ran to the bathroom and checked… she had a six inch scar from her belly button down, from a C-section that took her baby’s life… she called the scar a WORM because it represented her dead baby… AND THE SCAR IS GONE!!!
A lady had surgery on her right hip… a hip replacement that didn’t work… and suddenly, when Todd called it out… her HIP WAS HEALED!!! She jumped all over the stage!!
Todd got a word for scarred lungs from inhaling smoke / fire…
There’s a child being healed from a deformed heart… someone else with an enlarged heart…
A young man had a hernia surgery… he went to the bathroom to check… a FOUR INCH SCAR IS GONE!!!
A lady came RUNNING THROUGH THE CROWD… This lady’s left lung was damaged when she was born from the fluid… DOWN SHE WENT!!!
Roy shares again how it’s been five days and he is STILL HEALED FROM SEVERE ASTHMA!
A lady came up with a collapsed lung… a friend called her and told her to come… in her first service… SHE WAS HEALED!!! Then Todd found out she was a Spanish preacher and has not been able to preach because of the lung!!!
A lady has a hole in her lungs from cigarette smoking when she was younger… she has spent a lot of time in the hospital… Todd blew on her chest… the lady doubled over in the anointing!!!
A little 8 year old boy had come to the meeting tonight with a sprained ankle… he was LAYING IN THE ANOINTING over at the side… and GOD HEALED HIS ANKLE!!!
YOU CAN’T RUSH THE POWER OF GOD!!!
Todd told Roy to just worship…
Todd shared… THE GREAT FLORIDA HEALING REVIVAL has begun. God told Todd today… it’s going to cover the earth.
What’s going to happen next week? How long will we be here? The Lord said, “I’m here right now…
Todd began to preach… How to INCREASE the anointing!
Prov 21
20There are precious treasures and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it. He SQUANDERS it…
Story of the Prodigal Son… the son demanded his inheritance… he SQUANDERED it… he WASTED it…
Many today have “demanded the anointing” and they have SQUANDERED it…
Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and POWER… anointing and presence… great GRACE came upon them all (in the book of Acts)
When the anointing comes… great Grace / FAVOR comes upon you… it brought a spirit of giving… released a culture of generosity… debt is LACK… when the anointing came there WAS NO LACK.
God is looking for someone to give His favor to. Someone worthy because of their brokenness… someone PREPARED to receive it… ESTER prepared for a year… she obtained FAVOR. She got an allowance to pick out cloths and jewels… resources.
THE ROYAL SCEPTER WAS EXTENDED… “ASK WHAT YOU WISH!”
I am believe for supernatural DEBT CANCELLATION… the breaker anointing
2 Kings 4 Elisha and the widows oil
The widow came to the prophet… my husband was YOUR servant… he’s dead… I need your help…
WHAT DO YOU HAVE? All she had was a little oil.
The prophet said… GO BORROW ALL THE VESSELS YOU CAN FIND!
DON’T JUST GATHER A FEW! Don’t just go after “just enough”. Get as MANY as you can.
She FILLED the vessels to the full. The ANOINTING STOPPED when there were no more empty vessels.
The anointing brought PROVISION.
Sell the oil! Pay ALL your debts. LIVE on the rest!
*** There is NO anointing for those who have NO VISION for souls…
Matt 25 The story of the Wise Virgins
YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO GO GET YOUR OWN OIL.
You have to pursue the anointing. Get hungry. Stay hungry. Get full. Stay full.
*** You have to know how to buy & sell
Get wisdom!
*** Use it or lose it.
Be faithful in the little things. Take the anointing you get here and go out there. Keep witnessing. Keep praying for the sick. Keep praying for miracles. The one who HAS, to him will be given more!
*** Get plugged in!
John 15:5 Abide in the vine.
The anointing comes from the head. Ps 133.
Environment (find out where the oil is), influence, and association. You can’t get where you need to go without help from someone else!
Three steps to David’s anointing: The anointing from the prophet… The deserts / caves and then Kingship.
You can’t get to Kingship until you go through the hidden places.
The guys who sit on the bench get the SAME reward as those who are the first string.
*** Don’t spend it on yourself.
Don’t try to build your own ministry… don’t get caught up with self-promotion. Avoid impure motives.
*** Be aware of when you’re done.
When the anointing lifts… stop! Don’t go past the anointing.
COME REST AWHILE
*** We fail to continue to grow and receive from others.
Why can’t we admit when someone has something that we need!!!
*** Learn how to watch out for the little foxes that spoil the vine.
Time, greed, money, self promotion, too busy, frustrations, offenses…
Woe to the one who TAKES an offense.
Your ATTITUDE is more important than your “ministry”
Little sins… will keep dilute your power!!!
*** There is an anointing in the WORD
I john 2:20 the anointing that ABIDES
FEED on the Word…
*** Prayerlessness will neutralize the anointing
Jesus came up OUT of the wilderness in the POWER of the Spirit
He spent time in the garden. Time in the wilderness. He withdrew himself from the crowds.
EMBRACE the hidden quiet places with God! Make the decision to withdraw yourself.
*** Focus on the Work of the Lord
Haggai 1:6 all the blessing, all the glory… falls through the holes in your pockets…
v.7 CONSIDER your ways… no one has time for the work of the Kingdom
Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for widows, searching for lost souls, healing the sick, setting people free, making disciples…
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Supernatural Giving
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Todd brought up a 21 year old young man named Billy. He had given his new golf clubs to Todd the night before. Billy felt strongly that he was to bring a sacrifice to prove his hunger for God. He struggled all day long.
Suddenly the Holy Spirit started to flow up and down Billy’s body!!!
Shonnah, Todd’s wife, had told Todd a word of knowledge before service that there would be a young man coming to the meeting with an injury to his shoulder and he is a drummer and God wants to heal him. BILLY WAS THAT YOUNG MAN!
Todd isn’t a golfer. But God caused Billy to give one of his most precious possessions in order to receive from the man of God.
Then Amelia, 17 years old, had given her ring that she had since she was 13. A promise ring. She had given it to Kira (Todd’s assistant) last night. She KNEW that she had to give the ring in order to receive what God has for her.
These two young people demonstrated for all of us to SOW INTO REVIVAL. We have found a PRECIOUS TREASURE and BUY IT. Of course you can’t “buy” the revival… but you can make an offering that “costs you something” just like David did at the threshing floor.
We can’t receive until we GIVE. It’s more blessed to give than receive.
When Todd prayed for them – the Holy Spirit hit them so hard it knocked them AND the ushers back 10 feet and down on their faces!!!
TAKE IT FOR YOURSELF NOW!!!!
Pastor Stephen Strader
www.ignitedchurch.com
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