Pastor's Heart
A Personal Message from Pastor Mike.
2012 Anointed for Battle
I believe that 2012 will be the fight of faith for the Body of Christ. God has
shown me that before the battle comes, there is a fresh anointing for the fight.
This is seen in Isaiah 21:5 'Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat,
drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.' One of the pieces of God's
armor mentioned in Ephesians 6 is the Shield of Faith. Eph. 6:11 'Put on the
whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil.' The scripture then goes on to mention all of the pieces of this armor.
Then in verse 16, the Bible says 'Above all, taking the shield of faith'. Your
faith is a shield against the enemy.
Isaiah said 'anoint the shield'. In ancient times the shield was constructed
partially out of leather. This leather would get dry, crack and become
penetrable. It took applications of fresh oil to keep it pliable and battle
ready. Faith without oil (anointing) is dry and penetrable. There is an
anointing that will win the battle you will face. 2012 will be a year in which
your faith will be challenged. Jude 3 tells us to 'contend for the faith', we
are in that time. In the book of Ruth chapter 3, we can see what the anointing
will do. Naomi had lost everything in her life except a devoted daughter-in-law,
Ruth. Once she was back in her homeland, there were three things Naomi asked
Ruth to do:
1. Change your raiment. Take off your mourner's clothes-your widow's garment.
2. Wash yourself, get ready; there is a change coming.
3. Anoint yourself.
2012 will not only be a time of war in defending the faith, but it will also be
a year of conquest!
We have a powerful parallel here. The story of Ruth continues that there was a
Kinsman Redeemer who was named Boaz. When he saw Ruth with the garments of
praise for the spirit of heaviness, washed and marked by anointing, he took her
to be his wife. She not only became the wife of Boaz but the great great
grandmother of Jesus Christ. A fresh anointing brings change. A change of
raiment brings new opportunities. Faith brought Ruth to Boaz. Boaz brought
incredible change to her life. He also restored to Naomi what had been left
behind and lost in a time of great challenge and heartache.
There are seasons when you must move from one level of faith to the next level
of faith-from faith to faith. The level of faith that God required of me 5 years
ago will not meet the need of the level of faith I will need in 2012. I feel
that God is calling us to a higher level of faith.
We are to: Hold to Truth
Hold to what we know
Fight! Contend for the faith we have been given.
Now is the time to take faith to another level!
We have been anointed for the battle!
Pastor Mike