Preacher: Pastor Mike | Series: Seal Training
We started our time watching a movie trailer to set the tone. So please watch before beginning the audio message.
Growing Powerful in the Lord… takes a solid act of God.
As Men of God our salvation is secured when we receive Jesus as our Lord and personal Savior.
But when it comes to accomplishing our mission (What Jesus co-missioned us to do)… we’re in need of something specific from God… That something is what is what the bible refers to as an “anointing”.
It’s a solid act of God that grants us the abilities and power to accomplish what God has called us to do.  For the church today, that anointing comes by receiving the Holy Spirit!
In the book of Acts, God undeniably impacts Saul’s life and in the process, blessed him with an unstoppable anointing!
Unstoppable Anointing
Act 9:17-18  So Ananias went, entered the house where Saul was, and placed his hands on him. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord has sent me—Jesus himself, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He sent me so that you might see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18  At once something like fish scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he was able to see again. He stood up and was baptized…
To receive and be filled with the Holy Spirit, is an evidence of God’s anointing on a Christian’s life.
The word “Anointing” comes from the Greek word “chrisma” (khris’-mah – “χρίσμα”)
In the literal sense it’s an unguent (ointment) or smearing…  In the figurative sense it’s a special endowment (“chrism”) of the Holy Spirit: – anointing, unction.
Jesus says,
Luk 4:18-19  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
As Men of God, we also have been given the mission to proclaim Good News!
Jesus says,
Mar 16:15  …”Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”
And to “those who believe in Him”…
Act 1:8  “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses inJerusalem and in all Judea andSamaria, and to the end of the earth.”
When we receive the Holy Spirit…  When we receive God’s anointing…  We gain for ourselves the means to live with unstoppable purpose!
Unstoppable Purpose
Act 9:20-22  He (Saul) went straight to the synagogues and began to preach that Jesus was the Son of God. 21  All who heard him were amazed and asked, “Isn’t he the one who in Jerusalem was killing those who worship that man Jesus? And didn’t he come here for the very purpose of arresting those people and taking them back to the chief priests?” 22  But Saul’s preaching became even more powerful, and his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah were so convincing that the Jews who lived inDamascus could not answer him.
Saul had the anointing from God (the Holy Spirit) and he knew the purpose for which he was given it…  To proclaim the Good News!
Act 9:20-22 (summary)  He went straight to the synagogues and began to preach that Jesus was the Son of God. [And] all who heard him were amazed… Because Saul’s preaching became even more powerful, and his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah were so convincing…
God has revealed Himself to us, He’s given us purpose… a mission and an opportunity to walk in His anointing!
Embrace your purpose… Receive and respond to the outpouring out of God’s Spirit (His anointing) on your life.  If we’re willing to receive it… we’ll begin to experience and see that the plan God has for our life is unstoppable!
Unstoppable Plan
Act 9:23-25  After many days had gone by, the Jews met together and made plans to kill Saul, (Go figure… many were still unwilling to receive Jesus as the Messiah) 24  but he was told of their plan (another version says he learned of their plans… Do you think God had something to do with that? I think so…).  Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him. 25  But one night Saul’s followers took him and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
The plan God had for Saul’s life was not going to be stopped!  God was going to use him just as He said He would!
Some of our greatest opportunities exist in the places of our greatest opposition!
God is faithful and so we should look forward to our future… and not hide from it!
We should pursue the mission that God has placed before us… knowing that we have been called and are in position to receive His anointing… His Holy Spirit!