Your Daily Slice

Av 12

Not Everyone

“Not everyone that says to me, ‘Adonai, Adonai’, will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that does the will of my Father, which is in heaven, the same will enter with me into the Kingdom of Heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, ‘Adonai, Adonai’, did we not eat and drink in your name and have we not prophesied in your name?  And in your name have cast out shadim [devils]?  And in your name done many powerful works?  And then will I profess to them, that I know them not.  Depart from me, ALL YOU WORKERS OF TORAH-LESS-NESS.”  (Mat 7:21-23 HRVS, emphasis and insert mine)

Folks, please do not think, or say, that this cannot ever happen to you, for it can.  These verses have always been some of the most alarming verses in Scripture to me, and it is a desire of my heart to never be one of those rejected by our Creator.  In my own personal study of the Scriptures, I have only found one individual that this possibly happened to.

Israel’s first king was a man named Saul, of the tribe of Benjamin.  He was appointed by Elohim, and anointed by the Prophet Samuel (1Sam 10:1), to be king over the fledgling nation of Israel.  Saul himself had tasted of the Spirit of YHWH (see 1Sam 11:6), he knew of the power accompanying the anointing, and yet he treated it all as a ‘common’ thing.  Saul’s sin was that of self-exaltation and pride (see 1Sam 15:12 – “he set up a monument to himself”), mixed with fear of man and outright disobedience.  He completely disobeyed Elohim’s commands concerning the destruction of the Amalekites.  When confronted by Samuel as to the reason for leaving the king of this enemy nation alive, together with the animals that should also have been slain, Saul’s excuse was that he feared the people (1Sam 15:24).  Even when Saul was told that YHWH had rejected him from being king over Israel, Saul’s main concern was losing ‘face’ with the elders of the people (see 1Sam 15:30).

Saul went on to rule the nation of Israel for approximately fifteen more years – without the anointing of Elohim – during which time we know that he tried his hardest to destroy David, whom Saul knew would follow him as the Elohim anointed ruler.  Please, please, listen to me very carefully:  the anointing was gone, but “the appointment and position” was still there; Saul was still king over Israel until his death, and David always recognized him as such.

There are those today who may, at one time, have been chosen, appointed, and anointed by our Elohim, for a ministry that they are still functioning in.  Somewhere along the road – the reason is between them and Elohim, and does not concern us – they have lost the anointing, and the Spirit of YHWH has withdrawn.  They are still able to minister and function in the “appointment and position” that they hold – that has not changed.  But there is no anointing.

There is a natural, inherited talent that most of us are born with, and there is an anointing, a gifting, that comes by impartation through the Ruach HaKodesh, the kadosh, set apart Spirit of YHWH. The two are often mistaken for each other, but they are not the same.  It is possible to stand and preach/teach/sing/and do signs and wonders without the anointing.  There is also a third, a gifting, if we could call it that, that comes from the enemy.  Our Messiah Himself said this would be possible (see Mat 24:24).

What, therefore, is the key?  How do we guard ourselves from this ever happening in our own lives?  How can we recognize, and discern accurately, concerning a ministry that we may have some questions about?  Look at the opening verses, and learn: “he that does the will of my Father …”

“Here is the endurance of the set-apart ones, here are those guarding the commands of Elohim and the belief of יהושע.” (Rev 14:12 ISR)

“And by this we know that we have known Him, if we keep His commandments. The one saying, I have known Him, and not keeping His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in that one. But whoever keeps His Word, truly in this one the love of YAHWEH has been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him.” (1John 2:3-5 HRB)

“And now, Yisra’ĕl, what is יהוה your Elohim asking of you, but to fear יהוה your Elohim, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being, to guard the commands of יהוה and His laws which I command you today for your good?” (Deu 10:12-13 ISR)

Let us always remember, when Elohim has revealed to us an imbalance, or error, with an individual, or an assembly, it is not for us to criticize, convict or condemn.  It is for us to keep our mouths shut, and pray.  Gossip injures; prayer heals.  A wagging tongue destroys, prayer restores.  When we have proven faithful in the little, our Father will be willing to trust us with more.  Let us show ourselves to be trustworthy prayer warriors, and stand in the gap for those that our Elohim lays on our hearts to pray for ….

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