A Dynamic Shift!

June 9, 2022

A Dynamic Shift!

In ten days, I will lead worship, preach the Gospel, and sing with the people of God at First Church for the last time as spiritual leader.  I am both excited and a bit sad about that moment. 

The sadness is in the leave-taking that raises up feelings of grief and loss.  The excitement is bubbling up because I am more and more convinced the Holy Spirit is preparing to release His power in a new and greater way upon the people who are First Church.

I am excited for the people of First Church because there is about to be a dynamic shift and lift because of a special anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Throughout the ages, it has happened to God’s people as individuals and as families as well as to God’s people as businesses and nations.  Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, an old prophet by the name of Samuel anointed a young shepherd to be the next King of Israel.

In I Samuel 16:12-13 (NRSV) we hear; “The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’  Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.”

The Holy Spirit came upon David “mightily.”  In another translation (CEV) we hear; “At that moment, the Spirit of the Lord took control of David and stayed with him from then on.”  The Holy Spirit came upon David as an anointing of power and stayed with David all of his life.

The anointing of the Spirit changes David’s status; from shepherd to king, from insignificant to influential, from not chosen by anyone to chosen by the Lord God.  The presence and power of the Holy Spirit changes our lives and changes our status.

The anointing of the Spirit comes when we are in the right place at the right time. 

The right place is your place of prayer…and the right time is every day. 

The right place is worship with the people of God…and the right time is every week. 

The right place is reading the Bible…and the right time is every day. 

The right place is serving the poor…and the right time is as often as you can.

When we put ourselves in the right place at the right time, we begin to align our heart, mind, and soul with the work of the Spirit.  To align with the Spirit means I agree with what He has said about my life. 

The closer my alignment with the Spirit becomes, the greater the anointing of the Spirit’s power and presence as well as protection and provision on me.  When the Spirit’s anointing pours over us, our hearts will be filled with delight.

I am excited for the people of First Church because there is about to be a dynamic shift and lift because of a special anointing of the Holy Spirit. 

You are about to find a deeper peace and joy in Jesus than you have ever known.  You are about to be filled with a power you have never imagined.  You are about to be given a strength and courage that will make you bolder for Christ than you have ever been.

A shift and a lift is coming with a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit!  Get ready!

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug