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There isn't one church leader I know who does not believe we are living in the end
times. Exactly where we are along heaven's prophetic time line is debatable, yet
everyone has his or her own catalog of confirming end time signs. If it is true
that we have, perhaps, less than a generation before the end of the age, we should
expect is to see a divine hastening of spiritual realities.
Indeed, this ministry often quotes Isaiah 60:1-3 concerning the manifestation of
the Lord's glory in the end time church. Yet, Isaiah's revelation concludes with
this added encouragement: "I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time" (verse
22). Let's personalize this hastening: our maturing and transformation will be accelerated
in the days ahead!
Consider also Paul's word: "For the Lord will execute His word upon the earth,
thoroughly and quickly" (Romans 9:28). There is no reason the Lord cannot do
things quicker should He choose to: He created the universe in seven days! I love
that the end times are not just about God moving quickly, but also about Him accomplishing
a deep and thorough work in us. Indeed, if we want the quick, we must focus on the
thorough. Yet, His promise is for both a quick and thorough work!
"Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in
one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she
also brought forth her sons" (Isaiah 66:8).
I know many are wearied with battles and delays, yet the Lord says a time is approaching
when there shall no longer be any delays: "As soon as Zion travailed, she . . .
brought forth her sons." Prayer warriors, this is why we must prevail in prayer!
In the Fullness of Time
As most of us are already aware, the Scriptures were written in Greek and used two
words to describe the concept of time. Chronos referred to chronological time while
karios was usually translated "fullness of time." Karios times are those unique,
spiritually heightened bursts of spiritual fulfillment that exist between dispensations
and epochs.
During karios seasons the Spirit of God invades the fabric of life itself: everything
accelerates and changes as reality is redirected by the unalterable will of God.
Noah lived in a karios time. Moses led Israel out of Egypt during a karios time.
Jesus came "in the fullness of the time" (Gal 4:4), and the world marks its calendars
from the birth of God's Son.
It is also amazing to me that, during the first century karios, Jesus was able to
take common, nonreligious men and, in just three and a half years, transform them
into powerful apostles. These men healed the sick, raised the dead, had deep spiritual
substance and wrote the very Scriptures which we consider inspired by God Himself.
How did they grow so fast? The answer is that the Lord hastened their growth "in
its time." They were alive during a karios time.
Imparted Life
But the apostles quick maturity did not occur simply because they intellectually
grasped Jesus' teachings. There was another facet to their accelerated growth. Jesus
imparted His anointing to them through the Holy Spirit. It took thirty years to
reach full stature in Jesus and just three and a half years, culminating at Pentecost,
to impart it to His disciples! The proof was that in less than 44 months the disciples,
on their own, were doing what Jesus did.
Jesus taught them the word, but He also imparted to His disciples the authority
to do what He did. Jesus' goal was to replicate His ministry through impartation.
He was speaking of the effect of impartation when Jesus told His disciples, "The
works that I do shall [you] do also" (John 14:12a). Even after He died, the
effect of impartation would continue through His positional seating at the Father's
right hand, "and greater works than these shall [you] do; because I go to the
Father" (John 14:12b).
At Pentecost, traditionally we have focused upon the disciples speaking in tongues,
but what emerged was much more profound. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus imparted
to the disciples apostolic leadership and a penetrating strength of character; the
endowment of spiritual signs and wonders confirmed their authority. This is why,
when the disciples worked miracles, they would automatically point crowds to Jesus,
saying, "Why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him
walk?" (Acts 3:12) They knew the power of impartation that came through the
infilling of the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, "He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose
it to you" (John 16:14). This disclosure of Christ's life and power is the impartation
of anointing. The proof that we have received Christ's anointing is that we have
power, at least in some measurable way, to do what Jesus did. Christ's anointing
may be revealed through you uniquely in serving others; it may be manifest first
in your prayer life or study of God's word. Christ's anointing may emerge through
a passion and power to heal the sick or to exercise authority over demons or in
a variety of other ways, but it's the anointing of Christ upon our lives that defines
and empowers our sense of purpose on earth. Whether we serve as a teacher, pastor,
prophet or evangelist, "of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon
grace" (John 1:16).
Old Testament
We also see vivid examples of the transference of anointing in the Old Testament.
Elijah was one of the most intense prophets in the Old Testament; his protege, Elisha,
was a farmer. The two could not have been more different. Step for step, the sons
of the prophets watched Elisha follow the great prophet Elijah. Elisha's goal was
not just the appropriation of information from Elijah; he sought a "double portion
of the spirit" that rested upon the man of God. He was in earnest pursuit of Elijah's
anointing.
The anointing on Elijah's life was manifest or symbolized in his mantle. This mantle
is what Elijah used to cover his face when the Lord drew near on Mt Horeb. When
the prophet first approached Elisha, Elijah actually "threw his mantle on [Elisha]"
(1 Kings 19:19). In so doing, in essence, he was saying to Elisha, "If you can keep
up with me, you will not only become my successor, but I will give you my anointing."
Elijah approached the Jordan with Elisha at his side; in the distance the sons of
the prophets watched in earnest. Taking his mantle, Elijah struck the river, and
he and his protege, Elisha, crossed on dry ground. As they were going along and
talking, the Lord suddenly called Elijah home in a whirlwind. As he was lifted by
the wind, his mantle fell from his shoulders. Elisha took up the mantle and walked
to the bank of the Jordan. Then he struck the waters, just as the prophet had done,
and said, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" Immediately the Jordan parted
and he walked across the dry river bed. The text continues, "Now when the sons
of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, 'The spirit
of Elijah rests on Elisha'" (see 2 Kings 2:9-15).
The sons of the prophets could tell Elijah's anointing (or "spirit") rested upon
Elisha because Elisha did what Elijah did. Through the Holy Spirit, the spiritual
power of an anointed man or women of God can be imparted into the life of another!
Through impartation we will see the acceleration of growth in ministries at the
end of the age.
The House of the Lord
Among all the awesome realities that shall emerge at the end of the age, we will
also see the restoration of the house of the Lord. The foundation of Christ is again
being restored. As a result, we will again see the fullness of Christ's anointing
in the church (See Isaiah 2:2; Acts 3:21; Eph 4:11-16).
I know the anointing to rebuild the house of the Lord, not only is a living power
resting upon my life, it is a transferable power in my ministry. In my remaining
years, the communication of this anointing to others is the passion of my life.
Through our training school, utilizing Internet and television outlets, as well
as through conferences and the printed word, I seek to impart the anointing to build
the house of God to as many people in as many nations as I can.
What will we achieve by returning to Christ-centered, citywide unity in the church?
God's word tells us as His house is restored, then "the Lord, whom you seek,
will suddenly come to His temple" (Mal 3:1). The hastening work of God will
again occur through the church.
Isn't this exactly what we so desperately desire: that the living God would be revealed
through us? When we lay hands on the sick, all the sick recover? I believe a time
is coming when ambulances will stop at churches before they go to emergency rooms!
God is waiting to accompany our efforts to reach our inner cities; He seeks to raise
up and send powerful teams of missionaries into the Muslim world, just as He sent
His early disciples. They will go forth healing the sick, raising the dead and proclaiming
the goodness of our God.
As the house is rebuilt, the living God will begin to accompany our efforts. Indeed,
He says, "Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness
against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely,
and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan,
and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me" (Mal 3:5).
Let us purge our focus of the multitude of distractions and lay hold of that anointing
to build God's house. The Holy Spirit repeatedly tells me, "Do not focus on the
fearful things around you, the threats of terrorism or economic collapse, focus
steadfastly upon your transformation!"
Again, He says, "For I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time."
Upcoming Events for Francis Frangipane:
January 6-7: Ministries Today Symposium, Lake Mary, FL
by Francis Frangipane
RiverOfLifeMailer@InChristsImage.org
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Feel free to
order online OR by
phone (1-8.6.6-881-0477)
http://www.elijahshopper.com/detail.aspx?ID=460
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