141 The Anointing
Anchor of Truth
141 The Anointing John said that we all have an “anointing” and that the anointing will teach us. What is this anointing? How do we get this anointing? How important is to us to know this anointing in our hearts? To speak of this anointing seems to some to be so mysterious that we tend just to put the subject aside and go on to other things. Yet John said that this anointing is what will teach us of spiritual things. It is critical to know this anointing if we are going to be led by the Holy Spirit in all things. This is God’s provision for each one of us. Today we share some...
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140 God in our Midst
Anchor of Truth
Episode 140 God in our Midst The promise of God is that He will dwell in us and walk among us. A company of believers as the Temple of God is the fulfillment of the promise of God and cost Calvary to make it possible. What should be taking place if the Holy Spirit is given His rightful place? Today we want to continue on the subject of our last program on what we should expect when God is dwelling in our midst and the Holy Spirit is given free control. It is so important that we carefully consider this lest we be caught in simply a religious form that has no meaning to God. The ministry on our...
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139 Meeting with God
Anchor of Truth
Episode 139 Meeting with God Jesus said where two or three are gathered together in His name, He would be in the midst of them. What does it mean to gather in His name? Why do we do that? What are the evidences that He is present? What should we expect? To gather in the name of Jesus is more than just having a meeting, singing some songs, and hearing an encouraging message. That activity can all be done without God’s presence or leading. God is looking for something more than that. I believe He is looking for us to meet with Him, commune with Him, worship Him, and hear Him speak to us....
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138 The spiritual war in our time
Anchor of Truth
Episode 138 The spiritual war in our time Paul says that our warfare is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual powers of wickedness in heavenly places. But we are also told that Christ won the victory against the enemy at Calvary. If this is so then why is there still a war? To understand clearly what God did in Christ Jesus at Calvary is critical to being able to view the conflict that we face properly and live in the power of His endless life. We are called to live as overcomers, and the resources to do that are as we abide in Christ’s victory. If we try to live out of our...
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137 God's order concerning Men and Women
Anchor of Truth
Episode 137 God’s Order concerning men and women Probably the greatest war in the world today is the war between men and women. Yet God created the first man and woman and His creation was perfect. Why should there be such conflict, and why should it be such an issue among Christians? In the Genesis account of creation, we see that the enemy is his cunning way brought division between Adam and Eve and that division and conflict has continued down to our present day. What God intended to be the most beautiful and fulfilling relationship has become the subject of great conflict and...
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136 The Message of the Cross
Anchor of Truth
Episode 136 The Message of the Cross Paul said that the message of the Cross is the power of God to those who are being saved. What is this message of the Cross? In what way is it the power of God? How do we avail of this power to be delivered from this world of sin and enter fully into what God is doing today? Many relegate the “message of the Cross” to our initial deliverance from sin. While that is included, the message of the Cross ( or logos of the Cross) is much more than that. God has provided much more for us at Calvary than just forgiveness of sin. We need that and we never want...
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135 Growing up into Christ
Anchor of Truth
Episode 135 Growing up into Christ Jesus told the early apostles to go and make disciples. He also said that it is enough that a disciple be as his master. The goal of God is mature sons and daughters, able to bear responsibility in His family. How is this goal of God to be realized? I think that every sincere Christian believes that God wants maturity in His children, but there is not always agreement on how that maturity is to be accomplished. I believe the truth presented by Paul in Ephesians chapter 4 is the way in which God has designed for the maturity to be realized. We are not at...
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134 The Mystery Revealed
Anchor of Truth
Episode 134 The Mystery Revealed Paul said that God had commissioned him and the other apostles to make known the “mystery” which was hidden to the prophets of old but has now been revealed. What was that mystery? What is the practical meaning of that to us today? A mystery is something that is hidden. This mystery was hidden from the Old Testament prophets, but now has been revealed. The mystery that Paul was commissioned to reveal is that now the full grace of God has been made available to both Jews and Gentiles in one body. Full access into the riches of God’s grace was opened up to...
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133 Building in One Body
Anchor of Truth
Episode 133 Building in One Body In writing to the Ephesian Church, Paul said that God had reconciled Jews and Gentiles in one body. There was no more distinction, and in that context He is fitting us together as a Temple of God. What does that mean to you and me in practical terms? We refer to the church as “The Body of Christ” and “The Temple of God.” and rightly so. But the deeper meaning of those terms often escapes us. In Ephesians chapter 2 Paul seeks to give us some understanding of the significance of what God has done in Christ. An increasing comprehension (revelation) of what...
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132 Building on the foundation by Revelation of Christ
Anchor of Truth
Episode 132 Building on the foundation by Revelation of Christ Paul said he laid Christ as the foundation of God’s building. To build properly on that foundation we must also build according to Christ. To do this we must have supernatural revelation of Christ from God. How do we get this revelation? The building of God is all spiritual. It cannot be done with natural understanding. This leaves us on our knees before God for spiritual insight that only He can give. Within that revelation of Christ is the light we need to walk in to be effective in our labor for God’s purpose and glory. The...
info_outlineEpisode 125 Spiritual Blindness
What are the causes of spiritual blindness? Jesus had some strong things to say about blind leaders seeking to lead blind men. He also gave a strong rebuke to the church of Laodicea regarding blindness. Is it possible for us to be blind and not know it? Spiritual vision is a great miracle that comes to us by the mercy and grace of God. The scriptures teach us that we are all born into this world blind to spiritual things and God must open our eyes to see the unseen and see all things properly as God sees them. Jesus came as a great light into a world of spiritual darkness. Today we want to look again at the issues surrounding spiritual vision and the causes of spiritual blindness.
- Spiritual vision is always a great miracle from God
- Jesus came into a world of darkness (Matt. 4:16)
- Blindness is a work of the enemy (2 Cor. 4:4)
- Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12)
- Spiritual vision is a continuous working from beginning to end
- Those who have never seen (Matt. 15:13-14)
- Those who have seen something but not clearly (Mark 8:22-26)
- Those who have true vision but for whom a vast realm of divine thought waits for a fuller work of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:15-23)
- Those who have seen, but have lost spiritual sight and are now blind but think they see (Rev. 3:14-23)
- Causes of spiritual blindness
- Unbelief (2 Cor. 4:4)
- Disobedience (2 Peter 1:5-9, I John 2:9-11)
- Self-seeking in some way (Matt. 6:22-23)
- Some scriptural examples of those whose eyes were opened
- Isaiah (2 Chron. 26, Isaiah 6) “I saw the Lord”
- Balaam (Num. 22-24, 22:31) “the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes”
- Man born blind (John 9)
- Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40)
- Paul (Acts 9:3-8, 26:12-18)
- Cure to spiritual blindness
- Humility (John 9:41)
- Honesty (I don’t see clearly)
- The veil is removed “in Christ” (2 Cor. 3:14)
- Continually beholding God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3-4,esp. 3:18, 4:6)
- Jesus is the light of life (John 1:4, 8:12)
Some good ministry on this subject by T. Austin-Sparks:
http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/spiritual_sight.html
- Additional resources at http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
- Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
- Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]