I was reading a magazine article in a Christian Magazine. This article was discussing the question– What is most important for a Christians to possess a godly character or the anointing of God?
Immediately I felt the Holy Spirit rise up within me and say, “You must have both. You must possess godly character and the anointing.” “The anointing with no godly character brings shame to the Body of Christ.” “There has been too many who have gone forth ministering in the Body of Christ who have not possessed both–a godly character and the anointing of God.” “You must have both.” “It is not meant to be one without the other.”
Saul
In 1Samuel 10:1 Samuel anointed Saul as ruler over Israel.
1Samuel 10:20-22 Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. 21 Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the Matrite family was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken; but when they looked for him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they inquired further of the LORD, “Has the man come here yet?” So the LORD said, “Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage.”
Saul began walking in his position as the anointed of God with the godly character trait of humbleness. He was hiding himself by the baggage.
Saul already knew from the Lord that it was he who was anointed as King and ruler of Israel. He was not exalting himself among the people and yelling “It’s me!! I’m the anointed one!!!” “Look over here at me; I’m the anointed one of God!!” Saul humbly hid himself among the baggage.
Saul did not continue to walk in a godly character. In 1 Samuel 13: 8-9 we find King Saul offering a burnt offering. This violated what God had commanded him to do. In 1Samuel 13:13 Samuel tells Saul because of his disobedience that the Lord had sought out another to appoint as ruler over His people.
In 1Samuel 15:9-11 we find Saul once again disobey God. God spoke to Samuel that He regretted making Saul king because he had turned away from following Him and had not carried out His commands. In 1Samuel 15:26 Samuel tells Saul that the Lord has rejected him from being king over Israel.
In 1Samuel 16:14 we find the last state of Saul — the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul.
Saul did not continue to walk in a godly character. Because of his lack of possessing a godly character along with the anointing, God removed the One who anointed Saul – God removed the Holy Spirit from him.
Saul remained the one who was anointed to the position and title (we know this because David refers to Saul as “the anointed of God”), but the presence of the Holy Spirit was removed from him. Saul kept his position and title until his death, the Holy Spirit’s presence which had dwelled with him was removed
We see this today in the Body of Christ. There are those who because of faulty and flawed characters have had the presence of the Holy Spirit removed from them, their ministries and their churches. They continue on in position and in a title but the Holy Spirit’s presence has been removed from them.
We see these (pastor, teacher, prophet, apostle and evangelist) still able to operate in their spiritual gift but the Holy Spirit’s presence has been removed from them.
God’s Word says that his gifts are given without repentance in Rom 11:29.
Romans 11:29 (KJV) For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
The Word in the Greek for repentance means IRREVOCABLE.
Irrevocable according to the dictionary means: not to be revoked or recalled; unable to be repealed or annulled;
Do you see that Saul’s call was irrevocable—he still continued on in the title and position of king until his death? Even as he retained the call the dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit was removed from him.
Do you see that many in church today still operate in their spiritual gifts but the dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit has been removed from them?
David had seen Saul without the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling with him. I believe that is why David cried out to God “do not remove the Holy Spirit from me.” He had seen the terrible state that it was to be in if you did not have the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. David did not want to walk in title and position without the presence of the Holy Spirit. I believe that is why he cried out to God “don’t remove the Holy Spirit from me.”
What a terrible position it truly is even this day – to walk in the spiritual gifts but have not the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life.
I personally sat under and served on staff with a pastor whom I knew lied and gossiped about his people. I often heard him at staff meetings speak critically, harshly and in ridicule of the people in this congregation.
The Word of God says we shall be known by our fruit.
Matthew 7:16-17 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad
tree bears bad fruit.
I was looking at the wrong fruit!!! I was looking at the fruit of the spiritual gifts being in operation in this pastor’s life. I was not looking at the fruit of his character that was pouring out of his heart. I mistakenly thought the fruit of the spiritual gift in operation through him at the altar verified the presence of the Holy Spirit and the approval of God upon this pastor.
As we saw with Saul, the gifts and call is irrevocable but the presence of the Holy Spirit can be and is removed. Seeing spiritual gifts in operation does not verify that God’s presence is upon someone or that God has set His approval upon them.
Matthew 7:20-23 “So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
God is saying clearly in this scripture that we are not to look upon the fruit of the spiritual gift operating in someone’s life. They had these gifts in operation but God calls them “those who practice lawlessness.” These did not walk in godly character and because they did not the presence of the Holy Spirit was taken from them. How do I know this??
Because the Word says that He does not know them. God knows all who have His Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit’s presence with them.
God is clearly saying we are to look for the fruit of a godly character. Where there is the fruit of a godly character there will be also be the anointing of God.
God is clearly saying our fruit must be the fruit of a godly character!!! God is clearly saying when we manifest the fruit of a godly character we will possess His anointing which comes through the dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
I understand now what the Holy Spirit meant when He said, “You can’t have one without the other.” If you walk in the fruit of godly character you will possess the anointing through the dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit said “Godly Character without the anointing has no power to change lives.”
I understand now what the Holy Spirit was saying. The anointing is the presence of the Spirit in our lives and without the presence of the Spirit you do not have the effectual effective working power to see lives changed. I understand now that when I walk in a godly character and manifest the fruit of that character, His Holy Spirit anointing will also be manifested in my life.
We are not to have one without the other!!!
David
In 1 Samuel 16: 1-13 we have the story of David’s anointing as king over Israel. David is picked by God from among his brothers and anointed as king.
1Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
When David was anointed as king of Israel the Holy Spirit came upon him mightily. David now possessed the anointing of the Lord. The presence of the Holy Spirit was with David from that day forward. He went forth from that day to work mighty exploits in the name of the Lord; he did so through the presence of the Holy Spirit which was with Him.
We know from scripture that both Saul and David sinned against the Lord. The Holy Spirit was not removed from David as He had been from Saul because David possessed the godly character of a repentant heart. Saul when confronted with his sin made excuses and blamed others for his sin. He did not take responsibility for his actions. He did not come to true repentance. He did not come to a repentance that was according to the will of God that leads to salvation.
2Corinthians 7:10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
David when confronted with his sin repented. David was not a man after God’s own heart because he was sin free. David was a man after God’s own heart because he came to repentance according to the will of God that led to salvation. David walked in godly character and he manifested the good fruit of repentance.
The Holy Spirit and His presence remained with David. David possessed both the qualities of a godly character and the anointing of the Lord.
When we sin we must have the godly character of repentance. We must repent as David – without excuse, without blaming others for our sin, and by taking responsibility for our actions. We must turn from our sin and turn to God. We must move forward by bearing good fruit in keeping with our repentance.
Matthew 3:8 “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;
Luke 3:8 “Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance …
Act 26:20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
We are to perform deeds/ bear good fruit appropriate to repentance.
Where there is the fruit of a godly character there will be also be the anointing of God.
Balaam
Balaam walked with a faulty and flawed character. He is an example of many in the body of Christ today who function in a title and position but possess a faulty and flawed character.
We find the story of Balaam in Numbers 22 – 25. Balak the king of Moab sent the elders of his nation to Balaam with money to pay for his service of cursing Israel. God told Balaam to not go with them, for He, God, has blessed Israel. Balaam speaks correctly to the king’s emissaries that God has refused to let him go with them.
The king of Moab then sends to Balaam more numerous and more distinguished leaders with a promise of honoring him richly.
Here is where we begin to see the flaw in the character of Balaam. He knew God’s word to him that he was not to go and that Israel was not to be cursed for He, God, had blessed them. The character flaw we find in Balaam is love of honor and love of riches!!!
2Peter 2:15 forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
Balaam speaks three times the words God tells him to speak over the people Israel.
Numbers 23:5 says God put a word in Balaam’s mouth and Numbers 23: 16 says the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth. We find the last time Balaam speaks for the king of Moab to be different.
Numbers 24:1-2 When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to seek omens but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
I believe the two times Balaam spoke before that he was speaking out of his gift. He did not speak these words by the anointing, which is the presence of the Holy Spirit with him.
The Holy Spirit’s presence was not with him until this third time and he did not seek omen as he had at the other times.
Balaam mixed the worship of God with pagan worship!! The presence of the Holy Spirit was not with him until he did not seek to hear through omens. Not only did Balaam possess the flawed character of love of honor and money, he also possessed the flawed character of mixing the worship of God with pagan worship. His heart was not totally Gods!!
We can not be as Balaam and mix the worship of God. We must worship Him and Him alone. We must not have this flawed character. Our hearts must totally belong to God andto Him alone.
We are going to look at the next example of Balaam’s actions that we often see in the church today. He spoke the right words but his actions did not line up with those words!!!
Numbers 24:13-14 ‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the LORD, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, that I will speak’? 14 “And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”
What did Balaam advise the King of Moab? First, Balaam prophesied the future of Israel to the King of Moab. A deeper look at scripture will tell us the rest of Balaam’s advise to the king.
Numbers 25:1-3 While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. 2 For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the LORD was angry against Israel.
Num 31:16 “Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD.
Revelation 2:14 ‘But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.
Balaam spoke the right words from his mouth that made him sound as if he was totally dedicated to God. His actions of teaching Balak the king of Moab how to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel did not line up with his words of devotion to God.
Balaam advised Balak in the way only way Israel could be cursed and destroyed!! He knew that idol worship/departing from serving God and God alone was the only way Israel would be cursed and destroyed. Balaam advised Balak to send in the women of his nation who would then entice and lead the men of Israel into idol worship.
It is the same in the church today, many speak what is right in front of others – where they are seen, but the actions of their lives do not line up with their words. They speak as if they have great godly character but their actions/ their true character shows that they do not.
They are as Balaam—their lives do not line up with their words. These do not possess a godly character and the anointing, the presence of the Holy Spirit is not with them.
Philippians 2:21 For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.
Many in the church today are as Balaam, seeking after their own interests of wealth, of honor, or fame and are not seeking after the interests of Christ.
Philippians 1:15-17 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit…
Some in the church today preach Christ out of selfish ambitions—what is in it for them!!!
They do not preach Christ out of pure motives. They preach Christ out of the motive of what will it bring to them. They will not go where they do not receive a large honorarium, they will not go where there is not a large crowd who will give honor to them—they are too busy and important to serve the small congregations. They preach Christ with the impure motive of “what is in it for them!!!” These do not walk in godly character and are in danger of losing the anointing and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
We are commanded to not operate as these.
Pharisees
The Pharisees had “religion” they did not possess godly character. Because they lacked godly character they did not have the anointing or the presence of the Holy Spirit with them.
We must not confuse having “religion” with possessing a godly character. God does not see them as the same. Jesus called the Pharisees who had “religion” a brood of vipers. Jesus called them evil. Jesus told them they were of their father, satan!!! We must not confuse having “religion” with possessing a godly character and the anointing of God.
Matthew12:34-35 “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. 35 “The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.
Good fruit comes forth from one who has godly character. Good fruit does not come forth out of “religion” it alone comes forth from one who walks in a godly character. The presence and the anointing of the Holy Spirit are present with one who walks in a godly character.
John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Pharisees were a sect of self-righteous and zealous Jews. They were zealous for their interpretation of the law and for their traditions. Jesus corrected them for their traditions nullifying the Word of God.
Matthew 15:3 And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
Matthew 15:9 ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'”
Mark 7:8 -9 “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” 9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.
Mark 7:13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”
In the church today there are those who set aside the commandment of God in order to keep their tradition, their religion. Their “religion” and “tradition” has become more important to them than having the presence of the Holy Spirit and His anointing with them!!!
The Pharisees through their interpretation of the law and traditions laid heavy burdens upon men. They also by their religion prevented others from finding liberty and freedom. I want you to know that religion always does this – it keeps others in the same bondage they are in – it refuses to allow others to be set free.
Matthew 23:2-4 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. 4 “They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.
Matthew 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
Religion always makes “carbon copies” of those who follow in its way. There is no freedom in religion.
Matthew 23:15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
Jesus came to set us free from religion and all its traditions!!! Religion is devoid of the presence of the Holy Spirit and His anointing.
The Pharisees loved honor and glory to be given to them from men. The Pharisees were full of the spirit of pride. They esteemed themselves above all others. The Pharisees did all their deeds to be noticed by men, not out of a heart of compassion of love for the people. They did their deeds for the “good report” it would bring them. Many in the body of Christ do the same today.
Matthew 23: 5-7 “But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 6 “They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.
Matthew 23:14 [“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.]
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their “religion” and their appearance of righteousness when they did not possess righteousness or a godly character.
Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
Matthew 23:25 -28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 “You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 “So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Matthew 23:33 “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?
The Pharisees had “religion” they did not have godly character. The Pharisees were devoid of the presence and the anointing of the Holy Spirit and if they remained in this state would not be able to escape the sentence of hell.
The Holy Spirit began this discourse with the words “We as Christians must have both a godly character with the anointing.” “We are not to have one without the other.” We have learned we walk must in a godly character, then the anointing and the presence of the Holy Spirit will be with us.
Let us as the people of God who seek to be His anointed in the earth examine our walks and our characters this day.
Let us persevere to walk with a godly character and the anointing which is the presence of the Holy Spirit with us.
Author: Dawn Wilson
http://www.dawnwilsonministries.org
