The Sunday News
Pastor Brian Moyo
THE Bible is the highest authority; it is the standard of evaluating things. This is clearly portrayed in the following quotation, “I will bow down towards your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word’’ (Psalms 138:2). I am stunned to note that some people now deviate from the standard set by God and come up with man-made concepts which have no backing from the Bible. I would like to answer the question, “who anoints men of God?’’ from a biblical point of view.
I have noted with great shock that some people think that power or anointing comes from Nigeria, Ghana or Israel. This is absurd and irrational; it boggles my mind when one has the audacity to declare that he or she would be doing wonders because he is coming straight from Israel or Nigeria.
I feel this is the height of folly because he wants to convince people that the power of God is now mighty upon him because he is coming from these places. I strongly believe that signs, wonders and miracles still happen today, “God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.’’ (Hebrews 2:4).
It becomes questionable when one claims that he would be doing miracles because he is coming from Israel, Nigeria or Ghana. I attribute this to dependence on men, he or she envies the mighty works some men of God display in their ministries. If he or she is coming from Nigeria, Israel or Ghana, he knows fully well that a multitude will throng to him expecting healing and deliverance. He is now using someone’s name to entice people to him or her, this is very wrong.
I believe genuine miracles take place wherever you are; they do not happen because you are coming from a particular place. I feel it is of paramount importance that I put it clear that genuine miracles come from God, not men. Ministry is God’s work, not a competition; they are people you admire or who are your source of inspiration. Genuine miracles are not done to outdo the other or to prove that you are better or more anointed than him. If miracles take place it is God working through you to reach the world, you are his vessel and point of contact.
Though we are urged to desire spiritual gifts, “follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy,’’ (1 Corinthians 14:1), watch your motives in so doing. It is not for show off or competition, I am reminded of Matthew 12 when Pharisees and teachers of the law demanded a sign from Jesus. Though He is the Author and source of everything He firmly denied, He could not do things to prove though He had the capability, he answered, “a wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign. But none will be given it except the sign of Jonah,’’ (Matthew 12:39).
You do not do miracles to outdo the other or to prove that you are better than him because it is God working in us and through us. We ought to bear in mind that He gives as He wills, “we have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.’’ (Romans 12:6). I would like to caution those itching for the mighty display of power that they end up going from one place to the other simply because they want to do better than what they are doing at the present moment.
The devil can capitalise on your urgent need for power and you can be initiated into the kingdom of darkness, “and no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then if his servant masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve,’’ (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). The Bible talks of the defeat and the fall of Satan in Revelation chapter 12. As a result, he is furious because he knows that his time is short. He then utilises and makes use of every opportunity to coax people and bring them into his kingdom.
Remember in Genesis chapter 3 when he deceived Eve he came as a friend but on a mission to bring her to downfall. He also came to Jesus after His fasting and offered Him what was desired at that moment. He knew fully well that Jesus was now hungry as a result of the fast and he offered Him to change stones to bread. This was a small issue to Jesus but it was not the will of God, “Jesus answered, it is written: ‘man does not live on bread alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of God,’’’ (Matthew 4:4).
Be circumspect if the devil sees that you are craving power to the extent that you seek it from men, he can give you that power from his kingdom thus you are initiated to the kingdom of darkness. The moment you drop at the airport from Nigeria or Israel miracles start taking place. On seeing this, you are very jubilant because you will be saying that my mission was successful, I have the power I had gone to attain but not from God, but the devil.
I personally believe there is no reason for me to go to Israel. If I choose to I would be going on a historic tour and leisure, not for power or anointing because it does not come from Israel. It is the place Jesus walked the time He became flesh but it does not make it better than any other place. If that was the case all people from Israel were to be highly anointed vessels of God but on the contrary they did not even believe in Him and there are the ones who crucified Him.
