"Smeared In His Presence"

Smeared In His Presence

Once upon a time, in a land far far away, there was a boy named Francis. His birthday was approaching, and his father called him aside and asked him, “your birthday is approaching and what if I threw a birthday party and just cut one cake and everyone went home?” How many of your friends do you think will come? He said, “probably a few of them”. Now, what if for your birthday party, I rented out an entire play area, kept a carnival with free food and lots of free games, how many of your friends do you think would come? He said, “if that’s the case then, my whole school might come.” And the father did the obliged. On his birthday, he rented out an entire sports area, put up a carnival and everyone was enjoying the food, games and the party. Then the father calls the son aside and asks him, look closely, how many do you think came here for you? And how many came to the party?

Friends, this is our lives most of the time.
I would like to entitle my sermon for today as, “Smeared In His Presence.”
A simple question to ask ourselves as we all seek God. What exactly are we seeking? Are we seeking his presence or just the presents he gives?

Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

I want us to focus in on that phrase: “I am with you always” for a time today. The promise of God to all who follow after Him is “His presence.” More than anything else in this world, we need God’s presence surrounding us and with God’s presence comes God’s power. Even more than for ourselves, this world which we are in needs us walking in God’s presence. What I’m talking about today is the “anointing.” We talk about the anointing often; yet, most Christians really don’t have a clue what the anointing is. Anointing basically means “smeared;” hence, the title “Smeared In His Presence.” To be smeared or anointed by God means to be covered with His power-filled presence.

Men of God sought after this same presence. God’s presence was manifested to the world as the children of Israel moved through the desert. As long as God’s presence was with them, their needs were met and their enemies were routed. Moses learned early on that he had to have God’s presence with Him in order to fulfill the mission God put before Him. At the burning bush, Moses understood his own inability thus God revealed to him His ability through His presence.
As Joshua took over at the death of Moses, he was frightened. But God assured him – I am with you. Time and again, God’s promise of His presence and power was renewed unto Joshua.

David understood his need for God’s presence in his everyday life. It was really much more than a simple need, David longed for it. Time and again in the Psalms we read of David crying out for more of God’s presence – it was an intense longing.
Church, we owe it to the world to be smeared with God’s presence. This lost, dying world needs the anointing of God in our lives in order to make real the mighty presence of God for their ultimate deliverance. The anointing equips us to bring the world into an encounter with God. When we are smeared with the presence of God, it rubs off on all we come into contact with – and it’s that anointing that breaks the yokes of darkness.

As we begin trying to better understand the anointing, it is important that we actually witness:

#1 – The Anointing’s Action

Luke 8:43-48 (NKJV)

Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. 48 And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Jesus was moving through a crowd of people.

This one particular woman with a great need reaches out and touches Him and He responds with “Who touched me?”
Many people were touching Him at the moment, but this one woman stirred up something within Him.
The power of the Holy Spirit within Him moved from Him into that woman and He knew it. It met that woman’s need immediately.

The faith and the desperate need of that woman placed an immediate demand upon the anointing resident within Jesus.
This woman received her healing because the anointing breaks the yoke. Isaiah prophesied of this power of the anointing to break yokes.

Isaiah 10:27 (KJV)

And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

This same power is available to us today. We, too, can walk in this same Spirit and witness people encountering God in that same personal way as we pass by. Above all else, people should be encountering God in their lives because of your life.
As we begin to get a clearer understanding of the anointing, it becomes imperative that we begin to understand:

#2 – The Anointing’s Availability

John 14:12-15 (NKJV)

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. 15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

The power displayed in and through Jesus Christ is readily available to you and me. There are stipulations laid out in this passage for this power.

Belief in Him – that word “believe” implies much more than a simple “yeah, I believe in Jesus Christ” – it implies a commitment to Him.

Asking in His name – implies asking according to His will.

Glorifying the Father – not for our glory but His alone

Obeying His commandments.

The anointing has been granted to all of us for the purpose of glorifying God. It is not to be feared, rather it should be sought after as we work to further God’s Kingdom. It is a necessity in this day in which we live to operate in God’s power and strength.
Finally, we come to the place where we can begin to understand:

#3 – The Anointing’s Accomplishments

Matthew 10:7-8 (NKJV)

And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

We begin by understanding we are all commanded to go and to announce in one way or another. As we are going, the anointing, the covering, the smearing of the presence of God going before us empowers us to do as He did:

Heal the sick.

Raise the dead.

Cleanse those with skin disease.

Drive out demons.

Verse 8 ends with Jesus’ words: “freely you have received, freely give” or “you have received free of charge; give free of charge.” This particular phrase is extremely important. In the church world, we often use this phrase concerning the giving away of our possessions and excesses. Though that is all good, that had nothing to do with what Jesus was discussing at the time. The context of this passage points directly at the anointing on our lives and the use of this anointing to bless others. In fact, I see this addition as a command to us to be doing freely just what Jesus has already spoken.

As we go forth in the anointing, we are giving away the presence of God on a daily basis – imparting His power to those that need Him most – this lost, dying world. Jesus says in Matthew 10:13 – “if the household is worthy (if the household accepts that anointing), let your peace be on it.” What it all comes down to here is peace with God. Jesus told the woman who touched His garment to “Go in peace!” The entire message of Scripture is peace with God. Your job, my job here on this earth as long as He leaves us here, is to bring others into a position of peace with God. To bring others into His presence. When you are in His presence, you will experience His peace.

Too many Christians become frightened when we talk about the Spirit of God. Yet, as believers, we are filled with that Spirit. We are supposed to be walking in that Spirit. And, we should be imparting that same Spirit. The anointing or smearing of God’s presence is not something we crave while we are sitting in the church so we can have some kind of feel-good experience only to leave it there when we depart. The anointing comes upon us so we can truly be God’s instruments while we are in this world.
I want a fresh anointing today. I need a fresh anointing today. I want to walk among the crowds and have them reach out and get what I’ve got. I want this world to know my Jesus. I want them to experience my Jesus. I want to be smeared with His presence and power for the sake of all that need Him today. He says: “I am with you always.” As He is with us, so He desires to be with those around us. Do you know His presence today? Have you experienced Him in such a personal way? Do you go about sharing that same presence everywhere you pass by? You should! I want His presence, not His presents!