David, the shepherd lad, received the coveted anointing of God. Under the unction of the Spirit his mouth was continually filled with the praises of the Lord. He learned through the Spirit the value of praise, and so he set apart four thousand men in Israel to give thanksgiving to Him who is worthy of all praise. And God’s anointed priests today are to offer, not fleshly sacrifices as the Levites did, but spiritual sacrifices. One of the outstanding sacrifices is the sacrifice of praise, even the fruit of our lips. Hebrews 13:15. In Psalm 116:17, we read, “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving.” In Psalm 107:22 we read, “Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thansgiving.”
Men in their self-interest and covetousness hang around in the world’s stock exchanges, hoping for gain, and frequently losing their all. But how few ever go to God’s Free Clothes Exchange where they can receive the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness and the oil of joy for mourning. Right now make a trip to that Exchange and get yourself stripped of those rags of complaining and get in exchange a comely robe of praise. And this blessed abiding anointing of the Holy Spirit will bring us into a life of praise. Though at times, when we are tried to the uttermost, it may seem a little difficult, He will enable us to give to the Lord the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and when we do this, He who will be in no man’s debt will shower down upon us such spiritual blessings that there will not be room to contain them. I write this not as a theory, but as a fact proven in actual experience.
Life under the anointing of the Spirit will be one of abiding in Christ. Partaking of the life of the heavenly Vine! Partaking of the Spirit of Him who, though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that though his poverty might be made rich! Paul partook of this Spirit. See him working late in the night and early into the morning plying his needle at tentmaking, in order that he might not be chargeable to the saints, and then going out and preaching without ever expecting a cent of remuneration. Willing to sacrifice gladly, losing his own life – and receiving instead the abiding life of his Lord, so that he was able to be so much like his Lover-Lord that he could speak of himself “as poor, yet making many rich.”
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“Christianity was birthed in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and will only continue as we have this empowering from above. God is always looking for the willing vessels that will trust Him afresh for the impossible.” from: Principles for the gathering of Believers under the Headship of Jesus Christ.Since 2012, a growing group of believers in North America started to warn of coming persecution to western countries. This message was shared in a variety of ways. One of the responses to this was to compile a book taking principles from underground Churches around the world of how they thrived under pressure and persecution. The volume, Principles for the Gathering of Believers, had in a short time over 50,000 downloads in ebook format and much interest was shown. Some new house churches started through this and other existing groups were encouraged.