Winter 1999
From Captivity To Courage
Bobby Connor

"... you have come to the kingdom for such a time
as this." Esther 4:14b

This charge is given to each one of us. We have been chosen and placed in the world for these exciting end-times.

"You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you,
and I have appointed you, that you might go
and bear fruit and keep bearing; that your fruit
may be lasting." John 15:16a

What a wonderful and encouraging thought. The Son of God has chosen and appointed you to bear - and to keep bearing, lasting fruit in this world.

Captured by Complacency

Unfortunately, many believers have lost sight of the real purpose and goals for their lives. Instead, they have become paralyzed by a spirit of aimlessness. Much of the church in our land has become inactive and lethargic, held captive by the curse of complacency.

When Saul and the army of Israel went up against the Philistines, fear completely stopped their attempt to conquer the enemy. Twice a day, for forty days, the enemy's dreaded champion, Goliath, whose name means "soothsayer," would mock and taunt the cowardly army of Israel.

"And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man,
fled from him, and were sore afraid." I Sam 17:24

Saul's army had become satisfied with the activity of mustering. They were trained to muster, which is "the art of assembling the troops for formal military inspection." They were dressed in their battle array and had on their armor, but they had no heart to face and fight the enemy.

Has the modern-day Church become professional musterers? We cannot be content with just getting dressed in our armor. This is a time for action!

Trapped by Traditions

Another area in which many believers are caught is the treacherous trap of traditions. These may cause us to totally miss the divine destiny that Almighty God has chosen for us. Notice these clear warnings from God's Word about the dangers of man's tradition:

"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy
and empty deceit, according to the tradition of
men, according to the basic principles of the world,
and not according to Christ." Col 2:8

We must be on guard not to be led away from the Word of God by the word of men, but rather to build upon the proper foundation of God's Word - not man's teaching and traditions. Jesus told us,

"And he said to them, Full well you reject the
commandment of God, that you may keep your own
tradition ... making the word of God of none
effect through your tradition." Mark 7:9-13a

Roll away the stone of man's teaching and traditions, and ask the Lord for a heart of faith and courage to simply believe Him, no matter what others may say.

The Anointing Breaks the Yoke

It is the anointing that can break the spirit of aimlessness and remove the burden of tradition that holds so many in captivity.

"It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will
be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your
neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the
anointing oil." Isa 10:27

The anointing of God's presence and power will set the captive free.

The Lord anoints us, not only to set us free, but to equip us to complete the assignment to which He has called us. One of the best definitions of the anointing is, "The manifested power of God's Holy Spirit in your life to accomplish and perform supernatural works of God."

Jesus was anointed "with the Holy Spirit and with power." We need this same anointing in order to fulfill His calling.

Jesus has told us,

"Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and
nothing shall by any means hurt you." Luke 10:19

Jesus used two different Greek words for power. "I give unto you power to tread on serpents ..." The Greek word translated here as power is "exousia," which means authority.

"... and over all the power of the enemy." The Greek word rendered power here is "dunamis," which means ability. Thus, Jesus has given us the authority to cancel the devil's ability. We are to be powerful and effective against the enemy!

How to receive the Anointing

The first step in receiving this anointing which destroys the yoke of bondage and equips us for the task is to become discontent with our dead, empty form of religion and become desperate for a fresh move of God.

We must have a deep hunger and longing for more of the presence of God. Listen to the deep desperation of the Psalmist's heart,

"I stretch forth my hands to You: my soul thirsts after
You, as a thirsty land." Psalm 143:6

When we become desperate and begin to seek the Lord with all our heart, then He will be found. God is looking for someone who is longing for His anointing, "For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness." Psalm 107:9

The second step to receiving the anointing is to be clean and pure. Paul tells us that we must cleanse ourselves from evil desires if we expect to be vessels for the Lord's anointing.

"Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter,
he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful
for the Master, prepared for every good work." 11 Tim 2:21

Ask the Lord to search your heart and convict you of any sin. Sincerely repent and confess whatever the Lord shows you, and ask for His precious blood to remove it. God has promised that if you will be clothed in His righteousness, you will never be without His oil of anointing.

"Let your garments always be white, and let your head
lack no oil." Eccl 9:8

To the pure, all things are pure. We are not speaking of holiness as being self-righteousness, but holiness to be a vessel of His choosing, one into whom He would delight to pour His anointing oil.

The third step to receiving the anointing is to ask the Heavenly Father to anoint you, and fill you afresh with His Spirit and with power.

"You do not have, because you do not ask God." James 4:2

The Lord has promised that, if we are wearing His robes of righteousness, we will never lack His oil. Once we have become thirsty for God, once we have become clean and pure, we need only ask in faith believing. God is the One who does the works; we are simply seeking to spiritually open ourselves, and become more responsive to Him.

Is There Not A Cause

After we have been freed from captivity and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we must make preparation to engage the enemy. When David arrived on the scene of the battle with the Philistines, he saw not a battle, but the people of God filled with fear. He stood before Saul and the fearful army of Israel and said, "Is there not a cause?" I Samuel 17:29

The Lord is calling an end-time army to sense the cause, and then to stand in total brave faith.

Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand ... that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel." I Samuel 17:45-46

A Time To Prepare

It is time for the army of the Lord to arise to the cause. The world is waiting and watching for the Church to begin walking what we have been talking, to begin acting upon what we have been saying, in demonstration and power. This is a time to be strong and very courageous.