Fall 2001
The Importance of our Being Able to Impart
Wade E Taylor

To be anointed greatly improves our ability to speak the Word of the Lord. Being able to “impart” causes these words to become “spirit and life.” A minister who has this spiritual quality of impartation, will stand out from others.

John Follette, who was my spiritual father, possessed an unusual ability to impart. Very often, when he would finish speaking, people would say, “Please, would you continue to speak.” Or, “I could listen to you for hours.”

They were responding, not so much to the teaching, or to the anointing, but rather they were being deeply affected by the “impartation” that flowed out from his life and ministry. They were being fed spiritually, and somehow knew that they were receiving something special.

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with
excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you
the testimony of God ... And my speech and my preaching
was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit and of power” I Cor 2:1-3.

The gift of “spiritual revelation,” or, our being prophetic, gives us what to say. To be “anointed” enables us to speak, or teach that which has been imparted within us through this gifting of spiritual revelation. “Impartation” then causes this to become spiritual food.

I pray much about “being prophetic.” That is, having an abiding prophetic anointing resting upon my life. But “impartation” goes beyond this. Jesus said that the “words” which He spoke were “spirit and life.”

Thus, the important thing is not the words themselves, nor the meaning of these words, but rather the impartation of “Spirit and Life” which flows out through the “words” that are spoken, into those who are spiritually receptive.

“Prophetic revelation” gives us the words that we are to speak. The “anointing” enables us to speak these words. But much more important, through “impartation,” spirit and life will flow into the inner depths of those who respond with their spiritual ear.

Thus, they feel this “spirit and life” completely apart from the words, or the meaning of the words, and they want more, as this is what is feeding their spirit.

Many who teach the Word do not understand this, and come short of truly feeding those to whom they minister.

This ability to “impart” comes thru spending quality time with the Lord, asking specifically for this enabling, abiding, ability to impart into all those who are spiritually hungry and open to receive. I spend much time seeking the Lord for this ability to impart, and greatly value this aspect of ministry.

To have logical facts and information is good, but in itself, these do not feed the spirit. The anointing will greatly improve our ability to speak these facts. But, only the abiding grace of impartation will feed our spirit.

This impartation of spirit and life is abstract. It is as if “spiritual substance” hooks onto the words, and as a hitch-hiker, rides these words which go into the mind, and are transferred (osmosis) into the spirit of those who are spiritually hungry.

Only those who are spiritually hungry and open will receive. They may not even understand, but will know that something different is taking place, and that they are being spiritually fed as “divine life and energy” flows into the inner depths of their being.