Tag Archives: anointing

Clay in the Potter’s Hands (Pt. 6)

STEP 5: THE GLAZING ROOM
Something deep inside you stirs—that first call, that sense of destiny you felt as a new believer. “Lord,” you cry, “I don’t want to just sit in the back pew and die. You made me to be a lover of your people and to go out and find broken vessels and bring them to the Potter’s house.”

“I know it won’t be easy,” you continue. “I know I will pay an incredible price for the anointing I will carry for You. But, Lord, I want to become Your bride.”

So the Lord takes you into a huge glazing room filled with tables. Angels are moving pitchers from one table to another and placing them with cups on other tables in preparation for the high firing. The soft sound of weeping is heard as vessels that have been together all their lives are being separated.

God is sovereignly moving His different vessels to prepare them for His Great Commission. Some will be staying home while others will be going to different cities and nations. The angels continue to carefully pour, paint, and brush glazes onto each vessel before carrying them into a large kiln.

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Have you considered the cost of the anointing? When you say, “I surrender all” to the call of God, you will be immediately put through the processes of God and I can promise you, it will not be easy… but it will be worth everything!

Clay in the Potter’s Hands (Pt. 2)

Finally He stops before you and says, “I’m calling you to come into the high fires and let My glory fall upon you,” and gazing deeply into your being He continues, “but it will cost you. You’ll have to die to your reputation, your theology, and all of your ‘religious formulas’. You will have to let go of your fears and your control. Do you love Me enough to come, or will you be content to live out your life in the back pews of the church?”

You sit quietly for awhile, pondering what to do. You’re afraid to say yes but more afraid to say no. Glancing over at the beautiful vessels, your spirit stirs within you and your heart says yes!  But this seems dangerous … it could cost you everything … even your life!

Then you remember when Jesus said, “He who has found his life shall lose it and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:39).  You think about some people you’ve known.  They started so well but ended up apathetic and lukewarm toward the things of God; more influenced by their carnal lifestyle than the truth and counsel of His Word.

You believe it’s the Lord’s desire for all to be chosen vessels.  But are you pursuing the high calling and destiny the Lord has purposed for your life, or do you shrink back … not willing to pay the price?

As a clay vessel, you must take a journey.  The steps in this journey can sometimes be painful but they are necessary for you to be transformed from broken bits of clay into an anointed vessel that reflects the glory of God.

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It’s not easy to ‘die’ to what other think of you, your reputation.  Anyone who says it is, is only trying to fool you or worse, themselves.  Your reputation is something you’ve been taught to strive to protect, and losing your reputation is like the worst thing that could happen.

But what if Mary had chosen not to believe the angel who delivered the good news that she was to be the mother of Jesus, even though she knew what that would mean to her reputation?  Jesus would have still been born, but to another… and Mary’s life would have looked much different because she missed the high call.

It would have been much easier for Joseph, or Moses, or Noah to refuse their commissions and just go along with the flow, not causing any waves.  But, they are some of the Biblical greats whose lives reflect the magnitude of the Lord’s anointing, with many other lives and souls set free because of their willingness and obedience.

And what about your theology?  Could you put aside something you learned to receive a greater truth from the depth of the Word?  I challenge you to do a word search on “you have heard it said” in the Bible.  What you will find is the teaching of Jesus that was greater than the teachers of the law.  For example:  Jesus said in Matthew 5:27,28, “You have heard it said ‘do not commit adultery.’ “ “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  In one fell swoop, Jesus called the hypocrisy of the religious crowd to account by exposing their hearts which were full of adultery even though they kept the law and didn’t actually do the deed.

What could be exposed in our own hearts, should we really, really examine them in God’s light?

Clay in the Potter’s Hands (Pt. 1)

The anointing – most people don’t know what that means in today’s church.  The impression of anointing has far too often been associated with talent, skill, aptitude or showmanship when we see the demonstration of a skillful preacher or teacher. 

However, the anointing produces a harvest of spiritual maturity and reflects God’s glory.  It’s not intended to produce material things, though they may come through favor with God and man. 

Discerning Christians recognize the anointing and cannot be fooled by mere talent. 

The anointing is far more than anything you can learn or practice.  The anointing is a God-given thing – a special enablement to accomplish God’s purposes.  God is the giver of anointing!  Man does not give it, and man can’t take it away. 

The anointing is a costly thing.  Anyone I have ever known who is anointed of God has paid an enormous price in death to self and extensive processing in the fires of God.  Many are called to the ministry, but few choose to endure God’s processes and quit before He is finished.  

You can subvert your own destiny at any time by simple saying, “that’s enough, I’m not doing this anymore!”  But, oh how sad.

In the Bible, God uses the story of a potter and his clay to symbolize the growth process of those who are called to carry the anointing.  In a prophetic writing in 1998, the late Jill Austin uses this imagery to portray the life of those who are called and persevere to become beautiful vessels that God can use.  It touched my soul and I know it will yours.

Let’s walk through this prophetic writing together. 

 

Clay in the Potter’s Hands: The Price Behind the Anointing

By Jill Austin

ALL OF US WANT GOD TO FASHION US INTO VESSELS FOR HIS USE. BUT WE MUST SUBMIT TO HIS SHAPING AND MOLDING – AND TO THE REFINING OF HIS HOLY FIRE.

“Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel, (Jeremiah 18:2-6 Amp).

Imagine that you’re sitting in church one Sunday and suddenly, the room is filled with the fragrance of Jesus. You turn to see some incredibly beautiful vessels enter the sanctuary.

These vessels are full of the Shekinah glory of the Lord, and their transparent glaze wonderfully reflects His image. You immediately know that they’ve paid an incredible price for the powerful anointing they carry and a yearning to be like them is awakened in your heart.

In your spirit, you see Jesus walking up and down the aisles with wedding gowns on His arms. “Do you want My anointing?” He asks. “Do you want My presence and My miracles?”

“I’m calling you to be My bride,” He continues as He paces, “I want you to be like the chosen vessels of honor you see here. Do you love Me enough to walk with Me?”