I Want A Manifestation

Most of what I said below I said here in response to this discussion about something John Piper said. Below I expanded my comment that I left on Adrian’s site.

I believe that I got all of the anointing of the Spirit that I am ever going to get when I was baptized into the New Covenant Church at regeneration. I am not seeking an anointing. I am not seeking a second blessing. I am not seeking more of God. I am seeking a manifestation of what I have already gotten when I got Him!

Christ poured out His Spirit upon the Church, and all of us who are in the Body of Christ have been recipients of the anointing of Christ. We have been not only baptized and indwelt, sealed and secured, but we have been anointed, clothed with power for the expressed purpose of doing the work of Jesus, indeed greater works in number than Jesus did himself. That anointing that we the Church received from Christ when he was exalted, we received that we may do the works of Christ to glorify the Father.

Now with that said, I long for that anointing that I already possess in Christ to be manifested, to be revealed, to pour out of me like a river. And the more I repent, and the more time I spend in prayer, and more time I spend in the Word, and the more time I spend loving Christ, and the more I keep His commandments — the more His power is manifested. Because of Pentecost and because God graced me into the Body, I have been clothed with Power — the same anointing that came upon Jesus at His baptism, that same Spirit of anointing He gave His spiritual body the Church after His ascension. The prophets prophesied that the Spirit would be poured out upon God global Church, children of all nations. That Spirit could not be given until Christ was glorified. Christ put on human flesh and received the anointing upon that body at His baptism — an anointing for His public ministry. Upon His ascension, having established the Head, He poured out the promised Spirit anointing upon His body, the church. We now have His power, His anointing, for ministry… indeed to continue His ministry in His name.

And when I hear Piper I am encouraged to appropriate that power for the ministry of global evangelism! When I read Steve’s comment, I said “Amen.” I am a cessationist when it comes to the Apostolic gifts for revelatory prophecy and miraculous abilities to speak in foreign tongues and supernatural healing powers. But the same Spirit who manifested those gifts in those in the early church is the same Spirit who wishes to manifest His power in the Church today. Due to the sufficiency and authority of Scripture I see not only no need for some of the Apostolic gifts, but I see where they would be inconsistent with such issues as the closed canon. But the power is no different. The manifestations are different, but the glory is no different.

Granted, if I find out in heaven that I was wrong about cessationism, I will have regrets — Charismatics seemed to have more fun! But I can do without the fun. But what I cannot do without is the glory, the power, the very real presence of His Spirit. I thirst for that manifested power when I stand before my congregation to preach. And indeed, the power is more than a power, he is a PERSON — God’s Spirit himself. I do not need more of Him; He needs more of me! The power is manifested when the the Person of God’s Spirit has all of me for His use — when I am filled, controlled, surrendered, obedient, or whatever you wish to call it — when I become His means of revealed glory my soul is satisfied.

The Gift of the Spirit was given to us in that unique way in the New Covenant to be an anointing for global missions, a power to reach all nations, a Helper, a Comforter. He is a deep spring of water, living water, that wants to burst forth from us in ministry. Oh that I may EXPERIENCE the ministry of Christ. Oh may I do His work as He does His work through me — glorifying the Father, exalting His name!