Surely you can recall the anointing of God on Brant Baker.

It was not theatrics, it was what the bible calls preaching. Few people preach today...most just teach.

Mark 3:14



And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

Acts 5:42



And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Acts 10:42



And he commanded us to preach unto the people...

Brant had an ear to hear what the Spirit was saying and an eye to see what the Spirit was doing. He followed the Holy Spirit closely during those ministry days.

When we omit the moving of the Holy Spirit we take the tension off of the string of our bows and our arrows fall harmlessly to the ground. Brant's bow had major tension! He was an annointed preacher and evangelist.

Yes the arrows of the Word are of importance. But if your bow has no string or tension on it, your arrows fall to the ground. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE TENSION on our bows. Eliminate Him and your bow is just a useless stick...

Holy Spirit and the Word of God. They work together as a team. The arrowhead needs the shaft and they need the feathers. They work together in unity. The arrowhead initiates, the shaft facilitates, the feathers give guidance and support. The bow of the Holy Spirit gives function...
We need the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit if we are going to make a diffrence in people's lives. One touch of the Holy Spirit will do more to change the course of a life then nine years of seminary school can.

Yield to the Holy Spirit. Be empty of selfish ambitions and adgendas. Give up, die to self.
John the baptist counted himself unworthy to tie Jesus sandal. And yet he was the most dramatic, political and religious leader of the time. The whole area was literally in an uproar over him. Even the religious leaders, the scribes, the Pharisees, the Saddusees came for his baptism.

Why? Because he was so powerful, and so many people were going to him. This is how influental this man was. He ate what God said, he wore what God said, he lived the way the Lord said, simple and isolated.

How many in ministry today are always looking for ways to increase 'their ministry?'
John talks about the Son of the Living God. He says, "He must increase, I must decrease, He is preferred before me." He could honestly say that, because it was true. And because it was true, he was willing to sacrifice literally everything. He wasn't selfish.

You don't live like that because of the applause you get from the people, because he lived in a desert wasteland. You don't have anything but Jesus. You wouldn't do it for anything else. Some people do things for money, but their not in the wilderness. They're not out there alone with the Lord. With people, but alone still, with the Lord. They are not really wanting Him to be preferred before themselves.

Some accepted their calling, not realizing what it would completely take, what the price really was. John knew. John confessed, it says..."And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not."
Yet Jesus said that John had the spirit of Elijah. John said, "I'm not Elijah. I'm nobody special, I'm nobody big, I'm nobody Kewl, I'm just nobody at all."

"Are you a prophet then?" "Then said they unto him, Who art thou?"
Why? Because he was so anointed of the Holy Spirit! His bow was fully pulled back!
"No, I'm not Christ. No, I'm not Elijah. No, I'm not the prophet. Well then what saith thou of thyself?" God help you if you say anything. You're crucified with Christ.

Why are we not anointed? It is us. He is the same, the problem is you and I. We are so selfish, there is so much of ourselves. We are building our 'ministry.'
John's example tells us to count the cost. What does God want you to do with your life? What is your purpose here?

John knew that he wasn't even worthy to even touch His sandal, for this was God. This was Almighty God! And yet we are a temple of the Living God. Jesus Christ by His Holy Spirit dwells in me, in you, and in every born again believer.
This is an incredible truth of major porportions!

John knew every moment of the day, no matter how many thousands came to him, that his way, his purpose was a voice. He never forgot that. A voice in the wilderness pointing the way to the Lamb of God.

Johns bow was fully pulled back for the arrow of his words. Is yours? Is mine?

"And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus."

They 'heard him speak." He was anointed. The arrows of his words flew to their mark because the tension of his bow was there.

And that can only happen for us by the power of the Holy Spirit!

Holy Spirit ignite us!

Pastor David Sloane