WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
SEPTEMBER 12, 2024
TOPIC: HOW TO RELATE TO THE LORD’S ANOINTED (5)
BY T. O. BANSO
“But you must help us too by praying for us. For much thanks and praise will go to God from you who see his wonderful answers to your prayers for our safety!” (2 Corinthians 1:11 Living Bible).
Today’s devotional concludes this series. So far I have discussed eight things you must do in your relationship with the Lord’s anointed. These are:
1. Honour the Lord’s anointed.
2. Believe the Lord’s anointed.
3. Respond in faith to their ministration.
4. Obey the word of God they teach and their instructions.
5. Be faithful to the Lord’s anointed.
6. Be truthful to the Lord’s anointed.
7. Don’t speak negatively of the Lord’s anointed or harm them.
8. Follow the example of the Lord’s anointed as he follows Christ’s example.
This devotional discusses three more things you should do.
How to relate to the Lord’s anointed
9. Pray for the Lord’s anointed. Many people send prayer requests to the Lord’s anointed but don’t know they also need their prayers. The anointed is still a human being faced with challenges like other people so he needs the prayers of others. Are you praying for the Lord’s anointed you relate to? Paul requested prayer from the Thessalonian Christians (1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2). You will see the phrase, “Pray for us”, in these two scriptures in the New King James Version. Paul also asked the Colossian Christians to pray for him: “Pray for us” (Colossians 4:3a New International Version). The writer of Hebrews also requested the prayers of the saints and used the expression “Pray for us” (Hebrews 13:18-19).
It is wrong to assume that the Lord’s anointed do not need prayers. It will also amount to spiritual pride for the Lord’s anointed to think they are self-sufficient and don’t need the people’s prayer. Nobody is so anointed that he doesn’t need the prayers of others.
Faithfully pray for the Lord’s anointed you relate to. Prayer is one way of helping the Lord’s anointed. You may never know how far your prayer will go. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:11, “But you must help us too by praying for us. For much thanks and praise will go to God from you who see his wonderful answers to your prayers for our safety!” (Living Bible). Praying for the anointed is one of helping them. You may give an excuse that you don’t have money to support them but what excuse will you give for not supporting them by praying for them? Don’t request prayers from them only, also pray for them.
10. Sow into the lives of the Lord’s anointed. Support the Lord’s anointed financially and materially. The Bible talks about some women who contributed from their resources to support Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:1-3).
The Bible doesn’t recommend that the anointed should not be well taken care of or suffer lack unnecessarily because they are doing His work. Rather, Paul says in 1 Timothy 5:17-18, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘The worker deserves his wages’” (New International Version). The Amplified Bible explains “double honor” as “financial support.” According to the New Living Translation, the elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well.
Individual Christians and churches should learn to sow into the lives of the anointed, especially those who have blessed them spiritually. Galatians 6:6 says, “The one who is taught the word [of God] is to share all good things with his teacher [contributing to his spiritual and material support]” (Amplified Bible). Paul asked the Corinthians: “If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?” (1 Corinthians 9:11 New King James Version).
The Bible says he that sows sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that sows bountifully shall reap bountifully (2 Corinthians 9:6). We should give to the Lord’s anointed what is due to them; we should not muzzle the ox from eating as it treads out the grain (1 Corinthians 9:9; 1 Timothy 5:18). Nevertheless, any giving to the Lord’s anointed must be a cheerful giving because God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). It must be voluntary.
Genesis 8:22 says, “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, and day and night Shall not cease” (New King James Version). The same principle of sowing and reaping applies to any seed sown into the life of the Lord’s anointed. It’s not a waste. “Give generously, for your gifts will return to you later” (Ecclesiastes 11:1 Living Bible).
The Widow of Zarephath, amid serious famine, sowed into the life of the anointed from her last meal before making some for herself and her son. The prophetic word from Elijah was: “ For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth” (1 Kings 17:14 New King James Version). The woman believed the prophet and did what he told her. According to the word of the Lord, “The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah” (verse 16 New King James Version). The woman enjoyed abundance throughout the famine; she and her son didn’t die as the woman had thought before her encounter with Elijah. The result proved that God spoke through the Prophet Elijah.
In Philippians 4:15-19, Paul talks about the financial support he received from the Philippians and his prayer that His God would supply all their needs. Don’t miss opportunities to sow into the lives of the Lord’s anointed. You will reap the harvests on this earth and in eternity.
11. Show them hospitality. Be hospitable to the anointed. Receive the Lord’s anointed well. Abraham showed hospitality to the three strangers (angels) after which the Lord, speaking through them, blessed him with Sarah’s conception (Genesis 18:1-15). Lot was also hospitable to the same angels when they arrived in Sodom. He insisted on entertaining them and they followed him home where he gave them a feast and they put up there. They eventually told him to leave the city with his family before the destruction of Sodom (Genesis 19).
Consider it a privilege to show hospitality to the Lord’s anointed; see it as an opportunity to be blessed, not a burden. You will receive your reward. Matthew 10:42 says, “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” (New King James Version). Mark 9:41 says a similar thing.
In 2 Kings 4:8-37, the Shunammite woman, who had no child, showed the Prophet Elisha much hospitality, providing him comfortable accommodation to lodge in whenever he was around. God rewarded her with a child through Elisha’s ministry. When the child died, Elisha revived him. He also spared the woman from a seven-year famine through his prophetic guidance and when she returned after the famine, the king restored all that was hers, including the value of any crops harvested during her absence (2 Kings 8:4-6). The woman enjoyed all this because of her generous hospitality to the Lord’s anointed. Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels” (New King James Version).
12. Appreciate the Lord’s anointed for what God has used or is using them for in your life. By appreciation, I am not talking about worshipping them or paying them for the miracles, the healings, answers to prayer, etc. No, the Bible says, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8 New King James Version). The Contemporary English Version says, “Heal the sick, raise the dead to life, heal people who have leprosy, and force out demons. You received without paying, now give without being paid”
The Lord’s anointed must never charge money for spiritual services. You should appreciate the Lord’s anointed by telling them what God has used them for, testifying to God’s power, and demonstrating gratitude. A mature minister is wise enough to humble himself and divert such appreciation to God.
Everybody, including the anointed, needs encouragement. Sometimes the anointed could be labouring without seeing results; it looks like nothing is happening. The devil may even be telling them they’re wasting their time. But such acknowledgement and appreciation serve as encouragement for them. It gives them positive feedback.
Share with the anointed testimonies of what the Lord has done for you through the grace of God upon their lives. Tell them how their messages or sermons have been so precise and impacted you. Don’t just be troubling them with problems or prayer requests; share testimonies. This will refresh them.
Hannah returned to Shiloh after she had weaned Samuel to acknowledge to Eli the answer to her prayer some years earlier (1 Samuel 1:26-28). If she had not returned, Eli might not have known God had answered Hannah’s prayer request he blessed years back (verse 17).
Naaman and all his servants returned to the Prophet Elisha from the River Jordan after he had been healed of his leprosy. He didn’t return to his country, Syria, from the river. He acknowledged the supremacy of the God of Israel and showed appreciation to Elisha, whom God used to heal him although Elisha rejected the gifts he gave him (2 Kings 5:14-16).
In Luke 17:11-18, ten lepers were healed but only one returned to testify to his healing. Jesus asked about the ungrateful nine. “So Jesus answered and said, ‘Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?’ And He said to him, ‘Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well’” (Luke 17:17-19 New King James Version). The nine lepers forgot about Jesus once they were healed.
However, Mary Magdalene and the other women Jesus healed of infirmities didn’t abandon their healer. They kept on following him until his death and even after His resurrection. As I said earlier, the Bible refers to how these women supported Jesus’ ministry financially. Following Jesus and being committed to him was one way of showing appreciation. Mary Magdalene out of whom Jesus cast out ten demons was even the first to see Jesus at resurrection (John 20:16-18).
The mad man of Gadara, the demon-possessed man living in the tomb, whom Jesus healed appreciated Jesus after he had regained sanity and begged Jesus to go with Him. He was indebted to Jesus. But rather than allowing him to follow Him, Jesus told him to go to his family and tell them the wonderful things the Lord had done for him and His mercy on him. This man went to all the Ten Towns of that region to tell everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him. Everyone was amazed at what he told them (Mark 5:18-20). Appreciation!
In Luke 7:44-48, the immoral woman came to the house of Simon and anointed Jesus’ feet with ointment, appreciating Jesus. But Simon, Jesus’ host didn’t show enough appreciation to Jesus. He didn’t even perform the normal courtesy to visitors. Jesus pointed out this to Simon.
Conclusion: Remember that you can relate to the Lord’s anointed in two ways. You can relate to them in a way their anointing will bless you or work against you. They don’t even need to talk before either of these will happen. The God of the anointed is watching you. Now that you know these things, blessed are you if you do them (John 13:17).
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: I shall sow into the lives of the Lord’s anointed and show them hospitality. I shall not be ungrateful to God and the Lord’s anointed that God uses to bless me.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
