ANOINTED INFLUENCE

Ever have a highly respected individual in which you desired to emulate? I know we are not all perfect, but there are some great men and women out there with traits and characteristics worth adding to our own repertoire. In fact, I believe we each should be a conglomerate of all the positive attributes that we experience and leave the negative ones behind - a challenge, I know.

However, according to Marc Antony in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, it is unfortunately our bad deeds which live on in the minds of the living and our good deeds are forgotten with us in the grave.

• Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones; So let it be with Caesar.

This is the world perspective. But, for those desiring to bless others, just as Christ had compassion on the many He encountered, God has Anointed Influence in abundance to delegate upon your life and mine. 

Even before the time of Christ Jesus there was a man such as this - Elisha. Elisha had a highly respected individual he wanted to emulate - Elijah. However, not only did Elisha desire to mimic his mentor, but he wanted and received a double portion of Elijah's Anointed Influence! Elisha saw the good, saw the blessings, saw the fruit of Elijah's impact and wanted that and more. 

This double Anointed Influence can especially be seen in Elisha's life in 2 Kings 13:20-21. Elisha's Anointed Influence rests on his body and is effective even after he is dead.

• Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.

There are men and women of God in my own life that I attempt to emulate. These people are great authors, singers, pastors, friends, teachers, prayer warriors, and encouragers. All of these types of wonderful people are awesome foundations to enhance my touch on or in anybody's life. Some of these individuals have passed on and still influence and empower me today. However, it is futile if God is not throughout the whole process of seeking to have or be an Anointed Influence.

• Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:15-16)

Jesus promises us in John 14:12 that those who believe in Christ will do even greater things.

• "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

We can start this effort by emulating great men and women of God, but most importantly the emulation of Christ Himself. Then armed with sound character, God's Holy Spirit and compassion - believers can pursue, use and even after death be an Anointed Influence.