Abiding in the Anointing - David Mitts

"Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father's house are many dwelling places. If it weren't so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also. (John 14:1-3)

At Shavuot, Pentecost the disciples received the power to become the dwelling places of the Lord. In our pressing in for the anointing which is the power of the Mind of Christ, I want to press in for the place of abiding.

Listen to "Abiding in the Anointing"

Shavuot means weeks which is the celebration as you know of the arrival of Israel at Mount Sinai and the giving of Torah on the mountain through Moses. Seven or sheva is the number of completion as expressed in the Shabbat.

Man was created to experience Shabbat as the abiding reality of the Lord. The first Shavuot was at Mount Sinai where Moses ascended to abide in the Presence of the Lord. It is described first in Exodus 19:

Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, "This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." (Ex 19:3-6)

This is the vision statement of Shavuot, the abiding reality:

Eagle’s wings:  The eagle is the strongest bird and can fly fast and direct.  We use the term as the crow flies to indicate the shortest direct route.  The Lord is saying that when He calls us it is direct.  

To Myself: The direct route is to Him, no intermediary.

Obey My voice and Keep My Covenant: This is the Key of Shavuot or the complete relationship.  We must learn to hear and trust.  Obedience occurs when we trust.  Faith works by love.

Possession: because of slavery and fear, we retreat from possession.  Yet in this context possession is marriage talk.  It means we become His, to have to hold and to cherish.

Kingdom of Priests: The priest is the one who can enter the Holy Place.  A kingdom of Priests means a people who can enter in and wear the robes of righteousness.

All of this is in the context of restored relationship, the place of abiding. So, what happened?

Well the people received the covenant.

All the people answered together, and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD. (Ex 19:8)

Think of this as the betrothal of the Lord to the people of the covenant.  The Lord proposed and the people accepted. Next comes the ceremony. Read on:

And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever." So Moses told the words of the people to the LORD. (Ex 19:9)

This is a powerful encounter.  Like Yeshua at baptism, the heavens will speak audibly and the effect is an eternal listening.  The covenant becomes like a portal of an address in the Spirit that will carry an eternal promise.  Anyone who believes will enter in.  Then the scripture makes an interesting statement. Moses tells the words of the people to Yahweh.  In verse 8 Moses returns or repents with the words of the people. The picture is he is carrying a report. In verse 9, Moses manifests the words of the people.  One is an alignment of heart; the second is a giving of a vow. This seals the deal.

Now for the full ceremony:

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. Not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live.' When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain." So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. And he said to the people, "Be ready for the third day; do not come near your wives." Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the LORD, and many of them perish. Also let the priests who come near the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out against them." But Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, 'Set bounds around the mountain and consecrate it.' "Then the LORD said to him, "Away! Get down and then come up, you and Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest He break out against them." So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them. (Ex 19:10-25)

Yahweh is marrying Himself to Israel.  The shofar is sounding. Ultimately Moses is the picture of Messiah who is dead to the people but alive to God.  There is a boundary which sin cannot cross but by faith Moses and Aaron enter in.  This is the picture of the abiding reality of God.

Chapter 20, Yahweh begins to expound the marriage vows, what we call commandments of God.  I believe they are love instructions from the groom for His bride, His people.

Let’s skip ahead to Acts 2, for the second coming of Shavuot, what the church calls Pentecost.

Here we have the disciples waiting in an upper room in Jerusalem for the outpouring of the Spirit, what Yeshua calls the receiving of power.  We know that this is a transformational event.

Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." (Luke 24:49)

Like at Mount Sinai, God is going to transfer Kingdom Authority and power to the bride.  When we marry in the natural, the bride receives power and authority through the name.  She receives the gift of her husband’s name.  The name carries all of the identity, reputation and good will of the name.  She gives up the name of her family and becomes 1 with her husband’s name. This is then sealed with what is called being consummated.  This is supposed to be the sexual union or coming into oneness.

At Pentecost we see this occurring in a spiritual fashion.   The disciples representing the bride come into a chamber.  Here the Lord fills them with His Spirit.  They then have the full power and authority of the King.  It is called the baptism in the Holy Spirit and it is a consummation of the covenant with God.

This then becomes the foundation for the new family life.  So we see at Sinai the giving of a vow, a betrothal to Israel.  Then through Messiah’s death and resurrection, the redemption price or the dowry is paid.  Then at Shavuot , the marriage is consummated with the baptism in the Holy Spirit which becomes the implantation of Torah, seed in our hearts.  We now carry Him in us, pregnant with the Word of God.

We birth the Word through doing and speaking.  Read Acts 2

This is the abiding life.  We become fruitful.  In human natural life, many get pregnant on the wedding night.  They then have their first child.  Each time they come together and become one they can conceive again.  In the realm of the Spirit each time we come into the Spirit, we can conceive and birth the seed of the Word again.  Unlike natural birth which doesn’t happen every time, Spiritual birth happens every time.  We cannot come into His Presence and have His Presence come into us and be unfruitful.  If we truly give ourselves to Him we will live in the abiding Presence.

Activation:  Receive the Holy Spirit into your heart. Ask Him to baptize you.