Talented or Anointed?

Ok family! I need your feedback on this one. First off, I think it is safe to say that we've all seen an enormous amount of talent thus far. For me, some of the talent is just flat out "jaw-dropping."  Detroit, where I currently reside, has been tremendously blessed with gifted, phenomenal, and talented singers and musicians. Now whether it is under the umbrella of the secular or the Gospel/Christian genre, we have to admit that they are "talented."

 

However, we need to observe the subject of what's TALENT and what's ANOINTED... 

So often in my lifetime, I've heard people say,

• "Oh my! He is so anointed", or 
• "She is so anointed"

All this-after hearing 26 runs, a squall, and watching a spin move!!  Ok seriously though!  I'm certainly not saying that any of the previously mentioned variables will disqualify a vessel of being anointed, but it has become very apparent to me that the definition of the "Anointing" has been distorted greatly in the Body of Christ.  There is much to be desired by the one who is desperate for deliverance like the Canaanite woman; who came to Jesus because her daughter was vexed with a devil.

(Matthew 15:22-27) Here is a woman needing deliverance! But, it was not lawful for her to receive a blessing that belonged to the Children of Israel. In fact, Jesus reiterates this law by saying, "It is not 'meet' or 'lawful' for HIM to give the children's bread to dogs. ***Note here, Jesus was not insulting this woman but rather testing the level of her faith. (Matthew 15:27).. And she said,

"Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."

What a powerful statement of faith! Ok, I thought I should do a drive-by here...

 

Now, you may be asking yourself, "What is the point Jason is trying to make?" Well here it is:  Just like this Canaanite Woman, there is a hunger in the earth at this very moment that is escalating every day for the real, unadulterated and authentic Presence of God. God so desires us to be a conduit of His Glory! (Romans 8:19)… "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." I submit to you family -that the Presence of God is not manifested through the operation of talent only. The anointing and/or the Presence of God ALWAYS comes to provoke and accomplish change in the heart of those that are bound, broken and burdened. The anointing of God has a very specific purpose. Isaiah 10:27 gives us clarity on purpose saying, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing." In Samuel 16, David, the great psalmist was beckoned by the servants of King Saul to come and play before him; for he was being troubled by an evil spirit. I admonish you to read I Samuel 16 in it's entirety. Here you will find that David was not only talented (skillful) but the "Lord was with Him" (anointed). David, having the Lord with him- was empowered to 'play' the evil spirit off of King Saul.

 

So here's the question(s):

• Do you sing to impress the crowd?
• Do you play to draw someone's attention to your chops or chord structures?
• Do you perform, or do you minister? 

Or, are yokes being destroyed or burdens lifted? By this the question is answered, whether you're experiencing talent or the anointing.

I admonish you, as well as myself, to submit your gifts to the Will of God that He may use them to bring forth deliverance to those that are bound, broken and burdened. Be what God intended you to be…..ANOINTED!