God Anoints You Before He Appoints You

Before we delve into the word of God this morning, I want to share a little story. There was a woman who decided to start a chicken farm. She bought a dozen of the best chickens she could find and planted them in her yard. She came out the next morning and found they’d all died. Undeterred, she bought another dozen, planted them, and the next morning found the same thing. She decided to write a letter to the agricultural department of the local university. She detailed her steps and finished by asking, “What am I doing wrong?” The response came back, “First of all, stop calling it planting. You’re supposed to be placing the chickens, not burying them.”

This amusing tale offers a truth about life: sometimes, we just don’t know what we’re doing. But isn’t it comforting to know that we serve a God who does? This brings us to the topic of today’s sermon: "God Anoints You Before He Appoints You". Our anchor scripture today comes from Isaiah 61:1:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”

Let's consider the life of David as an example. David was anointed by God, through the prophet Samuel, long before he ever sat on the throne as king. God saw David's heart when he was still a shepherd boy, tending to his father's flock. He saw the qualities in David that would make him a great leader. David’s anointing came in 1 Samuel 16:13,

"So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David."

David was anointed before he was appointed. But note, David did not ascend the throne immediately. He went back to the fields, back to his duties, back to his ordinary life. But he was not the same, he was anointed. He had the divine enablement, the empowerment of God upon him.

Similarly, consider the life of Moses. God called Moses to the burning bush and anointed him to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. Moses did not feel ready or worthy, but God had anointed him for this purpose long before he was appointed.

The great American preacher, Charles Spurgeon, once said, "The anointing is sacred, the anointing is the Holy Spirit, and all believers in Christ have the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We must be careful not to abuse the Holy Spirit. Don’t insult the Spirit of grace, for the Spirit will not always strive with us."

You see, God's anointing comes before His appointing because it prepares us for what He has called us to do. The anointing signifies God's blessing, His empowerment, and His endorsement. It equips us for the task ahead.

We have this promise in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." We are each anointed and appointed for a purpose in God’s grand design. Your appointment may seem delayed, but remember that God’s anointing is never denied.

Perhaps you're feeling like you're in a field tending sheep, like David, or standing bewildered before a burning bush, like Moses. You're wondering when your appointment will come. But God's timing is perfect. While you are in the field, He is preparing your crown. While you are before the bush, He is parting your sea.

There is a reason for your season of preparation. It's a time of refinement, a time when God is moulding and shaping you for the purpose He has destined for you. It’s a time when you are being filled with His Spirit, being prepared for the work ahead.

There's a powerful saying that captures this truth: "The deeper the roots, the higher the reach." Your time of waiting, of deepening your roots in God, is never wasted. It's a time of preparation for the higher calling that lies ahead.

We find a beautiful confirmation of this in Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

You see, before God calls you, He prepares you. Before He sends you, He equips you. Before He appoints you, He anoints you.

You may not feel ready. You may not feel equipped. You may even feel like you're the least likely candidate for the task. But take heart! God does not call the equipped; He equips the called.

The anointing comes with a price. It may involve trials, testing, and periods of waiting. But remember, as A.W. Tozer once said, "God never uses anyone greatly until He tests them deeply."

So, my dear brothers and sisters, I encourage you today to embrace the process of anointing. Trust in God's perfect timing. Don’t be in a hurry to move from the field to the palace, from the burning bush to the Promised Land. There's a divine process at work, preparing you for your divine purpose.

Remember, your appointment is coming. God has not forgotten you. He is faithful to complete the good work He has begun in you. As the Apostle Paul declared in Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

May you find comfort and assurance in knowing that God anoints you before He appoints you. May you trust in His process, rely on His timing, and lean into His anointing. And when the time of your appointment comes, may you serve Him with all your heart, strength, and mind.

Let us pray, "Dear Lord, we thank You for the anointing. We pray for the patience to trust Your process and the wisdom to learn during our seasons of preparation. As we await our appointment, may we remain rooted in You, growing in faith, and trusting in Your perfect timing. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen."

God bless you all, and may you have a week filled with His grace and peace. Thank you.