CONTRASTING ANOINTING

1. Introduction

a) Contrasting (or differentiating) anointing is the Spirit-given power that makes or works out a difference in our lives so that others may clearly see our lives become a new creation in Christ.

b) We become a people of distinction, different from the people of the world.

i) 15Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)

2. How does this contrasting anointing benefit us?

a) 25Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, 26and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span. (Exodus 23:25, 26 NIV)

b) This blessing is conditional upon "worshiping or serving the Lord only." Serving the Lord is part of worship.

i) Bless with food and water (enjoy daily provisions).

ii) Take away sickness (enjoy good health).

iii) No miscarriage no barrenness (enjoy prosperity, fruitfulness, overflowing abundance).

iv) A full life span (enjoy abundant life, longevity).

3. What happened to the Israelite in Egypt?

a) God had seen the deep sorrows of Israelite in Egypt, and had heard their pleas for freedom fro their harsh taskmasters. God had planned to deliver them from the Egyptians and to take them out of Egypt into a good land, a large land, a land "flowing with milk and honey". He had called Moses for the task.

b) Despite the many miracles, Pharaoh hardened his heart not to let the Israelite go.

4. What punishment did God give Egypt?

a) There were 10 plagues that hit Egypt before Pharaoh literally chased the Israelite out of Egypt.

#1) The plague of blood. Water turns to blood - fish die, river smells, the people are without water. Why? The waters of River Nile were most sacred... (Exodus 7:14-25)

#2) The plague of frogs - frogs come up from the water and completely cover the land. Why? Frogs, gnats (lice) and insects were worshiped... Intricate jewellery e.g. scarab (black, winged dung beetle) was fashioned after them, using gold and precious stones. (Exodus 8:1-15)

#3) The plague of gnats (lice) - all the dust of Egypt becomes a massive swarm of lice. Why? Same as item 2 above. (Exodus 8:16-19)

#4) The plague of flies - swarm of flies cover the land. Why? Same as item 2 above. (Exodus 8:20-32)

#5) The plague of livestock - all the Egyptian livestock dies - but none of Israel's is even sick. Why? Bulls were worshiped... They were mummified! Apis, the Black Bull, was worshiped in the second largest temple inn Egypt, located in Memphis. (Exodus 9:1-7)

#6) The plague of boils - horrible boils break out on everyone in Egypt. Why? The boils were caused by the soot taken from kilns were gold was smelted. The soot caused boils. God was also considered a sacred object, an object of actual worship. (Exodus 9:8-12)

#7) The plague of hail (small rounded pieces of ice that sometimes fall during thunderstorm) - hailstorms kill all the slaves and animals left out or unprotected and strip or destroy almost every plan. Why? Hail was unknown... less than an inch of rain per year fell in Cairo. Judgment fell upon their fields, their processions, all cherished! (Exodus 9:13-35)

#8) The plague of locusts - locusts cover Egypt and eat everything left after the hail. Why? Locusts were carved in gold on the crown of Pharaoh, and were actually worshiped. (Exodus 10:1-20)

#9) The plague of darkness - total darkness covers Egypt for 3 days so no one can even move - except the Hebrews, who have light as usual. Why? The sun was an object of particularly significant worship in Egypt; it was blotted out! (Exodus 10:21-29)

#10) The plague of firstborn - the firstborn of all the people and cattle of Egypt die - but Israel is spared. Why? The Pharaoh was considered a divine God... His son, his heir, also Divinity. (Exodus 11:1-10)

b) These plagues attached the areas of sacred beings and objects of worship in the religion of Egypt!

5. Why did God specially use the 10 plagues on Egypt?

a) Because the areas of sacred beings and objects were worshiped in the religion of Egypt!

b) Because God wanted to make a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelite.

6. What was the distinction God made between the Egyptians and the Israelites?

a) Whatever happened to the Egyptians did not affect the Israelite in the land of Goshen.

i) Flies

20Then the Lord said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the river and say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 21If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies; even the ground will be covered with them. "22But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. 23I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.'" (Exodus 8:20-23 NIV)

ii) Livestock

@1. 1Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, so that they may worship me." 2If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, 3the hand of the Lord will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys and camels and on your cattle, sheep and goats. 4But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelite will die.'" 5The Lord set a time and said, "Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the land." 6And the next day the Lord did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelite died. 7Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelite had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go. (Exodus 9:1-7 NIV)

iii) Hail

@2. 22Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt—on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt." 23When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt; 24hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. 25Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. 26The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelite were. (Exodus 9:22-26 NIV)

iv) Darkness

@3. 21Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt." 22So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. 23No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelite had light in the places where they lived. (Exodus 10:21-23 NIV)

7. What is God trying to tell to us?

a) God wants to make a distinction between the children of light and children of darkness. The children of light are the called out ones and they are set apart for his special purpose or assignment while living on this earth.

b) What does 1 Peter 2:9-12 NIV says:

i) 9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

ii) 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

iii) 11Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.

iv) 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

8. Prayer focus

a) Pray that we will be a people of distinction, different from the people of this world so that others may clearly see an imminent change in our lifestyle.

b) Pray for overflowing abundance, abundant life and longevity.