As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit-just as it has taught you, remain in him. -1 John 2:27

The anointing stems partly from the natural-the way we were made. Our parents, our environment, and our background are all ingredients of no small consequence that figure into our anointing. These are the natural gifts that we operate as a result of the way we were raised, for the gifts we had before we became Christians don’t disappear once we are saved.

But the anointing is also that which comes from above-the supernatural. The Holy Spirit comes on top of natural gifting; He is superimposed, and that is why we call the gifts supernatural. In fact, the word anointing is used in 1 John 2:20, when John says, “You have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.”

This anointing will do something for you and will do something for others. If that anointing flows as it should, it will be almost impossible to tell who is blessed more, you or other people. There is no such thing as an anointing that is just for you, so that you can soak it in like a sponge. No. The anointing will bless you, and it will bless others.

Not everybody’s anointing is the same, and no one person has every anointing that is possible. Only one person who ever lived had every conceivable anointing, and that person was Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus had the Holy Spirit without measure, that is, without limit (John 3:34). When you become a Christian, you receive the Holy Spirit. Don’t you dare let anyone tell you that you can have the Holy Spirit and not be a Christian.

But the point is, I only have the Spirit in limited measure. I don’t have all there is. Only Jesus had all there is. Not everybody’s anointing is the same, and no one can do everything. That means we need each other.

Excerpted from All’s Well That Ends Well (Authentic Media, 2005).

Many believers I know desire to work for a ministry or Christian company someday. Their goal is to work in an environment with praise music playing, co-workers praying and Scripture verses beautifully calligraphied on wall plaques. They imagine such a workplace as holy, peaceful and devoid of that common problem: difficult co-workers.

I wish this were the case, but until our Lord comes back we will always have some level of difficulty relating to co-workers, whether Christian or not. I have traveled the length and breadth of this nation and most of the world, worked with Christians and non-Christians alike and believe me, there is little difference in how personnel operate under pressure.

Disagreements, arguments, conflicts, tempers, grudges and gossip often affect churches, ministries and Christian organizations as much as any other office. Pettiness, greed, ambition and favoritism all creep in as the enemy fires his darts and hopes to create a flame.

We would like to think that as believers, our faith allows us to work without strain or tension, but that is simply not the case. We are not perfect, and so if we are going to survive our hostile work environments then we must increase our capacity to work with difficult personalities, regardless of the kind of workplace in which we’re placed.

ACT LIKE A PRO
I’m afraid that as Christians we are often contributing more to the problems in office relationships than to their solutions. Others observe our behavior and our testimony suffers because of poor work ethics, long breaks, lengthy personal phone calls, reading the Bible on company time and so on. But the very worst thing is that we often alienate ourselves as an elite group of people and leave others feeling somehow less than us.

Though our personal preference plays into who we choose as friends, the workplace is not an appropriate setting for enforcing our own set of rules on who counts and who doesn’t, on who matters and who doesn’t, on who we might hang out with or totally avoid. This is so dangerous!

Work is not the setting for establishing relationships. Save that for the ladies’ home fellowship or the church picnic. A workplace, especially today, includes diverse ethnic groups, cultures, religions and even sexual orientations.

You have to be able to work with people you might not relate to personally. An employee must develop a professional attitude, one in which personal opinions of any individual do not come into play.

If you allow God to enlarge your understanding of people and work relationships, you may be ready to have Him enlarge your territory. God won’t give you something you are not ready to handle, but He does want to expose you to greater things and greater ways of managing life.

We need to apply the wisdom of the Bible to contemporary situations. David had that sought-after ability to work effectively with difficult people. It doesn’t get much more challenging than working with someone who has an “evil spirit troubling him” (see 1 Sam. 16:14-23).

Saul was that challenge for David, yet David blessed Saul. David didn’t limit himself and he surely didn’t limit God! Getting his eyes off of people, being neither impressed nor depressed by them, afforded David unlimited opportunities because he freed them up to be used by God.

Learn to work with difficult people; the very challenge you have today may be the one who tomorrow determines your promotion. Conversely, sweet Sally may be the very one who informs the boss that you walked in six seconds late one morning. Learn to remain not aloof but professional, and depend on God to reward you.

EYES ON THE PRIZE
How do you cultivate a professional attitude? Begin by keeping your eyes on your objective. Are you selling windows? Then don’t walk into a customer’s house and offer unsolicited advice about their décor.

Limit yourself to what you are called to do. People can be easily offended, and by speaking about areas outside your expertise-what your customer has solicited your help in-you can jeopardize your opportunity to make a sale.

Another way to maintain your professionalism is to treat everyone fairly and equally. You will naturally find some customers, co-workers and administrators easier to work with than others. But if you show favoritism by being kind and respectful to only those you like, then you are in for trouble-if not now then down the road.

Try not to take things personally, even when unhappy co-workers intend for them to hurt you. Remember that you are so much more than just an office manager, a temp worker, a high school science teacher, an accounts manager, or an advertising executive.

Work to live; don’t live to work! You must learn to let go of grudges and to set aside past histories with some of your co-workers.

When you find your emotions flaring and you’re tempted to react, stop yourself and remember what’s really going on: You’re in the midst of a battle and the first shots have just been fired. This is the time to say a silent prayer, remember your true calling, and respond with patience and a professionalism that will astound those around you.

If you are not easily ruffled by difficult personalities, then you will increase your ability to remain cool in the heat of the battle. Your decisions will be more objective and levelheaded and you will be able to keep the work goals in mind as opposed to operating out of your personal moods and preferences.

OIL AND WATER
It’s helpful to understand some of the dynamics that contribute to interpersonal friction on the job. Like trying to mix oil and water by shaking the bottle again and again, many Christians believe that if they just act nice around difficult personalities that eventually those people will change and become nice too.

But “nice” doesn’t always cut it, especially when you use it to avoid confrontation and direct communication. True kindness isn’t afraid to look someone in the eye and tell him or her the truth, even if we know that this isn’t what he or she wants to hear. You will garner much more respect for yourself and your beliefs if you act on kindness and honesty rather than “niceness.”

Unfortunately, school doesn’t teach conflict resolution; churches don’t either. Often we do not learn it at home, so we step into workplaces either unwilling to confront, or-at the other extreme-unwilling to resolve conflicts. If conflict is not dealt with, it can manifest as obnoxious attitudes and discontentment.

Are you able to resolve conflicts, simply and efficiently, seeking out the common good? When confronted, can you listen to what the other person is saying or do you talk over them, debating or defending yourself?

Can you forgive the other person so that you do not pollute the environment with hostility? If not, your gifting, education, or skill may take you to a higher level and give you opportunities, but your poor character will ultimately destroy everything you work hard to accomplish.

When reconciliation seems difficult, jealousy may be the underlying combustible that fuels some of those fiery relationships. The colleague who starts rumors about you may be envious of your gifts, your education, or your looks. The manager who seeks to undermine you at the board meeting may be jealous of your relationship with the boss.

If you sense jealousy is an issue with someone, make an effort at praising their strengths or commending them for work well done. I’m not advocating flattery or false praise; if your words come across as insincere, that will only escalate the problem. This is a great opportunity to subtly minister to someone by building up his or her self-confidence.

As surprising as it may be, other believers in a hostile work environment can often pose unexpected challenges. Instead of being each other’s prayer partner or ally, you instead become competitive and combative, bringing out the worst in each other. If this occurs, you must stop and realize what the enemy is about.

If the devil can create dissention and division among believers in a given workplace, then he’s killed two birds with one stone. He has not only diluted the potential power that you could all experience as a united energy cell of God’s children, he’s also used you to undermine your witness to nonbelievers.

LEARNING AND GROWING
When we learn to get along with all the various types of people in our workplace, particularly those we find challenging, there is a double benefit. Not only will our work go smoother, but we will also become better, stronger men and women.

Most of us gravitate to people who think like we do, however, I have learned that the best teams are not comprised of people who perform the same functions; great teams require diverse gifting. It is an amazing asset when you can work with various types of people and build teamwork and fraternity eight hours a day.

God uses trials with difficult people to build our character and to increase our own store of maturity and wisdom. By attempting to avoid or ignore those who are so different from ourselves, we are often avoiding the very training that God has provided for us to advance to the next level. Be grateful when difficult personalities create challenges in your workplace and know that God is indeed equipping you for your future.

One problem that believers often grapple with when becoming more accepting and tolerant of diverse people involves the notion of judgment. Since God’s Word is very clear about us not becoming like those of the world in their sinful practices, we often are tempted to think we are better than they are. Or, we fear that if we accept these people, we are endorsing or accepting their sin.

You don’t have to relinquish your beliefs about sin in order to work alongside sinners. You can work with someone who’s having an affair without having one yourself. Avoid self-righteousness and act with humility and grace when you encounter people whose differences make you uncomfortable.

GROW BY GRACE
You may never receive a diploma in diplomacy, but you can learn what God wants to teach you by sticking it out and not giving up when difficult personalities add hostility to your work environment. We mustn’t dismiss or ignore those who seem different from us. We should endeavor to love others within our workplace, trusting that God will shine through us and allow us to interact with those who we find most challenging.

As you look at the assortment of personalities and temperaments in your workplace, I encourage you to thank God for each of them and ask for His guidance. The following prayer might help get you started:

“Almighty God, I am so blessed to be in my present position and I thank You for continuing to use me. I’m grateful for everyone in my office, even those I don’t particularly like or understand. Thank You for Fred in accounting. I don’t like his temper but I pray that I could learn to not fear him and grow in my ability to communicate with him.

“Thanks for Betty in the next cubicle. She talks and socializes all the time, but I know she’s just looking for connection. Give me kindness and Your words when I need to ask her to focus on work.

“I know I’m the person for this job! So I pray that I might learn how to be a better witness not just in the words I say but also the way I do business and the attitude with which I serve others around me. Thank You, Jesus! Amen.”

T.D. Jakes is a pastor and the best-selling author of numerous books.

God created us to be purpose driven. In other words, our natural inclination is to operate with an intent—a motive, so to speak.

The Bible gives us a number of examples of men and women who did extraordinary things (whether for good or evil) in order to fulfill a purpose or reach a goal. Jacob, for instance, worked 14 years for the deceitful Laban in order to marry the woman of his dreams (see Gen. 29). He had a motive (espousing the lovely Rachel), which served to motivate him to work an extra seven years to accomplish his objective.

It is human nature to operate with a purpose and not wander about aimlessly. The majority of things we set out to accomplish are done with a motive. This is how the Lord created us, and this attribute of mankind extends to every aspect of our living and influences our spiritual as well as our physical lives.

It applies even to weight loss. Most people who set out to lose weight have a specific motive for doing so. Maybe the class reunion is fast approaching and you’re determined to be only 10 pounds heavier than when you graduated, not 50. Or you may have booked a Caribbean cruise and simply refuse to slip on a bathing suit without first firming up and slimming down.

Is there a wedding coming up? How about a family portrait? Whatever the case may be, all too often our motivation for losing weight is simply the desire to change our outward appearance.

But remember Proverbs 31:30 tells us “charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting” (NIV). So if your objective for losing weight is only to enhance your looks, please take my advice: reconsider your motive.

VANITY IS NOT A VIRTUE Don’t misunderstand me–there is nothing wrong with wanting to look good. After all, Queen Esther received a year’s worth of beauty treatments before going into the royal chambers to visit the king (see Esth. 2:12).

Our appearance is important, and first impressions (even second impressions) carry a tremendous impact. But there are a few reasons why appearance should not be the sole motivator for weight loss.

For starters, losing weight for cosmetic reasons is an entirely goal-oriented approach. We are determined to reach an arbitrary number on the scale or a certain size dress or suit.

Once the goal is reached (or once the vacation or the class reunion is over) we find ourselves without a motive, and we soon become unmotivated to continue doing those things we did to reach our goal in the first place–namely, eating right and exercising regularly. We have to shift our focus from the temporary to the permanent.

It’s not about achieving the temporary goal of squeezing into a dress that was two sizes too small to begin with. It’s about permanently establishing a brand-new way of living.

Ironically, another reason why appearance alone should not be the primary motivator is that many people are quite satisfied with their appearance. And because they are content with being “pleasingly plump,” they have no real desire to lose weight–even when shedding a few pounds would improve their health.

I find this is especially common in African American and Hispanic women, who are not as inclined to strive for society’s standard of an acceptable body weight as are Caucasian and Asian women.

But though this high level of self-satisfaction might guard against conditions such as anorexia nervosa, it can be a real problem when contentment leads to complacency.

In my years of medical practice I’ve encountered a number of patients with serious medical problems related to improper diet, inadequate exercise and excessive body weight. But despite being diagnosed with potentially life-threatening illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, and despite the crippling pain of conditions such as osteoarthritis, they felt satisfied with their appearance (vanity).

They didn’t want to lose weight, even when their health was at stake. I’ve had patients tell me they were afraid they would look “sick” if they lost 10 or 20 pounds, not realizing those extra pounds might just escort them into an early grave.

If you want to lose weight, don’t allow yourself to be driven by vanity. Vanity is not a virtue; it is the cousin of pride, and “pride goes before destruction” (Prov. 16:18).

THE PROPER MOTIVE Adopting a healthier lifestyle requires discipline, moderation and self-control–character traits supported throughout the Scriptures. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, for example, Paul says: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

“Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

Paul compares the Christian life to an athletic competition here and in other parts of the Bible (see 2 Tim. 4:7; Gal. 2:2). What a powerful word picture to emphasize the benefits of living a life of discipline, moderation and self-control.

These character traits are perfected through the Holy Spirit and are vital to us if we are to mature on this Christian journey. And even though the prize Paul speaks of is our heavenly reward, we can’t ignore the importance of exercising these same qualities in our physical lives.

It’s actually difficult (if not impossible) to separate these two aspects of our existence since spiritual maturation requires that we keep fleshly desires under subjection (including the desire to overeat), and that we become adept at resisting temptation (including the temptation to indulge ourselves with our favorite foods).

A professional athlete practices discipline, moderation and self-control whether she feels like it or not. Her body does not call the shots–she does.

In other words, she engages in rigorous training on a regular basis, no matter what the circumstances, and no matter what her “flesh” would rather be doing. The same is required of any woman attempting to modify her lifestyle to improve her health.

Our flesh ought not to control us. But without discipline, moderation and self-control, you’ll soon discover how easy it is for the flesh to overtake you and for your worthy plans of living a healthier life to fall by the wayside.

It requires self-discipline to crawl out of a warm and cozy bed for a brisk 30-minute walk. It requires moderation to stop at one scoop of ice cream or one tablespoon of gravy. And it requires self-control to keep on driving past your favorite fast-food restaurant.

HONOR GOD WITH YOUR BODY When you start with discipline, moderation and self-control, and then add the proper motive, you will certainly see results. If you refuse to be motivated by vanity but let your main desire be to improve your health (or maintain the good health you already have), then you’re on the right track.

Think about it this way: As believers, our bodies are the living temples of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 6:19-20). So taking care of our bodies is one way we honor God. Losing weight as an effort to maintain the temple of God is an honorable endeavor; any other reason borders on self-centeredness and vanity.

Let’s compare it to the act of giving. We can give our tithes and offerings with a selfish, goal-oriented mind-set, focusing on the “good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over” return promised to us in Luke 6:38. But this is giving with the wrong motive.

The Bible says to “honor the Lord with your wealth” (Prov. 3:9). So giving is an act of worship, a way of honoring God.

It shouldn’t be a selfish act prompted by the promise of how much we will get in return. The same holds true for any of the other ways we honor God.

Remember in the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus described people who fasted and prayed just to call attention to themselves? He said their reward would be from men and not from God. The problem was that their motive wasn’t to have fellowship with God through prayer and fasting but to receive recognition and attention from other men.

Everything–yes, everything–we do as believers ought to honor God, including our motive for wanting to lose weight. The incentive to adhere to a healthy lifestyle should be to honor God through caring for our bodies, His temple, and not any self-centered desire to improve our looks.

If we end up looking a little nicer in the process, then that’s great, but it shouldn’t be our primary motivation.

KEEP FOCUSED ON THE GOAL I’m convinced that one of the reasons so many people are unsuccessful with long-term weight loss is they are operating with the wrong motive. Keep the proper focus. Purpose in your heart that you will honor God by taking care of your body, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and start making a change today.

A dear patient once assured me that she was going to dramatically change her lifestyle by eating right, exercising and losing weight right after the Memorial Day holiday. She was planning a large party that weekend, a culinary feast for more than 100 guests.

The only problem was that she gave me this promise not in late May but in the first part of April! She failed to understand that the best time to start changing bad habits is the present.

Caring for our bodies is not a thing we decide to do on some future date or for a limited period of time. Honoring the Lord should be our present and continual lifestyle, whether we’re honoring Him in our worship, our giving, our service or even through taking care of our physical bodies.

Make a commitment today that you will rely on the Holy Spirit to strengthen your resolve. Then go ahead and break those old, bad habits and replace them with new, healthier practices that you’ll follow for the rest of your life.

Don’t even entertain the thought of how much better you’ll look with a slimmer physique. Remember this–when the presence and the glory of God shines through you, you already look good no matter what the number on the scale. Once you get your motives in order, be prepared to reap the benefits of better health.

Kara Davis, M.D., is a physician and professor of medicine who combines medical knowledge with biblical wisdom in her approach to patient care.

Are you bound by bad habits or ungodly attitudes that keep you from God’s best? You can be released from the shackles by praying and living out the Word every day of your life. Sharyn Culp of His Majesty Ministries, a prayer sanctuary on the Web, intercedes along with other Christians for people around the world. To receive prayer, listen to the podcast below.

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Sharyn Culp is the founder of His Majesty Ministries, a faith-based ministry located in Fort Worth, Texas. Sharyn says she has seen the Great Physician take His healing scalpel to the wounded spirits of men and women of all ages and set them free by the power of His Spirit. She offers a message of healing, deliverance, hope and more from the heart of His Majesty. To contact Sharyn or receive prayer, click here.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NKJV). The baptism in the Holy Spirit is for every single believer who names the name of Christ. It not only enables you to live holy; it also empowers you to be a spokeswoman for God in your community, city and the nation. Let Sharyn Culp of His Majesty Ministries pray with you that the Father would endow you with “power from on high.” Listen to podcast below.

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Sharyn Culp is the founder of His Majesty Ministries and Prayer
Sanctuary based in Fort Worth, Texas. She
prays for salvation, healing, deliverance, restoration, the U.S., foreign countries and
much more. To contact Sharyn or receive prayer, click

here.

Christians often refer to the Holy Spirit as an “it,” but that’s not what the Bible says about the third person of the Godhead. The late Fuchsia Pickett was a noted Bible teacher who traveled the U.S. and abroad preaching about the Holy Spirit. Her insight on the Comforter will help you understand His purpose in your life. Listen to the podcast below.

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In his forthcoming book In Defense of Faith: The Judeo-Christian Idea and the Struggle for Humanity, David Brog takes aim at the media, from Hollywood to cable news political pundits, who claim “religion is the root of all violence in the world.”

Brog, the executive director of Christians United for Israel founded by John Hagee, defends faith-based values of human rights and justice among many, and those who gave rise to their existence from Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement to Bono’s campaign to end AIDS in Africa.

The Jewish writer tells readers that the most horrific atrocities against mankind occur when “science, philosophy and politics are detached from faith.” “In the 20th century, the rejection of the Judeo-Christian idea by certain cultures enabled both slavery and genocide to return to the West, and to do so on a far greater scaled than ever before.”

Brog says even people of other faiths such as Mahatma Gandhi, were inspired by the teachings of Christians.

David Brog lives in Washington, D.C., and is the author of Standing With Israel. He worked in the United States Senate for seven years, and was also the staff director for the Senate Judiciary Committee. Before working on Capitol Hill, Brog was an executive director at America Online and practiced corporate law in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Philadelphia.

The Bible tells us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. In doing so, we not only invoke God’s blessing and protection over His chosen people; we also secure our own well-being. Ray Wilkerson of Maoz Israel, a Messianic ministry in the Holy Land, says Jewish believers in Yeshua are often persecuted for their faith. But Christians around the world can affect change in the nation if we petition God for Zion’s sake. To discover three ways to pray for Israel, listen to the podcast below.

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In Genesis 12:3, God makes a promise to Abraham: ‘”I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.'”

In my own life I have seen proof of this promise; when I have blessed Israel and the Jewish people, God has showered His blessings on me. That is why we have set up the “Bless Israel” fund through Christian Life Missions.

Over the last several years through Christian Life Missions and friends like you, we have helped buy an ambulance for Israel; helped rebuild a war-torn city near the Lebanese border; and provided bomb shelters near the Gaza Strip where Kassam rockets from Hamas rain terror on Israeli citizens who had no where to run and hide.

Many ministries raise money for Israel. However, some raise money for Israel but the funds never get to the intended destination, according to what I’ve been told by Israeli insiders. This has also motivated me to make a way for those who want to bless Israel to do so with integrity through a ministry like Christian Life Missions.

We are a small ministry with little overhead expense. Most of what you give will go directly to “Bless Israel.” Christian Life Missions has been around since the mid-1950s and has been a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability since 1980.

Over the years Christian Life Missions has functioned with the utmost integrity and without a shred of controversy, so you can give with confidence.

As we think of places to give, won’t you band together with others who (like me) believe in blessing Israel? If your gift is at least $30 we will give you a copy of David Brog’s book Standing With Israel, which tells from a Jewish perspective why Bible-believing Christians are Israel’s best friend.

My company donates the books so everything you give can go to bless the Jewish people and Israel. We have sold or given away nearly 150,000 copies of this important book. If you haven’t read it, you need to because it will bless you.

We sent out this request to our regular Christian Life Missions donors in the past, but we have decided to include readers of Standing With Israel eNewsletter because we want you to also receive a blessing by blessing the Jewish people and Israel!

Donations can be made by sending a check made payable to “Christian Life Missions,” designated for “Bless Israel” in the check’s memo line, and sent to Christian Life Missions, 600 Rinehart Road, Lake Mary, FL 32746.

Donations can also be made online at blessisrael.christianlifemissions.com with a credit card or through PayPal. To me, that’s an even quicker and easier way to give.

Please check out Christian Life Missions’ new Web site, christianlifemissions.com, which tells about all the ministries we support. But the ones closest to my own heart are those that bless God’s chosen people. Won’t you dig down and give a generous offering—as I’m doing?

God bless you for your generosity.

Steve Strang
President, Christian Life Missions
Founder and Publisher of Charisma magazine

Pastor John Wiley didn’t think it was fair that the working poor or “hidden homeless” in Kansas City, Mo., had to live in rent-by-the-week motels, paying $800 to $1,200 a month, so his church did something about it.

Three years ago, as Wiley watched nearly a dozen children get off a school bus and go into a motel, he thought, No child should have to live in such a horrible place. Soon after he drove by an old hospital and said to himself, “Somebody ought to buy that hospital and turn it into a place for homeless people and break the cycle of poverty.”

He soon became accountable for his words. “God told me, ‘You do it,’” Wiley says. 

Since then, River Christian Fellowship has been reaching out to motel dwellers. “We’ve been rescuing these families, paying their rent and taking them hot meals, but the financial weight got to be a lot,” Wiley says.

Last year the church purchased a $16 million vacant hospital for $1 million and converted it into the River of Refuge Dream Center, a 150,000-square-foot facility with 350 beds. The Dream Center is scheduled to open this fall, and its first priority is the homeless in metro Kansas City. 

“We will also help people rescued from human trafficking by state and federal agencies, and provide a place for students willing to do humanitarian work for college credit,” Wiley says. “But we have to first help those right in front of us, and the people in front of us are homeless.”