Father, I’m prone to doubting your grace; the shame and self-hatred I feel after viewing porn is devastating. But the gospel devastates what devastates me. Help me to believe I am forgiven. God, you set me free. Help me to believe it. Help my unbelief. Give me resurrection power to stand firm, just like Jesus is living in heaven for me right now. Help me, Jesus. God, you say your will is my sanctification, my growing in Christlikeness. I believe it. Help me to be like Jesus right now and when temptation arrives. Help me to abstain; I want to. But I need you. Help me, Lord.

What about prophetic soap and anointing oil?

Below is a copy of an email I received this last week. The question was, is there a biblical basis for such things as prophetic soap and anointing oil?
________________________________________
I am seeking guidance on a situation involving the use of prophetic soap and anointing oil, as instructed by a prophet. The prophet created a soap, referred to as prophetic soap, and mailed it to my family with instructions to use it every three days while making prophetic declarations while bathing with it… A church in the USA instructed the congregation to carry a bottle of anointing oil for a monthly anointing church service. We were directed to pray over ourselves and even drink a shot of the oil. Sometimes, we are told to anoint our points of contact with objects like business cards, resumes, and other items.

These practices concern me, as I am uncertain about the biblical basis for using physical objects like soap and anointing oil as means of receiving blessings or healing. Are there any biblical examples of objects being used in this manner, and how can one discern whether such practices are biblically sound or potentially misleading?
Helen

Answer from Mark Virkler
Helen, here are several Scriptures that shed light on the questions you raised...
1. It is biblical for the power of God to be infused into an object - God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out (Acts 19:11-12).
Many healing evangelists have sent out pieces of cloth for people to place on themselves for healing. Oral Roberts would have people lay their hands on the radio as he was praying for healing. This was a point of contact to release their faith for healing, I would see both of these actions as congruent with biblical protocols.
2. I have never heard of prophetic soap - It could be a point of contact to release faith, but I don’t believe we see this in Scripture anywhere and I am not inclined to participate in using it.
3. Anointing with oil is found in Scripture - They were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them (Mk. 6:13).

In the verses in James (below), you see that if you are sick, you call for the elders of the church, and several things are to transpire: They pray and anoint with oil in the name of the Lord, and if sins have been committed, you confess sins to one another.

Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (Jas. 5:14-16).

4. Drinking healing oil - I am not aware of that being done in Scripture. You would want to know what was in the oil to ensure nothing is damaging to one's health. I have never done this, and am not inclined to do it.
5. Prophetic actions, like anointing points of contact with objects like business cards, resumes, and other items - One prophet told a king in Israel to strike the ground with a staff as a prophetic gesture of striking and defeating the enemy. The king only struck the ground three times, and the prophet was upset and told him he should have struck the ground 4-5 times, and because he didn’t he would not fully defeat the enemy (2 Kgs. 18;18,19). So yes, prophetic actions, when performed in faith, can be instrumental in releasing God's power.
6. Cautions, honor the leading of the Spirit - But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth (1 Jn. 2:20).
7. Cautions, never come under a person's domination or control - Nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock (1 Pet. 5:3).

Final thoughts: People are free to do different things than what I do, as long as those things are not forbidden in Scripture. I do not think any of the actions you listed are forbidden in Scripture. If I was in a great church that was ministering life to me, and the above actions were my only points of concern, I could easily set them aside as something they liked and I didn’t and that was fine. I would just enjoy the other aspects of the ministry I was receiving from them. We don’t need to agree on everything.
________________________________________
Register today for online access!
https://go.cluschoolofthespirit.com/cbg-event
April 15-24, 2024
Counseled by God 35th Anniversary Edition Free Video Event
________________________________________

February 26

Sweet Sleep
Bible in a Year :
Numbers 15–16
Mark 6:1–29
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.

Today's Scripture & Insight :

Psalm 3
Bad memories and accusing messages flooded Sal’s mind. Sleep eluded him as fear filled his heart and sweat covered his skin. It was the night before his baptism, and he couldn’t stop the onslaught of dark thoughts. Sal had received salvation in Jesus and knew that his sins had been forgiven, but the spiritual battle continued. It’s then that his wife took his hand and prayed for him. Moments later, peace replaced the fear in Sal’s heart. He got up and wrote the words he would share prior to being baptized—something he hadn’t been able to do. After that, he experienced sweet sleep.

King David also knew what a restless night felt like. Fleeing from his son Absalom who wanted to steal his throne (2 Samuel 15–17), he knew that “tens of thousands [assailed him] on every side” (Psalm 3:6). David moaned, “How many are my foes!” (v. 1). Though fear and doubt could have won out, he called out to God, his “shield” (v. 3). Later, he found that he could “lie down and sleep . . . because the Lord sustains [him]” (v. 5).

When fears and struggles grip our mind and rest is replaced by restlessness, hope is found as we pray to God. While we might not experience immediate sweet sleep as Sal and David did, “in peace [we can] lie down and . . . dwell in safety” (4:8). For God is with us and He’ll be our rest.

By: Tom Felten

Reflect & Pray
What things are weighing on your heart and mind? What will it mean for you to truly surrender them to God through prayer?

Dear God, thank You for providing hope and peace as I lift my prayers to You. Amen.

Set Free

February 25, 2024
by Pastor Chuck Swindoll
Scriptures: Job 42:1–11
After the LORD had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has. So take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.” (Job 42:7–8)
Did you miss something? If you take the time to read the biblical account, you'll see that God gives Job the same title four times: "My servant" (Job 42:7–8). What an honorable title. He had it before the suffering began (Job 1:8), and he has it still. Job's heroic endurance resulted in his keeping the same title in God's estimation. Talk about justice rolling down. Job must have been deeply gratified to hear these words spoken in the ears of those who had spent so many days putting him down: "My servant Job has spoken what is right."

Here are these men who earlier stood over Job as judges, now getting the required animals and bowing before the Lord with their offerings, waiting for Job to pray for them. Isn't this a great scene? We've been waiting so long to see it! And how healthy it was for those three to make it right, not only before God, but with Job! It is good for us to confess our wrongdoing to those we have offended. It is right for us to say by our actions that we have done what is wrong as we seek forgiveness.

Job obeys the Lord once these men have done their part. Eliphaz and Bildad and Zophar "went and did as the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job" (Job 42:9). They did it rather quickly. There was no arguing, no wrestling, no reluctance. Furthermore, they did exactly as the Lord required. And so did Job. Graciously, he prayed for each one. There's no bitterness on his part. He doesn't say, "Okay, kneel down. You guys have put me through hell. I'm gonna see what you look like when you're humbled. Kneel down there—get on your faces!" There's none of that. Remember? A contrite heart makes no demands of others.

Yes, it's a grand scene! You know why it's happening? Sins are being forgiven. Guilt is being removed. That's what happens when justice and mercy are blended.

How beautifully this portrays what happened at the cross. That's why the death of Christ is called "efficacious." It is effective, because God's justice against sin was once and for all satisfied in the death of the Lamb. And as a result, God's mercy is released in the forgiveness of those who trust in the Lamb. And we are then set free. Free at last!

February 22

Walking in Jesus’ Shoes
Bible in a Year :
Numbers 4–6
Mark 4:1–20
Clothe yourselves with compassion.

Today's Scripture & Insight :

Colossians 3:8–17
What would it be like to walk in the shoes of royalty? Angela Kelly, the daughter of a dockworker and nurse, knows. She was also the official dresser for the late Queen Elizabeth for the last two decades of the monarch’s life. One of her responsibilities was to break-in the aging Queen’s new shoes by walking in them around the palace grounds. There was a reason for it: compassion for an elderly woman who sometimes was required to stand for extended periods at ceremonies. Because they wore the same shoe size, Kelly was able to save her some discomfort.

Kelly’s personal touch in her care for Queen Elizabeth makes me think of Paul’s warm encouragement to the church in Colossae (an area in modern Turkey): “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12). When our lives are “built on” Jesus (2:7 nlt), we become “God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved” (3:12). He helps us take off our “old self” and “put on the new self” (vv. 9–10)—living out the identity of those who love and forgive others because God has loved and forgiven us (vv. 13–14).

All around us are those who need us to “walk in their shoes” and have compassion for them in the day-to-day challenges of life. When we do, we walk in the shoes (or the sandals) of a humble king—Jesus—who always has compassion for us.

By: James Banks

Reflect & Pray
How has God had compassion for you? Who can you show His love to today?

Thank You, Jesus, for Your forgiveness and love. Help me to receive it, and also to give it away. Amen.