Kenneth Copeland - Merry Christmas, The Anointing Is Here!
KENNETH:Merry Christmas, everybody. We're Kenneth and Gloria Copeland and this is Christmas Day. Glory to God. Gloria, you look gorgeous today.
GLORIA: Oh, thank you, Kenneth.
KENNETH:But you always do.
GLORIA: Thank you, Kenneth. I'm celebrating.
KENNETH:Yes. What?
GLORIA: Where's my present?
KENNETH:Okay. We're celebrating Christmas, that's what we're celebrating.
GLORIA: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
KENNETH:We're just Christmas kind of people.
GLORIA: That's right.
KENNETH:That's all there is to it.
Father, we thank You today. We are so grateful to you that Jesus came, He gave Himself, He's still giving Himself for us, Father. And we are so grateful. Lord, Jesus we just worship You. We praise and worship and we bow down before You and we confess You as Lord. Oh, to You be the glory. To You be the glory, Sir. And we thank You for this broadcast today. Manifest Yourself, please. We are hungry for Your presence. Oh, we're like the apostle Paul. To know You and to know the power of Your resurrection, oh, my, we rejoice and we thank You and we praise You today. Thank You again and again and again. Amen.
GLORIA: Amen.
KENNETH:And, again, Merry Christmas to you, everybody. Let's open our Bibles to this very, very familiar Christmas story in the 2nd chapter of the book of Luke, and we will look at some things. Of course, it's extremely familiar, but you know, I've noticed this over the years, we miss more, I'm just using it just in my own experience. I've missed more out of familiar scriptures because I don't go back and read them again and again and again. Oh, you read through them, but, oh, you know, "I know this. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and" da-da-da, and miss something that is dynamic and powerful. Well, today we're going to look at some things that I believe...
GLORIA: Good. That'll be great.
KENNETH:...will bless you like that. In Luke 2, "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. She brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them at the inn". They're not poor folks. He wasn't born in a stable because they didn't have any money. He didn't come into this world poor. He wasn't born in a poor family. He wasn't poor throughout His entire ministry. Amen. I'd like to really get in there and romp around for a while.
GLORIA: I can tell that.
KENNETH:But this whole, you see, there was no room for them at the inn. That's the reason He was born where He was. Now, the actual reason why He was born right there is because God designed it that way. Amen. Hallelujah. Thank You, Lord. You know, it's good to remember this, too, Gloria. The prophet Micah prophesied that this baby would be born in Bethlehem. 715 years later, right on time, Jesus was born right in that spot. Now, Caesar thought He had a good idea. No, He had a God idea. That Word from God, a power, faith-of-God-filled Word spoken by the prophet Micah controlled nations and armies and moved whole peoples around and shifted things just exactly where they would need to be in order for this event to take place.
GLORIA: That's right.
KENNETH:God is that exact, and He's just that exact with you. If you'll yield to Him, He can take you from wherever you are now right out in the middle of who knows where and put you right exactly in His planned will and prosper you beyond your wildest dream. But you have to cooperate with Him. Amen. Well, glory to God. Hallelujah. Okay, where was I? "No room for them at the inn. There were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them". Now, the angel of the Lord, who is that? That is... just who it says it is, the angel of the Lord. Amen. Well, I know I won't get into that till maybe later. Okay, here we go. "The glory of the Lord shone round about them: they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord". Now, wait a minute. The word "Christ", as we've studied on this broadcast many times before, that word "Christ" is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word "Messiah". The Hebrew word "Messiah" is anointed, anointing, anointed. The Greek word "Christ" means exactly the same Word. Those of you particularly that are familiar, many of you Catholics and others that are familiar with the christening, and I chose to use Catholic terminology because it is so well-known and it's proper. It's a christening. What does that mean? An anointing. Isn't that good?
GLORIA: Yeah, it is.
KENNETH:And you christen. "To christen" means to pour. It means to smear or it means to rub, to anoint. Now, ha-ha, oh, help me, Lord. Well, I'm going to do it. We've just got to take time to do it. Put your marker right there and let's go back over to the book of Isaiah. And we'll see what the Holy Spirit had to say in the 10th and 11th chapters of the book of Isaiah. Now, you know, God calls things that be not as though they were.
GLORIA: Yeah.
KENNETH:Okay now, when Isaiah said, "Surely he hath born our griefs, and our sicknesses, carried our sorrows and pains," that was Jesus on the cross, right? He's calling things that be not as though they were. Once he spoke them, they're coming to pass.
GLORIA: That's right. That's right.
KENNETH:Now, let's see what else he had to say here about Jesus in Verse 27 of Isaiah 10, "It shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off your shoulder, and his," the devil's, "yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing".
GLORIA: Destroyed.
KENNETH:All right. Chapter 11, "There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse," that's Jesus, "and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord", now, these are anointings. "The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him," the Spirit of the Lord came on Jesus in the Jordan. He was baptized with the Holy Spirit in the Jordan River. Amen. And then He entered into service and He began to preach everywhere He went, what? "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me," with what? The burden-removing, yoke-destroying power of God.
GLORIA: Praise God.
KENNETH:"Christ mass". The Catholic folks are already jumping up and down right now. Mass is to celebrate. Christ is the anointed one and His anointing. Christmas is a celebration that the anointing is here, the yolk-destroying power of God not only here, it's in you and it's in me if Jesus is your Lord and Savior. Woo! Glory to God. Hallelujah.
GLORIA: Hallelujah. That's where the gift-giving came from, the celebration.
KENNETH:Celebrating what? Let's get back over there quick before any of this leaks out of your mind. Hallelujah.
GLORIA: The verse.
KENNETH:Now listen to it. Listen to it, now. "A Savior, which is Christ," the anointed of, "the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; You shall find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying..."
GLORIA: What a day.
KENNETH:"...Glory to God in the highest". What are you so excited about? Why are you shouting, "Gory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will toward men". Hold it. Stop. Errk, back up. Not good will "among" men. 33 years from that day, this Jesus will go to hell and He will suffer like no man ever suffered before or ever will again. And He took authority away from the devil. And He said, "All authority has been given unto me both in heaven and in earth".
GLORIA: Heaven and earth.
KENNETH:"Therefore, you go".
GLORIA: That's right.
KENNETH:Oh, glory be to Jesus.
GLORIA: Praise God.
KENNETH:Good will toward men, why? The sacrifice is in there. The war is over between heaven and earth. And you want me to tell you why those angels were so excited? You really would like to know? They, for the most part, were not created by God to spend their time just in heaven and tracking back and forth like Jacob's ladder. No, when Adam fell, just handed his authority over this earth to the devil, then the angels of God had to depart and come on assignment. Verse 13, Hebrews 1, "But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation"? Hallelujah. Now, you're going to see it right here. Man, they're going to get to come back. They're going to get to get in here. We're going to get the garden of Eden back. Glory to God, Gloria. Hey, whoa, the angels are... hallelujah.
GLORIA: Praise God.
KENNETH:They're going to get to see Satan just get the slats kicked out of him and that authority taken away from him and watch him bow his knee to Jesus.
GLORIA: Yeah, that's right.
KENNETH:Glory to God.
GLORIA: Yes.
KENNETH:Hallelujah. Now, let's go back over there and look at it.
GLORIA: Where are you?
KENNETH:In Luke 2:14 or 13, "Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men".
GLORIA: The war's over.
KENNETH:"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven," they had to leave. But on the day of Pentecost, Gloria, oh, glory to God, they came back.
GLORIA: Praise God.
KENNETH:Hallelujah.
GLORIA: Praise God.
KENNETH:That right there is something very, very important. It's a powerful thing. Now, let's take a look at that authority. Let's go over to the book of Ephesians, please. And the 1st chapter, starting with the 16th verse, "I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers". Now, here's what the apostle Paul was praying for the church at Ephesus. He's prayed, so this is a Holy Ghost prayer. You can put your name in here. You can put your family's name in there. Pastor, you can put the church members' names in there. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know", know, something to know, something you know better than you know your own name. This is not just knowledge. This is supernatural knowledge that comes from wisdom and revelation. This is revelation knowledge. This is knowledge revealed to your spirit being by the Holy Spirit.
GLORIA: Praise God.
KENNETH:Listen carefully "that you may know what is the hope of his calling, that you may know what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, that you may know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above", not just barely above, far above, far above. This is what all of the excitement was about. This is what it was all about.
GLORIA: Praise God.
KENNETH:Heaven knows something big is coming.
GLORIA: Yeah.
KENNETH:"far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, far above every name that's named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come and has put all things under his feet, gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all".
GLORIA: Praise God.
KENNETH:Now, you never saw anybody that their feet was in their head. No, no. Your feet's in your body. Look at it again. "Far above all principality, power, might, dominion, every name that's named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all". And Verse 6 of Chapter 2, "And hath raised us..." who? The body. "...raised us up together, made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ".
GLORIA: Praise God.
KENNETH:Where is Christ? He's at the right hand of the Father. Where are we? We're in Him. Think about it like this: There's God, there's Jesus, and there's you. We're at Jesus' right hand the way Jesus is at God's right hand, sitting there on the throne of grace.
GLORIA: Praise God.
KENNETH:Hallelujah.
GLORIA: Hallelujah.
KENNETH:That's what He came to do and gave it all to us.
GLORIA: Praise God.
KENNETH:Isn't that just marvelous?
GLORIA: Gave us His name.
KENNETH:Isn't that wonderful?
GLORIA: Hallelujah.