Make Room: Anointing Sunday | Ps Miles Paludan

I believe we should actually keep going.

Now, let me explain this. I believe that

we should be people, men and women of

God, who daily pray, Bible read, and and

live a life of fasting. Now, the fasting

may change, right? It might not be food.

It might be something different. But I

believe fasting is a lifestyle. It's

denying the flesh so you can strengthen

your spirit. Fasting might look like

alcohol for a while, might look like

screens for a season or whatever it is.

I believe we need a lifestyle because we

need to strengthen ourselves for the

work that is ahead. We need to be strong

in the Lord and prayer and fasting and

Bible reading is what strengthens our

spirit. So, I'll encourage you, keep

going. Don't don't stop now that you've

broke that habit or built that habit. I

also want to us as a church to really

believe and pray over our young adults.

The reason is Gen Z's that's 17 to 29.

There's a move of God happening in Gen

Z's. In fact, they are the most attended

uh group of average attendants where

they're coming almost twice a month

which in in terms of other um

demographics is a lot. I don't know what

happened to the boomers, mate. Maybe

we're sleeping in or something. We're

just I don't know. We're just uh falling

asleep at the wheel. The boomers, they

just they're down to 1.4 times a month.

That's not you guys. The boomers in this

place. We're committed. Got John and

Marlene here every they might be the

elders actually. They're here every

service. But uh this is this is just

general church attendance. But I just

want us to understand as a church there

is something happening in Gen Z's. There

is a hunger for the word of God. There

is a hunger for truth. And as a church,

there's a hunger for something that's

real. As AI is trying to usurp and step

in and just cloud and confuse, we need

the truth of Jesus Christ. And so our

heart as a church, we respond to this

Gen Z and we we we make room for the Gen

Z. So tonight after our 5:00 PM, all the

young adults are hanging out. If you're

a young adult, come back tonight. Um if

you know a young adult, get them. we

just really want to impart into our

young adults. A big focus for us as a

church and I want you to pray and

believe and just support us as we as we

focus on what God is doing in this great

awakening for these young adults. If you

have your Bibles, let's go to Luke 4. We

are a Bible preaching, Bible believing

church. If we stop preaching the Bible,

if you don't see scriptures on the

screen, time to get out, time to leave.

just you run find somewhere to preach us

the Bible because we are centered on the

word of God. The anointing, what what is

the anointing? Well, kind of for me, it

reminds me that I can't do anything

without God. That's the Miles version.

I'm a simple guy. I'm out of the

building industry, just pretty basic.

Um, and I realize I can't do anything

without God. It it represents a

supernatural power of God that is at

work in our lives. And there is kind of

this explanation of anointing. The word

means to smear or rub. That's what it

means to smear or rub. But the

actual theological meaning is pretty

significant all through scripture. It

means to set apart for divine use to be

empowered by God to divine to to fulfill

the divine task. And I encourage you

today to be open. Open to what God might

be setting you apart to do for him. Open

to allow the spirit of the Lord to lead

you. Open to receive prayer today. We

want to pray for every person in this

place. We want to anoint you with oil

according to scripture so that you can

understand. Did you know that you feel

this? You are set apart for divine use.

Every one of you, you are set apart.

This is about you recognizing you are

set apart for divine use. And so we see

in scripture that that the anointing

means anything is possible. The

anointing means mountains can move,

giants can be defeated. We can overcome

whatever comes our way because the power

of God is supreme and is bigger and

greater than any obstacles or

circumstances or oppositions that you

face. Luke 4, Jesus starts his

three-year ministry. He's 30. He got

baptized, spent 40 days in the

wilderness fasting. Three times the

enemy came. He defended with the word of

the Lord. He returns to his hometown of

Galilee, to his local church. And here

we read the words of Jesus as he starts

his ministry. Verse 14, Jesus returned

to Galilee in the power of the spirit.

News about him had spread throughout the

whole countryside. He was teaching in

the synagogues and everyone praised him.

He went to Nazareth where he was being

brought up. And on the Sabbath, that's a

Sunday. He went to the synagogue, that's

the church, as was his custom for years.

Jesus showed up at church. He showed up

at the synagogue every Sabbath to with

his family to hear the word of the Lord

to give praise to his God. As imperfect

as the church was and is, Jesus made it

a priority to show up in the church. I

love that. I often wonder what he was

doing. Was he like on the uh you know in

the youth group? Was he a youth group

leader? Um was he in the car park? You

know did he have multiple services? Uh

did did he do multiple serving? you

know, had he had he done the safe church

check, you know, had he gone through all

the training? And I I just think, what

what was he doing there, you know, and

then I think, what was it like preaching

in front of Jesus? And I I get really

nervous. I still get nervous. I'm I'm

nervous right now. I every I don't

[laughter] know why God is preaching. I

hate it. And uh I I I I do I just hate

preaching, man. It's just I'm so nervous

every time. And people are like, "Yeah,

Miles, you look like so serious." I'm

freaking out. THAT'S WHY YOU LOOK LIKE,

you know, you you're like in pain. I am.

This is horrible. I actually threw up a

couple times. Um, now I just throw up

and swallow it. So, I just keep moving

on. But I'm not doing the anointing

prayer. So, you're all good. We got

other people with mints to do that. And

so, it's it's hard, but I wonder what

would it be like preaching in front of

Jesus. And then I'm thinking, I actually

am because Jesus is here every Sunday.

So, he's factchecking me. He's checking

my heart. you know, he's like, "It's

it's a tough gig being up here. Just

feel sorry for me." And and he stood up

and and then he reads the word of God.

He reads the words from the prophet

Isaiah. And unrolling it, he found the

place where it was written, verse 18,

"The spirit of the Lord is on me because

he is what? He has anointed

me." Jesus was set apart for a divine

purpose. Just like you are set apart for

a divine purpose. Why was he set apart?

What was his divine purpose? We're about

to find out. He announced why he came.

So it's clear. So we know he came to

proclaim the good news to who? The the

poor. This isn't talking about financial

poor. This is talking that we're all

impoverished by sin. We're born bankrupt

spiritually, imprisoned by sin, a debt

we can't pay. But there's good news. He

came to minister to all of us. Every

single one of us are poor. So he didn't

just come to those, you know, who were

uh hurting or broken. He came to

everyone in all of mankind. And he came

to proclaim freedom. Freedom for the

prisoners. Christ came to bring the good

news, to pay our debt, to set us free,

to rescue us from hell because that is

the cost of sin. We're all sinners.

We've all fallen short of the glory of

God. And without Christ, we go to hell.

It's clear. It's it's very apparent.

Then Jesus came to bring freedom, to

recover sight to the blind. We were

blind, but now we can see. To heal us of

spiritual blindness, moral blindness.

We're no longer blinded by religion.

We're no longer blinded by our past.

We're no longer blinded by our mistakes.

We're no blond no longer blinded by

hurts or disappointments. We're no

longer blinded by what the flesh might

do or say to us or what the enemy may

accuse us of, the labels, being a

victim, or the past, the baggage. We we

we are we have the sight to see clearly

to set the oppressed free. Freedom from

mental illness. Freedom from physical

spiritual we could set free in Jesus'

name. Jesus came to rescue us. This is

good news today. He came to save us. He

came to heal us. He came to give us a

future, a hope, a life that we can find

in Jesus Christ. Not just for this life,

for eternity. There is no bigger

statement than that. There is nothing

greater that anyone could ever say on

planet earth that we can be saved and

rescued. And he came to proclaim the

year of the Lord's favor. This refers to

the Old Testament year of Jubilee. So in

Israel, there was every 50 years was the

year of Jubilee. All debts were

cancelled. So if you owed money on your

house, a mortgage, you you that mortgage

was gone. Clear slate. every 50 years it

was a it was a doover. Start again. If

you're a slave, you were set free. Um

you you were a fresh start. And this is

referring that with Jesus, we have a

fresh start. Not every 50 years, but we

have a fresh start for eternity. That

because of Christ, we can start again.

We we can be born again. the Bible. It's

a brand new fresh start and we don't

have to live under the laws of slavery

anymore of of of being slave to sin. We

are actually free. What good news. He

rolled the scroll. He gave it back to

the attendant. Wonder who the attendant

was. Jackie was there somewhere. Gave it

back to Jackie. Here go Jackie. Here it

is. Where are you, Jackie? Jackie does

the pullpit and all the words and Jackie

the legend. We love Jackie. So he gave

it back to the attendant and sat down.

You think it's over, right? Because when

you sit out, that's you're normally

you're done. Well, no, apparently not.

Everyone's looking on him. They're

watching him. Oh my gosh. And then he

said, "Today, the scripture is fulfilled

in your hearing." What a statement. It

changed everything. This is the

beginning of the gospel. This is his

first message that he preached. And this

is what we center our lives upon. And

that's why we're here today. And we're

proclaiming this good news. We're not

good. God's good. Our church isn't good.

God's good. And so we constantly say

it's Jesus. Jesus. Jesus brings the

hope, brings the vision, brings the

destiny, brings the future. And maybe

today you need to be saved.

Maybe today you need to accept this

promise that Jesus brought that he came

to die for you. That your sins can be

forgiven. That you may be far from God

right here, right now. You can be in

church

but not saved.

You can do the thing, but in here, man,

it's he's not there.

You You can have the act outward, but

inward there's no connection that you've

lost it. That first love, that passion.

Maybe it's fear. Maybe it's it's just

the world. Maybe it's the enemy. But

today's your day to come home. Today's

your day to say, "Jesus, be my Lord and

my Savior. Today's your day to say,

"Man, I I hear the words that was spoken

by Jesus 2,000 years ago from the

prophet Isaiah that he came to proclaim

freedom for the lost, the hurting, the

broken, freedom to those poor, freedom

to those bound. And today's your day to

be free with eyes closed. Let's do it

right here, right now. Heads bowed. This

your moment. Don't miss it. Jesus came

to proclaim freedom, wholeness. Would

you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and

Savior? Would you be saved today? Would

you say yes to him? Would you accept

these words and see your eternity

transformed? Your future changed forever

in a twinkling of an eye. The Bible says

you will be saved not because of your

works, but because of Jesus's works on

the cross. Eyes closed and heads bowed.

Just me and some of the team looking

around. Raise your hand up on the count

of three. One, two, three. Raise it up

right now. Wherever you are, say yes to

Jesus Christ. Just let me see your

decision. Just raise it up. Yeah. Well

done. Canot. Congratulations. Up the

bag. Up the back there. Any ass. Just

raise your hand. Say, "Jesus, my Lord,

my Savior." Yeah, I see your hand in the

middle there. Congratulations. You know

it. Yeah. God is here. Just raise your

hand. Let me recognize that decision.

Yeah. Thank you. I see your hand. Well

done. That's awesome. Others boldly

raise your hand that the go God's doing

a work right here, right now. His word

is truth. It is yes and amen. That the

spirit of the Lord is moving and it's

your moment to say yes to him. God, I

need to make room. I need you to put the

center of my life. Maybe you need to

come back to rededicate, recommmit to

say, "Jesus, I'm sorry. I'm here. Be my

Lord." Just raise your hand with these

others. Just raise it up high right at

the back. Well done. Well done. Well

done. The spirit of the Lord is on the

word of God to proclaim freedom to those

who are lost and poor, to set them free.

It's powerful. Anyone else? Just raise

your hand if that's you today. those

that raised their hands, the prayer team

and and the leaders would have seen your

hand. They've got a gift for you.

They'll chase you down at the end of the

service and give you a gift. We want to

serve you as a church. We want to

disciple you. We want to love on you. We

want to help you in this life that you

found through Christ of freedom in

Jesus' name. There is no other name that

can save. Thank you, Lord.

Let's all pray a prayer of salvation.

Jesus,

I'm a sinner. I need a savior. Thank you

for saving me. I surrender my life. Be

my Lord in Jesus' name. Everyone said,

"Amen." Come on, let's celebrate those

hands. Like, praise the Lord. So, the

local boy Jesus in his hometown, just a

couple of hundred people in his local

church declares that he is anointed.

Remember, it's to be set apart for

divine use, empowered by God to fulfill

his divine task. Like baptism,

like communion, the anointing oil has a

physical element that represents a

spiritual supernatural impartation. So

there's actually no power in the oil,

but it's a representation of the Holy

Spirit that is empowering people. And

the oil on our head when we pray for

you, it's an outward expression of a

real spiritual work going on the inside.

So there is something divine and

powerful that happens when we pray for

you and we anoint you with oil. There is

an impartation. There is a moving of the

spirit of God into your life. In Acts

Acts 10:38

10:38, Luke said how God anointed Jesus

of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and

power and how he went around doing good

and healing all who are under the power

of the devil because God was with him.

And we often think the name Christ is

the last name of Jesus. And we know that

it's Jesus Christ, right? We grow up,

it's Jesus Christ. We often say, you

know, pray pray to Christ or talk to

Christ or or Christ. We say the name

Christ, but it's not his last name. It

actually refers to who he is. It means

Christos in the Greek. It means anointed

one. So every time we say Jesus Christ,

we're saying the anointed one. Hey

Jesus, you know, I just thank you God.

Thank you Jesus Christ. You're saying

Jesus the anointed one. You're saying

he's come to proclaim victory. He's come

to set people free. You're declaring his

role as anointed one to save humanity.

That's what we're declaring when we say

Christ the anointed one. What was he

anointed for? He didn't just anoint us

for a better golf score or to find a car

park at towers. That would be a miracle.

We would we would we would love if that

was the case. He didn't just anoint you

to be rich and famous and take all of

your problems away. He anointed you to

fulfill a divine purpose. The anointing

is not just about you to feel these

tingly wingly feelings to make you feel

self feel good. It's actually anointed

you to do good works for him. So we are

all anointed like Christ with a divine

purpose. What is that purpose? I don't

know. I don't know. But God knows. And

he wants to reveal that that you can

find that purpose to raise your children

in the ways of the Lord, to share your

faith in your workplace, to use the

gifts and talents on your life, to lift

up the name of Jesus, to be influential

wherever you are, to mentor, to pour in

in your workplace or your in politics or

sports or wherever you find yourself,

whatever you you are anointed for the

kingdom of God to extend his kingdom. We

are also anointed to build his church as

a body of believers. We're building this

church together.

And I love the story in one chronicles

where David, the dad, had blood on his

hand, so he could not build the temple,

but his son Solomon was anointed not

just to lead Israel as king, but to

build the temple.

1 Chronicles 29:1 the work ahead was

1 Chronicles 29:1

enormous

for the temple he will build this is

Solomon is not for mere mortals it was

for the Lord himself so in the old

testament the presence of the lord would

be housed in the temple was a holy place

now with Jesus the presence of the lord

is available to all of us and where two

or more are gathered holy spirit is

present and then David goes on this is a

beautiful prayer of praise I just love

this reveals the heart to David and it

should reveal our heart where God is

personal yet powerful where God is

intimate yet he's big and we see in

verse 10 then David praised the Lord in

the presence of the whole assembly he's

praising everyone he's leading by

example he says oh Lord the God of our

ancestor Israel may you be praised

forever and ever yours oh Lord the

greatness the power the glory the

victory the majesty everything in heaven

and on earth is yours oh Lord and this

is your kingdom. We adore you. Now, it's

personal. We We praise you. We adore

you. It's personal. As the one who is

over all things. And here's the bigness.

Wealth and honor come from you alone.

For you rule over everything. Power and

might are in your hand. At your

discretion, people are made great and

given strength. And if I can be bold

today, I want to declare something new

that we're anointed for in hills

elevation.

I believe by the spirit of the Lord,

remember the the meaning is to be set

apart for divine purpose, empowered by

God to fulfill a divine task. I believe

we as a church are anointed to plant

other churches in Sydney. I believe

that. I believe God is time and he's

moving and ministering on us that we've

got to feel the calling like young

Solomon did that we're anointed for a

purpose. God has blessed us. What we

have is is special. He's been kind to us

is this beautiful community. It's just

God honoring people. It's it's something

that we can't keep to ourselves. We must

go into all the world. See, Jesus, the

anointed one, proclaimed the good news.

And then his last words, they're his

first words. The last words when he left

was go into all the world and do the

same. We must multiply healthy local

churches. That's why Jesus came. That's

what we're commanded to do. We have a

vision to plant churches. We actually

have pastors to plant the churches. We

actually have the the harvest of Sydney

is in desperate need. We just need the

finances. And part of the building of

the temple was finances and resources to

coming in to be able to build the

temple. The Bible says even though the

work was enormous,

David

still believed that his son was

anointed. And with the anointing comes a

supernatural impartation, the

supernatural. And just as David rallied

the people around his son who was

anointed to build the temple, I want to

rally all of you around the vision of

the Lord to plant churches outside of

this building into Sydney to see the

gospel preached. Now, as I was preparing

this message, it's been on me all year,

right? As we made room and just really

believing this is the next step for

heels. Then we went, if I can be totally

transparent, honest, we went into

January. It was our worst month giving

that I think we've had in a long mean

years and years. It was a shocker. Like

like 28% down. We've never had those

numbers before. Normally it's five or 6%

or something up and down, but just I

don't know whether you're all away. I

don't know whether you skip church. I

don't know whether you forgot to give.

bit of a reminder, but it was like, God,

how can we talk about planning when we

can't even survive where we've got yet

the anointing goes beyond the

circumstances. The anointing brings the

supernatural power of God. And what I

want to do is pray the anointing over

our church to have the resources so that

we can go into all the world. that I

want to pray for supernatural blessing

over you, over your businesses, over

your workplace, supernatural moves of

God with resources and finances come in.

Supernatural blessings that we can see

God move mightily in and through us so

that we can fund the vision that he has

for us that we're anointed for. So,

Father, I just anoint everyone in this

place. I anoint every business owner. I

anoint every wage earner. I anoint those

looking for work. I anoint those that

are doing it tough. I get it. It's hard.

It's brutal. But the anointing is bigger

than the circumstances. The anointing is

greater than the lack. The anointing

doesn't shroud down or shrink back from

the circumstances. The anointing is the

release of the supernatural power of God

to do what we can't think is possible

because you get the glory. Because it's

by your spirit. It's by your power. He

set us apart for finances, for

resources. And we pray God that we would

be great stewards, that we would have

great governance, that we would be found

worthy,

that we would be used by you to flow the

resources through us for your glory, for

your kingdom. Uh you can go to our

website when you give. Many of you know

this, but there's a tithe and offerings.

That's what covers the running costs of

the church. That's where we were low

last month. Legacy is where our church

planting fund sits. So, I pray you seek

the Lord. Be obedient. This isn't a hard

sell. This is understanding we're

anointed for something. We're anointed

to build the church. Let God lead you.

Let God direct you as you give. Next, we

want to pray and anoint our ministry

leaders. Then, we're actually going to

pray and anoint every one of you. You

ready? Come on. God's going to move. So

if ministry leaders, if you can come up,

I want us as a church to pray over uh

these leaders of the church so they can

be anointed to shepherd,

to lead, to serve. The ministry leaders

are here to serve you. You're not here

to serve us. We're here to serve you.

But we need God's help. We need God's

power, God's wisdom. Would you join me?

Just as I asked you would join in the

giving, would you join in the praying

for our ministry lives? Would you stand?

Would you sort of put your hand forward?

And as I go through and pray, we pray

for our life group ministry. We anoint

life groups that there would actually be

a move of God in homes that there would

be the word of God that is preached and

shared that relationships will grow

deep. Father, we pray for pastoral care

at a whole another level to be taken

place. Lord, where we confess our sins

for forgiveness to you, but we share

with each other for healing. That's what

your word says. I pray for healing and

wholeness. I pray for a move of God in

marriages and children and physical

bodies in our life groups. We pray for a

move of God that would happen during the

week in our life groups. Father, we pray

for Sanjieve and Joss as they lead this

church. We're thankful that they they

volunteer their time yet they know, God,

they've been called, they've been

anointed, they've been set apart. And we

pray over the missions that the missions

would go into Western Sydney. That our

reach would go into the streets of

Sydney. Our reach would go into those

homes where there's domestic violence.

Our reach would go into where places of

poverty. Our reach would go into the in

the vulnerable and the lost and the

elderly that have been forgotten about.

That our reach will go to every corner

of Sydney to reach and touch people who

need your love and your grace. Father,

[music] we pray for our worship team. We

believe for the anointing of God. I'm

praying for people to walk in here and

be set free even before the word is

preached. They can sense the presence of

God. They're drawn back. It's like a

well. They come back here to drink.

They're drinking of your presence.

They're finding their their identity and

purpose in your presence. We pray for

the supernatural power of of of the

anointing of God over our creatives that

they would just be anointed at a whole

another level. We pray for pastoral

care. We pray for our connections

welcoming new people. We pray from the

car park to the seats, people [music]

would feel your love. They would feel

welcome. They would feel they matter.

They would not feel judged. They would

not feel rejected. They could feel it's

a [music] safe place. They can come and

be vulnerable and open up and you can

move by your spirit. Lord, anoint our

pastoral care team. Anoint our care and

connections team. Anoint every person in

every role. Father, we pray for a youth.

We're praying for revival. We're

believing for revival. Our teenagers

need Jesus. They don't need more screen

time. They need more Jesus time. that

they don't need to learn who they are by

scrolling. They need to learn who they

are through the word of God. And we pray

for confidence and boldness on our next

generation. An anointing, Father, over

our youth ministry. Well, we pray for

young adults. There would be a move of

God that this young adult age group

would lead our church. They're the

leaders of today, not tomorrow. That

we'd make room for them to lead. We

would let them step up. We would let

them have a voice. We would back them,

believe in them. We would edify. We

would cheer them on. We pray for the

young adults in our church, the

anointing of God over them in Jesus'

[music] name. Everyone said, can we

celebrate how great our God is? Thank

you team. We're going to now invite the

prayer team to come up the Oh, Miss

kids, what we just sneaking along. She

gets double anointing, the double

portion. I don't even know if that's

spirit scriptural. Can you do that?

Double anointing. Double portion. Ben.

Ben's kind of the gatekeeper of the

scriptures and [music] what I say. So,

we got to submit it to the bishop.

Father, we pray over our kids' ministry.

We pray. Come on, church.

An anointing. [music]

An anointing over those children.

They would dream dreams. They'd be

strengthened in the ways of the Lord.

What they learned in kids church would

hold them through the test of time. It

would cause them to rise up into our

community as leaders and influence.

Young men and women would pray over each

other, minister, speak, prophesy and

declare. The power of God would move

mighty. We anoint our kids' ministry

that we would hear stories of healings

and miracles. who would hear stories of

words that are spoken that we in this

church

would receive and be blessed because of

the ministry of those children who'd be

[music] recipients.

Pour your anointing out over that kids

church in Jesus name. [music] Everyone

said amen. Amen. Thanks guys. We're

going to invite the prayer team up and

we're going to sing and we're going to

worship. I just want to remind you why

you're coming up. You are coming up for

prayer to be set apart for a divine use.

That God has been waiting for this

moment. God has been preparing for this

moment. Our team has been preparing to

pray for you. And maybe you've lost your

purpose.

Maybe you've lost your way. Miles, I'm

just hanging on for my fingernails.

Forget giving to the church and helping

out those ministry lead. I I can't even

survive. [music]

The anointing breaks the yoke.

The anointing breaks the What's the

yoke? The yoke was this [music] wooden

instrument used to tie two oxen

together. And you couldn't be free with

the yoke. You were locked in. The

anointing breaks the yoke. It breaks

poverty. [music] It breaks spiritual

oppression. It breaks generational

curses. Come on, church. It breaks

alcoholism. [music] It breaks

pornography. It breaks those things that

are holding us back. It breaks fear. It

it it breaks those spiritual [music]

arguments of the enemy, the accusation.

God wants to set you apart for divine

purpose. God wants to empower you to do

extraordinary things. You just have to

be open to receive it. Would you be open

today? Would you? God won't force it on

you. You've got to invite him. But we're

going to allow people from the front to

the back to fill the aisles and come

down for prayer. will direct you.

[music] And there's the first row and

the second row and the third row. You

can also go get your children and come

back in. We'll take as long as we need.

It's not the prayer. It's not the

[music] oil. It's the spirit of the Lord

that will fill you and bring

breakthrough for you. God, we [music]

just pray in the name of the Father,

Son, and the Holy Spirit. The anointing

would flow today. It's your spirit. It's

your power. It's your presence. Move. We

pray as as as [music] we anoint people

with oil according to your scripture.

Do what only you can in Jesus name.

>> [music]