TOUCH NOT
9/11/2011
Cherie Sheridan
19 When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.
20 And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;
21 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,
22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.
24 Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.
1CHR16:9-4
14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;
15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Ps 105:15
God repeated this statement twice in scripture “touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm”. When He says something twice He is bringing emphasis to what He is saying.
For years I have heard many people use this scripture to protect themselves in leadership. But actually this is saying more than that.
Here God is saying He separated Israel, His anointed (as a people) unto Himself. He then went further to separated the “prophets” of God; those that represent Him here on the earth, those that have been separated by God and set apart as Holy unto Him.
We read in the Old Testament that Moses was special to God; He is a type of Jesus that ever makes intercession for us before the Father. He spoke with Him face to face. Aaron was anointed by Moses to be the High Priest of God. Aaron was Holy and separated unto the Lord. He had to stay in the temple. He could not do anything He wanted. He could not be defiled by anything unclean. Yet, Aaron did not have the same relationship with God as Moses. As a matter of fact, God almost destroyed Aaron for allowing the golden calf to be built. Moses interceded on Aaron’s behalf to spare his life. (Exodus 32) Another time Aaron and Miriam questioned who Moses married and God struck Miriam with leprosy. Moses interceded once again for their lives. (Num 12)
God clearly made a distinction between someone who just speaks on God’s behalf and someone who is like a friend.
6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? Num 12-8
Here God is addressing presumption. Clearly God says how he will speak to a prophet in a vision or a dream; but there is another level in God and that is where we are His friend and He speaks to us face to face. God has this special relationship reserved for those that are faithful in His house and truly are seeking after Him. Their hearts have been purified by His fire and they are praying always for others, ever making intercession for them. They are praying “God” prayers, not soulish prayers. They have pressed into the heart of the Father and are viewing situations from His perspective and are praying accordingly. Just a side note here, this doesn’t mean those that are faithful to the church. This means God’s house. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
God didn’t tolerate presumption. This is a horrible sin before the Lord, He wouldn’t have it in the camp.
12 And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.Duet 17:12
He also doesn’t like us to say, “Thus says the Lord”, if it’s not coming from Him. God says to disregard what they say. That being said, some of the things that the previous prophets have spoken have not all come to pass yet. Enough of what they have said has, so we know the rest will; same thing with a prophet today. We must take all things before the Lord and ask Him if it was Him. Some things can take many years before they come to pass.
22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. Duet 18:2210
These are presumptuous people walking in their flesh and just talking junk about whoever they please. These are suppose to be God’s people, yet they are living out of their flesh and not the Spirit.
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. 2Pet 2:10:11
Then God separated the Levites unto Him as His inheritance and to serve Aaron in the temple. They were there to help Aaron or the current High Priest. Yet, the Levites led by Korah thought to question Moses and Aaron’s authority before God and God opened the ground up and swallowed them, their families, their belongings and their herds alive, and then closed the ground back up. Duet 16
We’ve got several very important elements going on here. Sin of presumption which in the Old Testament meant you were to be stoned. Praise God for His mercy and Grace!
We also have people assuming positions of authority that they were not given by God. That’s a big one in the church today! Too many individuals are behind the pulpit mis-directing God’s people that were not placed there by God.
Additionally, we are not to touch God’s anointed that are not given to us.
The word touch comes from the Hebrew word na^ga’ which means to lay hand upon (for any purpose); to reach, to aquire, to arrive; violently, to strike, come nigh, draw near, join.
Assumption
1. The act of taking to or upon oneself: assumption of an obligation.
2. The act of taking possession or asserting a claim: assumption of command.
3. The act of taking for granted: assumption of a false theory.
4. Something taken for granted or accepted as true without proof; a supposition: a valid assumption.
5. Presumption; arrogance.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. John 17:12
Jesus states that there were those that God gave Him while He was here to work with. Jesus didn’t work with everyone that came across His path. He only poured Himself into those that God instructed Him to. We are not to join ourselves with just anyone to serve our purposes or theirs.
This is the main reason for this message.
I was sitting at my table eating lunch and the Lord visited me in a vision. I saw a man of God with a prophet’s mantle on him and I saw a hand go forward to touch him and to lay claim to him. I immediately heard the scripture “touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm”. The interpretation of the vision the Lord gave me is that someone was laying claim to this person without the authority of God. They were making an assumption.
Unfortunately this kind of things happens all too often in the church. Leaders see a gift in a person and immediately start determining how they can best use that gift in their ministries. They make an assumption that that is why God placed them there. They should instead seek the Lord for that individuals purpose in their midst and inquire of the Lord if He wants them used at all. We as individuals also have to grow to a place of maturity in Christ that our identity comes from Him and not in what we do. Too often, in the body of Christ people get involved in things because they want to be seen as productive or simply because they need to be involved out of their soul. We all have to know who we are and what our calling is. It can be intimidating sometimes when someone in a leadership position questions why you will or will not be involved with something. We have to be steadfast in what we know God has personally told us to do. If you know that you are where God has placed you then you need to listen to what leadership is speaking to you. Take everything to God and ask how to apply it in your life. If God says it’s not for you, then discard it. We will be standing alone before God, we will be accountable only to Him; without excuse. We must be able to hear and discern His voice for ourselves; this will protect us.
God says all that are His are His anointed (spiritual Israel) and then there is the Prophets. This is not to glorify the Prophetic office, but this is to place back in the church the reverential fear of God that rests upon His prophets. Anyone who is a true prophet of God would rather have another call. It’s a hard life, it’s a separated life. Many times they are misunderstood and rejected. They must endure things and face trials that the other five-fold ministries are not called to. Just as Moses had to put himself out there and believe the Word of the Lord before all Israel, so must the Prophet. Above all else, his words and actions represent God. He must proclaim what God is saying to the leaders, to the kings, to the congregation and point the people back to God. Much goes on in the church that has nothing to do with God. We get into a flow, a routine. Leaders make assumptions with people based on past experience and it’s NOT God! We MUST always inquire of the Lord concerning every person and every situation. No two people are the same. Two people may be having the same problem but when the time is taken to inquire of the Lord He will give different solutions to go with the individual. WE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS! We must always inquire of the Lord.
Going back to the vision, we must ask God what our role is in the lives of the people that God places in our path. Is it momentary? Is it for us to walk with them for a season? Are we there to help them? Are they there to help us? If you are a Pastor you have the responsibility of inquiring of the Lord if this is one of the sheep you are responsible for. If not, “DON’T TOUCH”. If our whole motivation for ministering to someone is to fill a church seat then the motive is not of God. We are to help one another have a closer walk with the Lord and to point them to Jesus; not make them reliant on us¸ but on Him. We are supposed to be empowering and raising up Sons of God. If it was what Jesus had to do, then we must do the same.
Too often the statement is made of Prophets that they are not submitted to authority. I beg to differ. In my experience there is a season of training within the body for foundational instruction; then, God will send them to be with other Prophets for the next level of their training. The final stage of a prophet is full submission to God. They don’t move until they’re told. They don’t get to go to every meeting. They don’t live inside the church, they live before God. This process can take a long time up to 20 or 30 years, it doesn’t mean you won’t be operating in the office of a prophet with it’s gifting early in ministry but God is after your character and character development takes time. I might add most of God’s leaders recognize each other. A mature prophet is moved only by God. He doesn’t have to make a seen, but He will if instructed to do so. However, if it is God, God makes the way clear for what needs to be said or done by His man or woman.
If you research the Bible you will see that the Prophets went to prophet schools. Most of them stayed at their homes before the Lord; then God would send them before Kings and rulers and to the congregation of Israel. Look at John the Baptist, he was alone in the wilderness eating locust and honey. There is a reason for this separation. A Prophet cannot be influenced by anyone other than God Himself. A true Prophets word must not fall to the ground. Accompanying the Prophet should be the Presence of God. Prophets are accountable to other Prophets and five-fold ministries. All of God's children are accountable to one another. I'm not giving a license to go in an blast the churches. I'm just saying that, as a Prophet you may find yourself not permitted to be involved in everything or with everyone.
I know we are call called to be Kings and Priest, but don’t be like Korah and presume a position of authority that you have not been given by God. The Fear of God must come back again upon the people of God.
In conclusion, God wanted to expand our understanding of “Don’t touch”. We are not supposed to speak about our leaders or come against them. That is one understanding of this scripture. This second level understanding is for those in leadership, toward the people of God; additionally between those in the body of Christ. We must seek God on whom we are to join ourselves with. Sometimes God has us join with people we don’t like or don’t want to be around; but the decision must be God’s and not ours. Remember Jesus had Judas (the son of perdition) in his group, knowing that he would betray Him. There are people that will be placed in our lives that will speak truth into it. We may want to run every-time this person comes around, but if God has placed them in our lives we need to receive what He is sending; even if they are not a part of “your” church. There may be others in our life, that are completely full of the devil and God will use them to refine you. We must know each person by the Spirit. The point is, good or bad, we only want the people in our lives that God wants in it for His purpose and His allotted time.
Let’s pray:
Father I thank you that I can come boldly before your throne of Grace through the precious blood of Jesus. Father I repent for sins of presumption and assumption in my life. Please reveal to me the people that I assumed should be a part of my life and/or ministry that should not be. Please forgive me for not receiving those that you have sent to me with Your truth. Help me to be sensitive to the leading of Your Holy Spirit. Lord help me to walk in Reverential Fear of You. I do not want to walk in the sin of presumption like Korah. Please separate from me those you have not chosen for me to walk with. Help me not to touch your anointed nor do your prophets harm. Father if I have touched your people that I should not have, I take my hand off them in the spirit and release them to you. I thank you Father. In Jesus name. Amen.
God Bless you.
9/11/2011
Cherie Sheridan
19 When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.
20 And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;
21 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,
22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.
24 Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.
1CHR16:9-4
14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;
15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Ps 105:15
God repeated this statement twice in scripture “touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm”. When He says something twice He is bringing emphasis to what He is saying.
For years I have heard many people use this scripture to protect themselves in leadership. But actually this is saying more than that.
Here God is saying He separated Israel, His anointed (as a people) unto Himself. He then went further to separated the “prophets” of God; those that represent Him here on the earth, those that have been separated by God and set apart as Holy unto Him.
We read in the Old Testament that Moses was special to God; He is a type of Jesus that ever makes intercession for us before the Father. He spoke with Him face to face. Aaron was anointed by Moses to be the High Priest of God. Aaron was Holy and separated unto the Lord. He had to stay in the temple. He could not do anything He wanted. He could not be defiled by anything unclean. Yet, Aaron did not have the same relationship with God as Moses. As a matter of fact, God almost destroyed Aaron for allowing the golden calf to be built. Moses interceded on Aaron’s behalf to spare his life. (Exodus 32) Another time Aaron and Miriam questioned who Moses married and God struck Miriam with leprosy. Moses interceded once again for their lives. (Num 12)
God clearly made a distinction between someone who just speaks on God’s behalf and someone who is like a friend.
6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? Num 12-8
Here God is addressing presumption. Clearly God says how he will speak to a prophet in a vision or a dream; but there is another level in God and that is where we are His friend and He speaks to us face to face. God has this special relationship reserved for those that are faithful in His house and truly are seeking after Him. Their hearts have been purified by His fire and they are praying always for others, ever making intercession for them. They are praying “God” prayers, not soulish prayers. They have pressed into the heart of the Father and are viewing situations from His perspective and are praying accordingly. Just a side note here, this doesn’t mean those that are faithful to the church. This means God’s house. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
God didn’t tolerate presumption. This is a horrible sin before the Lord, He wouldn’t have it in the camp.
12 And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.Duet 17:12
He also doesn’t like us to say, “Thus says the Lord”, if it’s not coming from Him. God says to disregard what they say. That being said, some of the things that the previous prophets have spoken have not all come to pass yet. Enough of what they have said has, so we know the rest will; same thing with a prophet today. We must take all things before the Lord and ask Him if it was Him. Some things can take many years before they come to pass.
22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. Duet 18:2210
These are presumptuous people walking in their flesh and just talking junk about whoever they please. These are suppose to be God’s people, yet they are living out of their flesh and not the Spirit.
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. 2Pet 2:10:11
Then God separated the Levites unto Him as His inheritance and to serve Aaron in the temple. They were there to help Aaron or the current High Priest. Yet, the Levites led by Korah thought to question Moses and Aaron’s authority before God and God opened the ground up and swallowed them, their families, their belongings and their herds alive, and then closed the ground back up. Duet 16
We’ve got several very important elements going on here. Sin of presumption which in the Old Testament meant you were to be stoned. Praise God for His mercy and Grace!
We also have people assuming positions of authority that they were not given by God. That’s a big one in the church today! Too many individuals are behind the pulpit mis-directing God’s people that were not placed there by God.
Additionally, we are not to touch God’s anointed that are not given to us.
The word touch comes from the Hebrew word na^ga’ which means to lay hand upon (for any purpose); to reach, to aquire, to arrive; violently, to strike, come nigh, draw near, join.
Assumption
1. The act of taking to or upon oneself: assumption of an obligation.
2. The act of taking possession or asserting a claim: assumption of command.
3. The act of taking for granted: assumption of a false theory.
4. Something taken for granted or accepted as true without proof; a supposition: a valid assumption.
5. Presumption; arrogance.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. John 17:12
Jesus states that there were those that God gave Him while He was here to work with. Jesus didn’t work with everyone that came across His path. He only poured Himself into those that God instructed Him to. We are not to join ourselves with just anyone to serve our purposes or theirs.
This is the main reason for this message.
I was sitting at my table eating lunch and the Lord visited me in a vision. I saw a man of God with a prophet’s mantle on him and I saw a hand go forward to touch him and to lay claim to him. I immediately heard the scripture “touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm”. The interpretation of the vision the Lord gave me is that someone was laying claim to this person without the authority of God. They were making an assumption.
Unfortunately this kind of things happens all too often in the church. Leaders see a gift in a person and immediately start determining how they can best use that gift in their ministries. They make an assumption that that is why God placed them there. They should instead seek the Lord for that individuals purpose in their midst and inquire of the Lord if He wants them used at all. We as individuals also have to grow to a place of maturity in Christ that our identity comes from Him and not in what we do. Too often, in the body of Christ people get involved in things because they want to be seen as productive or simply because they need to be involved out of their soul. We all have to know who we are and what our calling is. It can be intimidating sometimes when someone in a leadership position questions why you will or will not be involved with something. We have to be steadfast in what we know God has personally told us to do. If you know that you are where God has placed you then you need to listen to what leadership is speaking to you. Take everything to God and ask how to apply it in your life. If God says it’s not for you, then discard it. We will be standing alone before God, we will be accountable only to Him; without excuse. We must be able to hear and discern His voice for ourselves; this will protect us.
God says all that are His are His anointed (spiritual Israel) and then there is the Prophets. This is not to glorify the Prophetic office, but this is to place back in the church the reverential fear of God that rests upon His prophets. Anyone who is a true prophet of God would rather have another call. It’s a hard life, it’s a separated life. Many times they are misunderstood and rejected. They must endure things and face trials that the other five-fold ministries are not called to. Just as Moses had to put himself out there and believe the Word of the Lord before all Israel, so must the Prophet. Above all else, his words and actions represent God. He must proclaim what God is saying to the leaders, to the kings, to the congregation and point the people back to God. Much goes on in the church that has nothing to do with God. We get into a flow, a routine. Leaders make assumptions with people based on past experience and it’s NOT God! We MUST always inquire of the Lord concerning every person and every situation. No two people are the same. Two people may be having the same problem but when the time is taken to inquire of the Lord He will give different solutions to go with the individual. WE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS! We must always inquire of the Lord.
Going back to the vision, we must ask God what our role is in the lives of the people that God places in our path. Is it momentary? Is it for us to walk with them for a season? Are we there to help them? Are they there to help us? If you are a Pastor you have the responsibility of inquiring of the Lord if this is one of the sheep you are responsible for. If not, “DON’T TOUCH”. If our whole motivation for ministering to someone is to fill a church seat then the motive is not of God. We are to help one another have a closer walk with the Lord and to point them to Jesus; not make them reliant on us¸ but on Him. We are supposed to be empowering and raising up Sons of God. If it was what Jesus had to do, then we must do the same.
Too often the statement is made of Prophets that they are not submitted to authority. I beg to differ. In my experience there is a season of training within the body for foundational instruction; then, God will send them to be with other Prophets for the next level of their training. The final stage of a prophet is full submission to God. They don’t move until they’re told. They don’t get to go to every meeting. They don’t live inside the church, they live before God. This process can take a long time up to 20 or 30 years, it doesn’t mean you won’t be operating in the office of a prophet with it’s gifting early in ministry but God is after your character and character development takes time. I might add most of God’s leaders recognize each other. A mature prophet is moved only by God. He doesn’t have to make a seen, but He will if instructed to do so. However, if it is God, God makes the way clear for what needs to be said or done by His man or woman.
If you research the Bible you will see that the Prophets went to prophet schools. Most of them stayed at their homes before the Lord; then God would send them before Kings and rulers and to the congregation of Israel. Look at John the Baptist, he was alone in the wilderness eating locust and honey. There is a reason for this separation. A Prophet cannot be influenced by anyone other than God Himself. A true Prophets word must not fall to the ground. Accompanying the Prophet should be the Presence of God. Prophets are accountable to other Prophets and five-fold ministries. All of God's children are accountable to one another. I'm not giving a license to go in an blast the churches. I'm just saying that, as a Prophet you may find yourself not permitted to be involved in everything or with everyone.
I know we are call called to be Kings and Priest, but don’t be like Korah and presume a position of authority that you have not been given by God. The Fear of God must come back again upon the people of God.
In conclusion, God wanted to expand our understanding of “Don’t touch”. We are not supposed to speak about our leaders or come against them. That is one understanding of this scripture. This second level understanding is for those in leadership, toward the people of God; additionally between those in the body of Christ. We must seek God on whom we are to join ourselves with. Sometimes God has us join with people we don’t like or don’t want to be around; but the decision must be God’s and not ours. Remember Jesus had Judas (the son of perdition) in his group, knowing that he would betray Him. There are people that will be placed in our lives that will speak truth into it. We may want to run every-time this person comes around, but if God has placed them in our lives we need to receive what He is sending; even if they are not a part of “your” church. There may be others in our life, that are completely full of the devil and God will use them to refine you. We must know each person by the Spirit. The point is, good or bad, we only want the people in our lives that God wants in it for His purpose and His allotted time.
Let’s pray:
Father I thank you that I can come boldly before your throne of Grace through the precious blood of Jesus. Father I repent for sins of presumption and assumption in my life. Please reveal to me the people that I assumed should be a part of my life and/or ministry that should not be. Please forgive me for not receiving those that you have sent to me with Your truth. Help me to be sensitive to the leading of Your Holy Spirit. Lord help me to walk in Reverential Fear of You. I do not want to walk in the sin of presumption like Korah. Please separate from me those you have not chosen for me to walk with. Help me not to touch your anointed nor do your prophets harm. Father if I have touched your people that I should not have, I take my hand off them in the spirit and release them to you. I thank you Father. In Jesus name. Amen.
God Bless you.
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