Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in
other people’s sins; keep yourself pure. (1 Timothy 5: 22)
When Paul refers to "laying hands on" he
is talking about blessing, anointing, “speaking into the life of…”, “
prophesying over...” and whatever else we call it today.
Paul did not prohibit the practice or tell Timothy, young
pastor born four or more generations after Jesus’ Earthly ministry, that “We
don’t lay hands on people anymore.” Paul did warn Pastor Timothy not to just run around declaring
and decreeing over people randomly or upon request.
The act of laying on hands and blessing someone imparts
a connection that flows in both directions:
from God through the blessor to the blessee and his/her life; and from
the blessee’s life to the blessor and
before the eyes of God.
When a preacher lays hands on people to ordain them
or to bless them into a particular season of life, the preacher is vouching for
that person before God.
That’s not a light thing to be doing.
Yes, each of us is judged for our individual
actions. No, you can’t control what
someone does when they’re not under your direct supervision.
But.
We are each also responsible to God for the quality of
what we set before Him, and that includes the quality of WHO we set before Him.
When God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint a son of
Jesse to be the next king, Samuel saw the eldest son and immediately started to
lay hands on him.
Samuel looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s
anointed is before Him!”
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his
appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord
does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord
looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16: 6-7)
You can’t possibly know what’s in someone’s heart
except when you know what’s in someone’s heart because you know what in that
person’s life.
Do not lay hands on anyone hastily.
Lay hands, bless, anoint, prophesy where the Lord
tells you. But are you sure that the
Lord told you to speak that over EVERY body who came down to the altar?
Or were you looking on the physical appearance of
people who LOOKED like they wanted a Word from the Lord?
And by the way, when did what individuals want from the
Lord start deciding what preachers do more than what the Lord wants for those
individuals?
When they come to you to be blessed and exalted, and
God wants them to be convicted and humble because of their sin, but you bless
and exalt them anyway----- you connect yourself to their sin. You walk them into God’s presence and say, “I’m
good with what’s going on with them.”
Are you sure about that?
In Acts 8: 9-24, Simon ,an ex-sorcerer and new
Christian, asked Peter to ordain him as a bringer of the Holy Spirit. He even offered to “sow a financial seed to
the man of God” for his time.
But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you,
because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You
have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in
the sight of God. (Acts 8: 20-21)
It’s not your job to anoint people. It’s your job to obey God. And from time to time, if you are following
God, not just fulfilling human expectations, you will have to say “No” to
somebody who expects you to speak great things over their life.
No, it’s not for you to judge the quality of another’s
soul. No, it’s not for you to judge what
God can or can’t do in someone’s life.
No, it’s not for you to say who’s worthy of a calling that only God can
give.
That’s not your job.
It is your job to obey God rather than men or women
or yourself.
There’s more at stake than your popularity.
Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in
other people’s sins; keep yourself pure. (1 Timothy 5: 22)
---Anderson
T. Graves II is a writer, community organizer
and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.
Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of
Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of the
Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization
(SAYNO) and director of rural leadership development for
the National Institute for Human Development (
NIHD).
If this message helps or touches you, please help
support this ministry. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116
