The Best Thanksgiving Banquet

“Lord Jesus, may we partake of Your anointing and Word around our banqueting tables today. For it is in Your Name I pray. Amen.”

Today is Thanksgiving, and guess what! Two of my four Bible reading portions this morning cast a negative light on gluttony. I was surprised, but then, the Lord set before me a wonderful feast from His Word.

“When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you; and put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.” [1]

“Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in the presence of the thousand.” [2] That same night Belshazzar’s kingdom fell to the Medes and Persians, and he was put to death.

Let us feast on the Word of God anointed by the Holy Spirit!

The Lord says, “…The yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.” [3]

The Hebrew word Messiah means “Anointed One” and the Greek word “Christ” has the same meaning. It is Christ who breaks the yoke of oppression from sin, Satan and death from our lives. In fact, the Lord urges us to be anointed with oil by the elders of the church when we are feeling sick. “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” [4]

The Holy Spirit anoints to understand the true meaning of the Scripture, “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” [5]

Jesus ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit: “Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee…” [6] “…With authority and power, He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” [7] “…And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” [8] “The whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.” [9]

Jesus gave power to His disciples to overcome the works of the evil one: “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.” [10] “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” [11]

This power is none other than the Holy Spirit whom Jesus gives to those who believe in Him and want to obey and serve Him: “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” [12] “We are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” [13]

Jesus provides a better Thanksgiving feast than turkey, taters and stuffing. He provides spiritual food that energizes His servants to cast out demons and heal the sick. The side-effects of the food Jesus gives are abundant life on earth and eternal life in the age to come.

Jesus urges us, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” [14]

What kind of food does Jesus delight in? “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.’” [15]

“Lord Jesus, thank You for giving to us the feast of Your Word anointed by Your Spirit. Thank You for gracing us with an array of spiritual fruits on our banqueting tables today.”

[1] Proverbs 23:1-3
[2] Daniel 5:1
[3] Isaiah 10:27
[4] James 5:14
[5] 1 John 2:27
[6] Luke 4:14
[7] Luke 4:36
[8] Luke 5:17
[9] Luke 6:19
[10] Luke 9:1
[11] Luke 10:19
[12] Luke 24:49
[13] Acts 5:32
[14] John 6:27
[15] John 4:34