Impartation
Wade E Taylor
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He
has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.” Luke 4:18a
“For I long to see you,
that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end you may be established.”
Romans 1:11
To be “anointed” and to have the ability to “impart” are different, but they relate
and work together. To be anointed means that a “divine enabling” rests upon us. Whatever we do or say, we will do it better,
according to the level of anointing that we have attained unto.
The ability to “impart” includes, but goes beyond our
being anointed. If we have this God given ability (enabling grace and power), then whatever we say or do under an anointing will deeply affect those who are hearing. Also, the substance of His being (Jesus)
will be imparted into the spirit of those who are responsive. This can be understood as a branch receiving
an impartation of the life of the vine.
“Abide in me, and I in
you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no
more can you, except you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches: He
that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without
Me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5
The “ability” to impart relates to our having a quality personal relationship with Jesus
(I love them that love Me). This promise, “I will fill their
treasures” is the direct result of impartation.
“I love them that love
Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me … That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will
fill their treasures.” Proverbs
8:17, 21
A committed Christian
who has this ability to “impart” will
stand out from all others. John W Follette,
who was a spiritual father to me, had resident within his life and ministry an
exceptional anointing, along with the ability to impart. Very often, when he finished speaking, people
would say to him, “Please, would you
continue to speak?” Or, “I
could listen to you for hours.”
They were
responding, not so much to the depth of the Word that he ministered, or to the
exceptional anointing that rested upon him, but rather, to the “impartation” that was flowing through
him into their spirit. Through the gift
of impartation, he became a conduit through which the very life of
God flowed into their spirit. They were
being fed spiritually and somehow knew that they were receiving something
special (divine substance).
“It is the Spirit that
quickens; the flesh profits nothing: The words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life.” John 6:63
The gift of “prophetic revelation” gives us what to say. Then, through our being anointed, it can be imparted to another. I pray much about my being both prophetic and anointed - with the ability to impart. I spend time in the presence of our Lord,
that I might have within me “spiritual
substance,” so I might impart that which I have received from the Lord.
The important
thing is not the words themselves, nor the understanding of these words, but
the impartation of “spirit and life”
- spiritual substance flowing out
through these anointed words, into the spirits of those who are receptive.
Prophetic revelation gives us the words to speak. The anointing enables us to speak these words that we have been given. Then, through impartation, these words become “spirit and life” and flow into the depths of those who have a “hearing ear.”
Thus, those who
are spiritually receptive will feel “something”
(divine substance) flowing into them - the life of the
vine (Jesus),
flowing into the branch (us), apart from the message, and they will
want more as they recognize that
their spirit is being fed.
“So being desirous of
you, we are well-pleased to impart to you not only the good news of God, but
also our own souls, because beloved you have become to us.”
I
Thessalonians 2:8 Young’s Translation
Not only is the “anointed word” imparted, but the “spiritual substance” of the life of the
one who ministers is also imparted. This
ability to “impart” is developed
through our spending quality time with Jesus, asking specifically for this
ability to impart, which will feed
the spirits of those who are spiritually hungry and open to receive that which
we have to share with them.
To have logical
facts and information is good, but in itself, these do not feed our spirit. The “anointing”
will greatly improve our ability to speak these facts. But, only “impartation” will feed our spirit.
“But we speak the wisdom
of God in a mystery (impartation), even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world to
our glory.” I Corinthians 2:7
Impartation is
intangible, that is, it is a “spiritual
substance” that is attached to the words. Then, as a “hitchhiker,” it rides
into the spirit of those who are spiritually hungry. These may not understand what is happening,
but they will know that they are being fed, and they will respond in
appreciation.
“And I, brethren, when I
came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you
the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save
Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear,
and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words
of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” I Corinthians 2:1-4
Paul said that
his speaking was not with the words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit. This “demonstration
of the spirit” is the impartation that is taking place, which has nothing to do with the words themselves. It is divine
life and energy flowing from the speaker into the one who is receptive.
May each of us
have this ability to impart “spirit and
life,” as being “spiritual substance,”
into those with whom we share the Word.
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