Arturo Azurdia: Spirit Empowered Preaching
Prayer with fasting is excluded as a means of asking the Spirit to anoint us. But Jesus was filled with the Spirit after praying and fasting for forty days. If the “unction” is the Spirit of God coming upon us for a specific task, while fasting is not explicitly mentioned with anointing, we do see that it is a pre-condition for anointed guidance, Acts 16:6-10.
And Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing.” (Acts 10:30 KJV)
Peter had a fruitful ministry in word and deed as a result of divine direction: people were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus said certain things do not happen unless we do fast and pray (Mark 9:29). Pentecostal oral tradition teaches that a holy life, prayer and fasting, and the “anointing” or “unction” upon our ministry go hand-in-hand.
For the average protestant pastor this book is helpful because it encourages the reader to study “unction” more carefully. But this book lacks enough careful exegesis and practical application to be helpful to the average Pentecostal and Charismatic pastor.
Reviewed by Aldwin Ragoonath
Notes
1 Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. 2, s.v. “Power” by Grundman, 310-311.
2 E-mail sent to Aldwin Ragoonath from Robert Menzies in September 2000.
The website of Arturo G. Azurdia III: www.spiritempoweredpreaching.com
Category: Ministry, Summer 2006
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