This message was released by Apostle Kathryn Krick Lead Pastor/ Apostle of 5F Church in Los Angeles, CA on January 7, 2024. Below is a summation of the message, scriptures shared and key points written. To watch the full message scroll to the bottom of this post. We pray this teaching blesses you and equips you to walk as a powerful vessel of God. 

KEEPING JESUS FIRST

This message is so we will not lose what we’ve learned in 2023, so we will not stay stagnant. We will go glory to glory and maintain what we received! This message will also equip us to catch the wave of revival. We have to be brave to catch the wave.

There are examples in the Word of leaders who lost the anointing. There is a possibility you can lose what you’ve received, even if doors have opened and God has lifted you and there’s favor on your life. This is serious!

Maintaining the anointing — the most important key: to KEEP JESUS FIRST!

Your relationship and intimacy with Him has to be priority above everything else. God can only entrust you with the anointing because of this true love you have for Him. you cannot receive genuine anointing any other way - a true real love for Jesus ❤️

You have to be like Him, see like Him, think like Him. You can only be like whom you behold.

2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP 

And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.

You cannot try to be like God on your own. You cannot try to be compassionate, kind, generous and selfless on your own. It only happens when you behold Him.

The purpose of the anointing is not just about miracles, but so that people can encounter Jesus through you. Not just the power, but the love of God. One can carry anointing, and no longer have the heart of God.

Bad company corrupts good character. You could be transformed the other way. You can drift and become more carnal but still have anointing for a time.

Saul disobeyed God and then the anointing left after, but he was already drifting from God and transforming out of the image of God and that’s what made him disobey.

One can have the power, and not have His heart as much. Someone can perform miracles but not encounter the love of Jesus through them. Someone can do miracles and draw attention to themselves. Their heart is in a bad place in the way they minister.

Someone can even be delivered but they didn’t encounter the love of Jesus through that person. We need to carry the power AND the love of Jesus. so the person can sense Jesus and the love through them. So the person can feel like the most important person in the world, so they can experience the sacrifice and surrender that took place for that person to encounter that love and power in that moment. They sense this is 100% Jesus through the humility of the vessel. All glory to God. No distraction that this is Jesus, only Jesus, the beautiful love of Jesus. No attention on the vessel.

POWER AND LOVE OF JESUS. We must have the character and heart of Jesus! It’s not just about the power but also LOVE! People need to look in our eyes and see Jesus! This is huge. This leads to people surrendering completely. This stems only from relationship with Him!

The anointing comes upon your life because of your surrender and relationship with Jesus. It all stems from there. Never forget that! This is what is most important. This is how you can be the best vessel of God. Keep Him #1. Stoke the fire.

Marriages take work. Good relationships don’t come naturally. Keeping the flame alive takes work! Intimacy is real love every day, not a stale love. Love in action!

Don’t be in delusion that relationship with God doesn’t take work! It’s not hard but it does take intention. You have to make it a priority.

You can be in a quiet season where it’s easier, but sometimes it changes and things get busier. God wants you to be busy sometimes for His Kingdom! I’m about my Fathers business! (Luke 2:49)

We are business men and women of the Kingdom of God. It’s good when it’s God's will for this season of your life. But this means that you need to make even more of an intention to make your relationship a priority! Before you didn’t need to think about it because you had so much time, but now you do!

Be aware of this even in slow seasons!!

You will drift the other way — not even meaning to — if you don’t behold Jesus enough!!

People can be reading the word and praying religiously, setting time aside to do this, but not bringing Him with them throughout the day. They leave Him in the prayer closet. This is the religious way!

So how do we be intimate?

Psalm 139:23 

Search me God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

What is intimacy with God? A big part of it is this verse! ^ desiring God to see you naked!

When you get married you can’t hide the bad parts of your character, but you love your spouse so much that you're willing to engage in great intimacy with them. That is what intimacy with God is like.

You make this decision that you want to be like God! A lot of people don’t really make this decision. A lot of people want to hold on to carnal ways.

Don’t push the dirty things under the bed! This is why people fall and lose the anointing, because they’re fake. They think they are intimate with God but they hide stuff under the bed and forget about it. God can’t deal with the dirt under the bed if you don’t give it, He doesn’t force Himself. Then one day sin takes place and we wonder why…. They didn’t allow God to change them.

We can be so perfected in Christ!!! People don’t realize this!!

People don’t allow Him to take everything and so we hang on to imperfection saying we’re all sinners & that no one’s perfect! But God wants to perfect us! Even that little thing!!!!

Allow God to see everything! See anything that’s not good in me and change me Lord! That’s when God changes a person. That’s when transformation takes place. He doesn’t force Himself.

Let God in every second of every day. I will be intimate with Jesus every second of every day.

Renew your mind. God is here with me right now. I want Him to see everything! Constant intimacy keeps you from sinning. Before you speak, renew your mind: “I’m intimate with Jesus right now! He’s about to hear my words right now and I want Him to be pleased.”

There’s nothing under the bed that you forget about! This gives you the power to live pure and a life that pleases Him. You’ve invited Him in to do hard things — to walk in wisdom and to only speak life.

Psalm 19:14 

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

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2nd part of intimacy with God:

Friendship with God is having the fear of God!

Psalm 25:14 

The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him and He makes known to them His covenant.

When you fear Him, that’s when you know you have a good relationship with God!

Fear = deep reverence and respect

Invite Him in to see you naked. Do not lie to God, no hiding anything! More respect!

“It would break my heart to ever disappoint you Lord. I never want to grieve you. I will treat you with the utmost respect and honor. I ONLY WANT TO PLEASE YOU & BLESS YOU & MAKE YOU PROUD. I want YOU to see that I am faithful.”

The most important thing to you is obeying God and touching His heart and respecting Him and showing love to Him. That’s your heart! That’s the fear of God.

Invite Him in to see you + renew your mind and take intention that He sees everything!

This is what makes it hard to sin. The fear of God is all you need.

—

The anointing leaving Saul:

1 Samuel 16:13-14 

So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah. Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.

This is when Saul disobeyed God. God chose Saul because the people demanded a king, then because Saul did not have the fear of God and cared more about what people thought rather than what God thought, so because he disobeyed and his heart was far from God, He chose David.

The anointing leaving Samson:

Judges 16:17-20 

So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.” When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him.And his strength left him. Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.

A secret between him and God - eventually he told Delilah. They did not maintain the anointing.

What Saul and Samson were both missing was the fear of God and intimacy with God. They feared people more than the fear of God. They didn’t put God first.

When you have the fear of God NOTHING ELSE MATTERS! You will discern all schemes of the devil and not bow to any man!

You cannot please people and God at the same time. Sometimes there will be an attack that God allows to be a test. To see if you really fear God! If you will really put Him first before what other people think!

The enemy will try to attack you! Be aware! He hates that you have anointing.

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Another key to maintaining the anointing: keep your heart pure!

When you receive the anointing life becomes like a roller coaster. Before you receive the anointing, the devil sees you as “blah.” The devil doesn’t see you as a threat so he doesn’t bother you too much. When you receive the anointing there is a target on your back and the devil is trying to take you down and stop your calling. God allows it to turn it into a testing that leads to a refining of your character and heart to make you more like God. That’s the only way - through the refining fire and most of that is the tests (attacks turned to tests, that you have victory over, when you invite God in to help and you’re surrendered).

The enemy wants to stop you from reaching your calling and growing in the anointing!

He wants to trip you up in the purity of your heart, to respond carnally. It makes sense to want to stick up for yourself when someone is mean and you are innocent but God says He will defend us. Be still! Know He is God. He calls us to be of no reputation. To be so humble!

Jesus wants us to be of no reputation. Take the heat. Let people think what they want. This makes you more humble! Accept it and don’t be so focused on how people see you. You are focusing on yourself when you do that. Put others before yourself completely.

Don’t let there be bitterness or offense. Don’t let your heart be troubled when people see you in the wrong way. Keep your heart pure, turn your eyes away and keep your eyes on Jesus, on His work, and all things that are pure, lovely, etc!

You can be tempted to think you deserve better when you’ve been working so hard and then you go through a valley and then become selfish with your dreams and become mad at God and let bitterness in and become ungrateful.

This is where you could lose the anointing!

Example prayer in the valley: “Look at all you’ve done God! Thank you Lord! It feels like I’ve gone backwards but you will make the promises come to pass, thank you God, you will give me victory every time! you are good God! I am grateful God! Greater promises are coming, they will be fulfilled!”

Be grateful in the valleys! Keep your heart pure.

There will be a lifting, tension and attacks that come upon, also honor and admiration. Keep your heart pure. Be intimate with God. Have the fear of God.

Take it seriously - holding on to the anointing.

This will prepare you to have victory!

Declarations:

This word will stay in your heart from today

2024 you will go glory to glory, you will not go back. 2023 is in the past

You will grow and not be stagnant

You will be more like Jesus every day

May you never take a step out of God's will in 2024

You will have victory over every scheme to try to take the anointing from you to get you to sin and disobey God to speak against the anointing and his ministries. You will have victory!

Let wisdom and the fear of God grow in you!

May this be your biggest priority and passion. Intimacy with Him and fearing Him.

May you grow in this wisdom, how Apostle Kathryn has been able to maintain the anointing, through the attacks of the devil to try to take it and stop her, to get her to trip up — imparting of wisdom strength purity and humility and releasing the anointing.