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The Cyrus Anointing
Dale M. Sides
There is an amazing word given by the prophet Isaiah concerning a Gentile king by the name of Cyrus. What makes this prophecy stand out so distinctly is that Isaiah actually calls Cyrus by name and prophesies that he will be a mighty supplier of wealth for God’s kingdom. King Cyrus fulfilled this word approximately 200 years later by walking in obedience to the divine call of God upon his life. I believe that throughout history, there have been those who God has foreordained to be ministers of wealth in the world.1 Because Cyrus was such an outstanding example of this ministry, I have dubbed this calling, “the Cyrus anointing.”
Who [the Lord] says of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, even saying to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be built,’ and to the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’” Thus says the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut: “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, am the God of Israel. Isaiah 44:28–45:3
Cyrus ended up becoming one of the most prominent kings throughout the annals of history.2 His significance to the Jewish nation was vital, in that God personally called him to be the one to finance the rebuilding of the temple. How amazing that the Lord saw fit to foreordain a great Persian king to be a supplier of wealth for His kingdom! He is still calling out these great “kings” to supply His kingdom today.
The Cyrus-anointed men and women who are used of God in this way are also called ministers of liberality (Romans 12:6–8; 2 Corinthians 9:10–15), and they are a destiny within themselves. Some of you reading this article have that destiny. For you Cyrus-anointed ones out there, check out what the Lord said about this mighty man and see if it speaks to your heart:
Not only was this prophesied by Isaiah almost 200 years in advance, but then about 100 years later, it was confirmed by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11–12; 2 Chronicles 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–2). If you were Cyrus, would you begin to understand that God was trying to send you a message? Likewise, if you are a latter-day Cyrus-anointed minister of liberality, the message for you is the same: God has foreordained you to be a supplier to build His kingdom. Even now as you read about Cyrus, the Holy Spirit may be bearing witness within your spirit, stirring up this ministry and calling within your heart.
My prayer to the Lord is that the men and women who presently have this ministry can be released to fulfill their destiny, just as Cyrus was. These are the ones whose hearts pulsate to finance the purposes of God’s kingdom. This ministry needs to be liberated just as much as the others. The Lord has called us forth as kings and priests (Revelation 1:6), and many believe this ministry is the calling of a king.
As we read the next verses in Isaiah 45, we see the bigger picture of this compelling call upon King Cyrus. His purpose was to establish Israel and God’s kingdom.
For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things. Isaiah 45:4–7
When a Cyrus-anointed minister of liberality receives this word and calling, he or she will need serious prayer protection. I pray that the intercessors (priests) in the body of Christ will rise up and recognize the need there is right now for them to stand in the gap for these ministers of liberality. They need to pray for these “kings” to have the divine favor and wisdom necessary to obtain the wealth of the wicked for the kingdom of God. There are strategies and witty inventions that the Holy Spirit can download into the spirits of these men and women that can help them bring this about. Cyrus-anointed ministers are not only a gift to the church, but a much-needed weapon in these last days. They also need prayer to protect their souls from the temptations of pride, greed, and self-centeredness.
There are two main snares that the devil uses to bait ministers of liberality—power and money. The Bible tells us that money, in and of itself, is not the problem—it is the love of it that is the root of all evil. Those who fall into this trap do so because they begin to crave the things money can do for them or buy for them more than they crave the Lord. As long as they continue to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, they will be protected from this snare. One of the main things that they will continually need to remember is that God is the One Who has prospered them.
Jesus said it was hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:23). People at this level of authority and prestige are easily swayed by the seduction of power and money, so for a man of Cyrus’ stature to be open to the Lord’s plan is indeed a rarity.
I believe Cyrus’ character (which was benevolent and kind) was equal to his anointing. Instead of abusing his wealth, he was generous with it. This is the type of person God can easily work with. In contrast, we see Pharaoh, whose hardened and rebellious heart towards God and his cruel domination over the Israelites brought about death and destruction to his own family and nation. Both kings ruled over God’s people while they were in captivity, and yet, each had a very different response to the words of the Lord. Pharaoh’s pride and arrogance was a stark contrast to Cyrus’s humility and generosity.
Like Cyrus, there is a destiny on men and women who are used of God to build His kingdom. Cyrus set a great example of the foreordination and fulfilling of that calling. He also provided an illustration of the grace and humility that is required to give so freely from our resources. When the Spirit of the Lord stirred up Cyrus, he decreed that the Lord God of heaven had given him all the kingdoms of the earth and that God had commanded him to build a house for Him at Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2–4). Cyrus knew it was because of God’s generosity and power that he had his wealth, and he understood the corresponding call of the Lord upon his life. What a revelation!
Please join with me in prayer for those who have this great call of God on their lives:
Father Yahweh, bless the Cyruses in this world who have the ability and the grace to be used of You. Protect them from pride and the deception of Satan, and stir up their spirits as you stirred up Cyrus’. Lord, show them Your favor and give them strategies to advance Your kingdom. Release them to fulfill Your calling and destiny. Anoint their eyes so that they can see Your hand on their lives and Your desire to use them. Father, release the Cyrus anointing upon Your people who have the heart to finance and build Your kingdom. Amen.
Notes
1. Dale M. Sides, The Ministry of Liberality (What it Takes for a Rich Man to Enter into the Kingdom of God) (Bedford, VA: Liberating Ministries for Christ, International, Inc., 2001).
2. For more information on Cyrus and his merciful dealings with the peoples he conquered, go to the following Internet websites: http://www.farsinet.com/cyrus/cyrus_just_ruler.html and http://www.iranchamber.com/history/cyrus/cyrus.php.
©2007 Liberating Ministries for Christ International, Inc.
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