When you address your man of God, whose name is "John" for example, as "Pastor John", the pastoral anointing on his life will work for you, because you recognize that anointing, and address him as such. When he touches you, it won't be "John" touching you; it'll be a touch from God that'll change your life, and bring about tremendous blessings in your life.

 

If you're a Pastor for example, if your congregation calls you by your first name, and relates to you without the consciousness of the pastoral anointing that's on you, the Word of God you give to them won't benefit them, because there's a big difference between "Brother John" and "Pastor John". Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 10:41: "He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward...." What is a prophet's reward?

 

When a prophet speaks words of blessing into your life, the reward is that those words come to pass, and you're blessed as a result. If a man of God says to you, "God bless you", you're blessed indeed! However, this doesn't happen just because he's a man of God. It happens because you receive him as a man of God.

 

In Mark 6, the Bible shows that Jesus went to the Jews and they didn't receive Him. What was the consequence? His blessing didn't rest with them. The Bible says He couldn't do any mighty work amongst them; not because His power failed, but because they didn't receive Him as a prophet. They disdained Him, saying, "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him" (Mark 6:3).

 

Don't be that way. Believe and receive the Word from the one whom God has appointed over you. 2 Chronicles 20:20 says, "...Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper."