The anointing of the Holy Spirit
2 Corinthians 1:21/22
It is God who anoints His people, He anointed Jesus His son, He anointed King David, He anointed the Apostle Paul, He anointed us and millions more that call upon the name of the Lord.
The origin of the word anointing came from the shepherds as they took care of their sheep. Lice and other insects would often get into the wool of sheep, and would burrow into the sheep’s neck and to the ears and would often kill the sheep. By pouring oil on the head made it impossible for this to happen. From this, the anointing became symbolic of blessings, protection and a covering.
The Greek words for anoint is chrio, meaning to smear or rub with oil. It means to consecrate for an office or religious service. There is nothing wrong with anointing a person with oil if the anointing is in agreement with the scripture. James 5:13/15 Says, “Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”
Not only was Jesus the Son of God anointed, but the bible declares that believers also have the anointing, it is called unction. “But ye have unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” 1 John 2:20. The meaning is that the unction on your heart and life is because of the anointed of God, or that you have been touched and chosen by the hand of God. 1 Peter 2:9
The scriptures teaches us that we have unction from the Holy One, the apostles had been so anointed by the Holy Spirit that they understood the true nature of their experience, and you could expect they would persevere, there was no stopping them when it came to preaching the cross.
The apostles were so anointed by the Holy Spirit that when the leaders forbade them to preach in their city they answered, “We must obey God.”
The act of anointing under the old covenant was accomplished by the pouring on of oil. You can find in the Old Testament that many who were in leadership roles were anointed. In the church age our anointing come from within.
The book of Psalms 89:20/21 says, “I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him.” God said I found him among the sheepfolds; in humble life. I saw there one who was qualified for the high office of being the ruler of the nation, and I designated, or set him apart, for that office.
When God look at David he saw in him a precious quality for a special work, and summoned him to his service. I suggest to you, that if we dare yield ourselves to the things of God the anointing would rest upon us.
“With my holy oil have I anointed David as King?” And this was accomplished by hand of Samuel, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.”
Oil was used in setting apart prophets, priests and kings. It was poured upon the person – emblematic of the pouring out upon him of wisdom and grace from on high to qualify him for his office.
Verse twenty-one states, “With whom my hand shall be established; mine arm also shall strengthen him.” The hand of the Lord shall be continually upon David for his protection, and God is our buckler and our shield, a very present help in the time of trouble.
God sent Samuel to anoint David as His chosen one. All fleshly desires of those gathered and birthrights are here set aside; and the youngest despised and forgotten by all, the keeper of sheep, is chosen of God; “for Jehovah see not as man see.”
Samuel having been taught of God did not hesitate in his decision, and did not except any of David’s brothers who were at home. He even asked the father is this all thy children? And when they brought David in from the field Samuel knew this was the one he must anoint as the future king of Israel.
Although David is not set in the height of power, as was the case of Saul. He must make his way by grace and faith through all kinds of difficulties; and, although filled with the Holy Spirit, he must act in the presence of power devoid of the Spirit.
David would be humbled, he must feel his entire dependence on God knowing that God is sufficient in all circumstances; and his faith must be developed by trials and testing, knowing that God will sustain him.
The Spirit of Jehovah came upon David and forsook Saul, who, at the same time is troubled by an evil spirit. David, in God’s sight, is the anointed king, but he must suffer before he reigns, there must be a cross before the crown.
John tells us that “The anointing which we have received of him abides in in us, and need not that any man teach us, but as the same anointing will teach us in all things that is truth and we should abide in Him.”
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar (purchased) people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
If God has chosen us and placed His Spirit within us, then His anointing is upon us to do great exploits as we serve Him in the kingdom of God.
Isaiah began to prophesy in chapter 61 saying, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that morn:”
This prophesies was concerning the Messiah, speaking of Jesus the Son of God. It was evident after the forty days of fasting and Jesus had rebuked the Devil because he tempted Him, that Jesus began to preach, teach and carry out the words of the prophet Isaiah.
As Jesus began his public ministry the revelation of Isaiah prophesies begin to unfold and those who had read the scrolls knew this was the Messiah the Son of the living God. We live in a day when men will follow the miracles, but the miracles should be following the life of the believer.
If there was ever a time in the history of the church that believers should be shod with the preparation of the gospel and have the anointing, it in the hour that we are living. Let us remember that it is the anointing that breaks the yoke.
We are living in a day when the life of an unborn baby means nothing, and same sex marriages and the gay lifestyle is accepted, when the word of God has been stripped from our educational system and prayer is not allowed in public arena.
When leaders of our nation say Muslims and Christians should live in peace because we all worship the same God, well, we should life in peace, but we do not serve the God. It’s time for the unction of the Holy Ghost to rise up in the church and a new voice is heard.
We are living in the day the bible talked about, when men would call good evil and evil good, asking where are the signs of His coming. There is no separation within the body of Christ, the world looks like the church and the church looks like the world.
The singing of hymns and special psalms have been removed from our church programs and replaced with a new rhythm that causes the flesh to pulsate and the spirit is not refreshed. I say it time that a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit sweep down upon us and move us to an altar of prayer and repentance.
The anointing that moved upon the life of Jesus, also upon the life of the early apostle was the former rain that the prophet Joel spoke about. And I pray that the latter rain would move upon the church with such power and conviction that believers would fall to their faces surrendering their lives anew to the work of restoration and redemption.
Like Samson of old who had lost his power by given in to Delilah’s pleading, yet, when push came to shove Samson asked God to anoint him again saying, “Do it again God, only this once.”
And the bible tells us that more people were slain at his death than when he lived. If God did it for Samson, he can do it for us if we humble ourselves calling upon the name of the Lord and believe that we have whatsoever things we ask for when we pray.
