Scripture Text: Acts 1:8
INTRODUCTION
Revival & Anointing Go Together
DEFINITIONS: Websters
ANOINT', v.t. [L. ungo.] To pour oil upon; to smear or rub over with oil or unctuous substances; also to spread over, as oil. To consecrate by unction or the use of oil.
• Thou shalt anoint the altar and sanctify it - Exodus 29.
• He anointed the eyes of the blind man with clay - John 9.
The use of oil in consecration was of high antiquity. Kings, prophets, and priests were set apart or consecrated to their offices using oil.
REVI’VE, v.i. [L. revivisco; re and vivo, to live.] To return to life; to recover life. To recover new life or vigor; to be reanimated after depression. To comfort, to quicken, to refresh with joy or hope.
• Wilt thou not revive us again? Psalms 85.
Throughout the Bible, the anointing is found, bringing healing, help, hope, and restoration wherever it flows. The flow of the anointing can be seen throughout every significant revival in church history. Simply put, if there were no anointing, there would be no revival. The anointing is the burden removing, yoke destroying power of God.
I. Jesus Was Anointed
A. The Public Proclamation of the Anointing by Jesus.
1. After 40 days of fasting, prayer, and being tempted by satan, Jesus emerged from the wilderness and showed up in the synagogue on the Sabbath day.
a. Why the Wilderness? Because the wilderness takes you out of you!
B. Luke 4:18–19. He stood up as His custom was to read and selected a passage out of the book of Isaiah.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
C. Jesus was anointed for ministry, during ministry, and at the end of His earthly ministry.
1. For Ministry in the Wilderness
2. During Ministry by Mary Magdalene
3. After His Earthly Ministry for Burial
II. The Anointing and Old Testament Typology
A. The Priest’s anointing in the Old Testament is a “type” of the Spirit’s enduement for Divine service in the New Testament.
1. The anointing makes the difference! 1 John 2:20 – But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
2. Acts 1:8 says, “But she shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you…” (emphasis mine). This “after blessing” is the anointing for life and service.
B. Uses for the Anointing
1. The anointing as an act of hospitality is a type of anointing for servanthood and servant leadership today.
a. The goal of the anointing to serve should be to refresh and invigorate the body of Christ as they prepare to enter the presence of the King of kings and the Lord of lords through praise and worship.
2. The anointing used to prepare for war is a type of anointing for spiritual warfare.
a. With this anointing, we tear down strongholds, bind and loose, preach the gospel to the poor, recover sight to the blind, set at liberty those that are bruised, and preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
b. Satan is deathly afraid of a Spirit-filled Church who knows their place in God’s Kingdom and is prepared to take back what he has stolen from previous generations.
3. The anointing oil was used for medicinal purposes and to dress wounds.
a. This oil is a type of anointing oil that they would use for healing the sick.
James 5:14 – 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:
C. The Application, a.k.a. “The Anointing.”
1. The Old Testament anointing oil ingredients made it very thick and very aromatic. The spices mentioned in Exodus 30 created a very fragrant experience.
a. In typology, this signifies that the anointing that we receive from the Holy Spirit should be so strong that it fills up an entire room and leaves no individual untouched.
2. The smearing application was a type of pressing the oil in.
III. The Anointing is Tangible
Tangible - TAN’GIBLE, a. [from L. tango, to touch.] Perceptible by the touch; tactile. That may be possessed or realized – Webster’s. Another way to say this is “the effects of the anointing are visible!”
A. In I Kings 8:1-11, we see the manifestation of God’s presence in the form of a cloud.
And it came to pass when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
1. Notice the organization that went into bringing the Ark of God into the sanctuary.
a. In verse one, the Bible says that King Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel together unto him in Jerusalem that “…they might bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.”
b. In verses two and three, we see that “all” of the men of Israel also assembled, and king Solomon, with the elders and the priests, “took up the ark.”
c. The free flow of the anointing is accelerated when there is unity among the seekers.
2. After everything had been set in place according to the commands of the covenant, a cloud of glory filled the house of the Lord. (This cloud was so thick and so powerful that the Priest could not even stand to minister, and they had been in the Holy Place!)
a. The glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
b. The effects of the anointing are experienced through the open manifestation of the presence of God in our midst.
B. Just desiring the anointing is not enough. The candidate for the anointing must set their house in order – to receive. A few questions we can ask ourselves:
1. If the glory came right now, would I be ready for it?
2. Am I living a pure life? – Pure living is a key to power with God.
3. Do I tend to fight spiritual accountability? – Have I succumbed to personal pride?
4. What is my place in the body of Christ, and am I maximizing my potential there?
5. What else do I need to work on in the interest of unity, organization, and structure?
C. A New Testament Example: In Acts 3:1-8, we see the anointing manifested when the lame man was healed at the Gate Beautiful.
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the Temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
Notice the Chronology of Events:
1. Peter and John had a habit of going to the Temple at the ninth hour to pray. (Consistency)
2. It was not just any man but a “certain man…” lame from his mother’s womb. – He was laid “daily” at the gate of the Temple. (There is a miracle with your name on it)
3. The lame man asked of Peter and John. What if he had failed to ask? (Ask and you shall receive)
4. Peter and John “fastened their eyes upon him.” (Focus the anointing)
5. The lame man “expected to receive something from them.” – Expectation is faith in action for miracles.
6. Peter invoked the name of Jesus and commanded the lame man to rise and walk. (Divine Position & Authority)
7. Peter took him by the right hand and lifted him! – The activity of faith.
8. Immediately, His feet and ankle bones received strength. – Creation responded to the power of God’s Creative Word because of the anointing.
9. Peter lifted, and the lame man leaped! – The power of agreement.
10. All the people saw him walking and praising God and knew he had sat for alms at the temple’s gate. – The power of God was on display because of the anointing.
IV. The Anointing is Transferable
The anointing is given at the precise moment that the need arises. Let us look at the example of Moses and Joshua from Scripture.
Numbers 27:18-20,23
18. And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;
19. And set him before Eleazar the Priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.
20. And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.
23. And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.
Points to Ponder:
• The anointing needs to attach to something or someone. In V.18, God told Moses to take Joshua, “a man in whom is the Spirit.” The anointing was attached to Joshua because the Spirit was in him.
• The transfer of the anointing is visible: v19 God told Moses to set Joshua before Eliezer the Priest and the congregation and then charge him “in their sight.”
• The anointing comes from God through spiritual mentors and spiritual fathers: v20 God told Moses to put some of his honor (anointing) upon Joshua.
Joshua 1:1-2, 5
1. Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,
2. Moses, my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
5. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Joshua 3:7
7. And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
Further Points to Ponder:
• When Moses passed away, God immediately spoke to Joshua and activated the anointing waiting inside him.
• God immediately told Joshua to take the children of Israel into the promised land. A fresh anointing carries with it a divine acceleration that propels the recipient into their destiny.
• Let God promote you.
Closing: Altar Call for the Anointing (The Endowment of Power from on high!)
