Under the Anointing

The presence of the Holy Spirit in us seals us until the day of redemption whereas His anointing is released or restrained in our ministry as a result of our attitude/actions.

The word “anointing” has several Biblical usages. The two primary usages in the Old Testament have to do with medicine and ceremony. In the ancient Near East anointing persons or objects with plain or perfumed oil was widespread for medicinal, preservative, and cosmetic purposes. It was used ceremonially to set aside men as prophets, priests, and kings. Intrinsic in all of its uses is its symbolism of the Holy Spirit and His power, person, and work.

In the New Testament anointing was spoken of in reference to the coming of the Holy Spirit in power: “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Here the word “endued” has the idea of being clothed or cloaked with power.

The anointing is the enduing of the power of God on His servants by which they were enabled to accomplish His purposes, whether it is ruling the people, healing the sick, reaching the lost or a multitude of other purposes of the Kingdom.

All in all, in the Holy Scriptures, God emphasizes the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Without it Samson, for example, was doomed to grinding out his days in bondage but with it he pulled down the columns crashing to the floor the roof of the temple where were gathered thousands of the Philistines worshipping their god in insobriety and perversion. Samson killed more of the Philistines in his death than he did in his lifetime.

The early apostles in their natural lives were nothing of consequence in the political, social, or religious times of the first century. When under the mighty hand of God – His anointing – they turned the known world upside down (or right side up!) with the Gospel.

Our globe is teeming with people who don’t know Christ. Our challenge is not as great, considering the number of believers in the world today, as was that faced the first century believers.

We can’t and we won’t do anything consequential without the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Great numbers of people confess to having the power of God on their lives. Regardless of what credentials we might display to confirm it, if we are not consistently and aggressively presenting the gospel to our unsaved friends, loved ones and co-workers, we are “clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted” (Jude 12-13).

The enemy is not impressed with that which we do without the anointing. Without the anointing, we can do and say all the right things but with no effect. Any work or structure that does not have the obvious stamp of His presence will be a monument to the efforts of man and not a tribute to the power of God. Although they may be awesome to man, the enemy is not awed – he knows the difference.

On the other hand when we function under anointing, the enemy is awesomely impacted and fearful. The work we do under anointing is life giving to us and death dealing to him.

When we sense that the anointing is missing from our lives it is important enough that it be restored that we find where God is moving, saturate ourselves with His presence, and get in on what God is up to. The anointing comes to those who seek Him with all their hearts.

We must come again contritely to our Savior’s feet, clinging there until He once again pours out the might power of His Holy Spirit on all creatures. We must remain there until He anoints us with fresh oil!

Jeff

Jefferson H. and Norma R. Floyd, CO-directors, Jubilee International, P. O. Box 572, Noblesville, IN 46061, Copyright November 2007 by Jefferson H. Floyd. All rights reserved.