The Anointing
From the Pastor’s heart The anointing
Luk 4:18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me ………..There is much said about the anointing in Christianity and it would pay us to study this subject for its relevance and application in today’s world. In my formative years as a Christian, the anointing used to be something that was spoken of and demonstrated by some in such powerful ways that it created in me a hunger to know God this way. I soon realised that it was something I needed in order for me to be effective in ministry and in my defence against demonic forces. The anointing is a gift from God to those He has chosen from among people whom He has anointed to carry His presence and power. This applies to all who believe in Jesus and worships Him as the true and living Saviour and only God. However, the degree to which the anointing on a person manifests is according to that person’s faith and ability to receive what God has chosen him for. Jesus was chosen and ordained by God for specific works and a sacrifice of self that no one else could do. Yet, when Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit of promise, He said we could all carry the anointing of God through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. Very few want this level of anointing because it involves the supernatural and great sacrifice. So they substitute the anointing for theology.
When a person carries the anointing, they carry with them the ability of God to perform what Jesus did on the earth and even more than that, even as Jesus said we could. The anointing becomes visible in a person’s life when we recognise the presence of God on them, through the words they speak and the works they do. These works are not only kind acts but miracles, signs and wonders that follow the word of God preached. Such people are carriers of the anointing only by God’s grace and are ordained by God as such. When we meet such people, we are attracted to them but the truth is, we are really attracted to the anointing in them. The usual problem then is, we make god men out of the anointed instead of realising that they carry the anointing by the grace of God. Another common mistake is that we often feel we cannot carry such an anointing as them. We then begin to seek God to be compared to them or worse still, we imitate them in our ministries. However, the truth is, God has an anointing for each one of us that is unique and powerful.
If you want to be anointed, you must first of all recognise the one who anoints. Act 1:4And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. Act 1:5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Secondly, you must seek God in way that He will reveal the plans He has for your life Act 9:11And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, Act 9:12And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Act 9:15But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: Act 9:16For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Thirdly, you must take up your cross and follow Him. Luk_9:23And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Not everyone will be called the same way, so do not despair. There are many who do not give up families, work and other pursuits to follow Jesus and yet carry a very heavy anointing. However, the general way in which God moves, God requires a person first to forsake all in his inner man (which is his spirit), then if God calls that person out of the world, they must totally dedicate themselves to God, forsake all and follow Jesus.
Not everyone can do this because of so many personal reasons that they bring up to negate the call on their lives. I have seen many who are anointed of God just leave it like a waste product lying around and never take it up. They know in themselves they are anointed and called but refuse to follow the call on their lives. Others have desired the anointing and have tried to manufacture it. Others merchandise it to make money out of it. Yet, others are frustrated as they wait for God to give them the anointing. They try and try to make it happen but nothing does.
I believe that a hunger and a thirst that is in a person often brings the anointing to that person. There is a side to this where God chooses and anoints but there is a side to this where a person can seek God and get it as well. It is the same as seeking God earnestly for something one needs. Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: Mat 7:8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Mat 7:9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Mat 7:10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? Mat 7:11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? These verses clearly indicate that we can receive what we ask of God, if we believe. Once faith arises in us and we walk in that faith, the doors remain open for the anointing to work.
There was a man who went to the morgue and prayed to raise the dead. It did not happen for many years and people questioned his motives and faith. However, one day he started raising the dead and went on to raise many from the dead. How does this happen? It happens because of faith, patience and perseverance based on believing God’s words. If you are a child of God, you are chosen by God to be saved and do great works. Act 10:38How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. We can clearly see from the verse above that Jesus was anointed and chosen to do works and defeat the devil.
Now we know that the anointing on a person is the Holy Spirit and is common to all who believe. From the verse below. We gather that the anointing will teach all men and does not differ man to man in that sense. 1Jn 2:27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. Yet, the Holy Spirit will work differently with each man and also in a similar fashion to another even as He chooses. So, one person or persons may major in healing and others in evangelism or the prophetic or in casting out demons but the anointing is one and the same. Others may have multiple giftings and an anointing to carry out multiple tasks but it is all out of the one Spirit of God.
Apostle Paul writes about the differences in men but cautions against trying to either follow a certain man or exalt oneself above another because of the anointing or ability given by God to that person. These are wise words and need to be seriously considered in these last days when many signs and wonders and other things are being done by individuals. It is easy to be carried away and desire something or someone that is not of God. This is how cults and false doctrines usually start ending up in disaster. 1Co 4:6And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. 1Co 4:7For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? The difference is of God and not of man and so when one lifts himself up or others lift up that man then it is not of God but of man. 2Co 10:17But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 2Co 10:18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
My friends, as the age draws to a close, let us look back upon the history of God’s dealings with men who have been called, chosen and anointed. Let us learn to be wise and realise that God has a long term plan for this world and His chosen. God has displayed His patience with the world for 6000 years and we do not know exactly how much longer it will be before Jesus comes back. When God chose Moses, He waited for Moses till he was 80 years old. He used him for 40 years and then transferred the mantle to Joshua. God waited 30 years of for His Son Jesus to mature, gave Him a ministry for some 3 years before He took Him away. Jesus then gave us the Holy Spirit and we have been going for nearly 2000 years with the anointing. It has changed so much that it is almost unrecognizable. Many are moving in what we call the anointing but not all are of God. In the last days, we need much discernment.
My hope is, we will be carriers of the truth even as the anointing teaches us. That we will not be people who only seek signs and wonders but are seekers of God Himself through Jesus His Son and by the Holy Spirit. God seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth. This is the true anointing we must seek in order to worship God.
Lots of love
Pastor Noble