Accessing the Anointing

At the start His Galilean ministry, in Luke 4:18, Jesus quoted from the Book of Isaiah chapter 61 declaring, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and equipped me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison gates and of the eyes to those who are bound.” Jesus states that the Spirit of God is resting upon Him because He has been anointed to preach, heal, deliver and restore. But this messianic prophecy is loaded with implications for Spirit-filled believers today. We have the opportunity to continue the works of Christ to the extent described in John 14:12, “The works that I do he will do also, and greater works than these he will do because I go to My Father.”

Notice, the Holy Spirit was resting upon Jesus because God had anointed Him - as a result of God setting Him apart for a specific work. Jesus was commissioned by God to meet people’s needs in all the areas mentioned and this is the reason why the Holy Spirit came on Him. It would be right to say that Jesus was God’s Anointed (the Christ) by reason of His distinct calling. The spiritual principle brought out here is this, “whoever God calls He equips.” According to this verse, whoever God has (a) set apart, and (b) authorised, will also have the Holy Spirit on him equipping him with supernatural power for ministry. This “anointing” is God’s complete provision for the fulfilment of anything that He has commissioned whether it’s a service, vision or mission.

What’s became clear to me as I prepared this teaching is that there are various ways of looking at the anointing. Nelson’s Bible Dictionary breaks it up in this manner:

(1) Anointing is to authorise or set apart a person for a particular work or service, and the anointed person belongs to God in a very special sense (Isaiah 61:1).

(2) Anointing is a ceremony that was performed by a prophet, who acted on God’s behalf and in God’s power and authority, to appoint a king (1 Samuel 15:1). Oil was poured on the head of the person being anointed, and priests and prophets were also anointed in this fashion.

(3) Anointing relates directly to the Holy Spirit’s activities in a believer’s life, and in the New Testament it was frequently used in connection with healing (Mark 6:13; James 5:14). This often represented the manifest power of God in the disciple’s lives and in the early church.

(4) Anointing refers to the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment which brings forth understanding (1 John 2:20, 27). It is the ability to perceive, know and understand the truth.

(5) Anointing occurs when the Holy Spirit anoints a person’s heart and mind with the love of God (1 John 4:7, 8). Confirming that he has been born of God and is in relationship with God.

(6) Anointing follows the baptism of the Holy Spirit and manifests a supernatural power by which assistance and ability are given for the extension of God’s kingdom and the empowering of the church for ministry (Acts 1:5).

In New Testament references regarding different kinds of the anointing the underlying requirement is always an unreserved dependence on the Holy Spirit and His involvement. Quite simply, no Holy Spirit - no anointing!

However, according to scripture, all who have been baptised in the Spirit have an “anointing from the Holy Spirit,” and it indicates that this anointing renders you holy - separating you to God for a particular work, function or service. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the all efficient means of enabling you to possess sufficient power and ability in order to fulfil your God-given destiny. God has equipped every one of you for a particular and individual calling or office.

You must therefore, fully appreciate this undeniable truth - every believer has been set apart, commissioned and appointed for a unique service in the Kingdom of God. And this special and individual anointing you possess is a guarantee that the Holy Spirit will be present to ensure that you are complete (fully equipped for every good work). So remember, “the anointing” is God’s perfect provision for your life and destiny.

Now, back to our opening scripture.... “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to....” Jesus stated that the Spirit of God is resting upon Him because He had been anointed to preach, heal, deliver and restore. You too have been separated and now have the God-given opportunity to continue the works (or service) of Christ to the extent described in John 14:12: “The works that I do he will do also, and greater works than these he will do because I go to My Father.” Hence, mighty exploits should be your calling card!

1 John 2:27 says, “The anointing you have received from Him abides in you.” This miraculous existence is possible because the anointing abides in us and is upon us. So constantly remind yourself that you are a holy, sanctified vessel anointed especially for God’s use. You have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus, set apart for a particular work, and as a result of this, you have the Holy Spirit with you equipping you for every good work.

If you’re a believer then you are already anointed. You are anointed and able - authorised and commissioned by God Himself for special service. It’s as simple as that! 2 Corinthians 3:6 states, “Who also made us sufficient (able) as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

Therefore, as an able minister of the new covenant you have been given a special area of anointing, and where your anointing lies is where you will find the Holy Spirit’s power and authority. This is without question! However, you must learn to operate in and under the anointing. So how can you effectively access the anointing that’s in you and upon you?

Referring to Barnabas, in Acts 11:24, it says this, “For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.” Barnabas was both full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and because of this combination of faith and Spirit many people came to know Christ. Having faith and being full of the Holy Spirit successfully manifested the anointing upon Barnabas’s life for souls, which was probably His main calling.

The same was said of Stephen in Acts 6:5 when he was chosen as one of seven leaders by the disciples. The only difference was, Stephen was described as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. However, it tells us that “the word of God spread and the number of disciples multiplied,” therefore, the combination of faith and the Spirit must have also released a special anointing to have had such identifiable results.

I’m convinced that the reason why so many Christians have never experienced enough anointing in their lives is because they have never been taught to exercise faith. It is both faith and the Holy Spirit that causes the anointing to flow and bring about the fulfilment God’s plan and purpose for your life.

If faith is an absolute trust in the faithfulness of God, then you must accept that He has already provided everything necessary for you to fulfil your destiny in Christ Jesus. The anointing represents total provision for everything that God has predestined for you. Romans 8:30 says, “Whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified.” Ephesians 1:11, “Being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.” Note, you are predestined and also called.

God has predestined your life, and He has provided the ability and means by which you can walk in your calling and do exactly what Jesus did when He walked in His calling (here on earth). But the vital element is “faith.” Faith causes you to access the anointing and place it where it can be most effective. By faith, you can release the power of God (the anointing) into every situation, and the Holy Spirit will back you up every step of the way.

Now let us end but looking at the entire anointing process:

(1) Through predestination God calls you and set’s you apart for a particular work (anointed).

(2) You come to Christ and are cleansed by His blood - making you a holy and sanctified vessel (anointed).

(3) As a result of your “calling” the Holy Spirit accompanies you to ensure that you are fully equipped to carry out your duties for God (anointed).

You are God’s anointed - set apart and fully equipped for His use - and everything you do is to His glory!

Chris Demetriou, 25/02/2007