Before a church service begins, the people on the worship team I belong to will pray for God to anoint them and the songs they use. This is probably a common practice in most churches around the world. I want to ask some questions and hopefully get some Biblical understanding and inspiration about this anointing from God that we want. What is anointing? How do we know when we have it? How do we know we don't have it. If you have the baptism of the Holy Ghost do you have this anointing? If I have Holy Ghost anointing can I lose it?
Many times I've heard people say that anointing comes from unity. Psalm 133 is used to show this principle.
1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
Acts 2 is also looked at...
1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Yet there are many times we can see Biblical examples where the anointed one stood alone.
Elijah on mount Carmel against the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah. (1 Kings 18)
Michaiah prophesied the defeat of Israel even thought the rest of the prophets were proclaiming Israel's victory. (1 Kings 22:1-39)
Jesus proclaimed His anointing in the synagogue of Nazareth yet the majority of the congregation stood againt Him. (Luke 4:16-30)
Unity is not the key to anointing. Unity does not bring anointing. Anointing brings unity.
Anointing is a consecration and consecration is a preparation for God to do something in your life. The word Christ is the Greek form of the word Messiah. It means the anointed one of God or anointed by God. Jesus was the ultimate example of New Testament anointing. Psalm 45:7 is a messianic prophecy showing the importance of consecration in order to receive God's anointing.
Hebrews 1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” from Psalms 45:7
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” from Psalms 45:7
In Nazareth He read from Isaiah about the purpose of His anointing.
To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
This is the purpose of the anointing that we pray for. It also is the evidence of anointing on our lives.
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Is the gospel being preached to the poor? -
Are the brokenhearted being healed? -
Are those in spiritual bondage being set free? -
Is the year of the Lord being proclaimed? -
Are the mourners being comforted? -
Is joy and praise replacing mourning and heaviness? -
Are people being established in righteousness and is God being glorified?
These are some of the things we should see when God is anointing a life and ministry. It's understandable how Jesus had a hard time getting alone to pray. He did. He would stay up late and wake up early in order to find times to pray. He would try to find solitaire places to pray. Yet when the people found out where he was they would come to Him.
Keys to anointing
1 Consecration.
In the Old Testament we see the anointing of priests, and Levites and kings and nazarites.
Their anointing was done with oil to signify what God was going to use them for. It changed the things they could touch. It changed the things they could drink. It changed the way they could wear and how they kept their hair. Being a Holy Ghost filled born again Christian seems to have been symbolized in all those Old Testament positions.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Personally I have seen no greater times of anointed worship than following a service where the pastor has preached about those things that would seem legalistic to those who don't understand that God is consecrating His people in order to do great things.
2 Alone time in prayer and worship
Jesus was always looking for ways to be alone with God. If the Son of God found it necessary to spend time alone in prayer how much more should we His children. We make no bigger mistake then when we try to minister without having been alone with Him.
David spent days alone worshiping God while tending sheep When David set up a tabernacle filled with music he was showing he understood the importance of continual worship. It wasn't just public demonstration. It was the value he learned of being alone worshiping God. Thank God for the lonely times. Much anointing is to be gained.