The Anointing Makes The Difference

Have you heard statements like; “The anointing makes the difference!” “Lord, give me a fresh anointing!”, “I’m anointed”, “Boy, you sure are anointed”, “Touch not thy anointed” “Walk in your anointing!”, “Protect Your anointing”, and “Don’t let people prostitute your anointing”.

Not long ago, I was in a worship service and the move of God was in the place. As I sat in the sound both I felt God manifesting Himself in the room as people poured their heart out to God in worship and in their own uniqueness. I started praying for the entire congregation. My prayer was a two-fold simple request: 1st – Save the sinner and 2nd strengthen the saint. And then it happened, the worship leader gave the microphone to a local pastor and said: “You’re anointed for this moment!” Man, the service took on a totally different element after that. The service moved from being a manifestation of God to becoming the manifestation of man. Why? I believe because of this statement; “You’re anointed for this moment!” It’s dangerous to make statements like this because it will quickly elevate a person to a level that only belongs to God.

I often times wondered why we make statements like these and so many others as it relates to the “anointing”. Why the attention on how much anointing a person possesses? Are we confused about anointing and giftedness? Does one person have more anointing than the other? Can you loose your anointing? What’s important anointing or development in Christ-likeness? Is having the anointing essential to salvation? Is it a gift? Does it come from God or man? What does the bible say about the anointing?

Just some questions I hope to make us think about what we say and practice as it relates to the anointing.

Let’s take a moment to look into scripture to discover what the bible says about the “anointing”.

The Definition of Anointing

When scripture speaks of anointing it speaks in relationship to the pouring, spreading, or rubbing of oil. Anointing can be placed into five (5) descriptions:

- Consecration: The consecration of people (Exodus 29:29; Lev 4:3) or things (Exo 30:26).

- Hospitality (Psalms 23:4, Luke 7:38, Luke 7:46)

- Healing (Isa 1:6; Mar 6:13; James 5:14)

- Burial (Mark 14:8; Luke 23:56)

- Promised Deliverer “Christ – Anointed One” (John 1:41)

When categorizing the definition of anointing, you will notice that the anointing is not the power of God but a sovereign act of God which means God anoints people. People are not anointed because a man placed oil on your forehead or laid hands on you. If God didn’t call you and anoint you it doesn’t matter what others do, you’re not anointed. We are anointed because God anoints us, PERIOD.

You will notice that the anointing is not for your benefit. Hospitality has to do with how we treat our guest when they enter into our homes. Healing is for the benefit of those who are sick to bring restoration to the body. In burial, oil was used to preserve the body which today is practiced through embalming. A lot of what we see today is not the anointing but arrogance. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat in services where the “anointed one” came off rude, arrogant, mean, prideful, and super-spiritual. It wasn’t about the person in need of healing, hospitality, and/or embalming. It was about the joker who thought he was Jesus Jr or Mr. Big Stuff. I believe with all my heart that God uses us to be a blessing to others in need. And He does it in practical ways like praying for each other and being nice to each other and you don’t have to be anointed for that.

You will notice as well as that there is only one true “Anointed-One” – Jesus Christ. The bible calls everyone else who claims to be “the anointed one” the anti-Christ. As harsh has this may sound, the bible speaks of latter times where false teachers will rise up and claim to posses powers and abilities that only Jesus, Himself posses. In 1 John 2:18-21 it says: Little children, it is the last time: and as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But you have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written unto you because you know not the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. So what we see now from the these so-called anointed ones is miracle spring waters, prayer clothes, and every other gadget to try and prove they’re the anointed one. Hog wash! Jesus Christ is the true anointed one and all others are like fake dollar bills. You can’t reproduce the real thing!

The Display of the Anointing

There were several comments in recent weeks on a Facebook status update about gifted singers and musicians charging outlandish prices to minister. One comment stated (paraphrased), I charge because I bring the anointing. Of course that started a ripple affect of comments, me being the first, saying, the anointing is a gift from God and it doesn’t cost. I failed to further explain that the anointing is a gift from God through the gift of salvation. In other words, the NT teaches: (1) all believers are anointed, (2) there aren’t different levels of anointing, (3) Christians don’t loose their anointing, (4) Christians don’t receive the anointing, and (5) the anointing is standard equipment of salvation that everyone receives when they place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

There is one verse that has been stripped out of context and used as a defense for the anointing: Luke 4:18: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”

Jesus is speaking in this verse and quotes Isaiah 61:1-2. Jesus’ statement declares that Jesus, the Messiah, is the anointed one who came to preach the gospel to the poor, hurting, captive, and sick. Lest I be too long, allow me to get to the point. There are two (2) major themes in this text that are vital for understanding: message – v. 18a and ministry – v. 18b. As a principle, the statement teaches us that there can be no ministry without the message and ministry cannot supersede the message. The message of the gospel and the ministry to those in need leads to one thing, salvation. Jesus doesn’t quote all of Isaiah 61:2 because the end of verse 2 deals with judgment and Jesus’ present day ministry was and still is salvation.

But when we quote this verse we refer to the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for anointing is charisma where we get our English word charismatic. However, this Greek word refers to the knowledge of the truth (1 John 2:20 and John 16:14-15). We focus so much attention on how much Holy Spirit a person has but fail to realize that it’s not about how much Holy Spirit we have but how much of us we yield of ourselves, in total surrender, to the Holy Spirit as the truth of God’s word is revealed to us.

The anointing (if we so choose to use the word in relation to how God uses us) is not for the glory of man. God uses people for His glory, alone. In addition, how he chooses to use us does not determine a level of anointing that would be greater than the other.

Here’s what I think we mean with these kinds of statements:

“Lord, give me a fresh anointing!” – Lord, help me to preach, sing, etc!
“Boy, you sure are anointed” – God really used you today or I was blessed.
“Protect your anointing” – Protect your Christian witness!

There other statements that I have no clue what we mean when we say them:

“Don’t let anyone prostitute your anointing”
“Walk in your anointing”

I think they’re Christian slang sayings that sound good. But, everything that sounds good doesn’t mean it’s good and sound.