To anoint means to pour or rub oil or another substance on a person or object. Anointing is the ceremonial act of pouring, smearing, or rubbing oil upon a person or object to designate them as set apart or chosen for a purpose.
Now, when this has to do with God through the Holy Spirit, such a person or object is designated as holy or set apart for a divine purpose.
Anointing by the Holy Spirit is empowerment for a purpose.
In God’s dealings with the Israelites, we see people anointed to be kings, rulers, prophets, and priests. We also see objects anointed and declared holy. It served as an outward symbol that God had chosen and equipped them for the role He wanted them to fulfill.
In the New Testament, we also see people, especially the sick, being anointed with oil.
Anointing with oil or any other substance is not peculiar to Christianity. In fact, many other religions and cultures anoint their officials with oil when installing them into office. Some even anoint guests as a mark of hospitality and a token of honor.
So, what makes the Holy Spirit’s anointing, God’s anointing, different from all others?
You see, simply pouring anointing oil, even if it is pure olive oil, is not the Holy Spirit’s anointing. When God anoints, His power and authority accompany the person or object being anointed. The oil that is poured is only an outward symbol; the real substance is the power behind it. With God, it is the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.
The purpose of God’s anointing is to enable an individual to fulfill a specific spiritual task, ministry, or calling. When God anoints, it is like immersion, a total submerging of a person. When you are anointed by the Holy Spirit, you become a completely different person, not in outward appearance, but in your ability to perform the assignment for which you have been anointed.
By now, it should be clear that when God anoints you, it is always for a purpose. God’s anointing is an extraordinary ability given to enable you to do what you ordinarily would not be able to do.
In 1 Samuel chapter 10, God instructed Samuel to anoint Saul as the first king over Israel. Samuel listed many things that would happen to Saul as soon as he left his presence. Verse 9 says:
“And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.”
God gave him another heart. Your physical appearance may remain the same, but something happens to your heart, and that change becomes evident to everyone around you.
What you could not do before in relation to your assignment, the Holy Spirit now empowers you to do. You begin to see possibilities where you once saw only limitations and doubts. Because you now see possibilities, doors that had previously been closed begin to open. Places where you were once denied entrance now receive you because of what you carry.
Verse 11 says:
“And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
There is another dimension of God’s anointing that I want us to consider. God does not anoint only when oil is poured upon someone. Some people were anointed from the womb.
God told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:5:
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
In Judges 13, we see that Samson was set apart from the womb. His parents were given specific instructions regarding what they were to do and what they were to avoid because of God’s purpose for his life.
Let us also consider our great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Before Jesus was born, there were many prophecies concerning His birth and His assignment (Isaiah 61:1; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). The assignments Jesus came to fulfill were clearly stated long before His birth, and He fulfilled every one of them. Therefore, God’s anointing is not necessarily tied to the physical act of pouring oil.
Today, we have seen many people upon whom oil has been poured, yet nothing reflects the power of God. Therefore, the focus should not be on having oil poured upon you but on having God’s Spirit and power released upon you for your divine assignment. However, the responsibility is upon you to seek God’s face concerning the process through which that assignment will be accomplished.
Do not assume that because God used a particular method before, He will do it the same way again. He parted both the Red Sea and the River Jordan, yet He did so in two different ways.
What can hinder God’s anointing from fulfilling its purpose?
Sin.
Galatians 5:19–21 says:
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest…”
The passage lists adultery, fornication, uncleanness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, envy, drunkenness, and many other works of the flesh, concluding that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
In addition to sin, disobedience, pride, fear (2 Timothy 1:7), and a lack of love can hinder the effectiveness of God’s anointing.
God is love. Everything He does is rooted in love. If you are anointed for an assignment but fail to allow God’s love to be revealed through that assignment, you expose yourself to His discipline.
Being anointed does not make you a special person or place you above others. What you have received is a gift, and you must always give glory to the Giver.
Some people believe that because of the anointing they have become equal with God. This is very dangerous, for God will not share His glory with anyone. Ask Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, and others who dared to exalt themselves.