Seven Things You Should Know About The Anointing

Friend, to "anoint" simply means "to smear or rub and also to spread over," so you can be smeared/anointed with any substance. But I'm talking about God smearing you, rubbing or spreading His Spirit over you. There are two major places God anoints people, but you must remember that man is a spirit and it is your spirit that God anoints, not your flesh (Jn. 3:6). God anoints your spirit in two major places.

"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth IN you...the same anointing TEACHETH YOU ALL THINGS" (1 Jn. 2:27). Notice this anointing abides or stays IN you, that is, IN your spirit, and the purpose of this anointing is to teach you all things. Take note, John was writing to believers and he said, "but the anointing which ye HAVE RECEIVED..." not "will receive," but "have received"—it's past tense. We are not praying for this anointing, no! We already have it IN our spirit. This anointing is what Jesus called "the Spirit of Truth" and He said, "the world cannot receive it," so no unbeliever has it. Then He said, "it shall be IN you" (Jn. 14:17).

Now, when you got born again, God anointed you with the Spirit of Truth IN your spirit. His mission is "to guide you into all truth." Jesus said, "he will show you things to come," and "he shall glorify me" (Jn. 16:13-14). No wonder Paul said, "Christ (the anointing) IN you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). But Jesus, talking to His disciples, said, "receive ye the Holy Ghost" in Jn. 20:22. And He still told them, "wait for the promise of the Father...ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence" (Acts 1:5). Then He said, "ye shall receive POWER, after that the Holy Ghost is come UPON YOU" (Acts 1:8). That means they received the Spirit of Truth in John 20:22 which abides IN us, but here He's talking about the anointing UPON. The anointing that comes UPON your spirit. While the anointing IN is the Spirit of Truth, the anointing that comes UPON you is essentially the Spirit of Power. Notice, this anointing UPON comes AFTER THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST. When you are born again, God anoints you WITHIN, and when you are baptized in the Spirit, He anoints you UPON.

The mission of the anointing UPON is to give you "divine ability." When it comes, He said, "ye shall BE witnesses," so we can't "BE" without this anointing upon. It gives us the ability to BE! The ability to "be" a preacher, a teacher, a prophet, a businessman as ordained by God, etc. It is this anointing UPON that we'd be discussing in this series.

Friend, in the same way there are two major places God anoints men, there are also two reasons why men contact the anointing UPON. Let's examine two accounts of people contacting this anointing UPON.

• The woman with the issue of blood: When she touched Jesus, it was said that "Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue (power/anointing) had gone out of him..." (Mk. 5:30). The anointing went out of him and it healed her.

• A man called Elisha: He had desired the anointing that was UPON Elijah and "he took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him...and stood by the bank of Jordan...and said 'Where is the God of Elijah?' And when he had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither." And it was said that "the spirit of Elijah doth rest ON Elisha." (2 Kg. 2:9-15).

Now, if you'd notice, the two of them made contact with the anointing upon. One touched the hem of Jesus' garment and received it, while the other carried the mantle (the overcoat) of Elijah. But you see, the woman with the issue of blood benefited from this anointing—it healed her. While Elisha received the ability to do what Elijah could do! There is a difference: the woman with the issue of blood did not become a healer, but Elisha, because of his contact, received the ability to do what Elijah could do. The anointing upon comes to profit, and it also comes to establish—give you an ability.

Remember Simon? He told Peter, "Give me also this POWER—why?—that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost" (Acts. 8:17-20). He was looking for the "ability to do." The anointing UPON is the divine "ability to do" whatsoever God has called or ordained you to do. Certain things cannot be done naturally, but when this anointing UPON comes, it supernaturally empowers believers "to do." Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is UPON me for he hath anointed me TO PREACH...TO HEAL..." (Lk. 4:18).

Friend, the anointing you received in the baptism of the Spirit is the divine ability "to do." "To do what?" you may ask!

There are two major places God anoints men: WITHIN and UPON our spirits. In the Old Testament, the anointing WITHIN was absent because men were not born again. God only anointed them UPON, but it was limited to those whom He had a special assignment for. People like the priests, prophets, and kings were anointed. And some others He gave special assignments to, such as Samson.

Why did God anoint them? You see, no purpose of God can be achieved in the energy of the flesh! It is "not by might, nor by power, but by MY SPIRIT, saith the LORD of hosts" (Zech. 4:6). The anointing UPON is the "ability to do," so when God gives you a task, He gives you the ability to do it. The Lord called Kenneth E. Hagin to be a prophet and a teacher. But he wasn't always a teacher. He preached. There is a difference—a preacher proclaims while a teacher explains. However, one day the Spirit of God came UPON Hagin. He recognized it as the "teaching anointing," and he said, "Now I CAN teach," and to date, the body of Christ has not recovered from his teachings. Why? "All members have not the same office...having then gifts (anointings) differing according to the grace (purpose) that is given to us" (Rom. 12:4-6).

I once wrote an article titled "Purpose and Anointing," where I wrote that men are anointed according to their purpose. If God has called you into business, He anoints you with the spirit of wisdom to do business. God called and anointed a man named Bezaleel with the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge in ALL manner of workmanship (Ex. 35:30-35). The same way the Spirit came upon Samson and he'd be very strong. This man Bezaleel, when the Spirit comes UPON him, he'd have knowledge of witty inventions in workmanship. Have you not heard of men who dream and see inventions? Most business ideas today come as a result of divine inspiration.

Friend, the anointing comes for a purpose. Have you found your calling? That's where the anointing would be strongest UPON you.

Spiritual things are sometimes understood by physical things. The anointing UPON is the "ability to do," and this divine ability is transferable in such a way that you'd be able "to do" whatsoever that anointing is meant for. For instance, I have several applications on my phone, and I can send one of these apps to you, and this app would be installed on your phone, enabling your phone to "do" whatever that app was meant for.

Friend, Paul said, "I long to see you, that I may IMPART unto you some spiritual gifts," that is, he wants to install some anointings UPON your spirit "to the end that ye may be established," that is, you'd be able "to do" (Rom. 1:11). The transference of ability is what I call the impartation of ministerial anointing. You see, "when Simon (the former sorcerer) SAW that through the laying on of the apostle's hands the Holy Ghost was given, HE OFFERED MONEY," saying, "Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost" (Acts 8:18-19). That is, he wanted to receive the ability to do what the apostles did! It was a cry for the ministerial anointing, and he was so desperate that he offered them money, though his heart was wrong.

Friend, there is something that can be installed ON your spirit that will turn you into another person. 1 Sam. 10:6 tells us that it is the Spirit of God—the anointing UPON—and the good news is that it is transferable. In the same way, you can share apps and media from phone to phone, the anointing can be shared with you, but it can only be shared according to PURPOSE! Elijah and Elisha were both prophets; hence the anointing was compatible with the spirit of Elisha when it was transferred. It is a spiritual law that we have gifts (anointings) differing according to the grace (purpose) given unto us (Rom. 12:6). We do not all have the same office (purpose) in the body of Christ, hence we do not all need the same anointings. What is an eye doing with the ability of a foot? It's silly.

Can the anointing be transferred? YES! But you must locate your office before you receive unction. A teacher needs the teaching anointing; a businessman needs the spirit of wisdom in business. Friend, the anointing can be shared with you, but you must know the principles behind its transfer. Get my mini-book "The Ministerial Anointing" for more insight on this.

Friend, since it is the anointing that breaks yokes and gives us the ability to do what God has called us to do, then we must of necessity be concerned about the location of the anointing. Yes, it can be transferred, but where do you find it? Let me show you.

You see, the word "Christ" is not Jesus' last name. No, it is a Greek word for the Hebrew word "Messiah," which means "THE ANOINTED ONE." So whenever you hear Jesus Christ, it simply means Jesus the anointed one. "For God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him – Jesus." (Jn. 3:34). Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is UPON me..." (Lk. 4:18). The anointing – the ability to do – that you seek is UPON Jesus. He is THE ANOINTED ONE. He cried and said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink" (Jn. 7:37-39), and this He spake of the Spirit.

He's the only one in the anointing business. If you want it, you must get it from Him because "of His fullness have ALL WE received..." (Jn. 1:16). But you see, Jesus gave POWER — the anointings — to His disciples, and they went about healing people. They were able "to do" that because they received divine ability from Jesus (Matt. 10:1).

Friend, there are certain men on this Earth today who are practical carriers of the anointing. These men could be called ‘a prophet’, ‘a pastor’, ‘a teacher’, ‘an apostle’, or even ‘a brother’ or ‘a sister’. They are also called the anointed. Jesus has given His anointing to several men, and through these men, He transfers the same ability "to do" to others. Dag Heward-Mills said, "God often anoints strange people, and your ability to relate with strange, unusual, or even odd personalities may be all that links you to the anointing." You can't get the anointing when you neglect the anointed. This has been the undoing of proud Christians. Do you want the anointing? Then locate the anointed. You don't like the anointed? Then you don't need the anointing!

Friend, "THERE ARE DIVERSITIES OF GIFTS, but of the same Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:4). There are different types of anointing, but it's all part of the same Spirit — The Holy Ghost. You see, the anointing is the ability "to do," the divine ability to teach, to preach, to heal, to deliver, to create, to do whatsoever God has called you to do. But all these abilities spring from the same Spirit — the Holy Ghost.

In the human body, there are many parts, and each has its function, but they all belong to the same body. There are diversities of parts with different functions but all of the same body. "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are ONE BODY: so also is Christ" (1 Cor. 12:12). Remember, the word Christ means "the anointed one and his anointing."

So he's saying that the Spirit of God is likened to the human body, with many parts having different functions but the same body. Look at it again, "there are diversities of gifts – anointings – but of the same Spirit." Now he went on to say, "But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, DIVIDING TO EVERY MAN SEVERALLY AS HE WILL" (1 Cor. 12:11).

You see, in Acts, people received the baptism of the Spirit UPON them, and we know that all of them were not APOSTLES. Because "Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain PROPHETS and TEACHERS..." (Acts 13:1). The anointing of an Apostle, a prophet, and a teacher are quite different. But the same Spirit that carries all the anointings came upon each of them and divided to each of them its abilities – anointings/gifts – according to the will or purpose of God. Because we have "gifts differing according to the grace (purpose, plan) that is given unto us" (Rom. 12:6). So the same Spirit comes upon each of us, but one is anointed as a prophet, another as a teacher, some as businessmen, apostles, etc.

Friend, the same way there are many purposes in God, so also there are different anointings. I pray that you locate your own in Jesus' name.

Friend, Paul said, "But covet earnestly the best gifts..." (1 Cor. 12:31). I believe the best gifts are those that relate to your purpose. However, there are certain channels through which this anointing can flow.

The Spoken Word: Words are carriers of the anointing. Jesus the anointed one said, "The words I speak, they are spirit, and they are life" (Jn. 6:63). At one time, his disciples said, "Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us..." (Lk. 24:32). Ezekiel the prophet said, "The spirit entered into me when he spake unto me" (Ezek. 2:2). Paul said to Timothy, "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given by prophecy – spoken word" (1 Tim. 4:14). In fact, "While Peter yet spoke these words, the Spirit fell on all them that heard the word" (Acts 10:44). You can catch the anointing through the words of the anointed!

Laying on of Hands: Bishop David Oyedepo said, "There is no year when hands are not laid on my head." When Peter and John went to Samaria, they laid hands on the people, and the Holy Ghost came upon them. Paul laid hands on 12 disciples, and the Holy Ghost came upon them (Acts 8:15-17, 19:1-5). Contact with the anointed releases the anointing upon the anointed through faith. Moses laid hands on Joshua, and the same Spirit of wisdom came upon him.

Seeing the Anointed: Bishop David Oyedepo told of a time when he saw Kenneth E. Hagin transfigured and saw oil dropping down from his face. Then something fired from Hagin into him. Friend, there is something about seeing the anointed while he's caught up in glory – transfigured. Elijah said, "If thou see me when I am taken from thee," why? What's the difference between seeing him now and when he's taken up? You see, while Elijah was taken up, he was transfigured. "Elisha saw it," he saw Elijah in his glory. And we know that "we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory" (2 Cor. 3:18). Each time you can see into the spirit of the ANOINTED, you are changed into the anointed.

Friend, the anointing flows through words, contact, and divine revelation from the anointed. My prayer is that you catch the anointing.

Jesus is Lord! Remain blessed

Min. Roi