The Ministerial Anointing

The anointing is an indispensable asset in ministry. In fact, it was so necessary that Jesus did not begin his ministry until the anointing of the Holy Spirit came upon him. He also told the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high before launching into ministry.

A minister once said that human beings are in high demand for the anointing. We saw that in the ministry of Jesus, everyone sought to touch him because of the anointing he carried. Peter, the apostle, could not walk a step without people bringing the sick near his shadow! Even the teaching ministry of Peter was outstanding; the Holy Ghost fell on people as he spoke the word due to the fact that he was anointed to teach.

Over the years, there has been a great contention for the anointing. Many see anointed men of God and would love to operate like them. Even Paul the Apostle said we should covet this spiritual gift. But sadly, we have so many coveters but very few possessors. Only a few have been able to tap into this anointing that announces men.

You see, there are two reasons why the anointing is transferred.

• 1 Corinthians 12:7

[7] But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

The first reason for the transfer of the anointing is for the profit of men. This is what happened to the woman with the issue of blood; the anointing was transferred, and it was for her profit. It healed her and delivered her from a 12-year-long plague. Indeed, the anointing breaks the yokes. No wonder she never used that same anointing to heal other people, because it came for her own profiting.

• Romans 1:11

[11] For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;

The second reason the anointing is transferred is for the establishment of men. Notice, this is an impartation of a spiritual gift. I define the anointing as the ability to do whatever God has called you to do. You see, this is what Elisha was looking for when he asked for a double portion of the Spirit upon Elijah. He was not looking for an anointing to profit him; he was looking for the ability to do! He wanted to go in and out and find pasture! This is called the ministerial anointing.

The Anointing for Ministry

I once said, that there is no grace without a gift, no charis without charisma, and no purpose without an anointing. The anointing comes for a purpose; that is why it is the ability 'to do' whatever God has called you to do. If God has called you to heal, He anoints you with the ability to heal. If He called you to teach, He anoints you with the ability to teach! No wonder 1 Peter 4:10 says,

[10] As every man hath received the gift (charisma/anointing), even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Friend, I don't know the reason why you have a demand for the anointing. Is it for your profit alone? Or are you looking for a ministerial anointing, an ability to do? If it is the anointing for profiting, it takes faith and the mercies of God to receive. But the ministerial anointing goes beyond faith and the mercies of God. When it came to the ministerial anointing, Peter told Simon, "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter..." Elijah told Elisha, "Thou hast asked a hard thing..." Paul told his disciple, Timothy, "Lay hands suddenly on no man..."

This is why we have a lot of coveters but very few possessors of this ministerial unction. You see, the ministerial anointing is transferred based on two conditions:

God's Prerogative:
In Numbers 11:16-17, "...and the LORD said unto Moses, gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel... and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and I will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee..."

Man's Desire:
In 2 Kings 2:9-15, "...and Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me..." Nevertheless, it is God that works in man both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

There are certain principles that a transference of the ministerial anointing must follow.

The Ministerial Anointing is Given According to Your Purpose

Previously, I said, "There is no grace without a gift, no charis without a charisma, and no purpose without an anointing." This law of purpose and anointing comes from Romans 12:6: "[6] Having then gifts (anointings/charisma) differing according to the grace (purpose/assignment/calling) that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;"

You see, without a calling, you do not deserve an ability to stand in that area. Matthew 10:1 says: "[1] And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."

Notice, He called them before He gave them power. Appointment comes before empowerment. Therefore, before you go seeking a ministerial anointing, be sure to confirm your appointment to that office. Elijah and Elisha were called into the same office (the office of the prophet). Moses and the seventy elders were called into the same office (the office of a Pastor). When you are sure of your calling or office, then you can move on to follow these wise steps to receive a ministerial anointing.

Locate a Carrier

King Solomon said there is nothing new under the sun. The anointing you seek, there is someone on earth that has it. The Bible calls this the spirit of just men, the anointings of just men.

"[22] But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
[23] To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect."

Hebrews 12:22-23

Notice, God the Father of all spirits said, "I will take of the spirit which is upon thee (Moses), and I will put it upon them (The Seventy Elders)." Why did He have to take the spirit upon Moses?

"[18] And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;"

Numbers 27:18

"[9] And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses."

Deuteronomy 34:9

God uses people that carry the ministerial anointing to transfer the ministerial anointing to others.

Associate Yourself with the Carrier

"[20] And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
[23] And he (Saul) went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah."

1 Samuel 19:20, 23

You see, Samuel the carrier was there; he was the Prophet appointed over them! When Saul and his messengers associated themselves with Samuel, they prophesied. Elisha associated himself with the prophet Elijah. Elisha said, "...as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee..." Jesus in His earthly ministry "ordained twelve, that they should BE WITH HIM, and that he might send them forth to preach," (Mark 3:14). He first called them into association with Him. This is why I said it goes beyond faith and the mercies of God to contact the ministerial anointing.

Some years ago, I came in contact with the physical manifestations of the Spirit of God in the ministry of Kenneth E. Hagin. I saw people laughing in the Spirit, dancing in the Spirit, getting drunk in the Holy Ghost, and so on. At first, I thought it was funny, but I began to desire such manifestations in my life and ministry. Then I downloaded videos of his teachings on ‘spirituals’ and followed him carefully as he taught. By associating myself with him, I was able to contact the ministerial anointing which gave me the ability to produce the same results in my meetings. We saw people laugh in the Spirit, dance and run in the Spirit. I got dumb in the Spirit for some minutes. In one of those meetings, we had to carry someone home because he was so drunk in the spirit, that he couldn't help himself.

Let Your Motive Be Right

One of the major things that hinders this generation from receiving a ministerial anointing is a wrong motive. Peter discerned that Simon's heart was not right with God. His aim was to make money off the ministry of laying on of hands. This is still true today; some people would love to use the power of God for a charge. They desire the anointing because they want to make money. Meanwhile, for others, a wrong motive could be fame! You see, the heart of Gehazi was not right, for every miracle he wanted money; that was why he chased after Naaman. No wonder the staff of Elisha did not work in his hands. Friend, you will have no lot in this matter until you have the right motive!

There are certain channels through which a ministerial anointing comes upon a person. Having observed the vital points listed above, we can understand these channels better.

“[1] That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;"  1 John 1:1

1. The Spoken Word: This is one of the main channels through which we receive a ministerial anointing: through the spoken word! Ezekiel 2:2: "[2] And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me." This was evident in the ministry of Peter; as he spoke, the Holy Ghost fell on people! Paul said to Timothy, "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy."

Therefore, we must seek an encounter with the spoken word through the carriers of God's gift around our lives. See the mystery behind this spoken word: Mark 11:24 says when we pray, we should believe we have received, and then we shall have it. That means we receive by believing. Now notice this in John 1:12:
"But as many as received him (the word by believing), to them gave he power to become," That is, when we believe the spoken word, we receive power to become!

2. Laying on of Hands: Deuteronomy 34:9: "[9] And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses."

So we can contact the anointing through the laying on of hands. Nevertheless, your appointment needs to be in view for this to work for you. God told Moses to lay hands on Joshua ‘in whom is the spirit!’ He had the same pastoral anointing that Moses had.

3. Revelation: 1 John 1:1 says, "that which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon." This channel of revelation is not very common, but the impact is undeniable!

This is drawn from what Elijah told Elisha in 2 Kings 2:10:
"[10] And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, 'if thou see me when I am taken from thee,' it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so." I asked myself how come he could say that, after all, Elisha could see him; in fact, they have been seeing each other for months. But you see, the phrase said, "if thou see me, when I am taken from thee," Elijah was taken from this natural realm to the spirit realm. And Elisha saw it! He saw Elijah in the spirit! And you know, scripture says as we behold him as in a glass, we are changed into the same image, from one level of glory to glory!

I remember Bishop David Oyedepo telling a testimony of his experience in Tulsa, in one of Kenneth E. Hagin's meetings. He said as Kenneth Hagin was ministering, he saw his face transfigured into that of a little baby, and he saw oil dropping from his head. He also said that instantly something was fired from Hagin into him, and he heard God say, "the baton has been passed on to you!" This was an impartation by revelation. When you see the carrier in the spirit, or when you see him (his spirit), man is a spirit! This is the account of John the beloved in John 1:14 "[14] And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

You see, he was talking about Jesus. He said Jesus came to his own, and they did not know that he was the Son of God. But he also said, "and we beheld his glory," that means 'we' did not refer to everyone. Because as a result of beholding the glory, they discerned that he was the Son of God. This simply means they saw him in the Spirit!
"[1] And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart,
[2] And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light."

Matthew 17:1-2

They beheld his glory! This kind of impartation replicates graces!

Friend, scripture says we should contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. Therefore, let's go after the anointings that God has bestowed upon His vessels. Remember, it is the right of every appointed man or woman to be anointed!

Jesus is Lord.

Min. Roi