PROF.
BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons)
MA, PhD.
ANOINTING OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT
Devotional Text: LUKE
4:1819 ({KJV)
Introduction:
The term “anointing” is used to indicate God’s kind of
investiture. Simply put, investiture is the acts of investing someone with an
honour or office. Therefore, anointing is that “divine investiture” that empowers and sets one apart for the work
of the ministry. It is the signal of God’s supernatural presence in one’s life.
Furthermore, anointing empowers one for supernatural results and gives one an
all-round authority over Satan and his kingdom of demons.
GENERAL
REMARKS
(1) Anointing
empowers one for good work, demon casting and supernatural healing,(Acts
10:38).
(2) Anointing
gives an intuitive teaching or knowledge or rather makes clear (illumination)
all things necessary for salvation and Christian living. (1 John 2:20;27).
(3) Anointing is
the oil of joy, (Psalm 45:7; Hebrew 1:9).
(4) Anointing in
the Old Testament was a physical pouring of oil on one’s head, (Lev. 8:10-12).
THE OLD
TESTAMENT ANOINTING (EXODUS 30:22-30).
Building on the account of (Exodus 30:22-30). Bill Subritzky
(1986), remarks that “the anointing in the Old Testament was a physical
anointing with oil. He notes that God gave Moses the recipe to make up the oil
with which the Tabernacle of Meeting, the Ark of the Testimony and all the
utensils in the tabernacle were to be set apart or sanctified. The priests, he
concludes, were similarly to be set apart by the use of this anointing oil.
Be it as it may, the truth about anointing in the Old Testament
does not stop as aforementioned, but extends to the anointing of kings and
prophets. Therefore, anointing in the Old Testament was physical oil used in
consecrating or setting apart;
(i)
religious objects for religious services (Exodus 30:22-29)
(ii)
prophets and priests for religious services, (Exodus 30:30; 2Kings
9:1-3)
(iii)
kings for theocratic governance, (I Sam. 10:1; 16:13; 1 Kings
1:39) etc.
THE NEW
TESTAMENT ANOINTING (LUKE 4:18-19).
It is quite obvious that the New Testament pattern of anointing is
different from that of the Old Testament. The Old Testament features a symbolic
out-pouring of the physical oil through the instrumentality of the priest or
prophets, whereas, the New Testament pattern features an actual out-pouring of
the spiritual oil (the Spirit of God, Acts 2:1?7) by the Holy Spirit Himself.
However, in some instances (in the New Testament), we are called upon to anoint
the sick during healing prayers, but no biblical indication for the use of
anointing oil during ordination of similar ceremonies, (see James 5:14).
Therefore, the anointing and the settling apart of any individual for the
ministry in the New Testament era is, and remains the prerogative of the Holy
Spirit. On the account of the foregoing, every anointed vessel or person is
anointed to:
(i)
preach the gospel to the poor/heal the brokenhearted;
(ii)
proclaim liberty to the captives/recover sight to the blind;
(iii)
liberate the oppressed/proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
(Luke 4:18-19).
USES OF
ANOINTING (ACTS 10:38)
Both biblical and present day narratives show that the presence of
anointing torments demons and the entire kingdom of Satan. Anointed sermon and
prayer are like burning barrels of acid against demons and every demonic
set-up. The heat of anointing always makes demons cry out in torment (see Luke 4:41). Therefore,
the recipient of anointing should strongly channel it towards;
(i)
demon casting;
(ii)
supernatural healing;
(iii)
doing good (socially, political, economically, spiritually, etc),
(Acts 10:38).
in
conclusion,
it has became obvious in the course of this lesson that the physical use of the
anointing oil as was the case in the Old Testament is no longer fashionable in
the New Testament. This is because the Holy Spirit has officially assumed
office since the day of Pentecost as the Chief Executive of the church and
Christian operations. As such, there may be no need for the anointing oil
during ordination or other religious consecrations, as they are now better done
by the word of God and prayer (see I Tim. 4:5).
