This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying,
Not by might, nor by power, but by my
spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)
Nothing happens without the Holy Spirit, nothing. Jesus needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit before He began His ministry. The power of God is released to us through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. When we talk about the anointing we are talking about the Holy Spirit.
Luke 4:14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through the whole countryside.
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Who Is The Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is a Person, not an “it” or a “thing.” In Matthew 28:19 the Holy Spirit is referred to as part of the triune Godhead and in 2 Corinthians 3:18 He is referred to as Lord.
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit manifests the power of God and makes things happen. This has been the case since the beginning of creation.
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
God gave the command, and the Holy Spirit made it happen. It is like the Holy Spirit is the electricity, the power that makes the light shine.
A Promised Gift
Acts 1:4 On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:33 Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus, the Messiah, for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Who is the gift of the Holy Spirit meant for? Write the answer in your notebook.
Baptism Of The Holy Spirit
The first place in the New Testament that we hear about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is in the Book of Luke and then again in the Book of Acts. It is of note that the ministry of Jesus did not begin until after He was filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus, who raised the dead, restored sight to the blind, healed the deaf, and made lepers whole, needed the Holy Spirit.
Luke 3:16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Acts 1:4 On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Is there a difference between receiving the Holy Spirit and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? Write the answer in your notebook.
John 20:21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
22 And with that He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
You cannot even be sent without the Holy Spirit. The apostles received the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them but it wasn’t until the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire on the day of Pentecost that they were able to minister in great power. When Jesus sent them out they were acting on His authority. After the day of Pentecost they acted with His authority and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
It took the Holy Spirit to change the followers of Jesus from a fearful group in hiding into fearless evangelists. This story can be found beginning in Chapter 2 of the Book of Acts. Peter, who had previously received the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on him, changed from one who would not admit to knowing Jesus to powerfully speaking of Jesus to the Sanhedrin and became so well-known that people were trying to have even his shadow fall on them.
Acts 5:15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.
Gifts Of The Holy Spirit
Listed here are twenty specific gifts and services for the building up of the body of Messiah.
| 1 Cor 12:4 | Different kinds of gifts |
| 1 Cor 12:5 | Different kinds of services |
| 1 Cor 12:6 | Different workings for the gifts and services |
| 1 Cor 12:8 | Wisdom, Knowledge |
| 1 Cor 12:9 | Faith, Healing |
| 1 Cor 12:10 | Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Speaking in Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues |
| 1 Cor 12:28 | Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Miracles, Healing, Helps, Administration, Tongues |
| Rom 12:6 | Prophecy |
| Rom 12:7 | Serving, Teaching |
| Rom 12:8 | Encouraging, Giving, Leadership, Mercy |
| Eph 4:11 | Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers |
Throughout the Bible we are commanded not to covet except in two places. We are told to covet the gifts of the Holy Spirit and to covet prophecy which is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
1 Cor 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts:
1 Cor 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy
In order to put these gifts to use we must have:
- The Baptism of the Holy Spirit – Notice the following verse from the Book of Corinthians is located immediately after listing several gifts.
1 Cor 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body
- The Anointing of the Holy Spirit
What do you think the difference is between the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Anointing of the Holy Spirit, and the Gits of the Holy Spirit? Write the answer in your notebook.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the Anointing of the Holy Spirit are two different things. As you look over the Gifts of the Holy Spirit listed above, you may notice that there are certain ones you seem to be naturally good, or proficient, at. This is most likely your gifting. However, as we shall see, it is not the anointing.
What Is The Anointing?
The anointing is the presence of God acting in our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Anointing means to smear or rub on. When you rub lotion or sun tan oil into your skin you are essentially anointing yourself with that substance. That lotion or oil then becomes a part of you. The Holy Spirit becomes so much a part of you that it is like pouring cream into coffee. Once they are mixed you cannot separate one from the other.
Ex 40:13 Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint (mashach) him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest.
Mashach: to rub with oil, i.e. to anoint; by impl. to consecrate; also to paint:–anoint, paint.
Ex 40:9 Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy.
10 Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it will be most holy.
11 Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.
Anointing is used throughout the Bible to Consecrate. Sacred items are consecrated as well as people. When Aaron and the priests were anointed they became consecrated to the service of God. When you have been smeared and rubbed and have soaked in the Holy Spirit, you are Consecrated to God and His service. It is then that you are able to make use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Consider that to anoint someone with oil is an act of consecration. What are your thoughts concerning anointing the sick with oil? Write the answer in your notebook.
When you anoint the sick with oil, you are actually consecrating them and they become a holy vessel unto the Lord. We should not do this lightly.
Mat 7:6 Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs.
Both Old and New Testament accounts of anointing with oil seems to indicate it is meant for those who have a covenant relationship with the Father. Reference to dogs and pigs is actually a reference to those who are outside of the Covenant, those who are unbelievers.
The story found in Mat 15:22-28 exemplifies this. A Canaanite woman asks help from Jesus for her demon possessed daughter. In verse 26 Jesus replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” Verse 28 shows that Jesus healed her daughter because of the woman’s great faith. Although He was not obligated as He said He was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel, He had compassion and mercy upon the woman and her daughter. This is important as we shall see shortly.
Because of her great faith, her request was granted, BUT Jesus, the Savior of the world, lover of mankind, just called her a dog. What do you think is going on? Write the answer in your notebook.
By children He means those of the Covenant. By dogs He refers to those outside of the Covenant. This is a very important distinction. When you pray for the sick and infirm it is vital that you know who you are in Christ, what your authority is, and that you have a covenant relationship with Christ.
James 5:14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
The verse above is speaking specifically to those who are believers in Jesus as Messiah. It is addressing only Covenant people.
What Is Covenant?
God is a god of covenant relationship. There are many promises in the Bible that people claim. However, it must be realized that the promises are only for those in Covenant with God. God is not obligated to fulfill promises to those outside the Covenant. If He does, it is only because of His mercy and compassion as was done with the Canaanite Woman.
Are Christians Covenant People? Why or why not? (See Romans 11:11-25) Write the answer in your notebook.
Anointing For Service
When you receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit becomes smeared all over you and rubbed into you. Through the anointing, the Holy Spirit becomes a part of you.
Jesus needed the anointing of the Holy Spirit in order to operate in the fullness of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
If Jesus needed the anointing of the Holy Spirit, how much more so do we need that anointing in order to fully serve? Write the answer in your notebook.
It takes the anointing to produce the power that brings salvation, healing and deliverance. It takes the anointing to produce the power that changes lives. Jesus said,
John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
How do we do what Jesus did? We do it through the anointing.
Three Steps:
- Receive the Holy Spirit
- Baptism of the Holy Spirit
- The Anointing of the Holy Spirit
What is the difference between each? Can you have only one of these without all three? Write the answer in your notebook.
How To Get The Anointing
The anointing is the manifest power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Putting it another way, it is the power of the Holy Spirit in us and through us that produces fruit for the Kingdom of God. In the following verse from the Book of Acts, Jesus is promising His followers that: 1) they will receive power; 2) they will receive it after the Holy Spirit comes upon them; 3) that power will allow them to be witnesses of Jesus throughout the world.
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The order of what happens is important here.
- The Holy Spirit comes upon us
- We receive power
- We serve
We receive power, or the anointing, only after the Holy Spirit comes upon us. First the presence, and then the anointing. You see, He wants to establish a relationship with us before He gives us His power. He wants more than anything to have an active intimate relationship with you. Don’t invite Him in and then let Him sit in the corner being ignored.
Without an established relation you can get into trouble. There is a saying, “Power corrupts.” As part of our human nature we seek after power. This can be as small as control over a tiny situation in our own lives, to power over nations. The anointing is power. All too often we see that power and then chase after it. Read the story about Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8:9-24. Simon didn’t understand the relationship aspect of the power of the Holy Spirit and wanted to purchase this power.
The anointing is not free. It does come with a price…. You have to spend time in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
The more time you spend in God’s presence the deeper your relationship will be. Then, a very interesting thing will happen. As you are spending more time in His presence, you suddenly realize that you aren’t chasing the anointing anymore. You are chasing after God, your heart cries out for His presence, He becomes your deepest desire. It is at that point that He gives you the anointing.
It’s not Goose Bumps and Fuzzy Feelings
The presence of the Holy Spirit and the anointing are two different things. The anointing, as has been described, is God’s power to serve, it’s for changing lives. Goose bumps and warm fuzzy feelings sometimes come from His presence, but they are not the anointing.
The anointing is for changing lives. The anointing is all about service. We have been commanded to “Go into all the world.” What are we to do? Make disciples, preach the gospel, cast out demons, and heal the sick. The fruit of the anointing is salvation, people becoming on fire for God, people being set free, and people being healed.
Not everyone is willing to pay the price for the anointing but, all who are baptized are promised the gift of the Holy Spirit. All believers have access to the presence. This is God’s promise.
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus, the Messiah, for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Not all are anointed for direct service. Some may be gifted and/or anointed to help, support, or partner with those who are called specifically to “Go.” Their reward is the same.
Num 31:25 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
26 Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation:
27 And divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation.
While everyone is commanded to ‘Go,” that means different things depending on the Gifts the Holy Spirit has given to you. Perhaps a better was to think of the command “Go” is “Do.” Those of the congregation, or in other words everyone who stayed back, were supporting the soldiers in some way. God commanded that the rewards be divided up evenly between those who went into action and those who stayed home in supportive roles.
To receive the Anointing of the Holy Spirit:
- Receive the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus
- Receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
- Ask for, and then learn about, your gifts
- Develop an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit
- Covet and ask for the best gifts of the Holy Spirit and ask for the anointing to go with them.
Above all…. develop an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit.
the revelation is timely and we need more of this teaching