Why Does God’s Anointing Matter In Your Life?

By what power do ordinary people do extraordinary things for God? Throughout Scripture and across church history, the answer has always been the same; the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

 

The anointing isn’t a relic of the ancient past or the exclusive property of a spiritual elite. The anointing is a living, present reality available to every born-again child of God.

 

What Is the Anointing?

 

In the simplest terms, the anointing is the tangible empowerment of the Holy Spirit upon a person’s life for divine purposes. The word itself comes from the Greek chrisma, meaning “that which is smeared on,” an image rooted in the Old Testament practice of pouring oil upon priests, prophets, and kings to set them apart and equip them for God’s work.

 

But the anointing is far more than an ancient ceremony. The Apostle John declared: “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things” (1 John 2:20). The Apostle Paul affirmed it as well: “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” (2 Corinthians 1:21–22).

 

At its core, the anointing is God’s own supernatural ability resting upon a human vessel. It’s what makes the difference between mere human effort and Spirit-empowered ministry. Preaching without the anointing is just public speaking, teaching without the anointing is just education, but when the anointing of God falls, lives are transformed, chains are broken, and the impossible becomes possible.

 

Why Does God Anoint?

 

Jesus himself modeled the purpose of the anointing when he stood in the synagogue at Nazareth and read from the scroll of Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18).

 

The anointing is always purposeful. God doesn’t anoint people simply to make them feel good, He anoints them to accomplish His work on the earth. That work includes:

 

Proclaiming the Gospel. The anointing gives boldness and supernatural effectiveness to the preaching of God’s Word. What couldn’t be accomplished through eloquence or intellect is achieved when the Spirit rests upon the messenger.

 

Healing and Deliverance. Scripture records that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil” (Acts 10:38). The same Spirit that worked through Jesus works through Spirit-filled believers today, bringing healing to broken bodies, minds, and souls.

 

Spiritual Warfare. The anointing is what Isaiah spoke of when he declared that “the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil” (Isaiah 10:27). Every burden, every demonic oppression, every spiritual bondage yields to the power of God’s anointing. Believers who walk in the anointing carry an authority that hell itself must recognize.

 

Equipping the Body. The anointing gifts individual believers with specific spiritual abilities: gifts of prophecy, healing, wisdom, miracles, and so much more so that the entire church is built up and the world is reached.

 

How Do You Gain God’s Anointing?

 

This is perhaps the most important question of all. The good news is that the anointing isn’t earned, but rather, it’s received and received through intentionality.

 

Surrender and Salvation. The anointing begins with a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. Before the Spirit can rest upon a life, that life must be yielded to God through repentance and faith.

 

Being Filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus commanded His disciples to wait for the promise of the Father; the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4–5). On the Day of Pentecost, that promise was fulfilled, and Peter declared that it was available to all who believe (Acts 2:38–39). There is a necessary infilling of the Holy Spirit that is evidenced by the gift of speaking in a heavenly language which is referred to as the “gift of tongues.” This is a distinct, life-changing experience of empowerment.

 

Prayer and Fasting. The anointing deepens in the secret place. Jesus, before any public ministry, spent extended time in prayer and fasting. Those who carry a strong anointing are typically those who have cultivated a deep, consistent prayer life. Additionally, fasting tenderizes the heart and positions a believer to receive fresh outpourings of the Spirit.

 

Walking in Holiness. God doesn’t anoint what He cannot trust. The anointing flows through vessels that are clean. This doesn’t mean perfection, but it does mean a genuine pursuit of holiness and a quick repentance when we fall short.

 

Sitting Under Anointed Leadership. In the Old Testament, the anointing on Elijah transferred to Elisha because Elisha stayed close and refused to leave (2 Kings 2). Positioning yourself under Spirit-filled, anointed teaching and fellowship accelerates the growth of the anointing in your own life.

 

Stepping Out in Faith. The anointing is often activated by obedience. As you step out to pray for the sick, share the Gospel, or exercise your spiritual gifts, the anointing increases. God anoints motion, not passivity.

 

Live Under the Open Heaven

 

The anointing isn’t a luxury for the spiritually elite, it’s the normal inheritance of every believer!

 

God hasn’t changed His mind about empowering His people. The same Holy Spirit who fell at Pentecost, who rested on the apostles, who worked signs and wonders through ordinary men and women is still moving today.

 

Don’t settle for a powerless Christianity, seek the anointing, pursue the Presence and watch what God will do through a life fully yielded to His Spirit.

 

“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” Acts 1:8

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