Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he hath anointed me” (Luke 4:18). Regeneration by the Holy Spirit produces Life! The infilling of the Holy Spirit produces Christian Character! The Anointing of the Holy Spirit is always for service!
It is possible that the anointing of God’s Spirit may be upon a person who does not have Christian character or the fruit of the spirit. This was the case with Samson. The Spirit of the Lord would come upon him and he would do exploits. Even when his life was inconsistent with Godly principles, the anointing continued to rest upon him for a long period of time.
Some have confused the “blessing of the Lord” or “the inspiration of the Spirit” with the “anointing of the Spirit.” Unless we are committed to service, there is no anointing upon us. When Jesus stood in the synagogue and read the Scripture concerning the anointing, He immediately began His public ministry (Luke 4:18-19).
Jesus was born of the Spirit, and as He entered into His earthly ministry, the anointing of God’s Spirit rested heavily upon Him.
As a young man raised in the parsonage of a Pentecostal preacher, I would on occasions see ministries that God was using where their lives did not measure up to Godly standards and principles. This often troubled me because I felt that an anointing upon a ministry was always a guarantee that the ministry was conducting itself in righteousness and Godliness.
It was a revelation to me to learn that the anointing often rests upon vessels who are immature, inconsistent, and even unholy. Sooner or later, God deals with these defects; but, in the process, his power and Anointing will continue to rest upon that person.
In Exodus 30, we are given a divine order of things. in verses 11-16, provision is made for God’s people in redemption. Then, in verses 17-21, the Lord spoke to Moses and instructed him to make “a layer of bronze.” This was so the redeemed people of God could know the cleansing power of God. (Hebrews 10:22, 1 John 1:9).
God continues to speak to Moses in Exodus 30:22-23 concerning the holy anointing oil. After redemption and after cleansing, anointing was available. God said in verse 30, “And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.”
The anointing oil was placed upon the priest in order for him to minister in the priest’s offic. The anointing oil was never to be placed on a stranger. The only things that were to be anointed were those vessels, instruments, and persons that would serve the Lord in ministry. The anointing was for service!
INSPIRATION VERSUS ANOINTING
There is a difference between inspiration and anointing. Inspiration is an emotional experience! It is a stimulus to our thoughts and our actions. It is a stimulus to our thoughts and our actions. It prompts an emotional response. Ministries can be inspired by the reaction of the crowd or by the size of the crowd. They can become excited and emotional over the content of their message.
Inspiration can be produced when a speaker is gifted in stirring and moving an audience. The beat or the rhythm of music can inspire. The intonation and the content of a sermon can produce inspiration. The mood and the reaction of the people can be an inspiring experience. However, all of theis can be present without the anointing of the Spirit of God.
It is easy to experience “inspiration” in the secular world. The comedian experiences it. The actor on the stage knows well what it means to be inspired. The athlete on the playing field can perform with exciting inspiration and can accomplish a great deal under the power and strength of it.
The Holy Spirit is the only one that can anoint. This anointing rests upon a person when the commitment to service is made.
I’m back with more questions. Actually, this has been one I’ve had for a long time. I keep hearing people talk about the work of the Holy Spirit in anointing, and that the anointing is only for service. Based on this excerpt, I’m not sure it answers my questions. It actually provokes a few.
For instance, Samson is one of the examples of the anointing coming on someone who isn’t full of Christian character or the fruit of the Spirit. I’m specifically talking about the situation with Delilah (Judges 16). He lost the anointing (or at the very least his strength left him) because he was infatuated and gave up his secret. But each of the previous times Delilah tried to trick him, he had his strength. He wasn’t serving. He wasn’t using it in a act of service, and he wasn’t committed to service at that time, so why was the anointing there?
Then, as I was reading, it seems as though the text in this part of the book is saying two different things. On the one hand, anointing is for service, in spite of the lack of Godly character. On the other hand, in Exodus 30, anointing only comes after redemption and cleansing, and only to those who are not strangers.
Wouldn’t redemption and cleansing have a lot of the same qualities as regeneration and infilling? If I must first be cleansed before I can be anointed, then how can I be living an ungodly lifestyle, how can I end up without Godly character if I’m being cleansed?
I’m looking at 1 John 1:9 and Hebrews 10:22, and it seems like both of those are talking about people who realize they are falling short of the standard and are doing everything they can to turn things around, not Christians who are apathetic about their lack of Godly character. Would these types of Christians be anointed simply because they are committed to serve? Furthermore, why would they be committed to truly serve unless they were developing Godly character?
That doesn’t seem to fit well together…it doesn’t quite jive. I must be missing something.
OK, I’ve re-read that Samson story a few more times, and I noticed something. God was behind the scenes setting things up. Go back and read Judges 13, 14 & 15. And Samson really wasn’t living an ungodly lifestyle. He may not have been the brightest, and he may have made some poor choices, but it doesn’t appear that he was really lacking in Godly character until chapter 16. In each instance of strength being displayed, the Bible specifically says that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and then something happened.
But, chapter 16:1-21 never uses that phrase. He does some incredible feats of strength, but it doesn’t appear that he is anointed to do those. This is the spot where he is definitely not exhibiting Godly character.
Is it possible that the Holy Spirit doesn’t anoint us when we are not exhibiting Godly character? Is it possible that God has given each of us natural gifts, things we are good at or special talents we have, and when we are lined up with Him, He anoints it, but when we are not lined up with Him, He doesn’t anoint it? He doesn’t take the gift away, He just doesn’t anoint it. That seems to be the principle that I’m pulling from the Samson story.
This is some pretty heavy stuff.
I don’t understand his point about the anointing resting on flawed vessels. It seems to say that Aaron was anointed after he was cleansed.
Help!
I think both occur, I think that’s what Dr. Paino is saying. If he wasn’t, well its what i am saying ;). Certainly God’s anointing will fall on those who are cleansed… perhaps as a result of that cleansing and willingness to serve.
But will God’s anointing rest on someone who is struggling with a sin. Well, sure I think it can. In the Bible there’s a million examples. I believe Paul had an anointing of the Holy Spirit … yet he called himself the chief of sinners. Which of the other men in the Bible (besides Jesus) who was anointed was without sin?
And let’s look at the world around us. Jimmy Swaggart lived in a sinful manner for years, all the while, God’s anointing was on him and God used him mightily during that time. In more recent times, Ted Haggard is a more recent example. For some reason, God’s anointing falls on people that we wouldn’t pick!
I think the key is paying attention to the phrase, “just as the Spirit determines.” (1 Cor. 12:11). That passage is speaking of spiritual gifts, but I think that concept of the functioning of the Holy Spirit is applicable for the anointing as well.
Bottom Line: The Holy Spirit anoints (for service) whoever he wants in order to accomplish His plan, just as He determines.
Well, did the Holy Spirit anoint Jimmy Swaggart and Ted Haggard while they were living in sin? Or did He lift His anointing but let their natural gifts continue to flow, and simply cause those gifts to work out for His glory?
There is a difference between actively living in sin, and trying to pursue God and failing. The Bible gives clear direction on how to deal with each situation.
Yep. No arguments (no contradictions either). My point on the Paul thing was that he wasn’t perfect (he also claimed to have a thorn in the flesh… my point is consistent).
I’m not sure if the Holy Spirit anointed those guys while they were living in sin. I don’t know. Only they and God do. But I still think the anointing of the Holy Spirit isn’t an open and shut; black and white case.
There are some preachers that I believe often misrepresent God (i.e. they say, “If you don’t give to my ministry, God will hold you responsible for everyone who goes to hell.”)… yet its undeniable that God still uses them… in AMAZING ways.
There have been times where I was very sick: stuffy nose, sore throat, headache, dizzy, upset stomach, whatever. And I had to minister in church. On several occasions I literally felt the sickness entirely leave my body (and my throat miraculously heals so I can sing) as I walked onto the stage. I felt GREAT the entire time I was ministering, but I physically felt ever bit of the sickness come right back to my body as I walked off the stage. I believe this is an example of the Holy Spirit’s anointing. On some of those occasions, I didn’t ask for an anointing. I didn’t even pray to be healed. I specifically remember one of those times I was confused because I wasn’t relying on God’s strength AT ALL that night… I was only trusting in my own power… yet the Holy Spirit still put His anointing on me so I could do the service.
Why? It’s because the Holy Spirit gives the anointing to who and when He chooses.
I guess I’m always a little nervous about relying on my experiences or feelings. My body and mind can deceive me. I believe doctors call this psychosomatic conversion. The mind can actually affect conditions in the body, both good and bad. It can cause symptoms to show up, which don’t physically exist, and it can cause symptoms which do physically exist to temporarily disappear. Furthermore, for every person who has had a specific experience, I can find another person who has had the exact opposite experience.
The Bible is truth. It is undeniable, and is not subject to our experiences or feelings. It goes further than simply being true, and is actually both propositional and causal. It isn’t just truth, it is truth that causes something, it causes life. It’s possible for us to misinterpret it, but that doesn’t change it, it still remains as it always has been.
Having said that, I would be interested in more than one scripture that shows the Holy Spirit anointing people who are actively choosing to live in sin. I haven’t found anything easily, yet, but the Bible is a big book, so a few pointers would be great!
I’m still not sure I agree that God will leave His anointing on someone actively living in sin (not just struggling!). I’m sure He can, but would He? I think of things like Eli’s sons (1 Samuel)abusing their position. Because of this, Eli’s entire house(his family and descendents) were wiped out or cursed.
David had terrible consequences when he abused his position, until he repented.
I’m not trying to be argumentative, but I don’t understand. Are there any examples in the Bible where God left His anointing on people willingly living in sin?
Honestly, I’ve spent all day, the last two days, with this in the back of my mind, and I’ve been really praying about it.
I think the root of what bothers me about it, the reason I so desperately want to see scripture, is because it seems that the line of reasoning that says that the Holy Spirit anoints us even when we choose to live in sin, allows us to create a “license” to justify the wrong things in our lives because the Holy Spirit will still anoint us and use us.
I’m not trying to be argumentative either, but I’m having a hard time grasping the concept of anointing for service where someone is willingly sinning. I don’t expect it to be black and white, but I would like to scripture that supports the issue, one way or the other.
I can’t really think of a major Bible stories besides Samson (which may or may not count). But I will use examples from Bible ideas to support what I’m saying… concepts. (i.e. not everything in the Bible is taught through through narrative; and applying the narrative can teach us more than the narrative itself).
There’s a difference between “Calling” and “Anointing” as well. I think I forgot that here. God’s calling on a person’s life will NEVER leave, under any circumstances. God’s anointing can, and I believe it does. I just don’t believe that God always WILL lift an anointing if someone is in sin. God knows the plan. For example let’s say Bill is in ministry of some sort (full time or otherwise), and he knowingly is involved in some sin . . . but God knows that 2 years from now Bill will experience a new transformation and will repent. But during that 2 year period God accomplished much through Bill because of an anointing he put on Bill. This is certainly similar to what was going on with Ted Haggard, except in Haggard’s case God chose to expose the sin. But if Ted Haggard struggled with sin and an anointing was on him for a time, then I think its safe to assume that there are other Pastors with an anointing resting on their lives while they are knowingly sinning… and they repent later. God knows if and when we’re going to repent. He’s got the plan all under control, and its up to Him to do all the anointing, however He chooses. But WOULD He ever choose to anoint someone willingly living in sin?
God is missional — that’s all throughout the Bible (if you want a scripture reference for that, see Genesis – Revelation). God has an intricate plan in place for everything – just think about how the Old Testament interweaves the red thread of Jesus throughout every chapter, spanning centuries and geographical barriers… but still it all reflects the redemption of Jesus Christ. If God would use a spirit-less Donkey for His plan, then certainly I think God may place an anointing on someone who is willingly sinning.
Do I believe the anointing of the Holy Spirit leaves because of disobeying God? Yes, I believe it can, and often does.
Do I believe the anointing of the Holy Spirit MUST leave because of disobeying God? No, it’s “just as the Spirit determines.”
Would God ever put a special anointing on someone who is disobeying Him in order to accomplish His mission? Yea, I think He would if He needed to. That’s consistent with His character . . . and often in the scriptures when God used the unrighteous, they quickly became righteous. I think we’re down to the point where we only have left to discuss, “Is that ‘anointing’?” And I’m not sure on that — I’m really not. I don’t think its worth going around and around discussing what constitutes “anointing” and what doesn’t (Titus 3:9-10). Let’s keep the main thing the main thing here:
The Holy Spirit REGENERATES our spirit . . . that saves us.
The Holy Spirit INFILLS us . . . that helps us live Holy.
The Holy Spirit ANOINTS us for service, just as He determines.
I was almost alseep, not even thinking about anything, and I had this thought about God’s anointing. I feel stirred to make another comment to clarify… maybe it will be significant in the future.
I think there are two aspects of anointing.
One, I believe the Holy Spirit can anoint a person’s LIFE . . . everything they do just seems anointed. When the anointing rests on a person’s life, ministry or service opportunities follow that person around. They cannot get away from opportunities to minister.
Two, I believe the Holy Spirit can place a “special” anointing on a person to do a certain thing at a specific time. For example, just this morning in church there was a man who was going to sing a powerful special song. Before he went on stage he was hoarse . . . after the stage he could barely speak a word. Yet during the song he sounded great. That was a physical example of a special anointing. Another example might be Ballam’s Donkey who spoke. That anointing obviously didn’t last, it was “special.”
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