The Holy Anointing

First place the Word anoint is used.

Exodus 28:41 (NKJV) 41 So you shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him. You shall anoint them, consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to Me as priests.

As you can see the word "anoint" is associated with consecration and sanctification but the PURPOSE is so that they could MINISTER to the Lord in their function. THIS TELLS US THAT THE ANOINTING IS TO EQUIP AND EMPOWER THE MINISTER FOR HIS FUNCTION.

Anoint is a verb that means "to smear" and "to rub with oil." It is "used in association with a religious ceremony, it connotes the sanctification of things or people for divine service." It was most frequently used in the OT for the anointing of kings but also priests and prophets.

Consecrate is an interesting word that I have never looked up before. It most places where you see the word "consecrate" in the Bible it is actually the word "sanctify" that we see even in this verse. To us and rightly so, consecrate means "to make or declare sacred" like consecrating a new church building or ordaining someone into the ministry. But this word "consecrate" is a compound word that means "FILL WITH POWER" or "FILL WITH STRENGTH." Now, we will connect the fact that the anointing is the Holy Spirit's presence in your life later, but it is reasonable to read this verse now with the understanding of what the anointing was doing in this instance in Exo. 28:41.

Luke 24:49 (NKJV) 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."

Endued means "to put on as a garment." Power is "dunamis" and is "TO BE ABLE, POWER, ESPECIALLY ACHIEVING POWER." It can also refer to STRENGTH. It also speaks of "miraculous power, "the mighty power of signs and wonders" means the power of working miracles." It also refers to "the essential power, true nature or reality of something." It also means power, authority, and might. And can refer to ABUNDANCE and WEALTH.

Acts 1:8 (NKJV) 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Receive in the NT, means TO ACTIVELY TAKE. It is not a passive exercise. If you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, you are CLOTHED WITH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, MIRACLES, MIRACULOUS POWER, HIS STRENGTH AND MIGHT, AUTHORITY, WEALTH AND ABUNDANCE, AND THE VERY ESSENCE OF GOD IN THE PERSON OF HOLY SPIRIT! And that's just on the outside!

So we see, here, with Aaron and his sons, that they were anointed and FILLED WITH POWER AND STRENGTH to perform their priestly duties. And next was the sanctification. It means "to be set apart, to be holy, to dedicate, to declare holy or consecrated, to dedicate oneself." You see in the OT even that following the Law of Moses is NOT what made one holy. IT WAS THE ANOINTING. In fact, the entire tabernacle of Moses and all the furnishings and utensils were anointed with oil to be set apart as holy. GOD COULD ALSO WITH HIS WORD DECLARE SOMETHING HOLY SUCH AS THE JUBILEE YEAR.

This tells us that when you are anointed (not relying on your own skill for ministry but cultivating the anointing and becoming skillful in it), you are smeared or clothed with the Holy Spirit's essence, filled with strength, and set apart FOR THE MINISTRY HE HAS PREDETERMINED for you to function in. YOU ARE HOLY BECAUSE HOLY SPIRIT IS HOLY.

1 Peter 1:13-19 (NKJV) 13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Peter first instructs us to "GIRD UP" the loins of our minds. Gird up is only used here and is referring to the "MIND BEING HELD IN CONSTANT PREPARATION." Loins in the Greek refers to "the lower region of the back, the lumbar region, the hips as opposed to the shoulders and thighs, the organs of reproduction." The lower part of the body is designed TO CARRY, STRENGTH, and POWER. Mind is the "mind, thoughts, intellect, mode of thinking and feeling, the feelings, affections." PETER IS TELLING US TO HOLD THE INNERMOST PARTS OF OUR MINDS--THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, AND AFFECTIONS--THAT REPRODUCE IN CONSTANT PREPARATION OF ENGAGEMENT IN LABOR IN THE KINGDOM. Don't let any negative, sinful thought begin to reproduce itself in your actions leading to trouble.

Peter goes on to tell us to be sober or watchful and rest our hope (EXPECTANT DESIRE) fully upon the GRACE that is brought to us AT THE REVELATION of Jesus Christ. Now this is most certainly speaking of the second coming of the Lord but let's apply it to today.

Grace is literally "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life." Let me give you some definitions of grace from IMI's Growing in Grace module.

Grace and faith are God's power partners.

IF GRACE DID NOT SUPPLY IT, YOUR FAITH CANNOT RECEIVE IT. It had to have been paid for. If you claim something He didn't purchase, you are in presumption.

Grace has provided BIG THINGS.

Grace gives you the ability to do not have.

Grace doesn't cover sin, it REMOVES IT COMPLETELY. The Bible says that GOD JUSTIFIED US FOR FREE BY HIS GRACE.

Grace is UNMERITED ABILITY. What you could not earn, God gave to you.

Grace enables you to win and overcome.

GRACE HAS CONNECTED US WITH A GOD OF PROVISION.

Grace cannot get things to you. It offers them and then FAITH HAS TO RECEIVE.

Grace is the goodness of God. In order to operate in grace, you must submit to it.

GRACE MAKES YOU WHO HE CALLED YOU TO BE.

Grace enables you for the LABOR GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO.

Titus 2:11-14 (NKJV) 11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Grace teaches us to DENY UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS. Grace was displayed in the person of Jesus Christ.

John 1:14 (NKJV) 14 And the Word became 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.

John 1:17 (NKJV) 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

So Peter is telling us that we CAN REST OUR EXPECTANCY, OUR HOPE FULLY ON THE GRACE THAT IS BROUGHT TO US AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. I.e. WHEN GOD SHOWS YOU WHAT GRACE HAS SUPPLIED YOU THROUGH THE REVELATION HE GIVES OF AN ASPECT OF JESUS CHRIST THAT YOU HAVE NOT YET SEEN, YOU CAN REST YOUR EXPECTANT END BASED ON THAT REVELATION FULLY! I.e. like Mike would say, "If I say it is Easter, paint them eggs!" Grace is the divine influence of the Spirit of grace upon your inner man that begins to outwardly display itself in your life and in power. ANYTHING YOU COULDN'T DO THAT YOU NOW CAN IS BECAUSE OF THE GRACE OF GOD AND YOU RECEIVING IT BY FAITH!

Next, Peter says we are to be OBEDIENT CHILDREN, NOT CONFORMING ourselves to former lusts like we did before revelation came. Conform means "to fashion alike, conform to the same pattern outwardly." Note it is OUTWARDLY because any like or similar behavior to the world is now CONTRARY TO YOUR NEW NATURE IN CHRIST. It is not who you are. Why? Because the One who invited us is holy and we are to be holy in our conduct BUT THAT ONLY OCCURS WHEN WE REALIZE WE ARE MADE HOLY BY HOLY SPIRIT AND LIVE OUT OF THAT REALITY NOT AN INFERIOR REALITY CONTRARY TO WHO WE ARE NOW.

God has given us everything we need to grow in the grace given, exercise our faith, learn who we are as new creations, perform the ministries He has given us, be obedient, and be anointed. But we can also see that if we are not careful with our minds, we can return to former activities that are contrary. SO WHAT HAPPENED TO AARON'S SONS?

Leviticus 10:1-3 (NKJV) 1 Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. 2 So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. 3 And Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke, saying: 'By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.' " So Aaron held his peace.

The first two were immediately killed for taking fire from some place other than the altar as God commanded. Now Aaron has two sons left who according to Lev. 10 were also stubborn and rebellious in their ministry. Let me give you another example of wickedness in the ministry.

1 Samuel 2:12-17 (NKJV) 12 Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD. 13 And the priests' custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling. 14 Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; and the priest would take for himself all that the fleshhook brought up. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Also, before they burned the fat, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who sacrificed, "Give meat for roasting to the priest, for he will not take boiled meat from you, but raw." 16 And if the man said to him, "They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires," he would then answer him, "No, but you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by force." 17 Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.

1 Samuel 2:22-25 (NKJV) 22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 23 So he said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. 24 No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the LORD'S people transgress. 25 If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?" Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the LORD desired to kill them.

Basically, because they were anointed and in ministry, they began to take the BEST PART OF THE SACRIFICE that belonged to God for themselves and used their position to seduce women IN THE VERY TABERNACLE OF GOD. This happens today in churches and ministries. Both of Eli's sons were killed on the same day. When Eli heard the news not of his sons' deaths but of the ark being stolen, he fell over backward and broke his neck. He was an obese man also revealing a lazy and gluttonous man with no self-control in his own conduct or how he raised his sons.

Ezekiel 28:14 (NKJV) 14 "You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.

This speaking of Lucifer, who was anointed. His pride, greed, and willfulness (rebellion) corrupted him and defiled all of his ministry until he was cast out as a PROFANE thing.

As we begin our study on the anointing, it is important to point out that the ANOINTING CAN BE INTOXICATING. That is why Paul told Timothy not to ordain anyone suddenly especially a new believer because they could fall into the same sin as Lucifer. The anointing displays itself in power and results, favor, wealth, and opportunity. If you do not realize that the anointing has nothing to do with you and is the Holy Spirit's essence, you will corrupt your ministry and yourself and have to be removed if there is no repentance.

The Anointing’s Ingredients

In Exodus, God directed Moses to create the sacred ANOINTING OIL for use in the ministry and tabernacle.

Exodus 30:22-33 (NKJV) 22 Moreover the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 23 "Also take for yourself quality spices--five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much sweet-smelling cinnamon (two hundred and fifty shekels), two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cane, 24 five hundred shekels of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. 25 And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be a holy anointing oil. 26 With it you shall anoint the tabernacle of meeting and the ark of the Testimony; 27 the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense; 28 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base. 29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them must be holy. 30 And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests. 31 And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'This shall be a holy anointing oil to Me throughout your generations. 32 It shall not be poured on man's flesh; nor shall you make any other like it, according to its composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. 33 Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on an outsider, shall be cut off from his people.' "

Let's look at the prophetic meaning of each spice:

Myrrh. Myrrh is a fragrant resin taken from plants found mainly in Arabia or Africa. In order to get the resin, the plant must be cut or wounded. Myrrh is bitter in taste. It is used figuratively of LOVE. It is one of the gifts from the wisemen prophesying of His bitter death due to His LOVE FOR US. Romans 5:8 (NKJV) 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in hat while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Cinnamon. This spice was highly prized and sought after by the Romans. It was very expensive. It is symbolic of fragrance. I've heard of people that have been in the presence of the Lord smelling cinnamon. It speaks of the PRICELESS TREASURE of Christ's sacrifice and His indwelling within us. IT ALSO REFERS TO HIS HOLINESS. Cinnamon is also an aphrodisiac, which can mean sexual desire but also EXCITEMENT that you might feel from music or something that stimulates the senses. It is an energetic fragrance that symbolizes keeping stirred up in God and being spiritually attractive to the world so they will want Christ.

Sweet-smelling cane. This is calamus spice, an upright fragrant reed. Reeds grow along a water source signifying being planted in the presence of God and the Word. It is upright speaking of us being made upright in Christ. Many reeds were the only GREEN plant in the dry seasons of Egypt and the Middle East symbolizing being planted by the rivers of water bearing fruit and everything prospering.

Cassia. It is symbolic of fragrance through crushing and suffering. It is from a word that means to bend the head in deference denoting humility. Christ humbled Himself even to the point of dying on the cross.

Psalm 45:7-8 (NKJV) 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions. 8 All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.

THE ANOINTING OIL IS THE FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NKJV) 14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

The thing with the anointing is often it displays itself outwardly as the ability to perform ministry. A person that walks in holiness, humility, and love flowing in the rivers of God will smell as the fragrance of Christ as they minister. But when a person walks in pride, unholiness, and lack of love, their anointing becomes a stench in the people and God's nostrils.

Exodus 30:32 (NKJV) 32 It shall not be poured on man's flesh; nor shall you make any other like it, according to its composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you.

The Anointing Breaks the Yoke

Isaiah 10:27 (NKJV) 27 It shall come to pass in that day That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

The context of this verse is the oppression of the Assyrians to the northern kingdom of Israel. After King Solomon died, his kingdom was divided with 10 in the northern known as Israel, and 2 in the south known as Judah. The north was ruled by Jeroboam, Solomon's foreman, who created a false system of worship in Samaria, which is the religious discussion the Samaritan woman was trying to have with the Lord. This form of worship opened a tidal wave of IDOLATRY that threatened to corrupt Judah and Benjamin in the south. Judah is the tribal allotment that had Jerusalem and the temple. Out of fear the people would return to Jerusalem, Jeroboam established their own worship system. Due to the idolatry, God tried to warn them mainly through Isaiah of impending judgment through the Assyrians, a brutal, merciless people that struck fear in the hearts of everyone. God is assuring the people that even though they will be oppressed for a while under the Assyrians, God would have vengeance and judge them like He did Egypt. It is then that He said, "...And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil."

Since He compared this season to the past Egyptian oppression, it is important to understand what exactly He means and why such a strange statement. What does the anointing have anything to do with oppression from a nation?

When God heard the cries of His people in Egypt, He sent Moses, a man already groomed for the task years before, seasoned and humbled in the wilderness, and the ONLY MAN ANOINTED to deliver a nation from the most powerful in all the world. It was the anointing that enabled him to produce the power of God in the plagues, the Red Sea, the water out of the rock, the manna, etc. He was a prophet. He established the priestly role with Aaron and his sons. And later King David established a throne on which the Messiah will sit.

Isaiah 16:5 (NKJV) 5 In mercy the throne will be established; And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, Judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness."

Remember that the only anointed ones in the OT was the prophet, the priest, and the king. Each of these men, Moses, Aaron, and David is a type of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ. Through their anointing great things were done and new things created. Now let's go down to Isaiah 11:1-2.

Isaiah 11:1-12 (NKJV) 1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. 3 His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; 4 But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist.

We see here a connection between the destruction of the yoke with the coming of the Branch, Jesus Christ.

Now back to Isaiah 10:27. Let's see what exactly is a burden and a yoke. Burden "refers to a load that a worker had to carry, his burden, often placed there by oppressors." The best example is the slavery of the Israelites in Egypt. THE SHOULDERS ARE TO REPRESENT GOVERNMENT.

Isaiah 22:22 (NKJV) 22 The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; So he shall open, and no one shall shut; And he shall shut, and no one shall open.

Mankind was created to rule not be ruled. But due to the fall, we were no longer the rulers but the slaves. So instead of mankind carrying the burden of government, which we were designed for, we have carried the burden of oppression and slavery to sin. BECAUSE GOD DID NOT DESIGN US THAT WAY, HE SENT HIS SON TO RESTORE US TO GOVERNMENTAL PEOPLE. We will get to that in a second.

Yoke is a wooden frame or bar placed on the neck of work animals to harness them for labor. It figuratively means "servitude" as in slavery. The neck is a place of ornamentation and a feature of beauty and strength. To put one's foot on an enemy's neck indicated dominance over him. To stiffen the neck represents stubbornness and rebellion.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV) 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

The Greek word for yoke has the idea of BINDING TOGETHER. He is telling us to bind ourselves to Him. Come into unison with Him as two oxen who work together. LEARN FROM HIM BECAUSE HE IS GENTLE AND LOWLY IN HEART. I.e. He isn't going to OPRESS you or put on you BURDENS and YOKES that wear you out. He won't RULE OVER YOU AS THE GENTILES DID. Jesus always gives His people freedom to choose. He never tries to control or take away choice. Why? He is gentle and lowly in heart. Gentle means meek and humble. Meek is POWER UNDER CONTROL. He could force us to follow Him but that is not in His nature. PRIDE SEEKS TO CONTROL. HUMILITY PROTECTS FREEDOM. Lowly means He had an attitude of being humble not exalting Himself. He allowed God to do that.

Psalm 20:6 NKJV

6 Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.

Messiah and Christ both mean ANOINTED ONE. Isaiah was prophesying of AN ANOINTED ONE COMING THAT WOULD BRING TRUE DELIVERANCE NOT JUST FROM PHYSICAL CAPTIVITY BUT SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL. He also saved us and we are now anointed as the Lord was anointed. We are Anointed Ones.

Luke 4:17-19 (NKJV) 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18 "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; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."

Isaiah 11:1-2 describes the way the Spirit would rest upon the Lord. And here, a quote of Isaiah 61:1,2 tells the activities of His anointing. You have the ANOINTED ONE on the inside of you and upon you. We are also fulfilling this passage. AND YOU CAN TRUST THAT ANOINTING HAS DELIVERED YOU FROM OPPRESSION. The enemy no longer how power over you. Sin no longer has dominion over you. Death no longer has fear over you. ALL THE RESULTS OF THE FALL HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY THE ANOINTING. And we are a mighty nation that Christ will bring out of the current world system the enemy controls with Him into the promise land of His rule on earth.

One more thought on that. Look at Genesis 2:8.

Genesis 2:8 (NKJV) 8 The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.

The Garden is not the Garden OF Eden. It was a garden that God Himself planted in a place called Eden. Eden is from a word that means PLEASURE, DELIGHT.

Psalm 16:11 (NKJV) 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Eden is where God's presence is! God wanted mankind smack dab in the middle of His presence. In the midst of this PRESENCE PLACE, He planted the garden with every tree that was pleasant and yummy. There were rivers, gold, precious jewels--representing wealth. It is here the first marriage ceremony was conducted representing family. And it was from this place that they were to EXPAND THE GARDEN AND EDEN'S INFLUENCE! It represents the kingdom and taking dominion, but instead they fell for Satan's trap.

You Know All Things

1 John 2:20 NKJV

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

The anointing is tied to the Holy Spirit. Because we have Him, we are anointed. One role of His is to teach us all things and guide us into all truth.

John 14:26 NKJV

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

John 16:13 NKJV

13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

We know that anything He teaches will be holy because He is holy; therefore that’s a good plumbline for any teaching you hear. If it’s not holy and reinforcing holiness, it’s not from the Lord.

The word know means “to comprehend the meaning of something, with focus upon the RESULTING knowledge.” It’s “to see with perception.” Again, the anointing is because of a Person in you and upon you. He knows all things because He searches the heart of God and then communicates that to you; therefore, you comprehend things and perceive things that you might not even understand at first!

1 John 2:27 NKJV

27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

We know that John isn’t saying to not listen to teachers. Jesus gave us the gift of teachers (Eph. 4:11-12) to equip us for the work of ministry. What he is saying is in the context of deception.

1 John 2:26–27 TPT

26 I’ve written these things about those who are attempting to lead you astray. 27 But the wonderful anointing you have received from God is so much greater than their deception and now lives in you. There’s no need for anyone to keep teaching you. His anointing teaches you all that you need to know, for it will lead you into truth, not a counterfeit. So just as the anointing has taught you, remain in him.

Here’s how this works. You hear a teaching from someone claiming to be a Christian or even from someone that’s a minister in the body of Christ but something just didn’t “sit” well. Scripture can be used, and it can sound ok, but something’s wrong. That’s what John is referring to. We’ve all been there. We’ve all had that PERCEPTION that the spirit teaching isn’t the Holy Spirit and that’s not the anointing. You see, the anointing is closely tied to relationship, and we know the person and voice of those we regularly commune with.

The flip side is that if we don’t cultivate relationship with Holy Spirit, our ability to discern will be hindered. Relationship with God should never be reduced to listening to teaching and activity. It’s always relationship first. If ministry or Christian disciplines replace relationship, we are now open to failure and deception.

Nehemiah 8:10–11 NKJV

10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.”

Holiness is the root system for joy! What were they grieving? Sin. But that day God was giving them a chance to start over in holiness; therefore, joy was the prescribed emotion to feel!

Hebrews 1:9 NKJV

9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

The Lord was preparing a way for us, the highway of holiness, so that we could be redeemed and then made holy! And so that we could LOVE righteousness and HATE lawlessness just like Him. AND THAT ALIGNMENT OF HEART RESULTED IN AN ANOINTING OF THE OIL OF GLADNESS.

Hebrews 12:2 NKJV

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do you see that? FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM, He endured incredible pain and shame. But what was His joy? OUR HOLINESS!

Isaiah 35:8 NKJV

8 A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray.

We stay on this wonderful highway not through works but through FAITH. Nothing we will ever do can make us holy. Jesus made us holy. But we abide in that holiness by abiding in Him, and as long as we abide in Him, we will not go astray!