The Anointing:
The indwelling power of the Holy Spirit that enables somebody to do something that they would ordinarily not be able to do on their own.
Dear Beloved
Be greeted in the Name of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I trust it is well with your soul as it is written in 3 John 1:2 “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”
The season of Passover and Ascension Day is a time of great expectation and celebration in the church. If we can understand the significance of what happened to the people after Jesus ascended into heaven it might stir us to draw closer to God in this time. Let me share with you two statements Jesus made before He was crucified.
John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
John 7:37-39 “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this He said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Did you notice the following phrases in the above scriptures? “You will also do what I do” and “If anyone thirsts”. Here we can see that Jesus makes two significant statements. The first one is that the church is supposed to be in a place where we can do what He did and that we should be doing greater things. Secondly, we as a church should be experiencing living waters flowing out of our hearts when we are thirsty for more of the Holy Spirit and His anointing.
Here is a sincere question to ask ourselves then today. Why do we not see this power displayed today and why are we not experiencing this anointing of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is talking about?
Maybe, there are two reasons. Firstly, because people are not informed and secondly because most believers are just too casual about it, too empathetic. After all, it could be that we are just not thirsty enough. My dear friend, Pentecost is a time when we as the body of Christ should become more thirsty for the things of the Holy Spirit. It is a time to seek God as the people in the upper room did and to wait on Him as they did. They were not disappointed. Listen to this. Jesus himself needed the anointing. It is written in Acts 10:38, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”
So having the anointing of God means that He will be with us too. Even so, as I write this letter to you, my purpose is to stir you today to become more thirsty for more of God’s anointing. As we wait on Him in this time, we should become more determined and pray this, “God, I will not leave you until you pour out your Spirit on me.”
Friends imagine what it will be like or what impact it will have on our nation if we can make a declaration like Jesus did when He said in Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
We are in the most special time of the year as a church and as the body of Christ we are called to continue the ministry of our Lord Jesus. We all know it will not happen without the anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit. The anointing enables you and me to do something for God that we would not be able to do on our own. The anointing turns you and me into another man or another woman. (1 Samuel 10:6)
I encourage you then today to spend time with God and to seek His face, to thirst for more of Him and when He does engage with you, you will become world changers wherever you live. We can, with the Holy Spirit, accomplish so much more.
Love you dearly and be blessed.
Roland and Denise Engel