Mary Craig Ministries - The Anointing

October 2010

Dear Friend of Mary Craig Ministries,

How does a person keep from being a victim of his/her own lusts and ungodliness? How does a community of believers in Christ fight and resist when it finds itself assaulted by the spirit of antichrist? According to 1 John 2.20, 27 resistance and preservation come only in the power of the Holy Spirit, by the crisma [chrisma]. Crisma means "anointing with oil; an unguent or smearing; endowment of the Holy Spirit; anointing, unction." The crisma imparts to the community of believers oidate panta, "comprehensive knowledge, a clarity of faith, truth, assurance of being in the way of life; the ability to perceive; see; understand" because of the relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit is the paraclete. (John 16.8-10, 13) In 1 John 2.20, 27 the crisma itself is the teacher, independent of a teaching office. It is the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Truth, the One who leads the believer into truth and who enables the believer to discern the spirit of antichrist so as not to be seduced. (1 John 2.18-29)

But you have an unction from the Holy One,
and you know all things. 1 John 2.20
But the anointing which you have received of Him
abides in you, and you need not that any one teach you:
but as the same anointing teaches you of all things,
and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you,
you shall abide in Him. 1 John 2.27

The anointing of the Spirit determines understanding of the Messiah as The Anointed One. So just who has the anointing of the Spirit?

Every believer is anointed by God. (2 Corinthians 1.21; 1 John 2.20, 27) Every believer can know the Lord. God's presence and power reside in the anointing.

Anointing is the practice of applying oil, perfumed oil, or ointment by rubbing or smearing or pouring for the purpose of healing (e.g., Mark 6.13; James 5.14), embalming, e.g., Jesus was anointed for His burial (Mark 14.8; Mark 16.1; John 12), or setting apart for a holy use or purpose of God, such as ministering unto the Lord in the priest's office, e.g., Exodus 29.7; 40.9-15; or in the office of king, e.g., 1 Kings 1.34; or prophet, e.g., 1Kings 19.15, 16. Anointing with oil (poured out) signified the choice and call of God and the impartation of power for a particular work. In the OT heathen kings were sometimes anointed to a task in order to show God's supremacy over the nations, over His creation, as of Cyrus in Isaiah 45.

Putting oil on the head or body was cultural and used as a token of respect in matters of hospitality. (Ruth 3.3, Luke 7.46) (e.g. Psalm 133) The Bible speaks of the oil of joy, of satisfaction. (Psalm 23.5; 45.7; 92.10; Isaiah 61.3) A person could anoint himself, e.g., Ruth 3.3; 2 Samuel 12.20; be anointed, e.g., 1 Samuel 16.12; or anoint another person or thing, e.g., 1 Samuel 15.1. In the OT the altar, the tabernacle, the ark of the testimony, all that was within the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof, were anointed. (Exodus 29.36; 30.26-30; Exodus 40) Garments were anointed as well. (Exodus 40.13) The anointing made what was anointed sacred, consecrated, sanctified, set apart to a holy use.

In addition to olive oil, oils from castor, bay, almond, myrtle, cyprus, cedar, walnut, and fish were used. (Exodus 29.29; Exodus 30.22-26; Leviticus 4.3, 5, 16; Leviticus 6.20; Ps 132.10) The holy anointing oil of Exodus 30.22-25 consisted of pure myrrh, sweet cinnamon, sweet calamus, cassia, and olive oil in a prescribed compound.

Every believer can understand the relationship of the anointing to his/her life by examining the Scriptures and by seeking the Holy Spirit for clarity and truth. Consider the following:

1. The anointing abides in you; and this anointing comes from the Holy One. (1 John 2.27) Biblical anointing is thus equated with the Person of the Holy Spirit.
2. Jesus is God's Anointed One, Savior and promised Deliverer. (Isaiah 61.1; Psalm 2.2; Psalm 45.7; Daniel 9.25, 26; Luke 4.18; John 1.41; Acts 4.27; Acts 9.22; Acts 10.38; Acts 17.2, 3; Acts 18.5, 28) When we say a Christian is anointed, we often mean that the person has a close relationship with God through Christ such that God is with that person in an obvious way, even though every believer is anointed by .

3. Believers in Christ, the Anointed One, are positioned in Christ and so the Holy Spirit abides in them. This position brings with it protection, provision, peace, and place. (Psalm 18.50; Psalm 20.6; Psalm 28.8; Psalm 92.10; Psalm 132.17; Acts 10.38; Ephesians 1 and 2; and verses pertaining to "in Christ") Thus Christians often speak of the anointing as being their protection, provision, peace, and place. (Isaiah 61.1; Luke 4.18)
4. The Holy Spirit is present in every believer. (John 14.15ff; 2 Corinthians 1.20-22; Psalm 140.13; Acts 2.14-42; 2 Cor. 4.14; Hebrews 9; 1 Corinthians 6.19; Ephesians 1.13, 14, e.g.) Thus Christians often talk about the anointing as referring to The Presence or The Presence of God.
5. With the indwelling Spirit comes power. (Acts 1.8; Zechariah 4.6; Ephesians 1.19, 20; Ephesians 3.16; Ezekiel 36.27) So Christians often speak of the anointing as the power of God present to perform a certain function.
6. The anointing is a holy perfume, a holy oil/ointment with a fragrance. A personal study of this holy oil used to anoint persons and/or things can teach the believer important truths about the anointing, about what it means to be sanctified, consecrated, and set apart for the tasks of ministry and how that process takes place. Holy anointing oil as given by God's instructions was not to be counterfeited or put upon a stranger without penalty. (Exodus 30.32, 33; Acts 8.20, 21)
7. The anointing oil teaches us of God's holiness and of our purpose. (e.g. Leviticus 7, 8, 10, 21; Luke 4.18; Acts 10.38) Jesus was anointed for the sake of the Spirit in order to preach the gospel to the poor. He was sent to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4.18, 19)
8. With the anointing of the Lord come warnings (1 Samuel 26.9-23; Leviticus 10.7; Leviticus 21; 1 Samuel 2.10; 1 Samuel 24.6, 10; 2 Samuel 1.16; 2 Samuel 1.21; 1 Chronicles 16.22; Psalm 2; Psalm 89; e.g.) and also a shield (Psalm 18.50; Psalm 20.6; 28.8; 84.9, e.g.). Thus, when we speak of the anointing, we are to know that we are not to profane the sanctuary of our God but to be separated from anything secular for the crown of the anointing oil of God is upon us. (Leviticus 21.12; 1 Corinthians 6.15-20) We speak of the anointing as a shield because it represents the presence of the Lord upon us.

Are you anointed? Then come into its fullness. Let the anointing oil teach you all things. The Spirit of the Lord, of Adonai Yahweh, the covenant-keeping Lord, was upon Him. Jesus is The Anointed One. In order to get the Spirit of the Lord upon you, you have to be anointed. To understand the anointing, we need to understand who Jesus really is.

We thank you for giving. Mary Craig Ministries actively ministers to those seeking healing, deliverance, help, and hope in Jesus Christ. You are touching even more lives through your gifts to Mary Craig Ministries as we minister to more homeless. We are also preparing for a world missions' thrust into China and Asia before the end of this year.

Serving the Lord of Glory,

Mary Craig

P.S. Go to www.marycraig.org. Order books from our Catalog section using PayPal. Worship with us 4:30 p.m. Sundays. Grow and flourish in small group ministry at Craighouse®, located in the Pompano Plaza at 114 E. McNab Road, Pompano Beach, FL 33060. Log on to www.craighouse.org for a map and more events and Bible studies. Reach MCM at 954-491-7270. Send in your prayer requests.

Now He which establishes us with you in Christ,
And has anointed us, is God; who has also sealed us, and
Given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 2 Corinthians 1.21, 22

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