INTRO: THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- The Anointing is given by the Holy Spirit by the promise of the Father for the glory of His Son.
- It is the anointing of God that makes a difference in your life and causes you to be a difference maker in your generation, in your family and workplace!
THERE ARE TWO ANOINTINGS
Judges 1:12-15 – When Caleb offered a challenge to anyone who can capture Kiriath Sepher, it was Othniel who rose to the occasion and wins the challenge. Caleb gets his daughter married off to Othniel. As they began to leave, Acsah the bride urges Othniel to ask for water springs from her Father but since Othniel hesitates, Acsah get off the donkey and daes to ask her father herself. She asks him for springs of water and Caleb gives her two springs – the upper and the lower springs. This is a typology of Jesus and his Bride which is the Church.
Othniel whose name means the Lion of God is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ: we read in the book of revelation that Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah who prevailed to open the seals which contained blessings of the saints and vengeance to the enemies of God. Interestingly Kiriath Sepher means the City of the Book. Acsah the bride of Othniel is a type of the Church which is the bride of Christ. Now Caleb is a type of the Father God who sits on the throne of grace with blessings for those who seek him. Where is the Holy Spirit? He is hidden as a type in the springs of water mentioned in the story.
We read that Caleb gave Acsah two springs of water – the upper and the lower springs. The lower springs speak of the inner anointing which is in every believer at the time of salvation. The upper springs refer to the outer anointing of the Holy Spirit which is the baptism in the Holy Spirit received as a separate experience by those who surrender themselves to Him.
Here are a few scripture passages that refer to the two anointing that a believer can receive:
John 14:17 – The inner anointing: The promise of the Holy Spirit who lives in the Believer
Luke 4:8 – The outer anointing: The Spirit is on Jesus Christ for ministry
Eph 1:13 – The inner anointing: The seal of the Holy Spirit that is given to every believer at the time of salvation
Acts 1:8 – The outer anointing: The power of the Holy Spirit that is available at the time of the baptism in the Spirit.
John 20:22 – The inner anointing: Jesus breathed on his disciples and said “Receive the Holy Spirit”
Acts 2:2-4 – The outer anointing: ten days after Jesus’ ascension, these same disciples gathered together in the upper room and were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.
INNER ANOINTING Vs OUTER ANOINTING (DIFFERENCES)
- The inner anointing is the Holy Spirit in you.
The outer anointing is the Holy Spirit on you.
- The inner anointing is more about His presence.
The outer anointing is more about His power.
- The inner anointing is received at salvation.
The outer anointing is received at baptism of the Holy Spirit.
- Every believer has the inner anointing.
Only those who surrendered to the Holy Spirit can receive the outer anointing.
- The inner anointing is for you.
The outer anointing is on you to serve others.
- The inner anointing is for revelation
The outer anointing is for demonstration.
- The inner anointing affects your walk
The outer anointing affects your work.
- The inner anointing bears the fruit of the Spirit.
The outer anointing works the gifts of the Spirit.
- The inner anointing cannot be imparted.
The outer anointing can be imparted.
3 TRUTHS ABOUT THE INNER ANOINTING
(1) THE INNER ANOINTING TRANSFORMS YOUR CHARACTER
The inner anointing doesn’t directly improve your ministry. It improves your character. If we don’t have access to this anointing our character will be nasty. The Holy Spirit in you makes you more like Jesus. Surrender to Him and walk with him – A godly character is not a lot of work but a lot of surrender.
- Pas Benny Hinn writes in one of his books “Instead of praying ‘Give me more of you’, pray ‘Take more of me.’”
(2) THE INNER ANOINTING TEACHES YOU BY REVELATION WHAT EDUCATION CANNOT
1 John 2:20, 27 – The anointing that you have received abides in you and teaches you all things – Education is important – God increases knowledge but there are things education cannot do – only revelation and only the Holy Spirit can give you a revelation!
Education brings information but revelation brings transformation.
(3) THE INNER ANOINTING OPERATES AS YOU ABIDE IN Jesus
John 15:7 – Abiding means – abiding in Word, abiding in Prayer – in a constant love for Jesus. In prayer, first “abide” and then “ask”.
Story of Kenneth E. Hagin: He describes how the inner anointing helped him experience supernatural healing of his body
He was born with a deformed heart – at 15 years of age, he was bed fast and lost his sense of hearing and sight and died thrice but came back , his mom was praying for him, that night he got saved. That night Granny gave him a Bible – started reading for 10 min and then for 15min and then for one hour.
This is an excerpt from one of his sermons many years ago: I remember the night I was born again: I was born again the 22nd day of April 1933. I know that unction or anointing came into me that very night. The Holy Spirit began to try to teach me a lot of things, but my head wouldn’t go along with it. I didn’t know to listen to Him. But it was there on that bed of sickness as a 16-year-old invalid that I got into the Word and the Spirit of God taught me about divine healing.
Five doctors had told me, “You’re going to die—that’s all there is to it. You can’t live. There’s not one chance in a million for you to live.” But something inside me—that anointing that teaches you all things—that inward “something”—said, “You don’t have to die. Not now. Not at this age. Not as a teenager. You can live. You can be healed!” I said, “Can I?” Something inside me said, “It’s all in the Book. Get in the Book. The Bible — that’s where it is!” And thank God I got in there, and He taught me.
When He opened the Word to me, I acted upon the Word. I didn’t know anybody who believed in divine healing, so I didn’t have anybody to pray for me. On the inside of me was this voice teaching me. It said, “You believe all right as far as you know, but that last clause of Mark 11:24— “and ye shall have them”— goes with the preceding clause, “believe that ye receive them.” MARK 11:24 – Therefore I say unto you, What things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believes that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Like a flash, I saw it.
What I’d been trying to do was to get healed first—have it first—and then I was going to believe it. He said, Believe it first, and then you’ll have it.” So I began to say, right out loud in my room, “I believe. I believe. I believe I receive healing for the deformed heart. I believe I receive healing for the paralysis. I believe I receive healing for the incurable blood disease.” And while I was saying that and praising God for it, that anointing in me—IN me—said, “Arise. People who are well ought to be up at 10:30 in the morning.” I thought for a moment, how am I going to get up? I’m paralyzed.
I sat up by pulling myself up. I couldn’t feel my legs but I swung them outside the bed and stood! I clung to the bedposts. My head started spinning and closed my eyes shut as I held on. It was when I made this effort and acted upon the Word of God; the power of God came down on me and went through me like a bolt of electricity!”
Feeling began to come back in the legs; he cautiously took one step after the other and walked the entire room. He did the same thing next morning and he says “I have been healed ever since.”
That night he told his mom to bring fresh clothes because he was going to join them at the breakfast table. And he did: he walked out and sat with them for breakfast. He lived a fruitful life God – His teachings have transformed the lives of millions around the globe and He died at the age of 86 healthy, wealthy and blessed!
I believe and declare that your inner anointing will overflow in this year and that you may be transformed in your character. May the anointing teach you by revelation as you abide in Jesus all through this week in Jesus’ name!