So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told to Samuel, saying, “Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself…” (1 Samuel 15:12 NKJV)
From a young age, God used Samuel to speak as an oracle of Heaven on Earth. His obedience in being a voice led him to have an audience of kings, nations, and priests. On this particular occasion, Samuel let Saul know that there was a problem! Saul’s building of a monument unto himself when he should have invested his time in obedience to God’s purpose in his life was a significant issue.
So Samuel said, “when you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel?” (1 Samuel 15:17 NKJV)
In the Old Testament, an experience with the process of anointing was quite memorable. According to the Lexham Bible Dictionary, it transpired as people were often anointed (with oil) to recognize the Lord’s divine calling upon their lives; the anointing was a physical recognition of their particular roles, such as king, prophet, or priest.
Visualize it in this way. If someone served on behalf of the Lord in a ministry or leadership setting, a ceremony would convene to anoint them with oil. A special version of olive oil would then be applied to the person’s body in public at the gathering. This physical recognition demonstrated what God was doing inside the person spiritually. Often the application occurred in the form of pouring large amounts of the oil over the candidate's head. I've heard some Bible teachers imply that the moment of anointing could include the deposit of as much as a gallon and a half of oil poured from a container that had formerly been an animal’s horn. This is obviously no longer a practice in modern Christianity, but we still desire the touch of God to be on our lives and on the lives of those who lead us.
If you feel like you’re giving your all in some areas of your life but can’t make traction forward, it is most likely because you lack God’s special touch or favor grace in that area.
While we no longer recognize God’s intentions for someone’s life through the outpouring of extensive amounts of olive oil, we can be certain that God is still in the business of anointing people. But, spiritually speaking, what is the anointing of God? Over the years, I’ve comprised a working definition of anointing. It has come about by funneling various statements from others into this bottom line: The anointing is a special grace upon our lives that allows us to be used by God to benefit others.
God wants you to experience His anointing! And, through that experience, He wants you to benefit others. In fact, the most famous passage in the Old Testament mentions reception and availability of the anointing, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. (Psalm 23:5 NKJV)
Here’s what you need to know, the anointing makes you appear more gifted than you actually are! When you are anointed, you can do things above and beyond anything you were capable of before God favored you with His touch. The special grace of God, the anointing of the Holy Spirit, can change things in your life. You will become a different person. But the anointing isn’t for you; it’s so you can impact others! Other people should benefit from any anointing God releases into your life.
How do we receive the anointing of God in our lives? Saul’s experiences provide us with some great insights.
Then Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” So he said, “To look for the donkeys…” 1 Samuel 10:11 (NKJV)
Through this example, Saul was exemplifying he would do whatever the "father’s house" needed. In response, through Heaven's actions, God confirmed He could work with that! The result was that God turned Saul into another man, one highly favored and anointed with the Holy Spirit, “Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will...be turned into another man.” (1 Samuel 10:6 NKJV)
Be willing to look for the donkeys! Are you willing to roll up your sleeves and get to work? You have to be willing to serve before you are ever able to lead. Don’t limit who God wants you to be because you're not willing to accept the assignment He has for you.
If you want to be anointed, consider these four very practical realities.
Keep yourself LITTLE in your own sight. God will exalt humble hearts, but pride goes before a fall. Saul was humble when God first called him forward. He even had hesitancy regarding his abilities. But, unfortunately, he forgot to stay little in his sight and lost it all.
If you want to be BIG, you need to stay SMALL. A great reminder: Never forget how to bow at an altar, in the name of Jesus. Make yourself small in God’s presence!
People need YOU to be anointed. Because the anointing isn't for you -- it's for others -- the impact of God’s anointing will have a profound effect in your life for the benefit of everyone around you.
You need an experience with JESUS CHRIST. Jesus is the Anointed One. This application isn't up for debate. If you want to be anointed, you must be in a relationship with Jesus. He had this to say of Himself, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tiding to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound and recovery to sight to the blind. (Luke 4:18 NKJV)
We will never be able to maximize our effectiveness to lead our families, businesses, communities, or fulfill our destinies without the anointing! God can take small things and turn them into something big if you will seek the anointing of God within your life.
But with the anointing, “It shall come to pass on 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. (Isaiah 10:27 NKJV) The enemy will always try to yoke someone with something! He tries to yoke us with offense, addiction, and/or lust. He will try to weigh us down with every burden imaginable. BUT when you function under the anointing of Jesus Christ, every yoke is destroyed!
I invite you to view this message, “Move the Monument”, in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/DnAWKgW1duo
Here are a few things to evaluate in your life:
Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving the anointing in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.
Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus and start breaking yokes off your life? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.
Do you want to experience the manifestation of God’s anointing in your life and take your next steps towards discipleship? BEGIN may be the place for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin
Let’s roll up our sleeves together, and accept the assignments God has for us! Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.