The Lord’s Word contains numerous instances in which people, as well as objects, were anointed. Many were physically anointed with a special type of oil which God had blessed. Others were anointed spiritually without the use of the oil. The anointings denoted the application of Holy Spirit power which, in many cases, involved either articles of worship or individuals whom God would use in His service. In this series we will concentrate on His anointing of men chosen for such service, for the appointing of kingships or for completing specific tasks.
An excellent example of the importance of God’s anointing is found in First Samuel 10:1 where the Prophet Samuel anointed Saul son of Kish to be the King of the nation of Israel. Later, after he had fallen away from God and was trying to kill David, David and his men found the king asleep (24:6). Though his men advised him to kill his deadly enemy, David refused, saying that he would not raise his hand against “God’s anointed.” As we have seen and will see, even with God’s anointing, the anointed ones do not always do God’s will. For example, Aaron was oil-anointed as Israel’s first priest. A short time later we find him creating a golden calf and declaring that it is Israel’s God who would lead them back to Egypt. David, the “man after God’s own heart,” had been anointed with oil in preparation for his kingship as Saul’s replacement. His affair almost brought the nation down. Unlike Saul, David deeply repented and was raised back up spiritually and socially.

In the New Testament we find those chosen of God to spread His Gospel among the Jews and other globally-scattered Israelites being anointed spiritually, meaning without oil. Such men, called apostles, were empowered by the Holy Spirit externally. Prior to the coming of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, Jesus had told them that the Holy Spirit was at that time WITH (outside of) them, but would soon be IN them (within their hearts–minds). This infilling of (baptism in/with) the Spirit came in an upper room in Jerusalem and was accompanied by speaking in unknown languages (Acts 2:11). Read The Tongues Controversy. Key word–Tongues.
Now let us look at some examples of God’s oil-less anointing of people in the New Testament. Having received that type of anointing I can attest that it does indeed provide unseen power into the recipient even though it is operating from outside the person. In the past I have shared with readers some of the instances when God used me to do things that are unexplainable in terms of normal human ability.
In Matthew 10:1,5 we find Jesus sending His 12 disciples out to preach the Gospel and perform miracles (see Mat. 10:7,8). In Luke 10:1 we find Him sending out 70 other disciples with similar instructions. In verse 17 we are told that the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us.” Though there is no indication of being anointed the 82 disciples (12+70) were obviously anointed with the Holy Spirit, without which they would have had no power of the devils. The seventy eventually left Jesus and went back into the world. Of the 12 who remained with Jesus, JUDAS WAS ONE OF THEM. Peter would later note that Judas had the same ministry (with the same anointing) as the other eleven disciples (Acts 1:15-17). Which brings us to a present-day situation which has caused much confusion among Biblically ignorant church people as well as those who know the Truth but, out of fear of losing their status in the Institutional Church, refuse to embrace the Word of God in its entirety. They are not interested in His “fine print.” These people and their followers, numbering some three billion globally, are not Bible Christians, but are rather church Christians. They are Christians in name only.

The Old Testament God (the Word Who came to earth as Jesus Christ) warned In the Book of Jeremiah about the current situation in which non-christians are performing miracles in Jesus’ name while claiming to be true servants of God. More in the next posting. Though the people involved are counterfeits, THE MIRACLES THEY PERFORM ARE REAL. I know this to be true because I was healing the sick, casting out demons and knowing things I could not otherwise know long before I was converted, which took place later in life after I learned much more about the ways and will of God. I daily praise Him for His patience and grace. Though I was not a Christian, I believed that I was. God used me in spite of this truth. He has been doing that for thousands of years. Therein lies the problem I will address in the following posting.
It is extremely important that the true seeker of Truth understands this “things-are-not-always-as-they-appear-to-be” issue. Read All That Glitters. Key word–Glitters. Just as Satan has infused the Catholic/Protestant Church System with his false prophets who preach a “perverted gospel” that the Apostle Paul warned about in Galatians 1:6-9, his false prophets continue to preach the same perversions today, some of which are listed in the Introduction to this website. The church’s perverted gospel is filled with heathen beliefs in terms of God’s doctrines, precepts, commandments, etc. His church “truths” have also misled people about miracles, signs and wonders which are an integral part of the true Gospel message which Jesus makes abundantly clear in the New Testament. L.J.