When you say the word “OIL”, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Well this is what came to my mind: it is a fuel and can be used to burn.
Oils have a lot of uses both now and in the olden days. In the present day, it is mainly used as a fuel and also to make chemicals and as a lubricant. Whereas in the olden days it was used in marriages, death ceremonies, to clean, to cook etc… But I’m not going to talk about all of these above listed uses. I’m going to talk about the anointing oil mentioned in the bible in several occasions that was used specifically to anoint, thus its name.
you might be wondering what this anointing oil is, cause nobody seems to be using it nowadays. Well the bible not only talks about instances where it was used but also gives us every single detail we need to know about it. Let me turn your attention to the scriptures from the book of exodus and chapter 30 verses 22-33.
Verses 22 to 25 talks about how the oil is to be made and who has to make it. It not only tells the ingredients but also the composition of every ingredient.
The Anointing Oil Then the Lord said to Moses, 23 “Collect choice spices—12 1⁄2 pounds of pure myrrh, 6 1⁄4 pounds of fragrant cinnamon, 6 1⁄4 pounds of fragrant calamus, and 12 1⁄2 pounds of cassia as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. Also get one gallon of olive oil. Like a skilled incense maker, blend these ingredients to make a holy anointing oil.Exodus 30:22-25
Some of the key characteristics of this oil is seen as we go further in the chapter in verses 29,31,32 ;it says like this:29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy.31 And you shall say to the people of Israel, ‘This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. 32 It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you.
When we see the scriptures quoted here we come to know 3 things:
It denotes holiness and is used to make someone or something holy
It is God’s.
It is poured only on people who are to exercise certain level of authority.
You see the oil by itself is a substance that has the potential to power something. It is one of the very qualities of any oil. That is why since it is God’s and God is holy, whatever it touches becomes holy. When the scriptures mention that the anointing oil is not to be poured on any normal person, it is because the anointing oil is to be poured on a person who is called and set apart for God. That is why if we see throughout the old testament of the bible, the anointing oil was used to anoint mainly three type of people who all fall under the class that they are called by God. And these people were:
Kings
Priests
prophets
All these people exercised certain level of authority and all that authority and power that was vested upon them flowed from the anointing oil that was first poured on them. God made it in such a way that the anointing of a person by the very anointing oil of God showed the beginning of the power and authority that that particular person was to exercise in the future in His name. from all this we see how significant the anointing oil of God was. But you may be wondering what this is to do with us today. Well there is something that it is to do with us, although not literally but spiritually.
Let me explain what I mean by that, in the book of Acts 10:38 it says like this,
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. Acts 10:38
Here it says that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit by God. But throughout the old testament people were only anointed by the anointing oil. What does this mean?there is a transition from the anointing oil to the Holy Spirit. This means that after Jesus died on the cross and the vail tore into two opening the Most Holy Place in the temple to everyone and when Jesus said after I go to heaven I will send the comforter, THE HOLY SPIRIT BECAME THE ANOINTING OIL. Jesus was full of the spirit and was the only way by which we can access the new anointing oil of God. Well you may ask me, “I am no person who exercises any level of authority or king or priest or nothing like that of sorts and why i get the anointing oil?”, well in 1 peter 2:9 it says like this:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
Here it says that once we accept Jesus we become royal as we become one with the family of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and so we are people who have certain level of authority. Moreover, Jesus says that all those who believe Him must cast out demons and heal the sick and raise the dead. What does that mean, it means that once the Holy spirit is upon us we are given the authority over death, sickness, demons, anxiety, darkness and so much more.
When the holy spirit of God comes upon you, it means the following happens:
you are God’s.
you are given the power that was found in Jesus.
you are made holy.
you have the authority over fear and death and darkness and all negativity.
You are chosen and set apart for God.
Maybe you are person who have already received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, then you must realize the importance, value and worth of what God has given to you. You see the Holy Spirit or the anointing oil of God was something that only kings and priests had in the old testament but today the Holy Spirit is among us. We don’t have to be royal anymore. It is time that we thank God for what He has given to us and live a life that will please Him and be according to His will.
If you are a person who has not yet received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, then I encourage you to pray and long for the anointing of the Holy Spirit. You see, God is not partial and will give all that ask of Him. Some people have experiences of smelling, seeing and feeling the anointing oil of God through dreams and visions. you may or may not, but when the Holy Spirit comes upon you it is equivalent to the anointing oil of God being poured upon your head.
This is what I believe and it has worked for me, when you really look to God with all your heart and really ask of Him, He will definitely pour out His Spirit upon you. Cause it is a promise that God has given to us. After you have received the Holy Spirit you will be able to win battles you’ve been fighting in your own strength for a long time. But always let your focus be on Jesus the king of all creation and not on your victory, your failure, yourself, your surroundings or anything else for that matter. Always know that it is the Holy Spirit in you through whom you are able to do what you are able to do 😁.