There’s nothing more valuable than the presence of God in our lives. My goal for teaching about God’s presence and anointing is to increase your desire to completely and promptly obey God. The more we love, trust and obey God, the stronger His anointing will be in our lives.
Now, God’s love for you is perfect, complete and unconditional. He couldn’t love you any more than He does right now, and His love for you never changes. But we can grow in our love for God.
As we learn more about His character and have experience with Him through a personal relationship with Him, our trust in Him and love for Him grow. And this causes more of the anointing of the Holy Spirit to work in and through us.
Jesus Christ is the anointed one, so when we are born again, His anointing abides in us. The word “anoint” means “to smear or rub all over.” It’s wonderful to think about how in Christ, we are “rubbed and smeared all over” with the Holy Spirit.
In one way, the anointing is a free gift from God that comes by His grace and mercy, and in another way, there is a price to pay for it.
First John 2:27a (AMPC) says, “But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you.” Notice how this Scripture says that the anointing abides permanently—it won’t go away.
I also like that word “unction”—it’s like having Holy Spirit “umph!” or power to do what God is calling us to do. And it’s the gentle promptings, urges and leadership of the Holy Spirit in us that show us how to live. When we follow the anointing, we feel peace and joy because we’re making wise decisions.
More than anything else, we need to protect the anointing in our lives.
Though the anointing abides in us through our salvation, it can’t come through our lives until we are broken before God. That’s when the oil of the Holy Spirit in us is poured out and can be a benefit to others.
So what is it that needs to be broken in us? Things like rebellion, stubbornness, pride and a spirit that’s independent from God are a few areas of disobedience that can keep the anointing from working through us.
The vehicle that carries the anointing is the soul—our mind, will and emotions. And when we are led by our natural carnal or fleshly impulses, we are not being led by the Holy Spirit.
That’s why it’s so important for us to grow up and mature in Christ so we can be what God wants us to be and know how to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
We need to understand that we dare not do anything without God’s anointing. And there’s an anointing for everything we need to do. It’s not just for ministers or for spiritual areas of life.
The anointing is what enables and equips us to do what God asks us to do. You have an anointing to be a parent, husband or wife. You have an anointing to be in business or some kind of organization—whatever you are gifted to do with your life. And it’s amazing when God uses someone to do something that you know they don’t have the ability to do on their own. That’s the power of the anointing!
Philippians 2:10 (AMPC) says, “(At) the name of Jesus every knee … (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” He is God, and He is all-powerful! Yet He is also our example in humility.
Verses 5-8 in this same chapter tell us we are to have the same attitude that He demonstrated: Although He is one with God, He stripped Himself of all privileges and became a servant; He abased and humbled Himself and was obedient even to the extreme of death on the cross.
Power is connected to obedience. The anointing is released when we get rid of our selfish, self-centered, independent attitudes and humble ourselves before God. As you choose to be radically obedient to God, you will have the same power that raised Christ from the dead working in and through you. And you’ll be amazed by the anointing of the Holy Spirit in your life!
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times’ best-selling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries Inc. She has authored more than 100 books, including Battlefield of the Mind and Living a Life You Love (Hachette). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit joycemeyer.org.
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