What is, "The Anointing? By David A. Depra


Down through the church age many have come claiming to be, "anointed of God." This
is supposed to mean that they are chosen, commissioned, and empowered to do God’s work. Usually going hand and hand
with these claims are
demands that other
Christians submit to them. The verse usually given for this is either Psalm 105:15, which
says, "Touch not mine
anointed, and do my prophets no harm," or David’s refusal to kill Saul is used as an example.

This is an important issue, not only because we need to see what, "the anointing," is NOT,
but because we need to see what it IS.

The Anointing

These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which you have received of him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in him. (1 John 2:26-27)


According to the apostle John, each believer has THE ANOINTING abiding in them. Sure. This has to be the case, because unlike OT times, each believer has Christ in them – and Christ is, "The Anointed One."

Now, this is SO important to
understand that John tells us that the reason he is writing this is so that, "no man seduce
us." John is trying to show us that we don’t need a guru, a wise old man, or someone who
claims to have a special
anointing from God. We don’t need to partner with a
ministry, or plant a seed into a ministry, or join a movement, in order to, "partake of the anointing." These lies are being taught today! Rather, John
says, "I want to tell you this so that no one will lead to astray by claiming you must follow them if you want the anointing. I want to tell you that if Christ is in you, you
already have it – HE IS THAT ANOINTING."

John was an apostle. But read the above passage again. Does it sound like he was telling his readers to come to HIM as a guru? No. He did what any true minister of God will do – he teaches the believer that they have all they need, as individuals, in Christ. He shows them what Christ means, teaches them how to walk in
Christ, and does all he can to set them free into a personal
relationship with Christ. John knew that he could not, "impart," an anointing, and
wanted to make sure that his readers would not be deceived by anyone claiming they could.

I am hearing more and more on Christian television suggestions to the effect, if not
direct teaching, that there is such a thing as an, "imparted anointing." Ministries are teaching that if you give them money, that their anointing from God – which includes
health and prosperity – will be imparted to you. But this is nothing short of the selling of
indulgences. It is herresy and an abomination in the eyes of God. There is not such thing as an, "imparted anointing."
There aren’t MANY anointings. No. There is only Christ in us.

Christ in each individual believer through the Holy Spirit
is THE ANOINTING. There may be variations as to ministry, as to gifts, and as to function. But
as Paul said, "There are many gifts and functions, but the SAME Spirit." Once we make
the anointing a THING we think God has given us, instead of the Person who dwells in
us, we are on dangerous ground.

>>>>> Jesus is Lord<<<<<<

In the final analysis, there is only one way to come under the fullness of, "the anointing:" To come under the Lordship of
Jesus Christ. Indeed, that is the purpose of the Holy Spirit, to make Jesus Lord of each of
us. But not just as a fact. Rather, the Holy Spirit wants to make Him Lord in practice.

So we have this: "The anointing," is CHRIST IN US through the Holy Spirit. Each believer therefore has this
anointing. However, to truly come under the fullness of this
anointing, we must come under the Lordship of Jesus
Christ. We must be subject to the Holy Spirit.

Have we recognized that the purpose of the Holy Spirit in us is to make Jesus our Lord,
and thus, formed us
together with Him as
witnesses unto God? Have we realized that when Jesus ascended to heaven and was
seated as Lord of all that He sent His Spirit to bring all things under His Lordship?

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 did not usher in signs and wonders. There
were plenty of those before Acts 2, even through the OT. The outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2 ushered in JESUS AS LORD – not just TO us, but IN US