To be anointed by the Holy Spirit means to receive God's presence, consecration and empowerment for His purposes. The anointing originates with God Himself. He is the One who chooses, appoints and enables those whom He calls. In the Old Testament, this relationship is particularly evident in the appointment of Saul and David, whose physical anointing was accompanied by the coming of the Spirit of the Lord (1 Samuel 10:1, 6; 16:13). Jesus Christ reveals the fullness of spiritual anointing. His title, Messiah or Christ, means the Anointed One, and His ministry demonstrates the purpose of that anointing. In Luke 4:18--19, He declares that the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him and that He has been anointed to proclaim the Gospel, heal the brokenhearted, bring liberty to captives and set the oppressed free. Acts 10:38 likewise describes how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. The anointing is therefore inseparably connected with God's presence and His desire to save, heal, deliver and restore. It is not given for personal prestige, religious appearance or human ambition, but for the accomplishment of His purposes.
Through faith in Jesus Christ, believers receive the Holy Spirit and become members of His royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). Paul declares that God establishes us in Christ, anoints us, seals us and gives us His Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:21--22). Yet this spiritual reality must be distinguished from the preparation and empowerment required for particular responsibilities in God's Kingdom. Receiving the Holy Spirit does not automatically mean that someone is spiritually mature, prepared for every ministry or authorised to appoint others. God prepares those whom He calls, and the way towards greater spiritual responsibility involves surrender, humility, repentance, obedience and wholehearted dependence upon Him. His Word must become alive within us through the Holy Spirit, changing not merely our outward behaviour but the desires and attitudes of our hearts. Jesus teaches that the Father seeks those who worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23--24). Worship is therefore much more than singing songs; it is a lifestyle in which we bring ourselves into agreement with God's Word and allow His Spirit to lead us. The genuine anointing produces the character and purposes of Jesus Christ, not an elevated opinion of ourselves.
House of Anointing