Psalm 23:5 “Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over”.
In an article on Farm & Animals website, Nicky Ellis explains three reasons why shepherds put oil on sheep. During times of breeding, rams fight for the favor of the ewes by butting one another head-on, with great force. Old-time shepherds would, therefore, often grease the rams’ horns and heads heavily in hopes they would slip on impact to prevent severe injury or even death.
Secondly, she writes that in biblical times, a natural repellent, made of olive oil and strongly scented, medicinal essential oils, would be applied to prevent flies from causing serious problems to the sheep.
Thirdly, applying a thick coat of medicinal oil to sheep’s head was believed to kill a troublesome parasitic infestation and prevent their spread among the flock. As in the natural, so in the spirit. So, let us consider the anointing of the Spirit in our lives.
(What will the anointing do for you?
What is the purpose of anointing in the Bible?)
Here are three things the anointing of the Lord does for us:
1. The anointing helps us to love one another. Jesus pointed out that, loving one another is a mark of true discipleship (John 13:35). For this reason, the Holy Spirit has been given to us to shed the love of God abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5) so that we do not fight to injure one another but rather, we would “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another” (Romans 12:10)
2. The anointing repels demonic harassments.
“But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.” (1 Samuel 16:14).
The absence of the anointing is an invitation for demonic spirits. People, who depart from the Lord and stay away from church, will have the anointing of the Lord covering them dwindling and running out; as a result, they will be exposed to demonic attacks. Eventually, things begin to go wrong in their lives. They can, however, be restored if they returned to the Lord and the sheepfold.
3. The anointing destroys yokes and burdens. The Bibles says,
“and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing” (Isaiah 10:27).
As God’s people sit under the ministry of the pastor, the anointing of the Lord begins to destroy yokes and burdens in their lives. The anointing breaks yokes such as sicknesses, addictions, sexual bondages, financial problems, marital issues, and the like.
Precious one, the anointing of the Shepherd is one of the most precious blessings we enjoy as believers and so we must walk in it as we love one another and we will experience total freedom from demonic harassments, yokes, and the burdens of life.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray for the love of Christ to be shed in my heart, and let the power of Your Holy Spirit destroy burdens and demonic operations in my life, in Jesus’ name. Amen
Related Topics : Anointing, Hearing From God, Charles Agyinasare,
