“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.” — 1 John 2:20 (NIV)
From Genesis to Revelation, we see a divine pattern: when God calls a person to serve Him, He also empowers them. This empowerment—the supernatural enabling to fulfill a divine purpose—is what we call the anointing. It is not merely symbolic or ceremonial; it is spiritual, powerful, and practical. It is the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit upon a life, enabling ordinary people to do extraordinary things for the glory of God.
What Is the Anointing?
In the Old Testament, the anointing was often a physical act: prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil as a sign of God’s selection and empowerment (1 Samuel 16:13; Exodus 28:41). But the oil was symbolic—it pointed to the real anointing: the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
In the New Covenant, the anointing is no longer limited to a few elite individuals. Through Jesus, every believer can be filled with the Spirit and anointed for ministry. This dynamic encounter with the Holy Spirit is what Acts 1:8 describes as power to be witnesses:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…” — Acts 1:8 (NIV)
This power is the essence of the anointing—it is divine ability granted by the Holy Spirit to fulfill God’s mission.
The Purpose of the Anointing
The anointing is not for personal fame or spiritual superiority; it is for service. It equips God’s servants to minister with supernatural effectiveness. The anointing:
Breaks yokes of bondage (Isaiah 10:27)
Heals the brokenhearted (Luke 4:18)
Declares freedom to the captive
Empowers preaching, teaching, and witnessing with boldness (Acts 4:31)
Manifests signs, wonders, and miracles (Mark 16:20)
Jesus Himself was the ultimate Anointed One—the Christ—and He declared in Luke 4:18:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me…”
If Jesus, the sinless Son of God, needed the anointing of the Holy Spirit to do ministry, how much more do we?
How the Anointing Manifests
The anointing does not always look the same way—it flows uniquely through each vessel, but it always bears fruit and brings glory to God.
1. Boldness in Preaching:
Peter, once fearful and denying Jesus, stood boldly before crowds after Pentecost and preached with such power that 3,000 were saved (Acts 2:14-41). That’s the anointing.
2. Wisdom in Leadership:
Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gave an anointed defense of the faith that cut to the heart of his listeners (Acts 6–7). The anointing gives insight and discernment beyond human capability.
3. Healing and Miracles:
The book of Acts is filled with healing and supernatural manifestations—through Peter’s shadow (Acts 5:15), Paul’s handkerchiefs (Acts 19:11-12), and more. These were not magic tricks—they were manifestations of the anointing.
4. Prophetic Utterance:
Pentecostals believe that God still speaks today. Under the anointing, believers may give prophetic words, words of knowledge, or tongues and interpretation—all gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
A Modern-Day Story
Sister Clara, a quiet woman in her late sixties, had never preached a sermon. But one Sunday, during a prayer meeting, the Spirit of God fell on her. She stood, opened her mouth, and what came out was a prophetic word that cut through decades of spiritual dryness in that congregation. People wept, repented, and worshipped. It wasn’t her personality or her eloquence—it was the anointing.
Guarding the Anointing
With great privilege comes great responsibility. The anointing can be quenched or hindered by sin, pride, or disobedience. That’s why Scripture commands:
“Do not quench the Spirit.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:19
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…” — Ephesians 4:30
To remain effective in ministry, we must maintain a lifestyle of holiness, humility, and constant fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
Walking in the Anointing Today
You don’t have to be a pastor, preacher, or missionary to be anointed. God anoints mothers to nurture, teachers to shape lives, intercessors to break strongholds, and business owners to influence communities. The question is not if you’re called—it’s how are you stewarding the anointing on your life?
Ask yourself:
Am I yielding to the Spirit daily?
Am I walking in obedience to the Word?
Am I using the gifts God has given me for His glory?
Final Thoughts
The anointing is not a feeling—it’s a function. It equips the weak to be strong, the shy to be bold, and the natural to be supernatural. If you are God’s servant, you are not meant to minister in your own strength. The anointing is your inheritance—and it’s available to you through intimacy with the Holy Spirit.
“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD Almighty. — Zechariah 4:6
Let the oil flow. Let the Spirit lead. And let the power of the anointing mark your life—for His glory.
Good morning Jo,
Thank you for sharing this piece on the anointing. Love knowing that the anointing is spiritual, powerful and practical and that I have the manifestation of it in my life, thank you Lord for such a beautiful gift. I'm thankful for the empowerment of the anointing to use for service. I love knowing that the anointing when we bear it's fruit brings glory to God. As you've given the 4 examples of how the anointing manifests in one's life I can testify to at least 3 of these manifesting in my life at some point, not sure about the preaching one as of yet,lol but God.
The anointing is not if I'm called it's about stewarding the anointing on my life, powerful, love it. As I read each question presented in the thread I desire to believe that I to my ability in Christ Jesus yield to the the Spirit daily, walk in obedience to the word of God and use the gifts God has given me for His Glory.
I never really thought about the Holy Spirit as a function. I learned that it wasn't about feeling along ago but I never thought that it's a function. I thank God for equipping me with this function to do His will in the earth.
I want continously the oil to flow, the Spirit to lead and the power of the anointing to mark my life for his Glory because without Him I can do nothing.