Anointing 1

Anointing

We just had what was probably the best Sunday service I have EVER had the privilege of attending. The praise and worship was anointed, prayer time was anointed, but most of all, Pastors sermon was amazing. Come ministry time, he called anyone who wanted it to come forward for anointing – not prayer, just anointing. Then there was an explosion of praise to conclude the meeting culminating with Pastor singing the blessing and dismissal. An absolutely amazing, and Spirit filled, time with God.

It was all part of our on-going series on ‘Anointed Hearts’. This week we looked at physical anointing and what it meant in the Bible. Pastor threatened to pull one of the leaders, who has a beard, out to the front. He wanted to dress him as a priest in the style of the Old Testament, and anoint him in that same style. That would have meant that somewhere between a pint and a litre of oil poured over the priests head, flowing down his beard, over his robes and onto his feet. Deciding this was a bit messy, he described what happened instead. He also described how people were anointed in a slightly different and definitely less messy way, on the lobe of their right ear, their right thumb, and their right big toe. “What’s all that about?” Pastor asked, before explaining.

EAR

The lobe of the right ear is anointed so that our hearing and listening to God is anointed. So that we may hear Father God clearly as He guides and teaches us in His ways. The ear is for listening, for hearing.

THUMB

The right thumb is anointed so that whatever we turn our hand to, as per the words we hear from God, we will succeed. The thumb is for action, for doing

BIG TOE

The right big toe is anointed so that everywhere we go in response to God’s words, we will go safely and succeed, and ‘take the ground’ to which He points us. The toe is for going.

After this, we were all anointed – ear, thumb, and toe. Finally Pastor sang the blessing and dismissal. It was a beautiful service and extremely powerful. The anointing of the Lord, Holy Spirit, was on every moment of our time together.

It was an amazing and very humbling moment and it shows how serious and important anointing really is. We can all receive Holy Spirit’s anointing but it is just as important for us to receive physical anointing too. There is a great peace and joy in receiving the anointing so that we can carry it wherever we go and give it to whoever we meet.

As a church, we rededicated ourselves to the Lord’s service today and it was a beautiful “God-kissed” moment. The whole church, not just some, but everyone, reached out to the Lord corporately. We want to make a difference to our community. May I suggest that you consider doing the same sort of thing too?