Operating in the Anointing

The Anointing 304-3

You need to discern the anointing is manifesting and how to minister according to its intended purpose. 

1. Anointing is a heavenly substance

The anointing manifesting in a meeting is a heavenly substance tangible to the five senses.
a. Tangibility of the anointing
The anointing is tangible or perceptible to the five senses.
 It is a supernatural feeling impressed on the physical body but it is different from just a natural feeling.
Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30 NLT).
 Christ knew and felt the anointing leaving His physical body when the woman with the issue of blood touched His robes.
Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, I would not bother with you except for my respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Now bring me someone who can play
the harp.” While the harp was being played, the power of the LORD came upon Elisha (2 Kings 3:14-15 NLT).
 Elisha felt the anointing was not manifesting through him at that moment. So he asked for a godly musician to play the harp and entered into worship until the anointing was manifesting
(see also James 4:8a). Only then he tapped on the anointing to stand in the office of a prophet and there were revelation, power, a miracle of provision, and the divine intervention (see
also 2 Kings 3:16-25). 
b. Heavenly substance can be stored or transmitted
 The anointing was stored in Elisha’s bones, even after he had died for a long time. The body of a dead man resurrected when it was thrown on Elijah’s bones (see 2 Kings 13:21).
 Elijah was already taken up to heaven but his coat stored the anointing (see 2 Kings 2:14). 
 The clothing of Jesus was charged with the power of God. All the sick who had touched it were healed (see Mark 6:56). 
 The anointing was transmitted from Paul’s hand into the handkerchiefs and then discharged on the sick to heal them (see Acts 19:11-12).
 Peter’s shadow which has no natural materiality delivered the anointing when it fell on the people (see Acts 5:15). 
 Phenonon of the manifestation of anointing 
A phenomenon of the anointing is people falling under God’s power.
 The Hebrew word for ‘glory’, kabod, means ‘weight’. The glorious presence of God has materiality and weight. 
 In the great light encounter, the power of God struck down Paul and caused him to tremble (see Acts 9:3-6a). 
 Daniel fell under God’s power, lost his strength, fell into deep sleep face down. God asked him to stand up and listen (see Daniel 10:8-12).
 Ezekiel also fell face down but was able to hear. God also asked him to stand up and listen to Him (see Ezekiel 1:28; 2:1).
When the anointing falls on the whole congregation, it is called an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
 On the Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came into the upper room where the disciples gathered and ‘filled the house’ (see Acts 2:2). The presence of God was thick and tangible.
 The place where Peter and the people prayed trembled as the Holy Spirit filled all of them (see Acts 4:31) 
 The Holy Spirit fell upon all who were hearing Peter’s preaching in Cornelius’ home (see Acts 10:44).
Perceptions of the anointing vary from person to person.
 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men (1 Corinthians 12:6 NIV).
 Some feel the anointing like a heat or fire in the mouth (see Jeremiah 5:14).
 Some feel it like a heat or fire in the heart (see Jeremiah 20:9; Luke 24:32).
 Some feel an overflowing of “good theme”, revelations, teaching, or lyrics from the heart (see Psalm 45:1; 2 Samuel 23:3; 1 Samuel 10:10).
 Some feel like a hand is laid on them (see Daniel 10:10-11).
 Some tremble, on their knees or on their palms. Some become very “weak” and fall under the power of God (see Daniel 10:9).
 Some have visions, spiritual activities, and angelic visitation (see Ezekiel 3:14; Acts 10:10-16; 12:7-10).
 Some feel the anointing stirring or provoking within (see Acts 17:16; 18:5).
 Some feel ‘the fear of the Lord’ (see Isaiah 11:2; Acts 5:11-13).
 Some feel assured, belonged to, or loved by God (see Romans 8:14-16).
 Some feel forgiven, accepted, or restored (see Hebrews 10:19, 22, 27). 
Be acquainted of the ways the anointing manifests through you.
 Distinguish the feelings of the manifestation of God’s presence. Know so well when the anointing is manifesting through you and when it is not.

2. Discern the purpose of the anointing

The second step is discerning the purpose of the anointing manifesting.
a. Distinguish the anointing of Christ
As the anointing on Christ is available for you to do the works that Christ did (see 1 John 2:20; John 14:12-14, 16-17), you discern the which one of the six aspects of it is operating (see Luke
4:18-19).
 Salvation for the spiritually poor, 
 Restoration for the broken hearted, 
 Renewal for the captives of worldliness (see also 1 John 2:15-16), 
 Healing for the sick, 
 Deliverance for the oppressed, and 
 Providence for the needy. 
b. Distinguish the manifestation of the Holy Spirit
By frequent operations you will confirm what are the ways the Holy Spirit has chosen to manifest through you (see 1 Corinthians 12:4-6). 
 A word of wisdom is a fragment of the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, showing you the most effective way to handle a situation or to meet a current need.
 A word of knowledge is a portion of the knowledge that belongs to the Holy Spirit, revealing about the needs or situations that people currently encounter.
 Faith is a growing portion of God’s own faith given to you for operating the gifts of healings, the working of miracles, prophecy, and discerning of spirits (see Mark 11:22-24).
 The gifts of healings enable you to minister complete healing to different kinds of diseases.
 The working of miracles enables you to achieve results beyond what natural means can give.
 Prophecy enables you to proclaim God’s will into action.
 Discerning of spirits is for you to distinguish the spiritual beings that are at work behind a situation.
 Different kinds of tongues and the interpretation of tongues must operate together in Christian gatherings. A tongue-message interpreted into languages comprehensible to the
people has prophetic value (see 1 Corinthians 14:5).

3. Channel the anointing

Listen to the Holy Spirit’s specific instruction on how to channel the anointing to meet people’s needs.
 The Lord Jesus used a variety of methods to channel the anointing for healing: by a spoken word (see Matthew 8:13), by using clay (see John 9:6-15), by spitting (see Mark 8:23), and by
touch (see Matthew 9:29).
Actions of channeling the anointing must be appropriate.
 Believers lay hands and pray for the sick (see Mark 16:18).
 Elders pray for the sick and anoint them with oil (see James 5:14). 
 Flowing with the outpouring of the anointing, Peter defended that they were not drunk and explained the prophetic significance of the occasion (see Acts 2:13-41).
 Then the Early Church moved on to organize the believers to practice worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism (see Acts 2:42-47).
 Peter, John, and others went out and preached with new boldness after the place where they prayed was shaken in the anointing (see Acts 4:31).
 Under an open heaven, Stephen pleaded with God to forgive those who stoned him (see Acts 7:56, 60).
 Peter prayed fervently and commanded Dorcas to live again (see Acts 9:40).
 Peter preached to the Gentiles, ministered Spirit and water baptisms (see Acts 10:11, 44, 48). 
 The prophets and teachers at Antioch prophesied, laid hands to impart the anointing on Barnabas and Paul, and commissioned them to fulfill the apostolic mission (see Acts 13:1-4).
 Paul and Silas stopped the jailer from suicide, preached and baptized him and his family after the anointing had shaken the prison (see Acts 16:26, 31, 33).