Oil has great significance in the Bible.
Referred to over 200 times, oil most often represents the Presence and working of the Holy Spirit. Oil was used to anoint kings and priests to operate in their God-ordained roles. The natural oil placed on their skin represented a God-given gift of supernatural empowerment to operate beyond their human limitations and be conduits of His power, love and wisdom on the earth.
So what exactly does the oil do for us and why do we need it?
As Christians, it is vitally important that we understand the significance and supernatural power of biblical oil so that we can activate that power in every area of our lives.
OIL PENETRATES
Oil is often used during massage therapy to lubricate the skin and enable deep muscles to be accessed and eased without friction-based pain. In fact, oil is used in many different ways to promote health and well being.
The oil of God (the anointing) works in the same way. As it is massaged into our lives, it penetrates deeply into painful areas that need God’s touch, bringing freedom and restoration. Holy Spirit desires not only to come upon us, but to penetrate deeply into unseen, untouched and painful areas that need to be healed so that we can live truly free. He wants to access those places we keep hidden away– dark thoughts, addictions, unforgiveness, offenses— places that desperately need to be restored, repaired and revived by the oil as He gently ministers to us.
God’s oil is always available to refresh us and to renew us, whenever we need it.
As God’s anointing oil is massaged into our lives, it penetrates deeply into painful areas that need His expert touch, bringing freedom and restoration.
The Holy Spirit desires not only to come upon us, but to penetrate deeply into unseen, untouched and painful areas that need to be healed so that we can live truly free.
OIL ILLUMINATES
God has called us to be the light of the world, set apart and marked as His own. It is His oil that ignites the flame in our hearts, enabling us to shine brightly and giving us the strength to stand on our convictions and not be led astray by society’s expectations and reasoning. It is the anointing that enables us to live an exemplary, Christ-led life that brings glory to our Heavenly Father, and to make a difference in the world around us.
So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God],The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
It is the anointing that enables us to live an exemplary, Christ-led life that brings glory to our Heavenly Father, and to make a difference in the world around us.
OIL EMANCIPATES
The Bible tells us of another purpose for God’s anointing oil— to break yokes.
It shall come to pass in that day That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.
Yokes were the wooden cross pieces that locked in place to keep oxen bound together. When applied, the farmer had complete control over the animals and could use them to plough the land. They could not roam freely, as they were created to do, until the yoke was removed at the end of each day.
What a powerful picture of the effect of the anointing in our lives! As we exercise faith and believe Him at His Word, God steps into our situation and releases the anointing oil. The oil then breaks the powerful yokes that keep us captive, under enemy control and unable to walk in the freedom that His Son, Jesus, paid for on the cross. What an incredible promise! Life may not always be an easy journey, but God has promised to be with us and to free us when we find ourselves bound!
OIL LUBRICATES
Another use for oil is to lubricate door hinges to stop them squeaking. It only takes a few drops to relieve the friction, allowing the hinge to move more freely and stopping the noise. Similarly, when applied to our lives, the anointing oil gets into the places that are noisy and restores the quiet.
So where are the noisy areas in your life? What is causing you to complain and whine? Is it your environment, the people around you, poor health, the negative news broadcasts? Where is the source of agitation?
Whatever it is that is making irritating noise in your life right now and distracting you from God’s promises, God wants to apply His oil. Wherever there is complaining, agitation, regret, shame, discouragement, confusion and chaos, God’s oil can bring peace and clarity. When the oil has done its job, a new sound can be heard—one of faith, breakthrough, freedom and joy!
So whenever we feel low or bogged down by negative thinking and conflict, all we need to do is step into the Presence of the Holy Spirit, bring a sacrifice of praise to the Lord and ask Him to refresh us again with His oil. Though the situation may not change outwardly, the oil will go to work on the inside, softening our hearts, shifting our focus onto God and giving us a clearer perspective of our challenges. Suddenly the noise will ease and give way to joy!
OIL REJUVENATES
In this, the Year of Revival, we've been called to carry the anointing to revive and rejuvenate dead and worn out things, wherever we go. The process of revival begins when God’s oil is applied to any situation that appears hopeless in the natural. Whenever we encounter discouragement, fear, frustration, anger, depression or despair in our own lives or in the lives of others, we can draw on the oil that God has entrusted to us and apply it to see things revived. Holy Spirit—the Oil—lives inside of us and we carry Him wherever we go, restoring hope in our homes, schools, workplaces, cities, nations and the nations of the world.
God wants to restore our soul, our thinking, our emotions and our will so that each of these areas can come into line with His Word and we can be whole. He wants to encourage us. He wants us to be a blessing to people’s lives and to impact our world. All we have to do is surrender to Him and let Him come into our lives and apply His oil.
OIL STAINS
When we spend time in the Presence of God, we become marked by the oil as it saturates us. His favour and blessing become visible in our lives, setting us apart as belonging to Him, and equipping us to appropriate the same blessing in the lives of others. When you step into oil, the oil is transferred onto your feet and you leave shiny footprints wherever you go. Likewise, when you spend time with the Holy Spirit, you leave footprints everywhere—evidence of God’s glory that can be seen, tasted and experienced by everyone who is watching us live our lives.
When we spend time in the Presence of God, we become marked by the oil as it saturates us. His favour and blessing become visible in our lives, setting us apart as belonging to Him.
When you spend time with the Holy Spirit, you leave oily footprints everywhere—evidence of God’s glory that can be seen, tasted and experienced by everyone who is watching us live our lives.
OIL HEALS
God’s oil brings healing. Jesus won the victory over every illness and disease when He went to the cross and we are called to appropriate that healing power in our world today.
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
God anoints faith-filled believers to release healing on His behalf. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside of us and is willing and able to be poured into people’s lives, bringing hope and healing to otherwise hopeless situations.
OIL BRINGS JOY
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,To [b]console those who mourn in Zion,To give them beauty for ashes,The oil of joy for mourning,The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
God has anointed us with His oil so that we can activate His Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven. One of the most amazing characteristics of Heaven is the pervading atmosphere of supernatural JOY. God desires that this same joy be released into the world to overturn mourning and despair.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.
God wants to apply the oil of joy to our mourning— the kind of Joy that goes beyond our natural understanding, does not depend on how we feel and gives us strength to overcome and live a victorious life. Supernatural joy sustains us—season in and season out, in the good times and the challenging ones.
What a comfort to know that we carry the oil that removes the sting from people’s lives and triggers joy in place of sorrow!
So how do we access the anointing oil in our everyday lives?
By FAITH.
Be encouraged today to take a simple step of faith by positioning yourself in the Presence of God and asking Him to fill you with His oil. As He faithfully pours it out, let the oil penetrate deeply and do its work in you, reviving and restoring you, setting you free, lubricating the noisy parts and staining you with His love and favour. Believe by faith that you carry the oil inside of you wherever you go and that YOU are the answer to the world’s problems.
God wants to use you to spread the oil!
Prayer
Lord Jesus,
I ask that you release your anointing oil on me right now. I will carry the oil of joy, healing and breakthrough wherever I go, manifesting your Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven and pouring it out into the lives of your Children who so desperately need it.
Thank you for anointing me for Your purpose.
Amen.
