The Anointing of the Holy Spirit

The word Anointing is a Greek word called chrisma or khris’-mah. Figuratively, it is the special endowment of the Holy Spirit. It is also called unction. It is God with a man, empowering him/her to function in a specific office, gifts (Supenatural endowment) and assignment(s).

Acts 10:38 says,

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him”.

“And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room”. 1 Kings 19:16

ANOINTING IS MEASURABLE

One of the characteristics of the anointing is that it is measureable. When it comes to God giving His anointing to man, He gives it by measure. One and the only person God didn’t give anointing by measure was His son, Jesus Christ.

“For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit (Anointing) by measure unto him.” John 3:34.

The Bible made us to understand that God deals with each of us in different measures in everything He gives to us, whether it is faith Anointing, Grace, Wealth, Revelations, Strength, Gifts, etc. it is all comes to us by measure.

“…. God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith”. Romans 12:3

“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” Ephesians 4:7

The scripture revealed in 2 Kings2:9, “And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit (Anointing Upon Elijah) be upon me”.

“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life” 2 Corinthians 1:8

“But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto”. 2 Corinthians 10:13

MAJOR FACT ABOUT DOUBLE PORTION OF THE ANOINTING

1. IT ENABLES THE RECIPIENT TO ACHIEVE MORE THAN THE PREDECESSOR:

Elisha did what double of the exploits his master Elijah did.

Jesus desired that His disciples achieve more than He did while on the earth. In John 14:12 Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

In John 5:20, He also said: For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

STEPS TO RECEIVING DOUBLE PORTION OF THE ANOINTING

In this subject, we are going to follow the steps of Elisha; because he was one and the only person that receive double portion of his masters anointing in the Bible.

1. ANSWER THE CALL TO FOLLOW:

“And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room”. 1 Kings 19:16

The above scripture was God’s instruction to prophet Elijah when he got discouraged in his ministry because of the threat from Queen Jezebel and he asked that God should take his life. Then, God asked him to anoint some persons which one of them was Elisha the son of Shaphat. God instructed Elijah to anoint him to be prophet in his room (stead).

It is crucial to understand that God’s purpose for anointing us is to be in an office. Anointing gives you not just an office but an identity. Anointing makes you TO BE….. It makes you to be an office.

Jehu was anointed to be king over his country Israel while Elisha was anointed to be prophet in the place of Elijah.

Again, God’s purpose for anointing is also to make replacement. When the scripture says that Elisha was anointed to be prophet in the place of Elijah, it means that he was anointed to replace Elijah.

After receiving that instruction, Elijah left and found Elisha plowing and he cast his prophetic mantle upon him which signifies that Elijah had fulfilled the instruction of God to him. Then, what was next? Followership!

Take note!

The anointing you don’t follow cannot follow you. That is to say, Elijah will never compel Elisha to follow the anointing that was cast on him but Elisha should willingly follow.

Here is what the scripture says:

“And Elias departing from thence, found Eliseus, the son of Saphat, ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen: and he was one of them that were ploughing with, twelve yoke of oxen: and when Elias came up to him, he cast his mantle upon him. And he forthwith left the oxen, and run after Elias, and said: Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said to him: Go, and return back: for that which was my part, I have done to thee. And returning back from him, he took a yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled the flesh with the plough of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate: and rising up, he went away, and followed Elias, and ministered to him”. 1 Kings 19:19-21 DRB

Until you learn to kiss some things good bye, you cannot become a good follower. Elisha had to kiss his parents good bye, kill his oxen and burn up the yokes to become a committed follower.

2. SERVE THE MASTER:

One thing is to follow the anointing but another is to serve the anointing while you are following it. The anointing you cannot serve, you cannot contact.

You cannot receive the double portion of the anointing when you follow and serve in disloyalty or for material things to get. Gehazi followed the anointing of Elisha; but he got double portion of leprosy (For him and his generations) all because; he served deceitfully and in disloyalty.

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. 

And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him. And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed. But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow”. 2 Kings 5:20-27 KJV

3. DON’T GIVE UP OR BE DESUADED TO GIVE UP:

One of the reasons why dissuaders don’t try out something is because; they sees impossibilities and waste of time to try it out and doesn’t want anyone who believes something is possible to attempt it. The sons of prophets in the time of Elisha are clear examples on this fact.

Elisha was a prophetic scholar that understood the moves of God. He knew too well that God was about taking his master away from him. Holding the memory of the prophetic encounter he had that converted him from being a farmer to being a prophet, not just being a prophet; but to be a prophet in place of Elijah his master. He understood that it requires Elijah’s anointing to be prophet in his stead and he had not gotten that yet.

In every city he went with his master, about five scores of the sons of prophets that were there would ask him according to the scriptures below:

“…. Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day?….” 2 Kings 2:5

And here was Elisha’s reply:

“…And he (Elisha) answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.”

What were the above scriptures saying?

Elisha was just saying, I knew what you were asking; so keep quiet. Get your mouths shut and don’t try to say anything more. In fact, I am not interested in that kind of doctrine, so hold on with your message. I have something important I am pursuing. So, don’t try to distract or dissuade me with those words, okay! Even my master wasn’t able to dissuade me from following him till the end, how much more you. The scripture revealed that he kept on following Elijah!

Here was what happened when Elisha got the double portion of the anointing:

“And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit (anointing) of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him”. 2 Kings 2:15

A man that got the anointing is a man men will come to and bow to. Elisha was that kind of man. You too can become such a man if you say no to distractions and dissuaders words; but become a focus minded and committed follower of the anointing you’re called to anointed with.

4. GO EXTRA MILE AND STICK WITH THE MASTER TILL THE END:

One of the demands of the anointing is sacrifice. Until you understand this fact, you will definitely fail the test of anointing, and when you fail its test, you can never receive it.

Gehazi failed the test of anointing through covetousness, impatience, dishonesty and disloyalty.

It is crucial to beware of the anointing you follow. This is because; the anointing you follows that you rubbish will eventually rubbish you. The anointing you follows that you fights will eventually fight and destroys you and even you generation and generation unborn. David understood this fact and he never laid his hands on anointed king Saul of Israel.

One sacrifice anointing will demand from you is your comfort or easy life. So, anointing will put up a test to see if you will truly win the test and receive the anointing or fail it and never receive it. Elisha understood this fact and never succumbs to easy-life or comfort in the name of obeying his master; but went extra-mile for the anointing.

5. ASK FOR THE ANOINTING:

Anointing you didn’t follow, sacrifice for, committed to and ask for you can never get.

Elisha followed Elijah’s anointing, served for it, sacrificed for it, was committed to it; but he couldn’t get it until he was instructed to ask for it.

The scripture says;

“And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion (measure) of thy spirit (anointing) be upon me”. 2 Kings 2:9

What does it mean to ask for the anointing?

To ask for the anointing is to pray for it. When we ask, we are qualified to get; but when we fail to ask, we are not qualified to get.

Jesus taught His disciples this principle A. S. K;

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you”. Matthew 7:7

James told his audience that the reason why they don’t have is because they don’t ask:

“… yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”James 4:2

The anointing you don’t

A – Ask, and it shall be given you

S – seek, and ye shall find

K – knock, and it shall be opened unto you

you cannot get it.

There is no measure of the anointing you ask that cannot be giving to you by God. Elisha asked for double measure of Elijah’s anointing and he got it.

Those who ask for the mantle (anointing) of the anointed they follows and walk in their faithful and godly steps predecessors will certainly experience the same grace upon their lives and double of their grace.