We’re going to do an anointing service this morning. If you don’t know what that is and you’ve walked in and you’re like, what is going on here? I’m going to explain it to you. One word I got as I was preparing this message this week was, I was sitting down and kind of labouring over the word and I really felt the word ‘dormant’. That actually this morning, there are some things that lay dormant within our congregation. There are some things that lay dormant within our whole church. And God this morning is going to kick things off. That what was dormant is going to rise up. It’s going to awaken. And there’s going to be some people for you that actually means something. You know that there’s been some things that are dormant but it’s almost like you’re suppressing it. But God’s lifting the lid off and this year he’s saying we’re going to cause things to rise. Amen. You with me? So if you don’t know what the anointing is. If you’ve come into this place and you have no concept of it whatsoever. It means divine appointment and divine authorisation. Another way it gets put through the Bible is the anointing is the marking out of someone or something for divine purpose.
We see it littered all through the Old Testament, all through the New Testament, people being anointed with oil, people being anointed to be set out and separated. And so, when they did that, they would get like these, not this oil, they didn’t have this lovely little container right here. Actually a story we’re going to read a little later. They used a horn to carry the oil. But we take this oil and we anoint you and actually back in the Old Testament, sometimes when people got anointed, they would get anointed with five and a half litres of oil. Yes. Are you worried? Are you glad that I showed you this, right? You were worried for a second that we’re saying, guys, we’re going to open up the baptism tank right here. It’s filled with oil. We’re just going to dunk you in. Don’t worry, your Sunday best is fine. Whatever you’re wearing, it’s good. It’s not going to be affected because anointing also means to smear or rub on. So, that’s what we’re going to do. We’re just going to smear this morning. So our team at the end of the service we’re going to call people up and as you come up, our team are going to pray for you. They’re going to anoint your head with oil, your forehead, and we’re going to believe in faith that God is going to separate you for divine appointment. Amen? Amen. And we believe that that’s going to affect what you are fighting for this year, what you are believing for this year, what you’ve been challenged by, that it is going to infiltrate everywhere.
We’re actually going to read from 1 Samuel chapter sixteen this morning. I think it’s a good place to start and we’re going to see an example of an anointing that took place. You with me church? So the story is of Samuel who was called by God to anoint the next king. The only issue is the current king is still on the throne. So Saul was not doing a very good job. He was starting to get very rebellious towards God in a significant way. In such a way that God said you need to go anoint the next king for me, to Samuel. And I love that the Bible includes all these little interesting parts of it where he pushes back against God and says, God, don’t know if I want to do that, might get killed. I might get killed. I don’t know if I want to do that but he pushes him anyway and says, you need to anoint one of the sons of Jesse in Bethlehem. I need you to go. And so, we picked that up at first Samuel 16 verse six. When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, surely, the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord. But the Lord said to Samuel, do not consider his appearance or his height for I’ve rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart. Then Jesse called Abinedab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said the Lord has not chosen this one either. Jesse then had Shammah pass by Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse had seven of his sons passed before Samuel but Samuel said to him the Lord has not chosen these. So he asked Jesse. Are these all sons you have? There is still the youngest, Jesse answered. He is tending the sheep, Samuel said. Send for him, we will not sit down until he arrives. So he sent for him, and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, rise and anoint him. This is the one. So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on, the spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. This morning I’ve called this message “Rise and Anoint’. Because that’s what we’re going to do this morning. Maybe you thought you were going to sit in your seat all morning and it was going to be a great time. But we’re going to at one point rise up and anoint you. Amen. So the first thing is as we rise and anoint today there is another son. There is another son. So Samuel was not a stranger to this.
This whole procedure that he had to do. He has done this before. He knows how this works. And therefore he knows what to look for. And so when Eliab turns up all tall and handsome and there are tall and handsome people in the room. No amens for that. No wives even agreeing. This is sad. Oh gosh, I thought someone would go, woo, no, nothing. Okay, well, we’ll just pass you by then. Um, anyway, so he saw him and he looks like, this is the person you should anoint. This looks like the king. But God says this is not the guy. Let’s pack it in easily. Samuel could have said this is the guy, let’s pack it in, let’s go home, this is done, I’ll anoint him real quick but God had other plans and there’s this procession of seven sons that walked past and none of them are the one and it kind of reminds me of being a dad, how I have some wonderful kids and I’m throwing one under the bus right now and they shall remain nameless because the kids are in the room.
Basically, I had this one child who sometimes says to me, dad, I know what to wear this morning. Can you pick something out for me? And I’m like sure I can do that. And so I’ll go into the room and I’ll go through the dresses and I’ll say how about this one? No. How about this one? No. Literally we get through the entire wardrobe. Everything she owns. And she says no. And I’m like what else is there? What are we going to do? I am so looking forward to in two weeks time when school is back on? Cause you only get one choice. There’s no other choice for you. There’s no options. You have to wear the school uniform. Amen. So I feel for Samuel in this moment because it’s passing by and they’re all great options but for some reason, it’s a no, right? And then, he has this stroke of genius. He says, are there any more sons? This kind of phrase wouldn’t need to be asked because usually, you would go to the eldest. The eldest was always the guy and if it wasn’t him, then you go to the next guy to end up with the youngest. That’s a big leap. That’s weird. And so, he was not only the youngest, he was a shepherd. He was doing the servant’s job. He wasn’t even in the room.
You know, the original usage of being anointed didn’t even come from really priests and prophets. It actually came from shepherds. That’s where it originated from. You find in a lot of scriptures when it talks about illustrations or parables that uses a lot of farming stuff because the people understood it and what they would do is there would be sheep who basically would have ticks. There would be insects that would burrow their way into the skin or holes or whatever that they could find. All these animals would end up dying or getting very very sick. So the shepherd would have to anoint their whole body basically with oil. So, that way, those insects and those ticks didn’t have anything gripped onto. They would kind of slide right off. Now after this, the anointing became a symbol of protection, empowerment, and blessing because all of those critters didn’t have anything to hold onto anymore.
When I think of one particular story in the Bible that kind of resonates with this I think of the story of John who was basically being held up by some people who are agents for the Levite priests asking who are you? And we read in John 1 verse nineteen. It says, now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
They asked him, “Who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not”.
“Are you the prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
Finally, they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice shouting in the wilderness, clear the way for the Lord’s coming.”
Wouldn’t it be so nice to have someone ask you if you’re the Messiah? Like you’re doing such a good job that people might think you’re the Messiah or Elijah or like the prophet, right? Anyone think that would be a very nice compliment to have, right? Well, he wasn’t and those people were coming because they wanted something to hold onto him. They wanted some definition they could hold onto that they could take back. And it would potentially be a trap for him. It would cause him trouble if he said yes I’m the Messiah. Or yes I’m this or I’m that. They had something against him. But he evades them. It’s almost like everywhere they try to grip on. They can’t do it anymore. It just slides right off.
Church this morning, I want to know in 2023 are we going to give the enemy anything that he can grip onto in our lives? Or is he just going to slide right off? Because the presence and the power of God is upon us. Who are we going to give stuff to work with this year? God or the enemy? Because you know what? When we give God our best, he takes it and he runs with it and he does incredible things. When we give the enemy our best he wastes it and destroys it. The presence, the power of God rests on those who don’t give the enemy anything to work with. Are you with me? Let’s not do that. One of the things I think the anointing brings is an ability to have a looser grip. Even for ourselves that we would let go of definitions. That we would let go of some things that we think and we’ve come to believe. The anointing renews our mind. Amen. Because you know what? In this room you may come up and get anointed and you’re believing for something specific. But this thing washes over our mind of that’s not for me. I don’t deserve that. I’m not good enough for that. And it’s almost like the anointing comes and fills those places to say it’s not about who you are. It’s about God’s power in you. It’s about God’s power enabling you. It’s not about you. My anointing is going to come and it’s my anointing, not your anointing. Your anointing will not accomplish anything. My anointing is going to accomplish much. Amen. That’s what we need. Are you with me? I want to speak out over all of you today. There is another son. The definitions, the things we think are put in place as they should be. There’s actually something else for us. Sometimes it takes the anointing to come, refresh us, fill us, and cause us to look outward beyond ourselves and say there is another sun. There is something else out there for you. Can I get an amen for that? Amen. I believe this morning some people are going to get anointed and you’re going to see a different perspective on blessing. You’re going to see a different perspective on the vision for your life and the direction. You’re going to see new avenues and new pathways you’ve never seen before because you were looking for the wrong sons. But this morning he is going to redirect you into something new. Amen? Amen. Whoo. Turn to the person next to you and say guess what? There’s another son. The second thing as we rise and anoint today is there is power. There is power.
When I was thinking at this point for some reason I thought of youth camps. We have our Seekers Festival happening again later this year. Saints Youth is the bomb. It is amazing. You if you haven’t sent your teenagers to saints yet you need to okay? And we have Seekers Festival and one thing is like common in every single youth camp I’ve ever been to right? There’s the late nights where the leaders are up until two in the morning telling the teenagers to go to sleep right? All the new relationships being birthed. People giving their life to Jesus. And then there is that moment where you walk into a rally or a service or whatever you want to call it. You walk in and the worship leaders are like let’s worship God guys. Raise your hands. And as they raise their hands this waft of BO just goes throughout the room. It’s this cumulative thing that’s so powerful. Amen. And I just think in those moments worship leaders for the future, it’s okay to tell them to do a bit of these ones right? Like keep the arms locked in real tight. You’re still worshipping God. It’s still just as good right? But I think some parents didn’t pack the Lynx Africa deodorant for them or something. I don’t know. Well they didn’t get it for Christmas. Did teenagers still use that? Yes. It’s not good guys. Get a new one right? But anyway there’s this collective thing where the BO in the room. You smell it. You sense it. It’s overwhelming. Then they invite some of us leaders up and say can pray for some of these young people and you’re like, yes. And so, you get up there and you just kind of like try, you need one of those things. There’s a cream that you put under your nose so you can’t smell it. You need that. There’s power there. Amen.
In Acts 10 verse thirty-eight, it says, and you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then, Jesus went around doing good and healing all who are oppressed by the devil. For God was with him. Power irremovable from the presence and authority of the Holy Spirit. In fact, the anointing oil operates as a symbolic act of the Holy Spirit being with us. And I want to remind you that the church doesn’t exist to be a side note to culture. It doesn’t exist to be an inoffensive force. It exists to be a powerful force on this earth. Advancing for the kingdom of God. Are you with me? You know we even see this in Luke 4:18. Jesus repeating a verse. He said the spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim the captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free. And then what Jesus does after that it says, he rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. I feel in that moment, we get a sense of Jesus’s swagger, right? It says drop the mic moment. He’s read this thing, scrolls it up, sits down, and kind of back because he knows something shifted. He knows there is power and when there is power, there is conviction and there’s confidence. We need the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives because it brings conviction and confidence to everywhere we walk and everything we lay our hands to. Amen? Amen. Some of us are in the presence of the power but we have no conviction. We’re saved for what? We’re anointed for what? What are we doing?
You know, in Luke 4:18, it says, I’ve been anointed to proclaim to this, to do that, to do that. Sometimes we like to think the anointing is just a nice dab on the forehead. and it’s a nice moment. And then we go about our lives. Actually, you are anointed to something and you have power behind you when you do it. The Holy Spirit is with you. Even this week, my son, there picking on another kid, they’re all in the room. This is very awkward. We were going to Robina Town Centre and there was this escalator that kind of goes up. One of those flat ones. We’re about halfway up and my aisle was full of people. There was about two or three people who had shopping trolleys right ahead of me. And then suddenly we’re halfway up and the escalator just stops. and I’m thinking, oh, what’s happened? And I’m looking at the escalator beside us just going down but ours has stopped and I’m very, very confused and then, suddenly, one of my daughters, Maya turns to me and says, Cooper pressed the emergency stop button. and so I’m standing there and everyone is kind of looking around trying to figure out what’s happening. And I didn’t know what to do. Ah and I didn’t know where this button was that he pressed. So I saw the people in front of me. Oh this was so awkward. They couldn’t push their trolley up because you know how it locks in. So they were actually lifting their trolleys front and back and kind of going like this to get off the escalator.
Meanwhile I’m just trying to pretend that I was not the guy who was involved in it. As soon as we got up. I took Cooper to the side and I said, buddy, you cannot do that, okay? That’s not for you, right? Any parents feel me here? Unfortunately, my son does not know the power he wields sometimes. But what would happen if we understood the power that we wield? The power that is upon us, that when we receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit, that we take it seriously, that actually it’s a demarcation, it’s a separation for divine purpose, that his authority is upon us, amen? Okay, the final thing because I’m only going to keep it short because we’ve got a lot of people to pray for. As we rise and anoint today, there is a fresh anointing for you. There is a fresh anointing for you. David receives this anointing. Saul is basically a disaster as a leader right now. Samuel has done what he is supposed to do. And you would think this is the moment where David kind of continues the walk onto the kingdom to the throne. But he doesn’t.
This amazing underrated thing occurs in the story in this moment. He basically returns back to the field. And you can imagine David saying but I had this powerful moment with my brothers, you know, being prayed for in front of them. You know, there was power there. Surely, I’m moving on. But instead, David goes back to the field and in fact, when Saul needs someone to play a musical instrument, he calls for David but he’s called David with the sheep. So, Saul says, oh, bring me David. You know, David with the sheep. So, he is anointed as king but he’s still David with the sheep. That’s a bit awkward, isn’t it? This anointing happened and in fact, we see after this, two more times. In 2 Samuel two verse four, it says, the men of Judah came to Hebron and there they anointed David, King over the tribe of Judah. 2 Samuel five verse three, it says, so there at Hebron, King David, make a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel and they anointed him King of Israel. He got anointed two more times. after this. For basically the exact same thing, right? He could have said, I was already anointed. Samuel already did that. When I was David as with the sheep, I don’t need anything new. I don’t need another anointing. You guys can turn around and go home. I wonder this morning if some of us are operating in an old anointing and we need a fresh anointing. This is not a one and done thing. When we do anointing, it’s not like we say, everyone come out the front for prayer and we’re going to anoint you for 2023 and those of you who are anointed before. Just hold up your certificates to let us know that you did that in two thousand and fourteen. We’ll pass you by because you don’t need it. You’ve already got the anointing. I want to encourage you. There is a fresh renewed anointing for you in 2023. We believe that when the anointing comes, it’s going to be significant, fresh, new for you. Amen? Amen. This is my encouragement to all of us. We need the fresh anointing. We need to be anointed to something. Let’s not rest on the past. Maybe 2022 wasn’t your year. Maybe it was a hard one. But it doesn’t mean that 2023 won’t be. It means that there’s good things in store potentially for you. If we rest in the fresh new thing that God is doing. Each time David submitted himself to God because he recognised I need God. I want all of God that I can get. I want his presence. I want his direction. I want his vision. I’m not going to miss out on that. So I’m going to do it again. And I’m going to do it again. And I’m going to do it again. I’m going to place myself before him. Believing that the fresh anointing is going to come. Amen.
I want to encourage you that for some people in this room, you might feel like you’re David with the sheep. You might feel like you’re forgotten or overlooked and it’s like after this, this moment we have where we pray for you, you’re anointed and maybe it’s a nice moment. You go back to your family, your workplace, your environment, and nothing’s changed and it all feels the same. I want to remind you that it may feel like your neighbour with the sheep but you have the anointing of the King upon you and for some in the room, God is going to know where to find you this year. God is going to know where to find you. Saul found David. He found him in the field. God is going to seek you out and find you this year and draw you into new paths. Amen? Let’s believe the greater this morning. Are you with me? Yes. How about we stand to our feet? I know we’ve got everyone in this room but we’re actually going to say goodbye to our online service right now. Thank you for joining us because we’re going to pray for everyone in this room. And you know what? We’re going to anoint you. Our key team is going to do that. And I’m actually going to call those who have those little oil flasks to just come up and kind of make a line right here. And face out towards the crowd. What we are going to be praying for you guys is for divine protection, for healing. The oil was used for healing as well. We’re believing provision, for purpose, for demarcation, for something else to consecrate you into the new things God has for you.
