Two Kinds of Anointings
The Anointing in the New Testament and The Anointing in the Old Testament
Two Kinds of Anointings
Old and New Testament Anointings
I believe that there is an internal and an external anointing. In the Old Testament we see that the scriptures say, “And the Word of The LORD came to the prophet” and God spoke.
In the Old Testament there was n anointing that came “upon” an individual, which is much different than the anointing that we would experience today.
Anointing In the Old Testament
In the Old Testament the prophet did not have the internal anointing.
They only had the external anointing. They needed to wait upon The LORD for The Spirit to come and carry them along, as the spirit was “upon them.”
“The Spirit of The LORD came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done,” Judges 14:6.
“Then The LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took of the Spirit who was upon him (Moses) and placed him upon the seventy elders. And it came about that when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied,” Numbers 11:25.
They were reliant upon God in such a way that He would tell them what to do, or would also speak through them concerning a specific task to perform.
As The Spirit of God “came upon them” they then could perform great feats or speak of things to come.
The specific differences between anointing under the Old Testament and the New Testament can be seen below:
- In the Old Testament the anointing was upon a particular person for a particular situation, while in the New Testament it now dwells on every believer. (2 Corinthians 1:21, 22; Ephesians 4:30; 1 John 2:21-27).
- The Old Testament anointing was for a specific purpose and on a specific individual.
The New Testament anointing is with a broader purpose and brings out different functions for the gifts of the Holy Spirit and different positions.
However, there still are individuals who are set in specific offices to perform the tasks that God has given to them for the body of Christ. - The Old Testament anointing was external and limited to a certain position and enablement. The New Testament anointing is indwelt permanently (Ephesians 1:30; 4:30; Romans 11:29).
All New Testament believers have an unction that abides with them.
They have an anointing; that represents the Holy Spirit sealing and filling them. (John 15:26, 16:13; Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30) — presence of Christ manifested by the Holy Spirit through faith.
Anointing In the New Testament
In the New Testament, the internal anointing works the same way as it did in the Old Testament, but now the prophetic anointing also has the internal aspect to it.
We cannot reproduce this of course, it comes only from God.
One could liken this to how water comes forth from a well. We’ve perhaps heard of the song, “Spring up oh well.”
God now gives us his living water. It springs up from “within us.”
When the internal anointing comes upon a person, it causes something to take place from deep inside the person. That is why one can feel the presence of the anointing.
You can feel it physically. Jesus said, “Out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
When the anointing comes upon you it seems like it is coming from your belly or around there, but it is actually coming from the deep areas of your heart, because we believe with our heart and out of our heart flow the springs of life.
“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life,” Proverbs 4:23.
When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well, He described to her how the water that He gives springs up to eternal life within that person.
“Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” John 4;10-15.
The Internal Anointing is like an underground stream.
These things are like an underground stream, you can tap into it; when one digs for a well they finally find the source of where that water is.
This is very much how the internal anointing is. When you know where the right place is, you can continually tap into this source of the underground river; It is always there — we don’t have to live in a desert.
When we are discouraged or feel hopeless, remember where the source of that water is. It is everlasting water and it “springs up unto eternal life.”
Using Music to tap into the Anointing
I have noticed that when I am listening to music that honors God that I can tap into the anointing easier.
There’s something about it that begins to usher in the anointing. I think this is what King David did as he played upon the harp.
He knew the benefits of how music can do this. The internal anointing comes then, ever so slowly at first, but once you notice it, then you can begin to tap into it.
It opens up that underground stream of the spirit, and then it flows.
When one is at a Church service and the music is played in the form of deep worshipful praise, then one will notice a tug, and then a “welling-up” of the anointing within.
With this anointing, then some words from the Holy Spirit, or a vision may come. Take the time to absorb all of this and then to be obedient to what you should do.
Selah,
~ Stephen Hanson
Stephen Hanson of In His Truth Ministries came to the LORD is a special way in 1975 and has prophesied regularly since. In these end-time birthing pangs we are reminded that judgment must first begin with the household of God. Will we be prepared and ready?
Awesome.
Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! And so sweet as honey. Thank you! God bless.