Fresh Oil - Promises and Manifestations
INTRODUCTION
Oil is one of the many ways by which the Holy Spirit manifests Himself in the world, aside from fire (Ex.3:2; Dan.3:25), dove, wind, (Ex.13:21; Gen.8:8; Jn.1:32), water (Jn.7:38), etc. It is also a source of light (Ex.25:6; 39:37; Mat.25:4), symbol of power and authority (Ex. 29:7, 21), and consecration (Gen. 28:18; Lev.8:12). In the Old Testament, pouring of oil was symbolic of God’s authority for the appointment of prophets and kings (Ex.29:2,21). It is the physical evidence of divine certification, equivalent of the laying-on of hands in the New Testament (Acts 6:6; 8:17; 13:3; 1Tim.4:14; 2Tim.1:6). OLD GLORY However, this has to be reconciled with Romans 11:29: “the gift and calling of God are without repentance”. Once the authority is released, whether by the pouring of oil or the laying on of hands, it stays (Gen.6:6-7). God is more particular with avoiding pouring oil or laying hands on the wrong people, rather than ‘withdrawing’ it when it is already done. We are warned to be very discreet in performing such spiritual task for the same reason in Rom.11:29 (1Tim.5:22). Saul’s spiritual and military leadership was evidenced by the pouring of oil. But long after the anointing left him (1Samuel 16:14; 1Sam.19:9), he was still performing both roles and David still recognized king Saul as ‘the Lord’s anointed’ and he would not lift his hands against him, to kill even when he had the opportunity which seemed as if was ‘from the Lord’, until Saul would eventually kill himself, the eventual end-result of any once-anointed, when the Holy Spirit leaves the person (Rom.1:28). Such eventually go into self-destruction trying to ‘maintain’ the old glory or make things happen as it used to be. (Ref. Jud.16). In the case of anointing and appointing David as the king after the Lord had rejected Saul and the anointing had departed from him, God was very particular about anointing the right person (1Sam.16:1). But Samuel almost anointed the ‘wrong man’, a situation which would have been very costly (1Sam.16:6), but which is sadly very common today. Little wonder why Judas made it as a disciple of Jesus and prophet Ahijah wept over Jeroboam when he knew he would be anointed as the next king of Israel (1Kg.11:28). When the anointing departs on a person or falls on the wrong person, they can still feign it for a long time after. Such live in ‘old glory’ and majority are in our midst today. When power comes, authority is abused, since power corrupts. This is the reason why our oil has to be fresh all the time, so that access to power will not corrupt the authority in us (Mt.14:10). It must be new ‘every morning’. Many have the oil, but few have the fresh oil. The freshness differentiates the power from authority. Power can be from a stale anointing, just like somebody once in power is different from someone in present authority. It is important to have fresh oil, for the grace of yesterday is not sufficient for the assignment of today. DIVINE ORDER It is also a very dangerous thing to assume leadership without proper order. Aaron wouldn’t have ministered as a priest without the oil on his head. No king will be recognized without it, too. Ministry also entails proper commissioning; to be done decently and in order (1Cor.4:40). Jesus understood the importance of not going forth without being commissioned by the Holy Spirit. He waited for the anointing before He began His ministry. He could have started without the ‘baptism’, but He did not, even though He was innocently pressurized by His own mother to start ‘the work’, but He knew better than to jump protocols just because of His gifts. Even when John the Baptist was embarrassed, recognizing the enormous anointing on Jesus, which was given ‘without measure’, he objected to commissioning Him into what He came to do until Jesus insisted that he should let it be so (Mk.1:7). Unlike many today who, because of gifts of healing, prophesy, preaching or others, disregard order and arrogate to themselves self-titles, appointment, commissioning and has to rely on mechanical means of making things happen to get the work going. Gifts does not mean calling, it means service. Jesus warned the disciples in Luke 24:49 to “… tarry ye in Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high”. This means, don’t leave Jerusalem, UNTIL, you receive the power to function in ministry, otherwise, you are dead on arrival. THE PROMISE The best promise Jesus ever gave to His disciples is in Jn.14:18. When He went, He came back again to remind the disciples of this beautiful and hopeful promise and told them to go and wait for the fulfillment of it (Lk.24:49; Num.23:19; 1Sam.15:29). He is ever faithful to His words. POWER FROM ON HIGH (Lk.24:49) The reason why He fulfilled The Promise is because He was starting a ‘new thing’ entirely and they needed an entirely new grace, power, anointing and fresh oil. They needed power from on high, not just within: the Holy Spirit ON them, not just IN them. The Holy Spirit IN you will bring out the FRUITS of the Spirit in you (holiness), but the Holy Spirit ON you will bring out the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (power and authority). The work of the ministry cannot be done with the fruits of the Spirit only, but also the power of the Spirit (violence). That was why Jesus warned them to “tarry in Jerusalem UNTIL…”. If it did not come ON them, it would be a suicide for them to start the ministry at all, so with everyone today. Before the Holy Spirit came on them, Peter denied his master three times and was afraid of an ordinary maid and even cursed himself despite having been with Jesus for three and a half years. But when the PROMISED power came ON him in Pentecost, the same Peter spoke boldly and publicly to thousands about the same Jesus he had denied secretly, proving that the same Jesus is the king of kings! Thousands of souls were saved. That is what the manifestation of fresh oil can do in the life of a believer. When we set ourselves on fire, people will gather to watch us burn. When fresh oil comes, power comes and boldness come (2Tim.1:7). HOW DOES THE FRESH OIL MANIFESTS (1Cor.12:7)? 1. As the Spirit wills, not as we will (Prompting) – The souls that were saved in the day of Pentecost was not as a result of planned ‘revival’, but a spontaneous work of the Spirit, not even known to them but as they yielded, the Holy Spirit took over. (Read about Philip in Acts 8:26-30 and Peter in Acts 3. Also Acts 16:16). We must yield to Him not plan great crusade for Him (Lk.10:40). 2. To Convict (Jn.16:8): When the Holy Spirit wants to save or deliver, He manifests Himself in a gathering, not because the gathering or preacher is Holy (Acts 2:9; Heb.4:12). Ordinary oil leads to mere religion; condemning people, through laws, doctrines and constitution, which is called the Letter 2Cor.3:6). But the Holy Spirit never condemns, but convicts in order to save. (Jn.8:10-11; Rom.8:1; Heb.7:25). 3. To Give God Glory: God is the reason and content of the Spirit’s manifestations (Jn.9:2-3; 11:4). His miracles through us must be by His leading, not by our burden. He needs yielded vessel to do what He alone wants to do and does not require our input or ability, but availability (Jn.12:32; Lk.5:17). 4. Divine Revelation (Rhema): Fresh oil on a person brings access to what is in the heart of God at the moment, to a person or the church, i.e. what God is saying NOW, which agrees with what God had said before which was written as Bible for our ‘learning, reproof, correction’ (2Tim.3:17; Acts 10:15). God does not lead by denominational doctrine (what the constitution or church law says), but what the Spirit is saying (Rev.2:7; Rom.8:14). Oil looks into the law, but fresh oil look unto God. 5. Gifts of the Spirits (1Cor.12): Fresh oil manifest through gifts in individual in the body for body-ministry. These nine gifts are different from calling and not a qualification for ordination, appointment as a Prophet, Pastor, etc, or qualification to start a church or ministry. Church must NEVER ‘begin’ because of a gift or doctrine. Church is a spiritual entity that we cannot start or join. It is not an organization, denomination or institution. We are only born (again) into it by spiritual birth (Jn.3:3). 6. Signs & Wonders: Fresh oil manifest to work miracles, signs and wonders so as to draw people to God (Mk.16:17). To meet Needs, break the yokes, heal, etc (Is.10:27; 1Jn.3:8). 7. Stiring up (use) the Gifts (2Tim.1:6; 1Pet.4:10): Oil becomes stale when not used. When we don’t stir up the gifts in us, it becomes stale, but when you use it, it gets better. Don’t hide the gift (Mk.4:38). Parable of the talents (Lk.19:23; Jn.15:2; Lk.12:48) QUALIFICATION: who can receive or manifest the fresh oil? 1. Those who have the Walk of Faith: Many truly COME to Jesus, but don’t FOLLOW Him. He called us, not only to come, but to follow Him. We don’t just take the step of faith (come) but also the walk of Faith (follow). Only then can He make us. Walking with Him is sanctification (Rom.12:2). 2. Wait nn Him (Lk.17:28; Is.40:31): We must learn to stop, move or wait only when He asks us to, not when we feel like. We must tarry learn to tarry on Him in our Upper Room (Lk. 24:49; Hab.2:2), for waiting is the Holy Spirit’s tool of humbling us. Those who wait shall renew (refresh) themselves, otherwise, we frustrate Him (Eph.4:30; Phil3:18). Many can only wait a little, but not sufficient to wait until He comes (1Kgs. 18; 2Pet.3:4). 3. Thirst for it: It takes a man that is thirsty to appreciate water. Is.44:3; Is.55:1; Jer.29:13; Mt. 11:28; John 7:38. 4. Ask For it: Mt.7:7 |