How to Be Anointed (Christianity)

Last Updated: July 8, 2019 References Approved

There is a lot of confusion today in the church over what it means to be anointed and who is anointed, etc. In the Old Testament, kings and priests were physically anointed with oil to show that they were set apart. Exodus 19 says, "This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests....Take the anointing oil, and anoint him by pouring it on his head." Also, the tabernacle was anointed to make it holy. Ex. 40 says, "Take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy."^{[1]
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Research source} Now in the New Covenant, all Christians are anointed. To be anointed now simply means that you have the Holy Spirit. Here are more verses from the Bible that can help you understand how to be anointed.

Steps

1
Be chosen by God. In the Old Testament, the kings of Israel and the priests were anointed. It was a ceremonial way to show that they were special and set apart. Anyone who is a believer in Christ is chosen by God and set apart.
- 2 Corinthians 1:21 says, "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee."^{[2]
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- Also every Christian now is a priest. 1 Peter 2:9 says about all Christians, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."^{[3]
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  Research source} Amen.
2
Put your faith in Jesus, if you have not already. Simply becoming a Christian makes you anointed. 1 John 2:27 says, "The anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But, as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in Him."^{[4]
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- This anointing that John is referring to is the Holy Spirit. He says that as a Christian "you have no need" to be taught because the Holy Spirit leads you into all truth, as the Bible says. This does not mean "don't" listen to sermons, but it means that you "can" know and agree upon everything that any other Christian knows about the word, etc. because all have the same Holy Spirit in us.
- Also, you can keep the anointing of salvation simply by abiding in Jesus. As He said, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you." The best way to abide in Jesus is to continue in an attitude of rejoicing and remain in His presence:
  - "rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks in everything: for this is God's will..." (1 Thessalonians 5:16--18)^{[5]
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    Research source} as the Bible, also, says,
  - "Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise to Him, singing songs of praise!" (Psalm 95:2).^{[6]
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3
Share the gospel. Christians can get an extra anointing, or an extra filling of the Holy Spirit, in order that they may share the gospel better. This can be seen at Pentecost. A side note on this, the Bible does not say that the disciples were "baptized" with the Holy Spirit, it says that they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
- There are many times throughout Acts where they and other Christians got re-filled or filled in an extra way, by the Holy Spirit so that they could heal others or share the gospel.
- Acts 4:31 says, "When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."^{[7]
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  Research source} These same men had already been filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 1 at Pentecost, but they were filled again. Why? So that they could "speak the word of God with boldness." The primary purpose of an anointing, or an extra filling of the Holy Spirit, after Jesus came is to enable us to share the gospel.
- Jesus read the following passage while at a temple one day, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed." God will empower us, anoint us, fill us with His Spirit more, in order to save and minister to the lost. Jesus said that He was anointed in order to "proclaim the good news."
4
Be prayed for and anointed. James 5:14 says, "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord."^{[8]
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Research source} It seems that sometimes the act of anointing with oil might draw the Holy Spirit in a greater way. In this case, the elders would want to draw the Holy Spirit to heal the person being anointed.
- In the Old Testament David was anointed with oil. 1 Samuel 16 says, "Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and, the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward."^{[9]
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  Research source} David was being anointed to be a future king of Israel, but this act seemed to draw the Holy Spirit to him more.
5
Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit more. You already have the Holy Spirit, if you are saved, but you can pray for more of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in Luke 11:13, "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"^{[10]
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Research source} Jesus also said, "You have not because you ask not."
- You can always pray to be filled more with the Holy Spirit. You won't necessarily pray in tongues when you become more filled with the Holy Spirit. You may exhibit any one of the 15 spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:11 says about the spiritual gifts, "All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines."^{[11]
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  Research source} So whichever gift the Holy Spirit wants to give you is the one that He will.

Community Q&A

Question

Do I need to fast before I can get the spirit of prophecy?

Zakiyyah Nance

Community Answer

The spirit of prophecy is something that God gives to people he feels can handle it and can be trusted to use it appropriately. Fasting to receive the gift of your choice is probably not going to work. I think you should pray for his will and he will give you what you need instead of what you want.
Question

How do I receive the gift of prophecy and healng?

Community Answer

You can pray and ask God to give you the gifts that he has intended for you. Be open. It's a gift -- not necessarily something that every Christian has or needs.
Question

Which type of oil should I use to anoint myself?

Community Answer

Plain olive oil is ideal for anointing oil.

Warnings

Don't let the fact that you are anointed or have the Holy Spirit make you prideful. Keep the verse in mind, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."

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