Understanding Annointing

“I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me-” John 10:14 (NIV)

 “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you” 1 John 2:27a (NKJV) 

Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over his inheritance? 1 Samuel 10:1 (NIV)

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 have 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.”” 1 Samuel 16:6-7 (NIV) 

According to the dictionary entry in English, ‘Anointing’ is a term that means to pour oil on something. In that simple, literal sense, I anointed toast this morning… 

Obviously, there have been much more meaningful uses of that term throughout scripture and throughout history. One of them refers to ‘selection for a specific purpose’. We see this in scripture as a metaphorical extension of the literal anointing a shepherd would give for a sheep that was chosen for something - to refer to leaders or prophets or people that God chose for a specific purpose.  

But we can easily think about it in a misguided way: that is based on our performance, rather than the heart of the Good Shepherd. We've all heard it said, "He's really walking in his anointing," or "She's so anointed to do this or that." And while it's true, and this language is rooted in God's word, and it's pretty cool when we feel like we're right there, smack in the middle of God's plan for our lives. We often tie that feeling of being "anointed" to doing things right or ticking off divine to-do lists or to some kind of demonstration of spiritual power. When it comes to assessing anointing, let’s shift our eyes away from us and our performance, and onto the shepherd. 

Imagine with me, an actual shepherd tending to his flock of very real sheep. He scans his sheep carefully, his eyes glinting with wisdom and purpose. This shepherd isn't searching for the biggest or strongest sheep. No, he's looking for something else - potential. He's not interested in what the sheep can do right now, but what it could be in the future. He is assessing things that you or I may not even recognize in the muscular build or color or texture of the wool. 

Once the shepherd zeroes in on a lamb, he takes a flask of oil and begins the anointing process. It's a fascinating ritual. He pours the oil over the lamb's head, taking care that the oil trickles down and covers the lamb's eyes and mouth. This isn't just symbolic; it has a practical purpose too. The oil protects the lamb from parasites that might damage its eyes or gum disease that could hamper its feeding. In essence, the shepherd is ensuring that this chosen lamb is safe and protected for the journey ahead.

It’s hard not to think of David when talking about shepherds and anointing and the Scriptures. The story of David’s anointing highlights this point better than anything i could say here: humans are not good at choosing, because we all look at outward appearances. We do this when we look at others, and when we look at ourselves. 

We tend to judge ourselves, like the prophet Samuel, who mistakenly thought Jesse's oldest son Eliab was God's anointed due to his outward appearance. Our judgment of outward appearance is shaped more by unconscious bias and enculturation than by the purpose and perspective of God.

Think about it, even though he was a powerful prophet with a proven record, Samuel was wrong. Thankfully, God quickly corrected him, "Hey, don’t judge by his appearance. I don’t see things the way you do. I look at the heart". We can all benefit from humility and repentance in the way we judge and evaluate others, but this Fuel letter is written as a comforting correction to the way we see ourselves…

As John wrote in his first letter in the New Testament: “You, however, have the anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I am not writing to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it…” 1 John 2:20-21 (TKNT)

If you've been measuring yourself or your ‘anointing’ by what you can see right now, whether that’s the success of your ministry, the growth of your business, or the state of your relationships, you might be missing the point:

Anointing is not about what you're achieving now. It’s really not even about you! It’s all about the shepherd’s purpose, what the shepherd sees in you, and moves He makes to protect you and guide you. It's like God's high-five for your future. It's His way of saying, "I see you. I have a plan for you. And you're safe with me."

So, remember, your anointing isn't just about the present; it's also about the potential within you that God has earmarked for His purposes. He's the shepherd, and He's got your back, pouring out His protection and approval over you because He has plans for you: and like it or not, they are His plans. Just like that chosen lamb, you've got a journey ahead, and God's anointing is paving the way. Despite how incapable we may feel, despite how far away the dreams of God for your life can seem, let us grow in our capacity to Trust Him and His timing.

And remember, you weren’t chosen and anointed by some second-rate shepherd, or even by a human prophet prone to error like Samuel, but by the Good Shepherd himself…

Shalom Shalom

This article of Fuel was written by Taylor Rogers.

Resource: Scripture Reading

I encourage you to read and reflect on 1 Samuel 16 in its entirety. 

Then turn to Luke 4:18-19 and consider what Jesus claimed as the purpose of His annointing.