The Anointing

1 John 2v26-28

26¶These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

28¶And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

God's answer to seduction and deception is the Anointing.

The Greek word for seduce in v26 is planaó

Strong's g4105

- Lexical: πλανάω

- Transliteration: planaó

- Part of Speech: Verb

- Phonetic Spelling: plan-ah'-o

- Definition: to lead astray, deceive, cause to wander.

- Origin: From plane; to (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue).

- Usage: go astray, deceive, err, seduce, wander, be out of the way.

So what is the Holy Spirit saying to us in these verses. That Satan will use any means or source to

1. Lead us astray

2. Deceive us

3. Cause us to wander

4. To seduce us

However, God has not left us defenceless. He has provided the Anointing of the Holy Spirit to protect us and deliver us from every source of seduction.

I want to highlight a few things from v27

1. We receive it (it's a gift) or better still we receive Him, the Spirit is the anointing

2. The anointing abides in us

3. We don't need the teaching or wisdom of man (this is referring to that which is of the human intellect, letter and not Spirit and not to the ministry of the teacher as one of the 5 fold ministries in Ephesians 4v11)

4. The anointing teaches us

5. The anointing is Truth and not a lie

6. We abide in Christ through the anointing

The Greek word for anointing is chrisma:

Strong's g5545

- Lexical: χρίσμα

- Transliteration: chrisma

- Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter

- Phonetic Spelling: khris'-mah

- Definition: an anointing, unction.

- Origin: From chrio; an unguent or smearing, i.e. (figuratively) the special endowment ("chrism") of the Holy Spirit.

- Usage: anointing, unction.

- Translated as (count): anointing (3).

In the Old Testament, oil represents the Holy Spirit.

We find the tabernacle and it's furniture and Aaron and his sons (the Aaronic Priesthood) being anointed with oil Exodus 29, 30v22-33 & Leviticus 8, as well as Kings.

We also see the use of anointing oil in the tabernacle, as the means of providing light for the candlestick or Menorah in the Holy Place.

A teaching on the anointing oil and how it typifies the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, would be a rather lengthy teaching or even several teachings in it's own right but below is a brief summary:

The Priesthood and the Anointing

• Aaron and his sons had to be clothed in the priestly garments before being anointed

• The anointing was not to be poured on human flesh. Only when the priesthood had been clothed

• The anointing oil was most Holy. No one was to try and make or imitate it or put it on a stranger

• The anointing was poured upon Aaron's head cf Psalm 133

• The anointing and blood sacrifice were inextricably linked

• The anointing consecrated (set apart) the Priesthood for service

Candlestick

Exodus 39v37

37The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light

In the Holy Place was

1. The Altar of Incense representing worship and intercession and Jesus as our great Intercessor

2. The table of shewbread representing Jesus as the Bread of Life and the Word made flesh

3. The Lampstand representing Jesus as the Light of the world but also the illumination of the Holy Spirit

In the Holy Place the light was provided by the oil, which illuminated the room, providing the only source of light with which to see the altar of incense and the table of shewbread.

Even so, the only source of illumination which will reveal Jesus as the Bread of Life and the Living Word and our Great High Priest and Intercessor, as well as enabling us to offer up true spirit worship is the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The Purpose of the Anointing for the Priesthood of Believers

The anointing or unction of the Holy One (1 John 2v20) is a gift that we receive and it abides or remains in us. The anointing is not about giving us goosebumps or just making us feel good, although we can have wonderful experiences as a result of the anointing but as with everything in the Kingdom of God, the anointing has a very special purpose in the believer's life.

The anointing abides in us for a reason and to fulfil a very specific purpose.

The Greek word for abide is meno:

Strong's g3306

- Lexical: μένω

- Transliteration: menó

- Part of Speech: Verb

- Phonetic Spelling: men'-o

- Definition: to remain, abide, stay, wait; with acc: to wait for, await.

- Origin: A primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy).

- Usage: abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), X thine own.

So the gift of the anointing remains, dwells, stays, continues and is present in the believer's life for a reason (because God is a God of order and purpose. He does nothing just to make us feel good. Everything we experience in God is for an eternal purpose and aligns with and is part of fulfilling His will and sovereign plan).

The purpose of the anointing is to teach us about and instruct us in the Truth.

The anointing doesn't just teach us about the Truth. The anointing is Truth.

In John 8v31&32 Jesus said,

31¶Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

God reveals the truth to us, as we continue in His Word but we need the anointing to teach us and enable us to understand the truth through divine revelation.

In John 14 and 16, Jesus teaches the disciples about the the Holy Spirit or Comforter (in Greek Parakletos meaning One who comes alongside to help).

He told them it was to their advantage or benefit that He left them, because the Comforter would come. He would not leave them comfortless or orphans.

One of the ways in which the Holy Spirit would help them - and all believers until Jesus' second coming - would be as the Spirit of Truth.

In John 14v16, 17 & 26 Jesus says

16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Again in John 16v12-15

12¶I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you

15All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Jesus said that there was much more that He wanted to share with the disciples but that they weren't capable of understanding or receiving the truth but when the Spirit of Truth (the Holy Spirit/the anointing) would come and dwell within them, He would teach them and guide them into all truth and in doing so he would show them things to come, bring all things to their remembrance and would glorify the Lord Jesus.

As the anointing teaches us all truth, it will cause us to be rooted and grounded in Christ. We will abide in Christ, just as the branch abides in the vine, receiving the life of the vine and bearing much fruit (John 15).

What a confidence and assurance we have if we abide in Christ. 1 John 2v28 says that if we abide we will:

1. Have confidence when He appears

2. Not be ashamed at His coming

As we are taught by the anointing, we abide in Him, resulting in a confidence and assurance when Jesus returns, instead of us being ashamed.

In the words of the hymn

When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh may I then in Him be found,

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless there before the throne.

What a wonderful Saviour we have that He has provided everything we need for life and godliness.

If we rely on the anointing truly the following verse will be fulfilled at Jesus' return:

Jude v24&25

24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen