Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit

There’s nothing more valuable than the presence of God in our lives. And my goal for teaching about God’s presence and anointing is to increase your desire to completely and promptly obey Him. Because the more we love, trust and obey God, the stronger His anointing will be in our lives.

Now, God’s love for you is perfect, complete, and unconditional. He couldn’t love you any more than He does right now, and His love for you never changes. But we can grow in our love for God.

As we learn more about His character and have experience with Him through a personal relationship with Him, our trust in Him and love for Him grows. And this causes more of the anointing of the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us.

The Anointing Abides in You

Jesus Christ is the Anointed One, and when we are born again, His anointing abides in us. The word anoint means “to smear or rub all over.” It’s wonderful to think about how in Christ, we are “rubbed and smeared all over” with the Holy Spirit.

In one way the anointing is a free gift from God that comes by His grace and mercy, and in another way, there is a price to pay for it.

First John 2:27 (AMP) says, “As for you, the anointing [the special gift, the preparation] which you received from Him remains [permanently] in you….” Notice how this scripture says that the anointing remains permanently—it won’t go away.

The terms “special gift” and “the preparation” indicate having Holy Spirit “umph!” or power to do what God is calling us to do. And it’s the gentle promptings, urges and leadership of the Holy Spirit in us that shows us how to live.

When we follow the anointing, we feel peace and joy because we’re making wise decisions. It’s so valuable for us…and more than anything else, we need to protect the anointing in our lives.

Pay the Price to Have More Power

While the anointing abides in us through our salvation, it can’t work through our lives until we are broken before God. That’s when the oil of the Holy Spirit in us is poured out and can be a benefit to others.

So, what is it that needs to be broken in us? Things like rebellion, stubbornness, pride and a spirit that’s independent from God are a few areas of disobedience that can keep the anointing from working through us. This is because the vehicle that carries the anointing is the soul—our mind, will and emotions. And when we are led by our natural carnal or fleshly impulses, we are not being led by the Holy Spirit.

But as we grow up and mature in Christ, we can be what God wants us to be and live every day empowered by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

It’s Not Just for Spiritual Things

It’s important to understand that we need God’s anointing every day, in everything we do. And there’s an anointing for everything we need to do. It’s not just for ministers or for spiritual areas of life.

The anointing is what enables and equips us to do what God asks us to do. You have an anointing to be a parent, husband or wife…to be in business or some kind of organization…whatever you are gifted to do with your life. And it’s amazing when God uses someone to do something that you know they don’t have the ability to do on their own. That’s the power of the anointing!

Jesus Is Our Example

Philippians 2:10 (AMP) says, “At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” He is God, and He is all-powerful! Yet, He is also our example in humility.

Verses 5-8 in this same chapter tell us we are to have the same attitude that He demonstrated: Although He is one with God, He stripped Himself of all privileges and became a servant; He abased and humbled Himself and was obedient even to the extreme of death on the cross.

Power is connected to obedience. The anointing is released when we get rid of our selfish, self-centered, independent attitudes and humble ourselves before God.

As you choose to be radically obedient to God, you will have the same power that raised Christ from the dead working in and through you. And you’ll be amazed by the anointing of the Holy Spirit in your life!