STP Devotional for the Week of 11/11/24
We often say Jesus Christ as if Christ is Jesus’s last name. The word Christ, or Messiah,
has its own meaning – Anointed. What does it mean to anoint someone? When people
called Jesus “The Christ” or “The Messiah,” what do you think they meant?
To be anointed by God means divine selection and empowerment for a specific purpose or
role; spiritual gifts, guidance, and authority to fulfill God’s tasks; being filled with the Holy
Spirit and empowered for ministry; and a commitment to God’s will and serving His
kingdom.
The word anoint is used 160 times in the Bible. The first reference ordained and
consecrated Aaron and his sons to serve as priests (Exodus 28:41). Next, the tent of
meeting, ark of testimony, table, utensils, lampstands, altars and anything within the
temple were anointed to make them holy and consecrated to God (Exodus 20:26-28).
In the Old Testament, Samuel anointed both Saul and David to show that God chose them to rule over Israel. (1 Samuel 10:1, 1 Samuel 16:13) To be anointed by God gave a certain protection to the person being anointed. God stated in the Psalms that His anointed shouldn't be killed. (Psalm 105:15) David knew this so well that, even when Saul was pursuing him, David wouldn’t raise a hand against Saul. He went so far as to execute the man who did take Saul’s life. This is why David writes in Psalm 23:5 You prepare
a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. To have the anointing of God is to have a supernatural protection over evil.
God anointed prophets, priests, and kings. He anointed His holy place. Jesus is called The
Anointed/The Christ. He was chosen by God to come to earth to take on the sins of the
world. His anointing, or being called Christ, meant that He was coming to be our Savior,
to rescue us from Satan and from sin. Anointing was also performed at a person’s death.
Jesus refers to this as the “sinful woman” pours oil on Him. (Mark 14:3, Luke 7:38)
Anointing someone when they pass is to make them holy before God.
As we continue to look through the references to Jesus as Christ/Messiah, we see that His
anointing is also linked to His being identified as the Son of God. The relationship between
God the Father and God the Son has royal significance. As the ascended king, Jesus will
eventually bring the whole earth under His authority, where “every knee will bow and
every tongue confess” that He is Lord. (Philippians 2:9-11)
The anointing referred to in the definition, “to be filled with the Holy Spirit and
empowered for ministry,” is something every believer can claim. When we start the year
at STP, we pray for God’s anointing on our ministry, our classes, and our performances.
Why do we do that? So that the ministry, classes, and performances will be protected by
God’s will. So that they will be able to withstand the “fiery darts of the evil
one.” (Ephesians 6:16) So that we can continue the work of the disciples and proclaim the
good news of Jesus Christ the Anointed One to all nations. (Matthew 28:19-20)
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