A Millennials Take on Anointing
Sunday morning I woke up feeling as if an elephant were on my chest. All I could think of was our upcoming trip to California. A trip I was looking forward to, now totally terrified me. I had this sinking feeling that something was going to either happen to Josh and I while we were away or to Ellie back home. This feeling completely took me off guard because anxiety is not something that I've ever struggled with. I'm naturally steadfast. But, not this time. Throughout the day the elephant on my chest sat heavier. Josh thought I was going crazy. I'm not going to lie, some of the theories I was coming up with were totally bonkers. But, I believed it.
After hearing myself say some crazy things about how I was going to die, I called a friend who hit me with wisdom. She told me that although my current pregnancy and its hormones may have something to do with my feelings, it could also be the Holy Spirit telling me to cover my family in prayer. I decided I was going to do whatever I could in the natural world (pray), so that God would intercede on my behalf in the supernatural. If the enemy was planning an attack against my family, because of my prayer, God was going to stop him in his tracks. I claim it!
I remembered my mom anointing me with oil when I was younger and thinking she had lost her mind. But, I set out on a mission to understand why. After reading a TON of articles and scripture, I narrowed it down to three simple reasons why I would anoint my family. (There are plenty of reasons, but these are what I needed most.)
We anoint the sick for healing: “Is any 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; and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up” (Jas. 5:14, 15).
We anoint for our burdens to be lifted: "It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke [satanic bondage] will be destroyed because of the anointing oil." (Isaiah 10:27)
We anoint for protection: “He allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account, saying, “Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!” (Chronicles 16:21-22)
After gaining so much understand about the purpose of anointing, my question moved to the oil. Why was this oil so special?? I've been eating lots of olive oil in my food, can that count? (I seriously had this thought.) If you thought it too, no it doesn't count.lol. The oil itself isn't special at all. God sets it apart and it becomes holy anointing oil through our belief and prayer over it. I found this incredible prayer on Joseph Prince's website (www.JosephPrince.org). I prayed this prayer over my oil.
"Dear Father in heaven, in and of itself, this bottle of oil is just oil. But I ask You, Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, anoint this oil I hold in my hands. Anoint it and set it apart for Your holy purposes. Make it holy anointing oil. Use it for Your glory, Father. According to Your Word in Mark 6:13 and James 5:14, use it to make those on whom it is applied healthy, strong, and youthful, with sickness and disease far from them. Father, I pray that as this oil is set apart right now for holy and consecrated purposes, may it bring down Your glory, and bring down Your miracles. Wherever it is laid, may it turn darkness into light. May it turn lack into abundance. May it turn sickness into healing. May there be wonderful restoration and fruitfulness. Father, I thank You that this bottle of oil is now holy anointing oil. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen."
Because it's not the oil itself that is holy, feel free to use whatever you've got! Olive oil, your essential oils (young living people I'm talking to you), or as my mom says "spit, when you've got nothing else." For me, I wanted to keep it a close to the Book as possible!
"Take also for yourself the finest of spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty, and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin." ( Exodus 30:23-24)
Shekels, hin, HUH? I was lost. That's where the good old-fashioned internet came in. Because from what I found, this recipe makes gallons of anointing oil. Since I didn't plan on bathing my family in it, I needed a little less. Here's the recipe.
Don't forget to pray over it. Now, go forth and anoint!
Sources: Joseph Prince, Essential Oils, the Bible