His anointing teaches you all that you need to know, for it will lead you into truth, not a counterfeit.
So just as the anointing has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:27 TPT)

One of the words used regularly in our current church is anointing. Sometimes people will talk about different types of anointings, and recently I was a little lost in all these words. When I looked up an article on this topic, I was reminded that there are two basic types of anointings in the Bible. First, the physical act of anointing someone with oil – such as in the consecration of a priest, the preparation of a body for burial, or to accompany prayer for a sick person. Secondly, is the inward anointing – the presence of the Holy Spirit. Peter told some of the first converts that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” (Acts 10:38 NIV). Jesus told us that, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” (Isaiah 61:1 NIV). That anointing is for we who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. “Now, it is God himself who has anointed us. And he is constantly strengthening both you and us in union with Christ.” (2 Corinthians 1:21 TPT) This anointing of the Holy Spirit is within someone who is in Christ, so that they are empowered and strengthened do what God wants them to do.

Are you a believer in Christ? If so, the Holy Spirit lives within you. The Apostle Paul tells us that the “fruits” of this Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When we are in Christ, the Holy Spirit will grow all these fruits within us, and our thoughts, words, and actions will reflect these fruits. The Apostle John tells us that the presence of Holy Spirit within us will lead us into Truth, and not into counterfeit teaching. Many times in the New Testament we are exhorted to “remain in Christ,” including these words of Jesus: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4 NIV) It seems like if we should “remain” in Christ, we can also “not remain,” a spiritual condition we should be guarding against.

Are there different types of inward anointings of the Holy Spirit? Here’s where the language, for me, gets a little fuzzy. Some people would say I have an anointing to play the piano. Is that different than a gifting? I don’t know. Here’s what I do know. One, the Holy Spirit within us will only lead us into God’s Truth, Righteousness, and Fruits – never into the enemy’s territory. And two, the Holy Spirit within us wants to and will help us grow in our relationship with God and in our service to him. He wants us to grow in the fruits of the Spirit. He wants us to grow in our understanding of Truth. He wants us to grow in our capacity to love and serve others. He doesn’t want us to just have a basic understanding of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He wants to help us grow in relationship with God so that our spiritual “tank” is full to overflowing when we interact with and serve others. He wants to help us grow in our giftedness, and to grow in our capacity to love. He wants us to be transformed into his image.

May the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord be growing upon and within you and me today, so that we know God’s Truth, overflow with his Fruits, proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the poor in spirit, and serve him with the fullness of the gifts he’s given us. AMEN and AMEN.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NIV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  (Galatians 5:22-25 NIV)