A couple of days ago, I came across a song by Victoria Orenze titled “I’m too oiled,” which got me thinking about the current obsession with anointing in many African churches. The title refers to being greatly anointed with oil. It depicts the life of someone powerfully anointed (or too oiled, as the song says), with the anointing working in their life to ensure they cannot fail, fall, be small, be bound, fear, faint, be caged, be delayed, or be stopped, as the refrain goes.
One of the most commonly used words in African churches is anointing. It is so common to hear one describe their pastor as an ‘anointed man of God.’ The pastors also don’t shy away from describing themselves as anointed, often explaining what they have done or gone through to become as anointed as they claim.
The congregation has also gotten in on the act. Members of these ‘anointed churches’ actively seek this so-called anointing, desiring to be like the pastors they admire and adore. It is a regular practice in some churches to have anointing services, where the pastor anoints some of his congregation members. It is not uncommon within the African church setting to find pastors encouraging, or even demanding that people do certain things to get anointed.
It has even gone beyond just people to material and immaterial things. Songs, churches, ministries, and pretty much anything can be called anointed. Some have even gone as far as carrying anointing oil to anoint their offices, desks, chairs, and cups, attempting to mimic the Old Testament practices of anointing items like stones or utensils used in the Tabernacle.
All this reveals a total lack of understanding of what it means to be anointed. Most people think that being anointed means living a life of power, often manifested through prophecies, visions, miracles, signs, and/or wonders. Therefore, when people say they want more of God or that they seek a more powerful encounter with God, they are often referring to seeking a greater ‘anointing.’
Unfortunately, what they have done is conflate two things: seeking ‘anointing’ and seeking God, assuming that they are the same thing. This lack of understanding about the subject is leading to a host of practices that are inconsistent and incompatible with Christianity, not just in Africa but even in the West. For example, Bethel Church in Redding, California, is famous for teaching and practicing grave soaking—a practice of lying on the grave of past influential Christian leaders to tap their anointing.
In Africa, it is common to hear someone talk about “tapping into the anointing” of some anointed man-of-God, often seen through such acts as lying on the ground so that the ‘anointed’ man (or woman) can walk over them, kissing a prophet’s feet, washing the clothes (even the underwear) of the man of God, etc. This is all the result of one thing plaguing the African Church: a lack of biblical knowledge.
What Is Anointing?
The practice of anointing comes from the Old Testament, where oil was used to anoint specific people or things. The Hebrew term, mashach, means “to anoint or smear with oil.” It was used to ceremonially anoint Kings (1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Samuel 16:13; 1 Kings 1:38), the priests who served in the Tabernacle (Exodus 28:41; 30:30), prophets (1 Kings 19:16), and the utensils that were used in the Tabernacle (Exodus 30:26-29; 40:9-11).
There are also instances where other items, like stones or altars, were anointed. For example, Jacob anointed the stone he had placed under his head when he had a dream from God as he fled from brother Esau (Genesis 28:18).
Yet, the anointing we see in the Old Testament was an outward symbol that God had chosen and set apart the person (or utensils) for a specific purpose. God had set apart the kings, prophets, and priests. So were the utensils used in the Tabernacle. They were to serve no other purpose except that which God had called them for.
In the New Testament, Jesus declared at the start of His ministry that, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor…” In fact, the word Christ, a transliteration of the Hebrew word Messiah, means ‘the anointed one.’ This anointing was the Holy Spirit upon Him in His earthly ministry and was seen at His baptism when the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form, like a dove (Luke 3:21-22).
Christians are also referred to as anointed ones in 1 John 2:20. This anointing is not expressed by pouring oil upon Christians but happens at the moment of salvation when Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and joined to Christ. 1 John 2:27 goes on to say that the anointing abides in you. It is not a temporary anointing but a permanent one. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 also says that it is God who anoints us in Christ and has sealed us with His Spirit as a guarantee. It is not with anointing oil or some special anointing that we are to seek, but with the Holy Spirit.
Anointing, therefore, refers to the work of God in pouring out His Spirit upon those whom He has chosen as His own special people for His purposes. The Old Testament practice of pouring oil upon kings, prophets, priests, and the utensils used in the Tabernacle was a foreshadowing of God anointing and setting apart His people for His service and worship.
The Purpose of Anointing
The nation of Israel was chosen by God in the Old Testament, not only to worship Him but to bear witness about Him to the rest of the world. Their leaders —the kings, prophets, and priests —were anointed to lead the nation in worship and in their testimony about God to the rest of the world (Isaiah 43:10-12). Yet they failed spectacularly at both. They were a nation marked by idolatry and rebellion towards God, and compromise by adopting practices of the nations around them instead of bearing witness to them.
That task now falls to Christians. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). It is not special people anointed for this task, but ALL Christians. Therefore, it beggars belief to find Christians seeking some extra anointing, yet God has already anointed them.
It is also rather interesting that those seeking anointing today are not doing so for the purposes of proclaiming God’s excellencies. While many claim to want to glorify God through miracles, signs, and wonders, they are really seeking power and the fame and prestige that come with it. If it were about proclaiming the excellencies of God, they would be content with the anointing they have received from God, if indeed they have received the Holy Spirit.
The excellencies (mighty works) of God are His great work in saving His people from darkness to light. It is the preaching of the good news of what God has done in Jesus Christ to save His people. Christians are to bear witness to the rest of the world the wonderful and benevolent acts of God in saving His people. This is the Great Commission, “Go and make disciples of all nations…“
Yet, in her song, Victoria Orenze goes on to sing, “You are too oiled to be stressed, to be delayed, to be stopped. You are too oiled to see shame. You are too oiled to be embarrased, to be disappointed. You can’t be stranded. You carry oil.” This has nothing to do with proclaiming the excellencies of God but providing a comfortable life for people, devoid of any problems, disappointment, stress, etc. This is not the gospel, nor does it have anything to do with biblical anointing or doctrine. It is a man-centered doctrine aimed at making people feel good about themselves.
Unfortunately, it’s not just the song but the whole charismatic approach to anointing. It is about displays of power to remove obstacles that keep people in difficult situations they do not wish to be in. It is a form of liberation theology rather than salvation from darkness to God’s marvelous light.
Conclusion
Seeking anointing is not seeking God because God has anointed Christians, and they do not need to seek any other special anointing from God or anyone else. Contrary to what popular ‘Christian’ songs proclaim, you cannot have more of God. This supposes that God has given only a portion of Himself, and there is more of Him that He has withheld for only those who do certain things. This is works-based salvation, yet we are saved by grace —a free gift — so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-10).
There is no greater anointing than what God has given in the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. There is also nothing one can do to get God’s anointing. You cannot seek, purchase, or do anything to receive the Holy Spirit. Grave soaking, lying prostrate before someone, kissing their feet, or honouring them with a large sum of money will not get you God’s anointing.
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38.
The Holy Spirit is a gift from God to those whom He has chosen. If you are a Christian, God has anointed you through the Holy Spirit who is in you and is with you (John 14:17). If you are not, you need to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. You, too, will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
There is only one way to get anointed, and that’s by being born again (saved). Once saved, you are anointed, and there is no other anointing.