Our Anointed Area

Our Anointed Area

Christ is the Anointed One, and all of His brethren are also anointed. We are anointed for the work of ministry as truly as we are members of the body of Christ.

Aaron was anointed for his ministry with an abundance of anointing oil. Just as profusely as the oil flowed, so he received abundance of grace for the ministry that God had given him. God gave him the Urim and the Thummim in his ministry, which means light and perfection. Ex. 28:29-30; Lev. 8:8-12.

Aaron was to bear the names of the children of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart as a constant reminder before the Lord that they needed a good and caring intercessor. He knew what the Lord’s judgment was, and he bore it on his heart. He turned away God’s judgment by his ministry, and the result was reconciliation and blessing. He saw all kinds of sins, but he did not accuse or reproach the sinners. He bore their needs with him in his heart before God. It became natural for Aaron to perform this ministry.

Our ministry will also become natural and good for ourselves and for the others if we are humble and serve according to the grace God gives. If we go outside our anointed area, driven by human ambition, we will notice that our ministry is unnatural, and the others will suffer under it. All ministries in the body of Christ must flow in the anointing oil. We have nothing except what has been given to us, and everything that comes from God is given to us according to the laws of humility and faithfulness. We must not consider anything that God has given to us as too lowly or too little, and reach out for something that is beyond our measure.

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Rom. 12:3.

Paul exhorted and served according to the grace that was given to him, and when he did do something, his thoughts were no higher than his measure of faith. It is extremely easy to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, with the result that we become busybodies in other people’s matters, thinking we are competent to straighten things out anywhere and everywhere. The usual result is that things become more complicated than they were before. When the time is ripe, and God gives grace, all problems will be solved. God gives strength in quietness and confidence in Him. God does not delight in the strength of man. Perhaps someone has to be led all the way down to the gates of death two or three times so that he can be separated from pride. However, if there is an angel, an interpreter, one among a thousand, one of the anointed ones to show him the right way, then he can receive true help. Job 33:14-30.

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Pet. 4:10-11.

Here we read about being good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Then we do not defraud anyone, but we give each other time, and we forgive as God has forgiven us. We love as He has loved us. We give milk to those who still cannot tolerate solid food, and we speak wisdom among those who are mature. We ourselves will disappear, and God will be glorified in all things by Jesus Christ if we serve according to the strength God gives.

“Of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.” Eph. 3:7. “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Eph. 4:7.

How blessed and good it will be when all of us serve according to the grace God gives, keeping to our anointed area. If we end up outside our anointed area, the result will be all kinds of friction because of our dry, human understanding.

Jesus was anointed to preach good tidings to the meek. He was sent to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to open the prison for those who are bound, to comfort all who mourn, to console all who mourn in Zion—to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Isa. 61:1-3.

These blessed effects are the result of an anointed ministry in the Holy Spirit. In their zeal, many people would like to win people, to exhort and to help them, etc., but they go far beyond their anointed area. The effect of their ministry is not good, neither does it leave a good taste behind. Five anointed words can achieve much, whereas one can steal precious time from those who are anointed by preaching dry doctrines and sermons that are the product of human reasoning. In the first church, only those who were anointed with the Spirit of Christ and wisdom were allowed to serve.

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forever.” Ps. 133.

We can see how abundantly this good oil flows in the brotherhood on Zion. It is not so uncommon for people who live together—especially those who live together for a long time—to experience friction and strife. However, this is not true of the anointed brotherhood. There you can come at any time and in all kinds of circumstances and see how good and pleasant it is. Yes, it will even continue like this forever, in life and in blessing. There the Lord has commanded the blessing.

The accuser of our brethren is cast down from heaven, and God’s Anointed One has authority, together with those who are anointed, for all eternity. Rev. 12:10-11.

We have the anointing over us as long as we are humble and faithful. God anointed Saul to be king when he was lowly in his own eyes, but when he exalted himself and became disobedient, God found David and anointed him to be king in Saul’s place.

Let us serve within the anointed areas that have been entrusted to us with thankfulness, faithfulness, and joy, so that it can please God to enlarge our areas as an eternal blessing for ourselves and the others.

“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God . . . .” 2 Cor. 1:21.