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PULPIT TODAY SERMONS
The Mystery of the Anointing
And the Third Person of the Trinity
By Robert D. Pace
1 John 2:27
“But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.”
I’m preaching on the topic, “The Mystery of the Anointing and the Third Person of the Trinity.” First, I want you to momentarily reflect on the word “anointing.” [Pause] The word “anointing” is innately cryptic, and the Lord intentionally made it that way. The same is true with the third person of the Godhead — the Holy Spirit. Although the Spirit of God is mentioned often in Scripture, there is something enigmatic about his presence and nature.
However, this doesn’t mean it’s impossible to understand anything about the Holy Spirit or the anointing. With Scripture, a mystery remains a mystery until one of four things occurs: (1) A mystery remains until its appointed time arrives for its revelation; (2) Mysteries are enigmatic until a spiritually gifted person discloses their meaning; and (3) Something remains a mystery until someone puts together various passages of Scripture that disclose its meaning.
I want to start by demystifying the most important enigma about the word “anointing.” In nearly every instance where the term “anointing” appears in the Bible, it represents the Holy Spirit. Thus, the word “anointing” is interchangeable with the term Holy Spirit.
One of the more important aspects of the anointing is how it empowers Christians. That’s not a definition of the word; it’s a description of how the anointing operates. In our text, 1 John 2:27, the apostle mentioned several things about the anointing: (1) God has placed the anointing upon every Christian, and that means no one can say they aren’t anointed; (2) the anointing empowers all Christians to learn the Scriptures; (3) the anointing enables Christians to discern right from wrong; and (4) the Spirit’s “anointing” teaches Christians about everything.”
But there are many other ways that the anointing works in and through Christians. The anointing could make one Christian powerful in prayer and intercession; it could empower another Christian to witness effectively and win souls to Christ; and the anointing could empower yet another Christian to teach and preach the Scriptures with profound effectiveness. I like how 1 Corinthians 12:27 puts it: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” Notice the last phrase of that verse: Paul said, “Each one of you is a part of it.” Everyone has been anointed to minister! So whether you’re young or old, healthy or physically challenged, all Christians are “anointed” to minister. You may not have a pulpit ministry, but the Kingdom of God spans far beyond the width of a pulpit.
Do you realize that Jesus was only twelve years old when he told his parents, “I must be about My Father’s business?” Later, when Jesus told the Parable of the Talents, he told his hearers that excuses wouldn’t be accepted on the Day of Judgment. Paul said, “Every man will give an account of himself to God,” and that means God’s Day of Reckoning will require answers from people:
“What did you do with your talents?
What did you do with your anointing and your spiritual gifts?
What did you do with God’s favor upon you?
And how did you handle your God-given blessings and abilities?
That’s why Jesus told his followers to “occupy until I return.” He wanted us to know that we are responsible for using our spiritual enrichments for his glory (Luke 19:3).
(Transition) Let’s examine what makes the anointing mysterious. One reason relates to the symbols Scripture uses to represent the Holy Spirit.
I. The Symbols of the Holy Spirit.
I want to examine ten symbols that Scripture assigns to the Holy Spirit. The first is:
1. The wind of the Spirit.” In John 3, Jesus and Nicodemus were talking about the Holy Spirit. Notice how Jesus characterized the Spirit in verse 8. “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Here’s what Jesus wanted Nicodemus (and us) to know about the Spirit of God: He is sovereign and moves like the wind — unpredictably, powerfully, and at his discretion. Perhaps this is why the wind is the best descriptor of the Holy Spirit. Although we pray — and pray with a powerful release of faith — we never know when, where, or how the Spirit will move.
2. Secondly, the Bible likens the Spirit of God to a voice. There are numerous passages where the Holy Spirit is pictured speaking:
The Spirit spoke to Elijah with a gentle voice in I Kings 19:12 when it says: “And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” It has been said that “The Spirit of God shouts with a gentle whisper.”
Hebrews 3:7 says this: “So, as the Holy Spirit says.”
The Apostle John said: “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them” (Revelation 14:13).
2 Peter 1:21 unveils the preeminent way the Spirit of God has spoken. Before I read this verse aloud, what do you think is the most magnificent way the Holy Spirit has spoken? When I was a college freshman studying for the ministry, 2 Peter 1:21 was the first and most important verse from the Bible that my professor had me memorize. The Apostle writes: “For prophecy [the Old Testament Scriptures] never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Christians don’t necessarily hear the Holy Spirit’s audible Voice today. But in some mysterious way, he does speak. Here’s how yet Jesus pictured the Holy Spirit — life’s Ultimate Teacher — making his Voice known: (a) He speaks to us as we read the Bible; (b) He speaks to us when we pray; (c) He speaks to us when we contemplate His character, goodness, and nature. And you can take comfort in this: The Holy Spirit and the Heavenly Father are always in sync. They are always in agreement and will never mislead you!
3. The Spirit of God is symbolized by clouds (Exodus 13:21). Clouds are fascinating. They carry rain, ice, snow, hail, and sometimes bolts of electricity! Because clouds can obscure what lies within them, likewise, the Holy Spirit envelops himself and his work within a cloud of glory! God uses the weather to fulfill his purposes in the earth:
Psalm 148:7—8 “Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding.”
Psalm 147:15—18 says: “He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. (16) He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. (17) He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? (18) He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.”
One of the grandest passages of Scripture regarding how God uses nature to fulfill his purposes on the earth is found in Job 37:1—18:
At this my heart pounds
and leaps from its place.
2 Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice,
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth. [Thunder]
3 He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven
and sends it to the ends of the earth.
4 After that comes the sound of his roar;
he thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice resounds,
he holds nothing back.
5 God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
7 So that everyone he has made may know his work,
he stops all people from their labor.
8 The animals take cover;
they remain in their dens.
9 The tempest comes out from its chamber,
the cold from the driving winds.
10 The breath of God produces ice,
and the broad waters become frozen.
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;
he scatters his lightning through them.
12 At his direction they swirl around
over the face of the whole earth
to do whatever he commands them.
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,
or to water his earth and show his love.
14 “Listen to this, Job;
stop and consider God’s wonders.
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
and makes his lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?
17 You who swelter in your clothes
when the land lies hushed under the south wind,
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,
hard as a mirror of cast bronze?
4. The Spirit of God is likened to rain (Isaiah 44:3—4). Rain brings life, growth, refreshment, and fruitfulness.
5. The Holy Spirit is symbolized as water (John 7:37-38). Water brings life and invigoration.
6. The Holy Spirit is symbolized as fire (Acts 2:3). Fire represents the presence of God. The primary uses of fire are: warmth, light, signaling, protection, cooking, purging, and forging metals. A large fire creates intrigue and draws human interest. God used a burning bush on Mount Horeb to intrigue Moses and draw him near.
Fire not only represents the Holy Spirit, fire also personifies the fullness of God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Hebrews 12:28—29 says: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, (29) for our “God is a consuming fire.”
7. The Bible uses oil to symbolize the Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4:2–6), and the Bible often uses oil and anointing interchangeably. When God commanded prophets to anoint a person with oil, it was the Lord’s public endorsement of them. Additionally, when God’s prophets anointed someone, others witnessed a visible transformation upon that person. The most notable examples in Scripture are Saul, Israel’s first king; David, Israel’s mightiest and most beloved king; Elisha, the prophet; and 120 New Testament Believers who received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.
8. Scripture uses the dove to represent the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:22, John 1:32). Why did the Lord choose the dove to represent the Spirit? It’s because doves symbolize purity, gentleness, and new beginnings. For example:
A dove represents purity. Doves and turtledoves were the only birds God accepted as sacrifices in the Old Testament (Genesis 15:9, Leviticus 12:6).
The dove is gentle, as is the way the Holy Spirit speaks to and works inside Believers.
The dove represents the “new beginnings” God has for people. As the waters receded from the Flood, the dove returned with an olive branch, symbolizing a “new beginning” for humanity. Similarly, the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at His baptism signified the arrival of the world’s Messiah and a new covenant for mankind.
9. The seal of the Spirit. (Ephesians 4:20). The Holy Spirit, as the “seal,” keeps God’s Covenant intact and in force. The Holy Spirit seals Christ’s work of redemption upon Believers until we are safely home on Heaven’s shores.
10. The Holy Spirit is symbolized by breath. (Job 33:4). The breath of God upon humans brings life. The prophet Job 33:4 said: “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” (I have another question for you: What is the most powerful of all things in the universe? It’s life. Life!
Imagine everything that is part and parcel of this planet. Imagine everything from the smallest particle to the animals, fish, the mountains, and the oceans. The microscopic world contains something called an atomic nucleus. The atomic nucleus is made of neutrons, protons, and electrons. Then, there is something smaller that’s called a neutrino. The microscopic world contains the building blocks of the gigantic parts of the world.
My question is this: what is the mightiest, most powerful thing in the world? It’s Life! Had God not infused life into Creation, nothing would move; everything would fail to operate; there would be nothing to enjoy.
(Transition) Now, let’s continue to point two in today’s message and discuss the Titles that the Bible ascribes to the Holy Spirit.
II. Titles of the Holy Spirit
1. The first title I want to consider is the most obvious of all. The most obvious title is the phrase “Holy Spirit.” This expression describes two aspects of the Holy Spirit: He is both (a) holy and (b) Spirit.
When the Bible uses the word holy, it refers to the Spirit of God as being “set apart” and being “altogether other” than humans and anything in Creation.
The second word in the phrase is “Spirit” (rendered “Ghost” in some English versions of the Bible). In the OT, the Hebrew word for “spirit” is Ruach, and in the NT, the Greek word for “spirit” is Pneuma. Each word describes breath or wind. There are several characteristics that Scripture suggests about these words:
a) The Holy Pneuma/Ruach of God indicates that just like air, the Spirit of God is invisible. He cannot be seen by natural vision.
b) The Holy Pneuma/Ruach of God, like air, flows and moves in unpredictable ways.
c) Consider the awesome power of storms, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Likewise, the Pneuma/Ruach of God is awesome in power. Do you realize what it means to have the incredible power of the Spirit operative in you? The Spirit’s sovereign power in you makes the impossible possible, the difficult easier, and the unknowable knowable!
d) In Genesis 2:7, God breathed into Adam, and Adam became a “living creature.” Thus, “The Ruach/ Pneuma” of God is inherently Life itself. He gets his life from nothing outside Himself, and he imparts all life to everything outside Himself.
2. Another title the Bible ascribes to the Holy Spirit is “The Spirit of God.” This description, Spirit “of God,” emphasizes his divinity. (I Corinthians 3:16). Always remember that the Holy Spirit is God Himself! He is not an “it”; He is not an impersonal extension of God’s power; He is not a created Being; He is the third Person of the Godhead, described as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each is wholly God, God of very God, and forever God. You see, just because the Bible associates these mysterious symbols with the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean He is impersonal. He most certainly is a person with a personality, just like the Father and the Son have distinct personalities.
3. Jesus used the Greek word Paraclete to describe what the Holy Spirit provides Christians (John 14:16). A paraclete functions as our helper, intercessor, witness, comforter, and advocate.
4. Spirit of Truth (John 15:26). As Truth, the Holy Spirit’s words are utterly dependable. They are trustworthy and reliable, and he cannot lie! The Holy Spirit’s mind is in perfect sync with the Father. He will never mislead you. Notice what Romans 8:26—27 tells us:
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness [when we are weak He is strong!]. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans [The Holy Spirit, with Jesus, is the Ultimate Intercessor!]. (27) And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” [He knows exactly what the Heavenly Father is thinking.]
(Transition) Now, I want to discuss the Activity of the Holy Spirit in Believers as he makes them a difference-maker.
III. The Holy Spirit is Your Difference-Maker!
We need to look no further than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to see how the Holy Spirit works with Believers. Isaiah 11:2—3 foretold several notable traits of the Holy Spirit manifesting in the Messiah. As I read, I want you to notice the attributes: “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of (a) wisdom and (b) understanding, the Spirit of (c) counsel and (d) strength, the Spirit of (e) knowledge and (f) fear of the LORD.”
These features are exactly what Christians need in life, and it’s why we should invite him to fill us with all of these verities!
In order to show you how the Spirit of God makes people difference-makers, I want to use one of the last books of the Old Testament and show you how it played out in one of the first books in the New Testament. I’ll begin by reading Zechariah 4:1—14, and then we’ll turn to Luke 2.
Zechariah 4:1—14
Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. (2) He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. (3) Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” (4) I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” (5) He answered, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I replied. (6) So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. (7) “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’ ” (8) Then the word of the Lord came to me: (9) “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. (10) “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?” (11) Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” (12) Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?” 13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I said. 14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.”
Do you see what God repeatedly revealed to Zechariah? The Lord showed him that the Holy Spirit is the “Grand Difference-maker.” It is the Spirit of God, given to ordinary people, that can profoundly impact life! The Heavenly Father can take one person, anoint them with his Spirit, and bring about remarkable things. And make certain you remember this: You can be that person!
(Transition) Now I want to use Zechariah’s Old Testament revelation of the anointing and disclose how it unfolds in the New Testament:
Luke chapter 2 discloses the story of a devout priest named Simeon who awaited the arrival of Israel’s Messiah. Day after day, Simeon pondered when the Messiah would arrive at the Temple for his dedication. Luke reveals something significant about Simeon that, without its occurrence, he would never have recognized Christ’s appearance. Let’s read Luke 2:25—28.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. (26) It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. (27) Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, (28) Simeon took him in his arms and praised God.
Luke shows us that there was but one way for Simeon to recognize the appearance of Israel’s Messiah at the Temple: the Spirit of God had to “come upon him” and provide divine insight to identify the Messiah. And that’s exactly what happened!
In the First Century, throngs of people regularly gathered at the Temple. Worshipers were constantly bringing their sacrifices, offerings, and infants to be dedicated. They gathered daily at the Temple to pray hear the rabbis teach the Word. But when it came to identifying the Messiah only a prophet was equal to the task. As I just read from Luke 2, God made certain that Simeon, a prophet, was available to announce the arrival of Jesus as ‘Savior of the world.’ God had anointed Simeon with the Holy Spirit. Listen again to those special phrases Luke used to describe Simeon:
In verse 25, Luke says, “The Holy Spirit was on him.”
In verse 26, Luke says, “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.”
And verse 27 says Simeon was “Moved by the Spirit.”
Simeon was thoroughly anointed with the Holy Spirit! As soon as Mary and Joseph arrived at the Temple with the child in arms, he burst out with his prophetic enunciation about the Messiah. You see, one Spirit-filled Believer can make a profound difference in life! Could you be the person who God wants to anoint and do the “profound” through?
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