Daily Bible Reading - June 1, 2017

Today's Reading:

Romans 7

1 Samuel 16

Psalm 61

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Thoughts and Commentary on Today's Reading:

Today, I found a verse in 1 Samuel 16 jumped out at me. It is the verse which speaks of Samuel anointing David.

1 Samuel 16:13 "Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of Yahweh came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah."

For years, when I read the Bible through, this verse fascinated me. Obviously, the Holy Spirit was with David before Samuel anointed him, but there was something special about the anointing, which opened the way for the Holy Spirit to be with David even more mightily than before. Clearly there was something in this story that merited further notice!

But it wasn't until Mark and I learned about Biblical anointings, and wrote the Keys to Living Like You've Been Saved booklet, that we really found the deeper mine of truth-gems in this story. It was then that we also found the value of an anointing in the life of every follower of Christ. Here is some of what we were blessed to find, in the Word of God.

The formula for total healing is found in James 5:13-16:

“Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? 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 the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:13-16).

There are several promises of what is to be gained through experiencing a biblical anointing:

1. We find salvation for sin-sick souls (James 5:15).

2. We are raised up and our sins are forgiven (James 5:15).

3. We are healed (James 5:16).

The word “healed,” as found in James 5:16, is from the Greek word iaomai, which means to be literally and    figuratively healed, cured, and made whole. Thus, this word not only applies to physical healing, but it also applies to spiritual healing. 

The deeper meaning of this word translated as “healed” in English, is found in Matthew 13:15. Here, Christ laments

Israel’s rejection of the healing (iaomai) He wishes to bestow upon them.

      “For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal (iaomai) them” (Matthew 13:15).

There are numerous examples in Scripture to demonstrate that Heaven’s form of healing addresses the total needs of the recipient. The fact that the healing went far deeper than the physical body is plainly portrayed in Christ’s own words, 

“...Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee… Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house” (Matthew 9:2-6).

We also find the connection between physical and spiritual wholeness stated in 3 John 1:2, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”  Thus, we find that the promise of healing contained in the biblical prescription for an anointing is all-encompassing.

Yahweh’s promises regarding the fruit of the biblical anointing are tremendous and very desirable to anyone    seeking freedom and victory in Christ. There are still more benefits to an anointing, however. Consider the additional blessings the heavenly Father bestows through this vital and sacred service:

· After a biblical anointing, the Holy Spirit will be with you more mightily than ever before.

· You will have taken a powerful step on the path of sanctification.

· Satan’s strongholds in your life (in the listed areas) will be completely broken.

· You will be free and clean in Yahshua and will belong wholly to Yahweh in all the prayed-over areas that used to be satanic strongholds.

· You will then be ready to begin a mighty work for God. Just as we see in the life of David, the anointing was performed first, and then the person's Calling and Service of Yahweh could truly begin.

At Yahweh’s command, every Heaven-commissioned priest was always anointed (Leviticus 16:32) before he was given his priestly office. The kings of Israel were also anointed before they could take the throne (1 Kings 1:34). It was through this anointing that the recipient became enabled to carry out this holy and responsible office with the blessing of Heaven (1 Samuel 16:13). Thus, the anointing was a vital part of being set apart for holy use in Old-Testament Bible times.

In the New Testament, we are told that every child of Yahweh is called to serve Him as a king and a priest. 

“And Yahshua hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:6).

Considering that every baptized follower of Christ is called to be both a king and a priest in His holy service, Christians have a 200% reason to be anointed.  And this was the secret gem which I was so blessed to find, laying just below the surface in 1 Samuel 16:13. 

If you are interested in discovering personally, how the Holy Spirit is with someone even more mightily than before, after an anointing, I encourage you to ask for your own copy of our book Keys to Living Like You've Been Saved. I believe the blessing of a Biblical anointing is meant for every believer. And I encourage you to pursue receiving this blessing for yourself.

“Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? 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 the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:13-16).