The Anointings or Mantles of Anointing are linked to the gifts of God and to the offices of the five-fold ministry (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 4:11).
1 Corinthians 12:4-11:
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Ephesians 4:11:
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, …
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, …
The Mantle of Anointing
=> The term Mantle of Anointing refers to the peculiar spiritual covering that designates and empowers a spiritual officer. The mantle serves to promote the spiritual officer* and awaken and refine the spirit of the respective believer. It is an official garment that is discerned by most people and honored and collaborated with by the angelic hosts.
In regard to the prophet, the mantle of anointing is the attribute by which the prophet attracts a following, accurately presents the word of the LORD, and gathers the prophet’s personal economy in support of the ministry (cf. 2 King 2:13-14).
2 Kings 2:13-14:
13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.
14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. ‘Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?’ he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.
14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. ‘Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?’ he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
The prophet’s mantle, as seen in 1 Samuel 28:14, is not only eternal and spiritual, but it is the prophet’s covering and contains the messenger's ministry attributes as well.
1 Samuel 28:14:
14 ‘What does he look like?’ he asked. ‘An old man wearing a robe is coming up,’ she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
14 ‘What does he look like?’ he asked. ‘An old man wearing a robe is coming up,’ she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
It is what devotes the prophet to his or her God from whom the mantle was received in the first place. The prophets mantle’s affect on the officer (note: prophet) is evident when in service, or preparing for prophetic ministry. <= (Note: The text marked with ‘=>’ is based on an exposition from the ‘Prophet’s Dictionary’ by Paula A. Price, Ph. D.; page 404)
*) A mantle of anointing functions much like a uniform that can be clearly seen – by citizens within a community who are recipients, for example – and reveals the area of responsibility the respective officer operates in, and what kind of assigned service or help can be expected of him.
The Anointing and its Impact
The anointing is, among others, the actively working presence of the Holy Spirit (Note: God – Father and – Son) in the respective office or structure of the gifts.
The closer we get to the presence of the Heavenly Father, the more we begin to grow in knowledge and the gift of discernment; this results in perceiving the presence of God more intensely and can take various forms. People describe it for instance as feeling a positive heaviness, abundant joy, deep peace, an energizing, speechlessness, prophetic activity (Note: i.e. receiving pictures, visions, trances), etc.
Thus, believers who have already or strongly experienced the presence and supernatural effects of God before, describe it as a ‘strong anointing’, and this presents a way for comparison. We should only give it a subjective rating, though, for it is rarely relevant, as God's activity is revealed in sovereignty and difficult to ‘assess’.
It may be useful for saints to learn an appropriate way of dealing with the presence of the Spirit of God in order to react appropriately to the respective revelation given and to flow with the anointing.
This becomes possible the closer we get to God, and it also enables us to react accordingly to the respective situation by the discernment of thoughts (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:10-14 i.c.w. Hebrews 5:14).
1 Corinthians 2:10-14:
… 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.
14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
… 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.
14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
Hebrews 5:14:
14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
The Anointing and the Use of Oil
In the visible the anointing of a person was carried out by rubbing or pouring oil on the head or body (Note: olive oil), as clearly stated in Psalm 133:2.
Psalm 133:2:
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.
Persons and objects consecrated to the LORD were anointed by prophets or priests, such as, for instance: The stone in Bethel (cf. Genesis 31:13), the tabernacle, the altar (cf. Exodus 29:36), prophets (cf. 1 Kings 19:16), priests (cf. Exodus 30:30) and kings (cf. 1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Samuel 16:1.13).
The anointing is always connected to complete devotion to the LORD and a required ‘offering’.
For olive oil is created by the pressing of olives, and the name of the garden (Note: ‘Gethsemane’ means ‘olive press’) where Jesus decided to give His life, is connected to it (cf. Matthew 26:36-46).
For olive oil is created by the pressing of olives, and the name of the garden (Note: ‘Gethsemane’ means ‘olive press’) where Jesus decided to give His life, is connected to it (cf. Matthew 26:36-46).
The Anointing and the Associated Change of Shape
Speaking in a spiritual context, the anointing is connected to a change of form, entailing a transition from a solid to a liquid structure, thus turning away from the earth realm (Note: soul) and pointing to the supernatural realm (Note: spirit).
Because the anointing is, among other things, connected to the offices of the five-fold ministry and the various gifts with the Holy Spirit distributing them, as He wills (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11), we can only use the anointing to the extent and in the way as God calls each one of us, or as He sovereignly leads us in any given situation.
The targeted use of the allocated personal anointing is subject to the guidance of He, Who anoints (Note: the LORD as author) and should not, under any circumstances, lead to abuse. Our use of the anointing we have been allocated, should serve to glorify the Heavenly Father.
Amen and Amen.
In His Wisdom,
Daniel Glimm
