We often equate anointing with the gifts of the Spirit and how well people use them for the Kingdom of God. However, anointing encompasses more than just operating in spiritual gifts. The scripture shows us that anointing also has to do with how we walk in unity with others.
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. Psalm 133:1-2
Psalm 133 tells us that the unity of the brethren is like oil flowing from Aaron’s head down to the edge of his garments. This oil represents the precious Holy Spirit and His anointing on people.
The presence of the Holy Spirit and His anointing in our lives makes us softer and more pliable! This means others’ personalities don’t become sandpaper that rubs against us; instead, offenses fall off faster because God’s anointing prevents issues from festering in our hearts. God’s anointing should make us more Christ-like—gentler, kinder, and more humble.
God calls unity among the brethren good and pleasant. It’s interesting that Aaron, a priest, is used as an analogy for unity. Similarly, the Bible calls each of us a “Royal Priesthood.” God is pleased when we walk in our calling as a royal priesthood and ministers of reconciliation, allowing His anointing to flow to those in our spheres of influence.
The secular world does a great job with their version of unity. Every employee in a company works for the benefit of their company’s success. Sports teams come together and play united. Some players may have differences or disagreements, but when it comes to winning, everyone does their part to help the team succeed. The main goal is the success of the team not who plays the best game or gets the credit.
Are you willing to let God break through your individuality and position you for unity? Some think that we only need to be united with the head, who is Jesus, or with the senior pastor. That’s not true. If we only focus on unity with the leadership, we will become divisive, exclusive, and possessive. Our unity starts with being united with Jesus along with the vision of the leadership, but it doesn’t end there. We still have to do our part to put aside our personal preferences, insecurities, and prejudices, so we can walk in unity with our brothers and sisters.When we are willing to do that, the anointing of God will be upon the body.
When we do our part to reach greater unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we will become more effective in reaching the lost because we have practiced accepting people who are different from us.
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