The Abiding Anointing

"But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you... the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth... and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him" (1 John 2:27).

David, the shepherd lad, received the coveted anointing of God. Under the unction of the Spirit his mouth was continually filled with the praises of the Lord. He learned through the Spirit the value of praise, and so he set apart four thousand men in Israel to give thanksgiving to Him who is worthy of all praise. And God's anointed priests today are to offer, not fleshly sacrifices as the Levites did, but spiritual sacrifices. One of the outstanding sacrifices is the sacrifice of praise, even the fruit of our lips. Hebrews 13:15. In Psalm 116:17, we read, "I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving." In Psalm 107:22 we read, "Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thansgiving."

Men in their self-interest and covetousness hang around in the world's stock exchanges, hoping for gain, and frequently losing their all. But how few ever go to God's Free Clothes Exchange where they can receive the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness and the oil of joy for mourning. Right now make a trip to that Exchange and get yourself stripped of those rags of complaining and get in exchange a comely robe of praise. And this blessed abiding anointing of the Holy Spirit will bring us into a life of praise. Though at times, when we are tried to the uttermost, it may seem a little difficult, He will enable us to give to the Lord the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and when we do this, He who will be in no man's debt will shower down upon us such spiritual blessings that there will not be room to contain them. I write this not as a theory, but as a fact proven in actual experience.

Then ever remember that other spiritual sacrifice, "To do good and to communicate forget not" (Hebrews 13:16). The Lord has His eye on the treasury. He saw those rich folks pompously putting in their gifts, and He saw that widow putting in her mite. He knew that it was all that she had. It was sacrifice. By Him actions are weighed. He has delicate scales on which he weighs our spirits. He weighed that spirit of sacrifice in that widow and made the declaration, "This poor widow hath cast in more than they all."

Life under the anointing of the Spirit will be one of abiding in Christ. Partaking of the life of the heavenly Vine! Partaking of the Spirit of Him who, though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that though his poverty might be made rich! Paul partook of this Spirit. See him working late in the night and early into the morning plying his needle at tentmaking, in order that he might not be chargeable to the saints, and then going out and preaching without ever expecting a cent of remuneration. Willing to sacrifice gladly, losing his own life - and receiving instead the abiding life of his Lord, so that he was able to be so much like his Lover-Lord that he could speak of himself "as poor, yet making many rich."

Paul referred to the gifts of the saints of Macedonia and Achaia to the poor saints at Jerusalem as "fruit." Romans 15:28. As we abide in Christ we shall, like Joseph, become fruitful branches abounding in this fruit as in every other kind. And He will make giving such a joy that we shall never call it a sacrifice. Says the Apostle, who had partaken of the sacrificial spirit of Him who had gone to Calvary: "He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity for God loveth a cheerful (hilarious) giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:6-8). That is God's reward for any sacrifice we may make.

And then, through the anointing, how gladly we will give to our precious Lord our bodies as a spiritual sacrifice (Romans 12:1). Our Lover-Lord gave His body for us. Surely we can give our bodies to Him. Just as the Levite, to whom the animal sacrifice was taken, brought death to its flesh, so will our heavenly Priest bring death to our flesh-life as we present our bodies to Him, and then He will bring us into an abundant life in the Spirit and into an abundant life of grace where sin shall no longer have dominion over us. Instead of sin having dominion over us, He who hath loved us and washed us, and made us priests and kings unto God, shall have complete dominion over us. We are His inheritance, His dominion.

As the government of the United States will do all in its power to protect every part of its domains, so the Lord, who has all power in heaven and in earth, will protect and preserve all over which He hold dominion. Yield now your whole spirit, soul, and body to Him who gave His all for you. If you do, He who is the heir of all things - the heir of His whole universe - will give you the privilege of sharing with Him in His eternal kingdom. Even now you can have a large share, a wonderful earnest of that inheritance - the blessed Holy Spirit, so that you can ever be led, filled, and taught by Him.