“to paint, to envelope, or to cover with.” The word anointing is a metaphor for the presence of the Holy Spirit. The word actually means, “to paint, to envelope, or to cover with.” The Spirit’s descent upon Jesus at the Jordan River was not just an anointing of empowerment; it was also an anointing of joy. That is why Jesus could preach “glad tidings” wherever He went—He was filled with joy! Perhaps you remember that eruption of joy when you accepted Christ as your Savior. It was an exhilarating experience to have your sins forgiven and sense God’s love flooding your soul. But while a new life in Christ begins with joy, it’s often difficult to maintain that joy. It seems that Christians easily lose their delight in Christ. In order to sustain joy we need to understand its function. The joy of the Lord doesn’t operate as a spiritual anesthetic to numb life’s pain. It’s not a mask to cover grief and sorrow. God’s joy does more than help Christians tolerate life; it helps them transcend it! That joyous swathe of the Spirit’s anointing assures us that God is always with us! He is with us in adversity, sickness, suffering, temptation, and loneliness. The anointing of joy testifies that Christ “will never leave nor forsake you.” There is nothing superficial about the joy of the Lord—it’s certain and abiding! And you can depend on that joy whenever it’s needed because Christ has covered you with it. Romans 14:17 says: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Keep Moving In Christ Always, Orlando
Posted on: Sat, 31 Aug 2013 09:28:14 +0000
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