The Jesus Anointing

UV 2867/10000 The Jesus Anointing
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Isaiah 61 v 3
Since Jesus has appointed us as His followers, we cannot be disappointed with whatever happens in our lives. The uni-verse spells out the terms of our appointment. We are first appointed or called and then anointed or consecrated or equipped for a high or noble office. In ancient times, only kings and priests were anointed. Hence, the followers of Jesus are appointed and anointed as kings and priests. The image in this uni-verse is drawn from the practice of persons in mourning over some grievous loss in Israel to wear sackcloth or rags and smear themselves with ashes to express their deep sorrow and anguish at the loss. It is part of the famous chapter read by Jesus in the Jewish synagogue announcing to the congregation that it was fulfilled that day in His coming to the earth. The uni-verse defines the purpose of the coming of the Messiah: to cause those who grieve and mourn to rejoice, to enable persons who are in grief to praise the Lord and turn their sorrow into joy, to lift people out of depression and hopelessness into hope and the joy of everlasting and abundant life in Him. The “garment of praise” implies that no part of our bodies will be left naked and unadorned or unchanged by the presence of Jesus in our lives. Our ‘heads’ or thinking process will change from gloom and negativity to trust and positivity. Our eyes will be touched and blessed to gain vision of the unseen and eternal. Our ears will hear the voice of the Holy Spirit whispering behind it. Our mouths will proclaim the praise of the Lord and declare His works and His word. Our necks will not be stiff but be flexible to look both up and down and all round to see the wondrous work of the Lord, the needs of the poor and weak in faith. Our arms will be strong to do the work of the Lord, to execute His word in practical terms. Our feet will be the beautiful feet of a messenger, the strong hind limbs of a mountain stag so that we can take a stand in faith and hold onto our positions despite risks and opposition.
Our hearts will resonate and beat at the rhythm of the Lord even as King-David’s did. Our shoulders would be strong and broad to lend to others when they grieve and need comfort. Our chests would be strengthened so that it will be like a steel plate that the enemy’s fiery arrows of fear and doubt cannot penetrate. Our righteousness is based on our faith being rooted in Christ. The sap of His word constantly rises in our trunks or stems to influence all the branches or parts of our lives- physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, familial, social. We will bear fruit on all these branches for the greater glory of the Lord.
Our lives which were otherwise short, nasty, brutish, full of troubles would be transformed into lives that bring glory to the Lord. No longer do we have to mourn ceaselessly over death – our own or that of our loved ones. No more do we have to fear the judgement of our deeds after death. No more do we have to fear the slings and arrows of misfortune that the enemy flings at us. No more do we have to despair in such situations. We are planted by the Lord on the earth with an eternal purpose. He has passed on His anointing, His power, His enablement, His grace to us in sufficient measure so that we are victorious in all things. We are washed with the water of His word from head to foot. We are washed in His blood of ancestral as well as personal sin for blood is needed for the remission of sins. We are then anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit in all wisdom and understanding. This anointing of the Holy Spirit will teach us all things. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to be praying, praising, declaring, proclaiming and winning witnesses of the Lord. We are finally adorned and decorated with all types of spiritual gifts to beautify our lives and make life attractive and tasteful to those we are called to be witness to.
Prateep V Philip