UNDERSTANDING THE BORROWED ANOINTING
(week 10/10)
OLUBI JOHNSON
The borrowed anointing is a portion of the Spirit without measure that was on the Lord Jesus that was given to the 12 Apostles (Lk.9.1) and later the 70 disciples (Lk.10.1, 9), so they could perform the same miracles Jesus did, though the scope of what they could do was limited to their level of spiritual development.
Matthew 10:1 MKJV: and when He had called to Him His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
The distinguishing feature of the anointing without measure is that it produces instant results when applied to sickness, oppression and workings of miracles: temporary suspension of physical laws, like walking on water or feeding 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fishes.
What we mean by instant is that the manifestation of the answer, to praying or ministering with the anointing without measure, occurs immediately (Lk. 5.13) or at most within 24 hours (Mt. 11.14-21).
It is the great measure of the anointing that causes this instant manifestation.
The anointing we have when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues is a deposit or ‘earnest’ (Eph. 1.14) anointing that is limited in measure (Eph. 4.7); so it produces manifestations that come over a period of time during which we consistently believe God, confess the Word and pray in the Spirit. So the manifestation of some healing, deliverance or miracle may take say 3 days, a week, a month or even some years in some cases. This is because our measure of faith (Rom. 12.3) is still growing (Eph. 4.14-15) as we gradually inherit or experience the promises of God by faith and patience (Heb. 6.12; 10.36).
We can experience instant results consistently only when this anointing without measure is in operation.
When we occasionally operate in the power gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.12.9-10): as the Spirit wills (1 Cor. 12.11), we temporarily experience this anointing without measure for a very brief moment of time.
Now, by partaking of the borrowed anointing, we can operate the Spirit without measure on a consistent basis in ministering to the sick and the oppressed like the 12 Apostles did as recorded above.
However, the scope of application of this borrowed anointing is limited as shown in
Matthew 10:8 MKJV: heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received freely, freely give.
‘Heal the sick’: instant healing of internal sicknesses, like the healing of the fever of Peter’s mother in law (Lk. 4.38-39).
‘Cleanse the lepers’: instant healing of external sicknesses or deformities; healing the blind, lame, dumb and such like (Mt. 9.27-35; Mk. 7.31-37).
‘Raise the dead’: this is the highest form of external physical healings because the last enemy that shall be defeated is death (1 Cor. 15.26); like the raising of Jarius’ daughter (Mk.5.22-42); the son of the widow of Nain (Lk. 7.11-16); Lazarus after 4 days in the grave (Jn. 11.39-44).
Casting out demons is common to all these different scopes of the application of the Spirit without measure.
Many times, sicknesses and deformities are enforced by demonic possession or oppression of the sick or deformed person and so to enforce divine healing, you need to cast out the devil enforcing the sick or deformed condition:
Matthew 9:32-33 MKJV: as they went out, behold, they brought to Him a dumb man, who had been demon-possessed. (33) And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb one spoke. And multitudes marveled, saying, Never was it seen like this in Israel!
It is instructive to note that the scope of the anointing without measure corresponds to the level of spiritual development of the person who has been given the borrowed anointing:
1. Baby—little child (1 Pet. 2.2; 1 Jn. 2.13) ‘heal the sick’: instant internal healings.
We see this in the 12 Apostles and 70 disciples under the ministry of Christ who called them babes.
Luke 9:1 MKJV: and He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.
Luke 9:2 MKJV: and He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Luke 9:6 MKJV: and they departed and went through the towns, proclaiming the gospel and healing everywhere.
Matthew 11:25 MKJV: At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank You, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because You have
hidden these things from the sophisticated and cunning, and revealed them to babes.
2. Little child—young man (1 Jn. 2.13) —‘cleanse the leper’: instant external healings (blind seeing, lame walking, deaf hearing etc).
After a period of growth, we see the apostles in the Acts of Apostles performing instant external healings, like the lame man in the temple (Ac. 3.1-11).
3. Young man—Father (1 Jn. 2.14) — ‘raise the dead’: instant raising of the dead.
After more growth we see Peter and Paul raising the dead (Ac. 9.36-41; 20.9-12).
Once a person grows into full spiritual Fatherhood (Eph. 4.13) with cleansing perfection he can then inherit the Spirit without measure and so have it permanently like the Lord Jesus did (Jn. 1.33); then no longer will it be a borrowed anointing.
God wants us to be able to obtain this borrowed anointing to manifest His power so that more Christians will be motivated to grow up spiritually to do the will of God fulfilling:
Psalms 110:3 AMP: Your people will offer themselves willingly in the day of Your power, in the beauty of holiness and in holy array out of the womb of the morning; to You [will spring forth] Your young men, who are as the dew.
In our article next week, we will see how to qualify to obtain the borrowed anointing in this 3rdday of the manifestation of God’s power!
