OBTAINING THE BORROWED ANOINTING
(week 11/10)
OLUBI JOHNSON
In our article last week, we saw that 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.
Now, there are lower levels of the borrowed anointing (these are anointings with limited measure) already (and have always been) available that are taken from leaders in the Church and given to some of their followers to assist them in the work of the ministry, like God took some of the anointing on Moses and put it on the 70 elders to help him in ruling over Israel:
Numbers 11:16-17 MKJV: And Jehovah said to Moses, Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and the officers over them. And bring them to the tabernacle of the congregation so that they may stand there with you. (17) And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take of the spirit on you, and will put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you so that you do not bear it yourself alone.
Numbers 11:24-25 MKJV: and Moses went out and told the people the words of Jehovah, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them all around the tabernacle. (25) And Jehovah came down in a cloud and spoke to him, and took of the spirit on him and gave it to the seventy elders. And it happened when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they never did so again.
However, in this time we are living, God is going to give the borrowed anointing without measure to saints, who like the 12 Apostles and 70 disciples followed the Lord Jesus, and Elisha followed Elijah, follow after Apostolic leaders who have inherited this Spirit without measure by perfecting the love of God and growing into the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:13-15 MKJV: And this until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (14) so that we no longer may be infants, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, in the dishonesty of men, in cunning craftiness, to the wiles of deceit. (15) But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ;
It is instructive to note that the anointing without measure is generated and released by individual united praying in the Spirit by those who have grown into the perfection and fullness of Christ.
So, until those with this anointing without measure are made manifest, no one will be able to obtain the borrowed anointing without measure; just like the 12 Apostles and 70 disciples could not obtain the borrowed anointing without measure until the Lord Jesus had manifested this anointing without measure after the baptism of John the Baptist and the 40 days of fasting and trial in the wilderness.
Luke 3:21-22 MKJV: and it happened in the baptizing of all the people, Jesus also being baptized, and praying, and the heaven was opened. (22) And the Holy Spirit came down in a bodily shape, like a dove on Him. And a voice came from Heaven, which said, you are My Son, the Beloved; I am delighted in you.
Luke 4:13-14 MKJV: and when the Devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him for a time. (14) And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee. And a report went out throughout the entire neighborhood concerning Him.
John 3:34 ESV: for he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.
However, once they are manifest, you can obtain the borrowed anointing from the anointing without measure on them by following them spiritually like Elisha followed Elijah. You do not necessarily have to be with them physically like the person recorded in:
Mark 9:38-40 ESV: John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” (39) But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. (40) For the one who is not against us is for us.
In our article next week, we will see how to follow those who have inherited the anointing without measure.
