The Anointing by J. W. WATT

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Mar 3, 1904

The Anointing

By J. W. WATT

J. W. WATT

“THEN said Jesus to them again, The Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” John 20:21. “Even so,” in like manner as Christ was sent into this world by the Father, are the disciples sent into the world by the Son. How did God send his Son into the world?—Clothed upon

with the Holy Ghost; for it is written, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.” Isa. 61:1. The Spirit of the Father was upon the Son of God; the Spirit of heaven upon earth was thus made manifest. Again we read: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.” Acts 10:38. The Spirit of God, then, is the Holy Ghost; and it is the power of God.

How much of the Holy Ghost was given to Jesus? “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.” John 3:34. The great ocean of God’s power was open to the Son of God, and he could draw from that treasure-house of divine power a sufficient supply for every need. There was no failure to be seen in the work of Christ; for God was with him, and his power is unlimited.

“As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” John 17:18. “As he is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17. How wonderful is this! God does not ask us to go out into this world to meet a great foe alone; he knows that we should fail if left alone. He thus reveals to us the fact that the same power that sustained his Son and enabled him to make a success of his work, is awaiting us if we only believe what God has said.

Is there truly a heavenly anointing for God’s people?—O, yes! “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God.” 2 Cor. 1:21. “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” 1 John 2:27.

Who can read the preceding scriptures without being convinced that God is ready to bestow upon his servants his Spirit without measure? The Testimonies of the Spirit of God have been telling us for years that the power of God was awaiting our demand and reception. How slow we are to believe what God has said upon this important point! O how often we have felt our need of divine power when under a strong pressure from the enemy! how many times we have failed when we might have had the victory if we had only realized that “as Jesus was sent into the world, even so are we sent into the world; that as God imparted to his Son the needed power to insure success, so will he impart the same power to-day to those who trust him.”

The Lord is not pleased to see such weakness as is seen among his people at the present time. He would have us awaken to the fact that his power is for his people, and that by faith we should grasp it. By the Holy Ghost, which is thus promised to the people of God, we may and should have the victory at every step of the way. God is stronger than the devil, and through the power of God we may also be stronger than the devil, and put him to flight in every conflict. My brother, put away unbelief, take God at his word, and be strong for the right. There is no reason why we should not see great power with the people of God at this time. The Lord is ready to do his part. Let us seek earnestly for faith that will bring the power of God into our lives as an actual, daily experience.