Since teachers will be more strictly judged (James 3:1), I have decided to teach only what the Bible teaches. Part of that is so that I will not be deceived by the false christs and false prophets who will be performing great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect. Therefore I must hold on to what the New Testament teaches regarding only two anointings for New Testament believers. As a teacher, I have no choice but to go by what Scripture teaches, and not by man’s traditions. Those traditions have been influenced and led by our prevailing “superstar” Hollywood culture—the culture which inevitably changes the message and teaching of the Church. As a result, we have “anointed superstar celebrity” preachers in certain streams of the Church today.
But we must remain faithful to Holy Scripture.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…
In a future session, we will study in some depth the critical differences between “Spirit” and “anointing”.
“Spirit” and “anointing” are not the same. It is indeed the Spirit which anoints, but the anointing is given in different forms depending on who is the recipient of the anointing. I have already taught on the two anointings received by New Testament believers as taught by Scripture. But, as you recall, the anointing we believers have been given is extremely different from the anointing given only to Jesus Christ the Son of Man.
Yes, the Holy Spirit gives us supernatural gifts by which we can build one another up within the body of Christ. But “gifts” are NOT the same as “anointing”.
Yes, through the Holy Spirit disciples can minister with supernatural authority and power. But this authority and power are NOT the same as “anointing”. Jesus gave authority and power to his disciples in the gospels—well before the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost.
Lucille and I have been happily married for 47 years, and in less than four months we will be celebrating our 48th anniversary. But it is not the “anointing” which has enabled us to remain faithful to one another. Rather it is the result of the fruit of the Holy Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control—growing in us which has enabled us to stay together for so long with godly contentment. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is NOT the same as the “anointing”.
WORDS count.
Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 6 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
Current teaching on the “anointing” actually adds to the Word of God as found in Scripture.
NOW ABOUT BENNY HINN…
I sense it was Benny Hinn’s best-selling book “The Anointing” which came out some 40 years ago which gave birth to the current emphasis on the “anointing” in the Church around the world. Over the years I observed Benny Hinn’s ministry, and noticed some disturbing things. And it was primarily those disturbing things which led me to study the “anointing” in Scripture.
I have already shared his view regarding the very unbiblical practice of “grave-sucking”—which to me is an abomination. Benny Hinn himself acknowledged that he received “power” at the tomb where the remains of Aimee Semple McPherson, the well-known founder of the Foursquare Church, are interred.
Is ‘Grave-Sucking’ Biblical? by Pastor Albert Kang of FaithLine Ministries in Malaysia
Years ago, Benny Hinn was also involved in an affair with another servant of God named Paula White, and his wife Susan ended up divorcing him. His ministry suffered after that, and we heard that eventually they remarried. At one time his ministry was frequently in the news; now we don’t hear about him at all.
Years ago Benny Hinn went to Jakarta for a big Healing Service hosted by the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International (FGB) of Indonesia. At that time my wife Lucille’s little brother David Sadikin was the National Secretary of FGB Indonesia, and so David helped to host the huge meeting. David’s personal impression of Benny Hinn was not good. For one thing, Benny Hinn insisted that the top three floors of a very expensive luxury Jakarta hotel be reserved exclusively for him and his team. (There was also another matter about Benny Hinn which David found displeasing.)
Quite a few years ago, Benny Hinn was also in Dubai for one of his healing services. He and his team were accommodated at the world’s only 9-star luxury hotel located on its own island off the mainland. I don’t know how much the accommodations cost, but I’m sure it was astronomical. I don’t think that was pleasing to the Lord.
Such things about Benny Hinn led me to study from the Bible the “anointing” of which he wrote in his best-selling book. No matter what some may teach about “anointing”, Scripture says what it says. In the New Testament there is no mention at all of the “anointing” taught by Benny Hinn. So we need to choose whether to accept what we may have learned from Benny Hinn, or hold on to what Holy Scripture teaches.
In the future we will look into the “anointing” from the Old Testament. It is from the Old Testament that the current popular teaching about the “anointing” is based.
May the Lord be gracious to us all, and by His Spirit teach us to understand accurately the inspired, inerrant and authoritative Word of God.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…