Download Thou_Anointest_my_Head_with_Oil--Verse_5

Sunday May 10, 2015
Pastor David Miklas
Message: Psalm 23 - #16
Phone: 570.829.5216
e-mail: [email protected]
Text: Psalm 23:1-6
Thou Anointest My Head with Oil
INTRODUCTION: Again this morning we come to the incredible words of Psalm
23:5, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest
my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” In this message our entire focus will be on
the phrase, “thou anointest my head with oil.”
As we shall see in a spiritual sense, the anointing with oil has reference to the
Holy Spirit coming upon you. Later, you will recognize why this act is so
important.
But first let me give you an understanding of this phrase in the context of this
passage. As one meditates on this magnificent Psalm, it is helpful to keep in
mind that David is recounting the events of a full year in a sheep’s life.
At this point the shepherd has led the sheep out into the green pastures, along
the still waters, through the mountain valleys to the high tablelands of summer. It
is in this setting that three things can occur that causes the shepherd to anoint
the sheep’s head with oil.
The first time the shepherd will bring out the oil is in a time of IRRITATION for
the sheep. In the terminology of the shepherd “summer is fly time.” All kinds of
winged parasites make the sheep’s life miserable. Perhaps the nose or nasal
flies were the most troubling.
These little flies deposit their eggs on the damp, mucous membranes of the sheep's nose.
The successful eggs hatch in a few days to form small, slender, worm-like larvae. They
work their way up the nasal passages into the sheep's head causing an intense irritation
and severe inflammation.
For relief from this agonizing annoyance, sheep become frantic with fear and panic in their
attempt to escape their tormentors. All this excitement and distraction has a devastating
effect on the entire flock. At the very first sign of flies among the flock, the shepherd will
apply the anointing oil to their heads.
I read that once the oil had been applied to the sheep's head there is an immediate change
in behavior. Gone was the aggravation; instead, the sheep would start to feed quietly
again, then soon lie down in peaceful contentment.
My friends, you can tell when a person is “FLY FILLED.”
So often it is the small, petty annoyances that ruin your day.
It is those niggling distractions that become burning issues that can drive you round the
bend or up the wall.
At times some tiny, tantalizing thing torments to the point where you feel you are just
beating your brains out.
And your behavior as a child of God degenerates to a most disgraceful sort of frustrated
tirade.
Just as with the sheep, there must be continuous and renewed application of oil
to forestall the "flies" in your life, there must be a continuous anointing of God's
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gracious Spirit to counteract the ever-present aggravations. Only one application
of oil was not enough for the entire summer. It was a process that had to be
repeated. The fresh application of oil was the effective antidote.
It is this daily anointing of God's gracious Spirit upon your mind which produces
such personality traits as joy, contentment, love, patience, gentleness and peace. What
a contrast these are to the tempers, frustration and irritableness which mars the
daily conduct of so many of God's children.
What you do in these situations is to simply pray:
"O Lord, I can't cope with these petty, annoying problems. Please apply the oil of
Your Spirit to my mind. Both at the conscious and sub-conscious levels of my
thought-life enable me to act and react just as You would."
And He will. It will surprise you how promptly He complies with such a request
made in deadly earnest. And when the Spirit of God begins to move in your heart
those irritations begin to move out.
The second time the shepherd will bring out the oil is at a point of
CONTAMINATION of the sheep. Summertime for the sheep is more than just flytime. It is also "scab-time." Scab is an irritating and highly contagious disease
common among sheep. Sheep love to rub heads in an affectionate and friendly
manner. Scab is often found most commonly around the head. When two sheep
rub together the infection spreads readily from one to the other.
In the Old Testament when it was declared that the sacrificial lambs should be
without blemish, the thought uppermost here was that the animal should be free
of scab. In a very real and direct sense scab signifies contamination, sin, evil.
Here again, the shepherd takes oil and pours it on the head of the sheep. When
the oil goes into the pours of that scab, it begins to heal. So the sheep knew
precisely what David meant when he wrote, "Thou anointest my head with oil."
In the Christian life, most of our contamination by the world, by sin, by that which
would defile us spiritually comes through our minds. Our thoughts, our ideas,
our emotions, our choices, our impulses, drives and desires are all shaped
and molded through the exposure of our minds to other people's minds.
Oh, how easy it is for us to pick up the CONTAMINATION of the world. In our
modern era of communication, the danger of "mind contamination" grows
increasingly grave.
Just a night of watching TV we can pick up worldly scab.
Just reading or looking at certain magazines or websites you might see on the internet we
can pick up worldly scab.
Just listening to the world’s music we can pick up worldly scab.
Just being around the wrong friends and listening to them talking we can pick up worldly
scab.
The thought patterns of people are becoming increasingly abhorrent. Today we
find more tendencies to violence, hatred, prejudice, greed, cynicism, and
increasing disrespect for that which is noble, fine, pure or beautiful.
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This is precisely the opposite of what Scripture teaches us. In Philippians 4:8 we
are instructed emphatically in this matter, "…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
things are honest, whatsoever things are just , whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there
be any praise, think on these things.”
It is in those times when sin enters and begins to get a grip on my mind, I am
thankful for the oil of the Spirit of God that can come from I John 1:9, “If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.”
Confession is something that we need to do over and over again as we see the
contamination of sin in our life. It’s important to say “Holy Spirit, cleanse me with the
oil of forgiveness.”
The third time the shepherd will bring out the oil is at a point of
CONFRONTATION with the sheep. Here Phillip Keller couldn’t have said it better
in his book on Psalm 23.
Now as summer, in the high country, moves gradually into autumn, subtle changes occur
both in the countryside and in the sheep. In the flock there are also subtle changes.
This is the season of the rut, of mating, of great battles between the rams for possession of
the ewes. The necks of the monarchs swell and grow strong. They strut proudly across the
pastures and fight furiously for the favors of the ewes. The crash of heads and thud of
colliding bodies can be heard through the hours of day and night.
The shepherd knows that some of the sheep will and can actually kill, injure and maim
each other in these deadly combats. So he decides on a very simple remedy. At this
season of the year he will catch his rams and smear their heads with grease. Then when
they collide in their great crashing battles the lubricant makes them glance off each other in
such a ludicrous way they stand there feeling rather stupid and frustrated. In this way much
of the heat and tension is dissipated and little damage done.
Among God's people there is a considerable amount of knocking each other. Somehow if
we don't see eye to eye with the other person, we persist in trying to assert ourselves and
become "top sheep." A good many become badly bruised and hurt this way.
In fact I found as a pastor that much of the grief, the wounds, the hurts, the ill will, the
unforgiven things in people's lives could usually be traced back to old rivalries or jealousies
or battles that had broken out between believers.
Scores of skeptical souls will never enter a church simply because away back in their
experience someone had battered them badly.
Too often among God's own people, they hammer and knock each other, stiff-necked with
pride and self-assertion. They are intolerant, dogmatic and uncharitable with other
Christians. Yet when the gracious Holy Spirit invades a man or woman, when He enters
that life and is in control of the personality, the attributes of peace, joy, and long- suffering
become apparent.
It is then that suddenly one becomes aware of how ridiculous are all the petty jealousies,
rivalries and animosities which formerly motivated their absurd assertions.
Oh, would to God in our church today and in the lives of God’s people that we
would have a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit that when somebody says or does
something offensive, it would just brush off us.
My friends, I will tell you, if you are going to be free from IRRITATIONS,
CONTAMINATIONS of sin and CONFRONTATIONS, you need the fresh oil of
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the Holy Spirit upon your life.
In the Old Testament, anointing with oil was for the purpose of empowering and
equipping people for a Holy task.
Number 1: There was the anointing of a PRIEST: In Leviticus 8:10-12
we read, “And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all
that was therein, and sanctified them. (11) And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar
seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to
sanctify them. (12) And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and
anointed him, to sanctify him.” Here Aaron was anointed to be set apart to
become a High Priest.
Number 2: There was the anointing of a KING: In I Samuel 16:13 we
read, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his
brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward...”
Here David was anointed for the purpose of becoming King.
Number 3: There was the anointing of a PROPHET: In I Kings 19:16 we
read, “And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and
Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy
room.” Again notice Elisha was anointed one time for the purpose of being
set apart to be a prophet.
Now in observation of these verses, here is the point. Each anointing was done
upon accepting a new responsibility in order to equip one for that task.
Any new task or responsibility for which you as a child of God is chosen, or for
which you accept, is so important that the Holy Spirit should anoint you. We read
in I John 2:27 "But the anointing which you received of him abideth in you..." Of whom
was John speaking? He was speaking of the Holy Spirit.
What is this anointing?
It is when God chooses human flesh for a task, and God anoints that human flesh
and equips that human flesh with a spiritual mind, so he can understand and
comprehend the job or responsibility from a spiritual standpoint, rather than a
secular or human point of view.
We need to see things and do things through the eyes, mind and actions of
God and not through human eyes.
Now you have been patiently listening to all this and perhaps you are saying
Pastor,
What has this to do with me in the 21st century with all my needs and problems and
pressures?
What has this do with my marriage and with my family?
What has this to do with the ministry of this church and my involvement in it?
WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT? Because I believe that many of God's dear
people who are serving the Lord in the ministry are doing so having never taken
the time to have this spiritual anointing from God to open their spiritual perception
of how to carry out the ministry.
May I suggest to you that there has never been a more important time in the
history of the church since Pentecost that we needed the anointing Oil of the
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Holy Spirit upon us! Without the Work of the Spirit of God in your life, your efforts
are absolutely, completely useless.
Some years ago, a Chinese pastor came to America. After visiting many, many
churches and attending many, many services a pastor friend asked him, “What do
you think of Christianity in America?’ Listen to his very revealing answer. “It amazes
me how in the church all that could be done without God.” Do you know what?
All the music we heard in the service this morning could be done without the Holy Spirit.
All the ministry, that was done this morning in the Sunday School or C-Clubs and youth
group on Wednesday could be done without the Holy Spirit.
You can have your devotions every morning or evening without the Holy Spirit.
My friends, it amazes me after almost 48 years in the ministry, what can be done without
the Holy Spirit!
However, what is done without the Holy Spirit has no value. For in John 15:5
Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the
same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
A lot of ministry can be done without the Holy Spirit, but anything that is eternal,
anything that is truly worthwhile, anything that is spiritual cannot be done
without the spirit of God.
WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT? Because many a wife and many a husband
and many a parent and grandparent are trying in the energy of human flesh to
be something they cannot be, because they have taken on the responsibility
without having God’s mind, wisdom, or discernment for the task.
Now if all this is Bible truth, and it is, then this means:
EACH new baby God blesses your home with should witness you having a private
anointing service as you accept the unique task of parenting.
EACH new grandchild that comes into your family making you a grandparent should
warrant this anointing. I have done this with all 21 of our grandchildren. Each time I asked
the Holy Spirit of God to anoint me for the task of being a Pop-Pop to them.
EVERY time you accept a new position at work, even though it may be a secular job, you
ought to have the anointing of God. You might say:
"Oh, Spirit of the living God, I need you to anoint me for this task, I yield this
mind, body and soul to you. I need your wisdom, I need your mind, and I need
your understanding to carry out this responsibility so as to bring GLORY
UNTO YOU."
EVERY time you volunteer to work on a team or to work in a ministry you need to get alone
and have an anointing service, a private ordination service. This is where you ask God to
equip you and open your eyes and mind to understand things from the spiritual point of
view.
Listen, I am concerned about you reading the Bible and understanding its truths.
But more than that, I am concerned that your life is changed by the indwelling of
the Holy Spirit.
I am more concerned about changed lives then you just occupying a pew on Sunday.
For those of you who serve and labor and hold positions, I challenge you to get
alone for a private ordination service with the Lord. Ask God to set you apart and
to give you the spiritual mind as you serve Him for His glory.
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Never get to the place where you think you have arrived in the Christian life. If you do, that
is the day you begin to backslide. Oh, yes you need the anointing of the Holy Spirit on
each and every new task, but you also need day after day to be yielded to the
constant control of the Holy Spirit.
Have you a new responsibility? Begin this responsibility by finding a quiet place
and having a little private ordination service between you and God. Ask God to
anoint you for the task ahead.
Tell Him that the task is bigger than you and the responsibility is too great for the
flesh. Ask Him to anoint you, to sanctify you, to equip you, to inaugurate you for the
job ahead.
Ask Him for His mind as you serve.
Ask Him to appropriate to you what you need.
Perhaps no human hands will place olive oil on your brow. But at such a time of
surrender, the hand of God could take His Holy Spirit and equip you for a task for
which by nature you are not equipped.
Perhaps today I am talking with FRUSTRATED WIVES, who have never since marriage
(even if it has been years ago) asked God to anoint you for the task of being a wife, and
day after day ask the blessed Holy Spirit of God to control you in that position
Perhaps today I am talking with EXASPERATED HUSBANDS, who also since marriage
have never asked God to anoint you for the task of being a husband, and day after day ask
the blessed Holy Spirit of God to control you in that position
Perhaps today I am talking with PARENTS who are at their WITS END with their children.
You have tried everything except asking God to anoint you for the task of being a parent,
and then day after day submit to the control of the Holy Spirit to demonstrate the fruits of
the Spirit before them.
Perhaps today I am talking with people in the music ministry, or Sunday School teachers,
youth workers, children’s workers, members of other ministries or even Deacons who need
to go before God and as David put it in Psalm 92:10 "...I shall be anointed with fresh
oil."
Perhaps I am talking with grandparents who need to ask God for an anointing on each and
every grandchild.
Perhaps I am talking with believers who are merely irritated in some way and need a fresh
anointing of the Holy Spirit this morning.
Perhaps I am talking with believers contaminated with sin who need a fresh anointing of
the Holy Spirit this morning.
Perhaps I am talking with believers who are in one confrontation after another who need a
fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit this morning.
Listen,
All the counseling in the world,
All the books on the KEYS to marriage and family, and
All the seminars and messages on the KEYS to living a fruitful blessed Christian
life and service for Jesus…can't do what this simple yet profound truth will do if
you will apply it to your life!
It all begins with an anointing of the Holy Spirit. Oh, may you say as David said in
Psalm 92:10 "...I shall be anointed with fresh oil."
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I believe the need in this church above and beyond anything else is “A FRESH
ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.”
I believe the need in the lives of God’s people in this church is, “A FRESH
ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The great need of the Green Street Baptist Chapel is the Spirit of the living God
falling fresh and fresher and more fresh on you. If you don’t know the mighty
power of God on your life, I’m afraid the problem is not with the Giver, but with
the receiver. For the Bible says in Luke 11:13, “If ye then, being evil know how to
give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the
Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
I plead with you in your busy, busy, too busy schedule to find time to fall on your
face and plead as David did in Psalm 92:10, “...I shall be anointed with FRESH OIL.”
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If God has spoken to your heart, after reading the sermon “Thou Anointest My Head with Oil” right
now talk to God about what He has spoken to you.
Do you have the assurance that one day you will go to heaven? If you have no assurance that you know
Jesus Christ, then I trust you will decide to accept Him as your personal Savior. The Bible tells us in
Acts 16:31, “...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved...”
Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
This prayer is here for those who need to ask Jesus to be their personal Savior: “I do want to go to
Heaven. I know I am a sinner, and I do believe Jesus Christ died for me. I realize I cannot buy this
great salvation, nor can I earn it. Knowing Jesus died on the cross and arose from the grave to pay
my sin debt and to purchase my salvation, I do now trust Him as my Savior, and from this moment
on I am completely depending on Him for my salvation.”
If you made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, let me know. Please send an e-mail
to [email protected] and I will send you some literature that will help you in your Christian life.
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