1. You must be anointed because no one can fulfil his ministry by natural might or by human power but only by the Spirit.

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Zechariah 4:6

True ministry will be successful only by the power of the Holy Spirit. A false ministry operates at the level of a schoolteacher, lecturer, or a motivational speaker. Decide to become an anointed person and to enter into true ministry.

Lift up your ministry by the power of the anointing. Without the anointing, you can do nothing.

2. You must be anointed because even Jesus Christ waited to be anointed before beginning His ministry.

Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened.

And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph..

Luke 3:21-23

This event marked the beginning of the ministry of Christ. Up until the age of thirty, we do not hear of Him. From this time, when the Holy Spirit (the anointing) descended on Him, Jesus began to preach, to teach and to heal.

3. You must be anointed because even the apostles were asked to wait for the Holy Spirit (the anointing) before beginning their ministry.

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

Acts 1:4

What kind of ministry do you think you will have without the Holy Spirit? Even the great apostles who walked with Christ needed to receive the anointing in order to make it in ministry.

4. You must be anointed because great prophets like Elisha asked for the anointing when given the opportunity to ask for what they wanted.

Elisha recognized that ministry was accomplished only through the anointing. When Elijah asked him what he wanted, he said he desired a double portion of the anointing.

And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

2 Kings 2:9

He could have asked for many other things. He could have asked for Elijah’s good name, Elijah’s money, Elijah’s properties, Elijah’s car or even Elijah’s wife. But after years of walking with Elijah, Elisha knew where the secret of his ministry lay.

He knew that it was all about the anointing, so he asked for a double portion of it. Why do you seek something else when great prophets seek the anointing?

5. You must be anointed because King Saul was not transformed into “another man” until he was anointed.

Saul was transformed from an ordinary person into a king when he was anointed. In the same way, you will become a man of authority (a king) in the kingdom of God when you are anointed.

You may use other methods to manipulate and control people but you will never become a man of authority without the anointing. The anointing of the Holy spirit will transform you into another man.

Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

1 Samuel 10:1

And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and SHALT BE TURNED INTO ANOTHER MAN.

1 Samuel 10:6

6. You must be anointed because King David, the anointed psalmist and writer of Scripture, ascribed all his blessings to the holy anointing.

David attributed almost every aspect of his life to the anointing. Highly spiritual people recognize the powerful effects of the anointing on different areas of their lives.

In the eighty-ninth psalm, we find King David singing one of the most beautiful psalms of all. In it, he describes the powerful effects of the anointing on his life. He spoke of help, strength, establishment, exaltation, and authority as things derived from the anointing.

If the anointed psalmist derived all these things from the anointing, how do you expect to come by the same without the anointing? Can you blame King David when he cried to the Lord, “Don’t take the Holy Spirit from me.”

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Psalm 51:11

The Holy Spirit (the anointing) was the most precious thing to him.

7. The anointing is essential because Moses refused to continue the ministry without it.

If even Moses would not take one step without the anointing, how come you have the confidence to carry on in ministry without it?

In the book of Exodus, we see how Moses refused to carry on his ministry if God removed His power and anointing.

When Moses referred to the presence, he was referring to the anointing and the power of God.

And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.

And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

Exodus 33:15-19

by Dag Heward-Mills