Harare, Zimbabwe(News of the South) It has simply become the craze in Christianity, the bling in-thing that has and is driving both believers and their leaders crazy.
Yes the craze driving people crazy. What can I do when I need Anointing oil but my church forbids it?
The use of Anointing Oil.
Prophet Makandiwa at UFI popularised it Prophet Magaya at Yadah does it, so does Prophet Chikomo at Bright Light, Prophet Gadzikwa at Rock of Victory , the list is endless as the queue of those lining up for it.
‘New Prophets’ have sprouted all over the country with bucketfuls of the liquid sold in tiny tubes for the quick eradication of every hiccup, problem, demon and hindrance in one’s life.
In this poverty stricken country reeling from a tragedy struck economy congregants have fled conservative churches refusing to use the oil, and joined with the maverick prophets.
The conservatives say the oil is a shortcut and won’t be of much use in the long run but the liberals who have accepted it says what’s the problem if my problems are gone for now?
What’s the problem of the problem if it gives a positive at the end of the day?
The Conservative preachers have thus resorted to attacking Oil Prophets deriding them as spiritual fraudsters giving people ‘ganja highs’ that will dissipate with time.
One of their spines of argument is that the Oil was used in the Old Testament but was simply a shadow of the Holy Spirit and thus has no room today, post-Pentecost.
But the rebuff line by those using it will be, why is it eradicating our problems if it’s out of ‘spiritual style’ ?
For many caught up in the troubles of today Jesus has become nebulous. A fuzzy recollection dancing on the edges of thought refusing the hard edged touch of comprehension.
They love walking and praying by faith, and awaiting results but life has simply become faster and harder.
It needs a tonic in a bottle.
The battle has become charged as Tithes figures have continued plummeting for many conservative churches losing believers to these mavericks.
This has led to fully charged sermons whereby the supposed man of God in a Conservative church goes on a rampage attacking a fellow man of God from a liberal Church.
Other Pastors from Conservative churches have failed to stick to their church’s beliefs, split out, and went to start their own where they use Anointing Oil. Droves of believers have galloped after them.
Below is a brief biblical rendering of the issue of Anointing Oil. How it was used and what the Bible says and doesn’t say about the liquid.
Question: “What does the Bible say about anointing oil?”
Answer: Anointing oil, mentioned 20 times in Scripture, was used in the Old Testament for pouring on the head of the high priest and his descendants and sprinkling the tabernacle and its furnishings to mark them as holy and set apart to the Lord (Exodus 25:6; Leviticus 8:30; Numbers 4:16).
Three times it is called the “holy, anointing oil,” and the Jews were strictly forbidden from reproducing it for personal use (Exodus 30:32-33).
The recipe for anointing oil is found in Exodus 30:23-24; it contained myrrh, cinnamon and other natural ingredients.
The strictness of the guidelines for creating the oil was is assumed as a test of the obedience of the Israelites and a demonstration of the absolute holiness of God.
Only four New Testament passages refer to the practice of anointing with oil, and none of them offer an explanation for its use. We can draw our conclusions from context.
In Mark 6:13, the disciples anoint the sick and heal them. In Mark 14:3-9, Mary anoints Jesus’ feet as an act of worship.
In James 5:14, the church elders anoint the sick with oil for healing. In Hebrews 1:8-9, God says to Christ as He returns triumphantly to heaven, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever,” and God anoints Jesus “with the oil of gladness.”
Should Christians use anointing oil today?
There is nothing in Scripture that commands or even suggests that we should use similar oil today, but neither is there anything to forbid it. Oil is often used as a symbol for the Holy Spirit in the Bible as in the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).
“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth” (1 John 2:20).
With the Bible such a voluminous book many readings and understandings have been gleaned to come up with different interpretations.
The truth is however somewhere there in that great book.
However as a ‘Prophet’ without a congregation myself it would not surprise me one bit if ten years from now most of the Conservative churches will have jumped into the bandwagon of Oil coated Christians crying for more.
feedback at mumerawisdom@gmail.com
About Author
