After a lifetime of studying God’s Word, walking with Him, making mistakes, learning, and sometimes learning the hard way…

I HAVE BECOME CONVINCED OF SOMETHING.

There is nothing more precious—and nothing more personally powerful—than living under the anointing of God’s Holy Spirit.

When I speak of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, I’m referring to something far greater than religious emotion or a spiritual experience. I’m talking about God’s Spirit actively working in and through a surrendered believer—giving wisdom where there is confusion, strength where there is weakness, discernment where there is deception, and supernatural power to accomplish His purposes.

Let me share one important distinction: The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit belongs to every believer in Christ. However, the anointing that I’m referring to in this message emphasizes the Holy Spirit’s active guidance and empowerment in the lives of believers yield to Him.

Jesus knew that we would need supernatural strength to stand against the spiritual forces of darkness operating in this world. He knew we would need spiritual wisdom and discernment to recognize truth, resist deception, and remain steadfast in our faith. Because His plan for us is rooted in love and leads to victory, He provides the Holy Spirit to guide us, strengthen us, and empower us to overcome the enemy and walk in the victory He has already secured for us.

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
— John 16:7

After Jesus returned to heaven, the Holy Spirit came for that very purpose… to anoint the followers of Jesus. To impower them to live the abundant life Jesus offers His followers and to overcome the evils of this fallen world.

In biblical terms, anointing originally referred to the practice of pouring oil on someone to set them apart for God’s service. Kings, priests, and sometimes prophets were anointed as a sign of God’s calling and appointment.

Under the New Covenant, anointing takes on a deeper spiritual meaning. It is God’s will that all believers walk in the presence and work of the Holy Spirit.

So, I will say it again—there is nothing more sacred (holy) than the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

I’m not referring simply to the anointing upon a preacher standing behind a pulpit.

I’m talking about ordinary people.

Everyday believers.

Men and women who have learned to recognize the Holy Spirit’s presence and follow His leading in the ordinary moments of life.

At home. At work. In their marriages. With their children. In the decisions they make when nobody else is watching.

Because the power of the Holy Spirit was never intended to be reserved for the platform. Reserved for the prophet, teacher, pastor, or evangelist alone.

It was given to help any believer live for Jesus. Every single day.

In Luke 24:49, Jesus told His followers:

“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

Think about that.

Jesus gave His followers a mission that would reach the entire world.

But before they began, He told them to wait.

Why?

Because they needed something they could never produce through human effort.

POWER FROM ON HIGH

Not greater intelligence.

Not better organization.

Not stronger personalities.

The power of the Holy Spirit.

And that same Holy Spirit is available to every born-again believer today.

But let me make something clear. We must first come to Jesus Christ. We must receive Him as Savior and Lord. The Holy Spirit is not given to the world, but to God’s people.

The Cross comes before the crown.

And once we belong to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us. He is our Helper, our Teacher, our Comforter, and our Guide.

Yet there is something every believer needs to understand.

The Holy Spirit may live within us, but that does not mean we always yield to Him.

And one of the greatest obstacles to yielding to the Holy Spirit is something we may not even recognize in ourselves.

PRIDE

Now, pride is not always loud.

It is not always arrogant.

And it is not always obvious.

Sometimes pride is quiet.

Sometimes it’s dignified.

Surprisingly, sometimes pride even looks spiritual.

Pride says:

“I already know that.”

“I don’t need correction.”

“I’ve been a Christian for years.”

“That message is for somebody else.”

But here’s the danger.

Pride can make a person unteachable—even while that person believes he is spiritually mature.

And I’ve learned that years of walking with God do not automatically make someone humble.

In fact, the longer we have walked with the Lord, the more carefully we should guard against believing we have nothing left to learn.

I’m including myself in that statement.

You see, I’ve had many years to learn about the Holy Spirit.

And I thank God for every one of them.

But I haven’t arrived.

I’m still learning.

Still growing.

And I still need His correction.

Because no matter how much we have learned about God, there is infinitely more to know.

James 4:6 says:

“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

Now, don’t hurry past those words.

God resists the proud.

That’s a sobering statement.

The very God whose help we desperately need tells us that pride places us in opposition to Him.

But listen to the second half.

HUMILITY

“But gives grace to the humble.”

What a wonderful promise!

God gives grace to the humble.

And humility is not weakness.

Humility is strength surrendered to God.

It doesn’t mean thinking poorly of yourself.

It means understanding who God is, knowing who you are in Christ, and recognizing how completely you depend upon Him.

Humility says:

“Lord, I may have followed You for many years, but I still need You to teach me.”

“Correct me when I’m wrong.”

“Show me what I cannot see.”

“And help me become more like Jesus.”

Pride says, “I know enough.”

Humility says, “Lord, teach me more.”

And that difference can change the direction of a person’s life.

In 1 Peter 5:6, the Bible tells us:

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”

Notice something important.

God tells us to humble ourselves.

That means humility is not merely a feeling.

It is a choice.

A decision.

An act of obedience.

We choose to listen when we would rather speak.

We choose to receive correction when we would rather defend ourselves.

We choose to forgive when our flesh wants to hold on to an offense.

And we choose to obey God’s Word even when our feelings are pulling us in another direction.

Friends, the Holy Spirit is not looking for impressive people.

He’s looking for willing hearts.

People who will listen.

People who will obey.

People who are willing to say, “Lord, not my will, but Yours.”

And this brings us to something Jesus taught that is absolutely foundational.

In Matthew 22:37–39, Jesus commanded us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind—and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

That’s the heart of the matter.

Because genuine humility is inseparable from love.

When we truly love God, we want to please Him.

When we truly love others, we stop insisting that everything revolve around us.

Philippians 2:3 tells us:

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”

And verse 4 reminds us to look out for the interests of others, not merely our own.

Do you see what God is teaching us?

Humility changes how we treat people.

It changes how we speak to our spouse.

How we respond to criticism.

How we treat someone who cannot do anything for us.

And how we behave when nobody is there to applaud or notice.

Because pride draws attention to the vessel.

Humility draws attention to the Holy Spirit – The One who fills it.

WE CANNOT EARN THE HOLY SPIRIT

Humility does not earn us the Holy Spirit.

And we cannot manipulate God’s power by performing a list of religious duties.

The Holy Spirit is a Person. He is God.

He is not a force we control.

Yet, Scripture does teach us that we can grieve Him.

Ephesians 4:30 tells believers:

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Think of that.

The Holy Spirit loves us, dwells within us, and works to make us more like Jesus.

The Bible encourages us not only to receive the Holy Spirit but to continually be filled with Him.

In Ephesians 5:18, Paul instructs believers to “be filled with the Spirit,” expressing an ongoing way of life rather than a one-time experience.

Jesus also taught in Luke 11:13 that our heavenly Father willingly gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. We can come before God daily with a humble and surrendered heart, asking Him to fill us afresh with His Spirit, to remove anything in our lives that hinders His work, and to help us become more sensitive and obedient to His leading.

Just as the early believers, who had already received the Holy Spirit, were filled again in Acts 4:31, we too can continually seek His fresh empowering presence.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not about receiving more of God, as though He has given Himself only in part. But it is about yielding more completely to the Spirit who already dwells within us—allowing Him greater influence over our thoughts, words, decisions, and actions.

As we abide in Christ—remain in His Word, pray, and walk in obedience—we learn to live in an ever-deepening fellowship with the Holy Spirit. More easily sensing His leading and seeing more of His fruits in our life.

MORE OF HIM – LESS OF ME

God bless you.

And remember:

Jesus is coming again. And friend, He’s coming again soon!

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God has placed an important new book on my heart—The Holy Spirit, a message about knowing His presence, hearing His voice, and walking in His power.

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