“I am this day weak, though anointed king…”   (II Samuel 3:39)

Much teaching in charismatic circles emphasizes the verse, “ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:8), and they stop right there, thrilled with the thought that if you want power, get anointed.  But it is needful that we understand the purpose of these present day anointings, which literally become our “anointing for burial”.  The rest of the verse reads, “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me…” The anointing is to enable us to lay down our own self-life, so that henceforth we become a manifestation of HIS LIFE.  But it requires power to be able to face this death-to-self-process, and that is why the anointing of the Holy Spirit is given unto us.  It is for our burial.  Then comes the resurrection life, His life rising out of our earthen vessel, “that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us”, (II Corinthians 4:7).

It is a fact, the more we walk by His anointing, the weaker our flesh will become, and He will subdue us; crucify every form of resistance of the carnal nature.  Nothing like the glorious anointing of the holy Spirit to make us weak – weak, and yet so very strong, for there is a power released of which few know anything about, because they refuse to accept the sphere of weakness wherein HE IS MADE STRONG.

Again we say with the Psalmist, “He weakened my strength in the way”, (Ps. 102:23).  HE diminished me, brought me to nothing, until we had nothing left herein to boast, nor in which we could glory in ourselves.    But then is when we truly find that “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will we glory in our weaknesses, that the power of Christ might rest upon me – for when I am weak, then am I strong”,  (II Cor. 12:9-10).

And when my weakness I can give

To Him, He takes this negative

And births a strength so positive.

O new creation, rise and live.

“And thou, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion.” (Micah 4:8)

Obviously, this is a work of sovereign grace in the hearts of His apprehended ones. “What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him? For Thou has made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands: Thou hast put all under his feet,” (Psalm 8:4-6).

Made to have dominion – over all the works of His hands. This is hard to comprehend. “For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him,” (Hebrews 2:8).

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