Ten Days of Prayer: Day 1 - The Anointing Oil

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. (PSALM 133:1, 2) The oil with which the priests were anointed is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. We need the Holy Spirit, the only One who can bring unity to our church, in order to succeed in our mission endeavors. Our lives must be hid with Christ in God. We must have a personal knowledge of Christ. Then only can we rightly represent Him before the world. Wherever we are, we must let our light shine forth to the glory of God in good works. This is the great, the important work of our lives. Those who are really under the influence of the Holy Spirit will reveal its power by a practical application of the eternal principles of truth. They will reveal that the holy oil is emptied from the two olive branches into the chambers of the soul temple. Their words will be imbued with the power of the Holy Spirit to soften and subdue the heart. It will be manifest that the words spoken are spirit and life. (Reflecting Christ, p. 130) He who feels his weakness, and wrestles with God as did Jacob, and like this servant of old cries, “I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me,” will go forth with the fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. The atmosphere of heaven will surround him. His influence will be a positive force in favor of thereligionofChrist.... (MedicalMinistry,p.203) However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. (John 16:13) Let us increase in a knowledge of the truth, giving all praise and glory to Him who is one with the Father. Let us seek most earnestly for the heavenly anointing, the Holy Spirit. Let us have a pure, growing Christianity, that in the heavenly courts we may at last be pronounced complete in Christ. (Reflecting Christ, p. 219) There must be an interchange of taking in and giving out, receiving and imparting. This links us up as laborers together with God. This is the lifework of the Christian. He that will lose his life shall find it. The capacity for receiving the holy oil from the two olive trees is increased as the receiver empties that holy oil out of himself in word and action to supply the necessities of other souls. Work, precious, satisfying work—to be constantly receiving and constantly imparting. We need and must have fresh supplies every day. And how many souls we may help by communicating to them! All heaven is waiting for channels through which can be poured the holy oil, to be a joy and a blessing to others. I have no fear that any will make blundering work if they will only become one with Christ. If He is abiding with us, we shall work continuously and solidly, so that our work will abide. The divine fullness will flow through the consecrated human agent to be given forth to others. (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, pp. 116, 117) When the Holy Spirit controls the minds of our church members, there will be seen in our churches a much higher standard in speech, in ministry, in spirituality, than is now seen. The church members will be refreshed by the water of life, and the laborers, working under one Head, even Christ, will reveal their Master in spirit, in word, in deed, and will encourage one another to press forward in the grand, closing work in which we are engaged. There will be a healthy increase of unity and love, which will bear testimony to the world that God sent His Son to die for the redemption of sinners. Divine truth will be exalted; and as it shines forth as a lamp that burneth, we shall understand it more and still more clearly. (Counsels for the Church, p. 100) We are nearing the end of the earth’s history, and God calls upon all to lift the standard bearing the inscription, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” He calls upon His people to work in perfect harmony. He calls upon those engaged in our medical work to unite with the ministry; He calls upon the ministry to co-operate with the medical missionary workers; and He calls upon the church to take up their appointed duty, holding up the standard of true reform in their own territory, leaving the trained and experienced workers to press on into new fields. No word is to be spoken to discourage any, for this grieves the heart of Christ and greatly pleases the adversary. All need to be baptized with the Holy Spirit; all should refrain from censuring and disparaging remarks and draw near to Christ, that they may appreciate the heavy responsibilities which the co-workers with Him are carrying. “Press together; press together,” are the words of our divine Instructor. Unity is strength; disunion is weakness and defeat. (Counsels on Health, pp. 517, 518)