THE ANOINTING IN TEACHING

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Explain the anointing and why it differs from natural abilities or talents.
2. Use appropriate scriptural examples to discuss evidence of the anointing for ministry.
3. Examine the reasons teachers experience nervousness when teaching.
4. Explain the importance of submitting to the anointing beyond the prepared lesson during teaching.
5. Reflect on the response to the leading of the Holy Spirit during the planning and teaching of a lesson.

As we begin this lesson, I trust that you have been sincerely assessing yourself in light of what God has been ministering to us thus far. The truth is, we will be ineffective in pursuing spiritual victory if any aspect of our lives is displeasing in His sight. God considers our dealings with family, our choice of entertainment, the decisions we make, and the place He holds in our list of priorities. It is only when we are found pure and sanctified that God will see fit to anoint us for ministry.

You have studied the Word and prepared the lesson; now it is time to teach. You understand that positive spiritual impact depends on God ministering through you. Upon examination, you find that you are living a consecrated life—set apart in holiness. Consistent study and prayer have kept you in fellowship with the Lord. With your heart and lesson prepared, you are ready to teach the Word of God.

DEALING WITH NERVOUSNESS

At this point, it is common for most people to feel overcome with nervousness. However, it is important to note that nervousness is not necessarily a sin. Whether it is sinful depends on the mentality behind it. Ask yourself: “Why am I nervous?” Is it because you desire to impress others or prove yourself as an effective minister? Or is it because you fear embarrassment or recognize that you have not prepared adequately? If you examine these reasons, you will notice that they all stem from a focus on self. As a result, the motivation behind this kind of nervousness often arises from pride and apathy.

On the other hand, if you find that your thoughts revolve around the people you are about to minister to—hoping they come to an understanding of the Word—or if your nervousness stems from a desire not to hinder what the Lord wants to accomplish, these are acceptable reasons to feel that way. But how should you handle even this kind of nervousness?

Trust God. If you know you are walking in holiness, and your desire is for God to move in the hearts of the people—if you have nothing to prove and your only focus is on their spiritual growth—why wouldn’t He use you for His purpose?

God’s focus is on the people. He wants to speak to them, bring understanding, and glorify Himself. Therefore, it is crucial that you are confident that God is with you and will not abandon you in times of ministry. Moreover, when you shift your focus from yourself to the people you are ministering to, you will often find that your nervousness begins to fade.

There will be times when, despite your best efforts to plan, nothing seems to come together as you had hoped. In these moments, do not fear. Often, this is when God wants you to rely on Him completely to guide the lesson. If you are a workman who is skillful in the Word of God, you will be able to flow with the Holy Spirit in such situations. However, if you find yourself in this position and recognize that you are not as skillful in the Word as you would like to be, still do not fear. Pause and pray, then prepare the lesson using the study guide, course manual, or the Scripture God has given you. If you fulfill your responsibility to prepare, God will fulfill His responsibility to minister.

THE ANOINTING

The anointing is simply a manifestation that God has selected, approved, and equipped one for His purpose. In the Old Covenant, when God selected a king, the prophet of the time would anoint him by pouring oil upon his head, marking this individual as chosen by God. In a spiritual sense, God’s selection is first made apparent by the pouring out of His Holy Ghost within the individual.

1 John 2:27

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Everyone who has the Holy Spirit has the anointing abiding in them. It is the evidence that they have been chosen by God in eternity. However, when God approves someone’s life for ministry, the anointing will not only be in them but will rest upon them and begin to flow like oil toward others, powerfully impacting their lives.

Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

2 Corinthians 12:9

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Acts 4:33

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

John 7:38

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

GOD USING YOU IN MINISTRY

Typically, when beginning a teaching session, a minister will start by following the structure of the planned lesson. However, it is not long before the anointing for ministry takes over.

When the anointing rests upon you to teach or preach, you will find that your words begin to flow from a place beyond your natural consciousness. It will feel as though you are being fed the words to speak, or as if the Holy Spirit is speaking through you—directing your speech and stirring a passion within you. I will attempt to explain this operation by using a principle outlined by Jesus in the Book of Luke.

Luke 21:14-15

14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

The context of the Scripture above pertains to times when a Christian may need to defend themselves or the Gospel for the sake of their life. However, Jesus encourages us that in such moments, God will give us “a mouth and wisdom,” enabling us to speak in a way that silences those who persecute us. Though this is the context, there is a broader principle that can be extracted from it.

When the anointing rests upon you during ministry, the Holy Ghost within you will use your mouth to speak to the people. This operation is often described in Scripture as being filled with the Holy Spirit in such a manner that it enables you to speak as God leads.

Acts 4:8

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel…

Acts 4:31

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Luke 1:67

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying…

When the anointing of the Holy Ghost—who abides within you—begins to stir and rest upon you, it will empower you for ministry. Not only will the Holy Spirit speak through you, but He will also be ready to perform whatever work is necessary based on the needs of the people before you.

This anointing will often begin to direct the session or sermon in a way that may not align exactly with your lesson plan. This is absolutely fine—it is simply the Lord having His way. The anointing of God is never random; wherever He leads will produce fruit in the hearts of the people. In time, the reason He is leading you in a particular direction will become clear—not only to you but also to those witnessing your ministry.

Note: You may often experience this same anointing during your lesson planning or study phase. Allow Him to guide you and take notes as God leads. He is foreshadowing in your study what He intends to accomplish when it is time to minister.

It is crucial for every minister and teacher to become familiar with the anointing. Remember, it is the anointing that breaks the yokes of ignorance and captivity. It is the only means by which people will experience genuine spiritual impact through your ministry.

When individuals are new to teaching or ministry, they are often intimidated by the anointing upon them. They may shy away from where God is leading them or question the sudden surge of passion they feel. My encouragement to them is this: do not second-guess what is happening. That stirring is, in fact, the leading of God—He is using you to speak to His people.

If you find yourself doubting in such moments, ask yourself this:

Is the passion I feel as I minister forced, or is God taking over, using me for His purpose?

This is a critical question because some approach ministry with preconceived notions about what the anointing is supposed to look like. They believe they must shout, scream, sound "deep," or emotionally stir the audience, to be considered anointed. This is not the anointing—and it is not necessary!

The anointing is not produced by the will of man. It flows only through a vessel approved by God. It is simply God accomplishing His will through that vessel. You cannot anticipate or control when the anointing will come upon you; God moves according to God’s timing and manifests in whatever style He chooses. Let the Lord impact you as He desires for the setting. Do not attempt to manufacture a particular delivery, instead, allow God to direct you in the moment.

Some are anointed to preach with passion and excitement, while others are anointed to teach with precision, clarity, or through demonstrations. Regardless of the style, the key is to ensure that the Lord has His way and that you are ministering under His anointing.

This anointing is the power of God that opens eyes that are blinded by spiritual ignorance, breaks the chains of satanic bondage, and reveals Jesus Christ. It may also lead to other forms of ministry, such as miracles, healings, or salvation. Whatever the case, you must allow the Holy Spirit to work freely. Do not let the planned structure of the lesson limit what He desires to do.

This is why I must emphasize again the importance of every teacher becoming familiar with the anointing in ministry. When it rests upon you, do not hinder the Holy Spirit by overthinking your experience or fearing that you are straying too far from your notes. The Lord knows exactly what the people need, and He is using you to meet that need.

When God begins to lead you away from your notes, do not be intimidated or afraid. You have already prepared, the Word is in you, and your notes are available if you need to return to them later. Trust that God is directing the flow.

CONCLUSION

Ultimately, we must allow God to speak to His people. If we are holy, have done our part in the preparation, and love God’s people—desiring to see Him move in their hearts—we can be confident that He will speak through us and meet every need. He will give us a mouth to declare His Word and wisdom to follow His will.

When the anointing comes upon you, do not fear it, and do not try to control it. Simply let the Lord have His way.

ACTIVITIES FOR WEEK 7

DUE DATE: MAR 5, 2025

Activity 4.1: Personal Reflection:

• Do I believe that God has approved both my life and my thoughts? Explain why or why not.
• Do I experience the anointing when I teach? Explain.
• When I minister, do people gain understanding of the Word, or are they often left confused? Explain.
• Does God work with me in ministry to bring about spiritual understanding, set captives free from Satan’s hold, or lead souls to salvation? Explain.

Activity 4.2: Experiencing and Reflecting on the Anointing in Teaching

Objective: For teachers to experience the anointing while teaching and to evaluate their responses to the Holy Spirit's leading.

Introduction: Having refined your group lesson plan, you are now prepared to teach it to a student audience.

Instructions:

1. Demonstrate Dependence on the Holy Spirit:

• Implementation: Teach the lesson as a group or individually, consciously relying on the Holy Spirit's guidance beyond your prepared material (You will have to make arrangements to teach in front of an audience).
• Focus: Be attentive to the Spirit's promptings, allowing flexibility in your teaching approach.

1. Reflect on the Experience:

• Personal Reflection: After teaching, individually contemplate moments where you sensed the Holy Spirit's leading.
• Group Discussion: Share these experiences with each other, discussing how the anointing influenced your teaching and student engagement.

1. Collaborative Reflection Submission:

• Documentation: Compile a collective reflection summarizing key insights, challenges, and the impact of yielding to the Holy Spirit during teaching.
• Submission: Submit this written reflection and a video recording of the lesson for further review and feedback.

Individual Submission

(a) Each group member is required to submit the written collaborative reflection and the link for accessing the video recording of the lesson.