“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” II Corinthians 4:7
The anointing of God is tangible. Even though spiritual things are usually invisible to our human eye, it doesn’t mean that they are not made of a substance. God’s power is substantial, palpable, touchable, and detectable. We can sense God’s anointing from our spirit. When something that is spiritual becomes something experienced in the physical, we say that it has manifested or become evident. You don’t have to feel God’s power in order to receive from it, but you should understand that it is tangible.
In II Corinthians 4:7, the word “treasure” in the original Greek language means “an inexhaustible supply of riches.” The treasure is the Holy Spirit and His power, or anointing. The power of God should be regarded as the treasure it is. We should not only hope for it, but we should also seek the Holy Spirit and pursue the anointing in our lives and services.
In this same verse, the word “earthen” describes a material that is so fragile that if it is handled to roughly it will break and fall to pieces right in your hands (Rick Renner). This word describes our earthly bodies. The Holy Spirit resides on the inside of each believer.
The word “excellence” means “a throwing beyond” and it has been translated “far more, exceeding, more excellent, beyond measure, and abundance.” The Greek word is hyperbole, made up of two root words. The first is hyper and is used in Ephesians 3:20 for exceedingly. The second is balio and it means “to pour as a liquid, without reservation.”
The Holy Spirit is a spirit that moves. The anointing or power of the Holy Spirit is something that flows like a current of electricity. Therefore, we should be aware of Him and His power and learn to move with Him when He moves. He will move in you and through you to minister the power of God to the people around you.
In Psalm 62:11 it says, “power belongs to God.” We don’t own the power, but we are invited to be a vessel for the power to flow through. God is our Father, our Creator, and our loving authority. Therefore, when the Holy Spirit is moving, our objective is to follow His lead. He includes us in what He does and what He has. God can do great things with us and through us, pointing people to Him and the power of His love.
Application: Read John 5:1-4, James 5:14, John 3:8 and write down illustrations that are used to describe the anointing and how it moves.