God the Holy Spirit, Mentor's Guide, MG14

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G O D T H E H O L Y S P I R I T

(2) John 7.37-39

(3) John 4.14

(4) 1 Cor. 6.11 (cf. Titus 3.5)

(5) Rev. 22.17

See Ray Pritchard, Names of the Holy Spirit . Chicago: Moody Press, 1995. pp. 57, 69, 77, 100, 187.

b. Oil - the sustaining of life

In biblical times, olive oil was used for both food and medicine as well as for fuel for lamps which lit the house. It was so vital to daily life that it became a symbol for prosperity. One could not think of oil without thinking of healing, security, and abundance. It sustained life. Oil as an image of the Holy Spirit, took on an even more important symbolic role because of the biblical practice of anointing. Prophets (1 Kings 19.16), priests (Exod. 28.41), and kings (2 Sam. 2.4; 1 Kings 1.34) were anointed with oil to set them apart for ministry. This pouring on of oil was a symbol which showed visibly that the person was having the Holy Spirit poured out on them. The anointing with oil shows that God had chosen and equipped a person to minister life, health, security, and abundance to his people. In the Old Testament Scriptures this special anointing (empowerment) of the Holy Spirit was usually limited to those who served as prophets, priests, or kings. In the New Testament, every believer in Christ, receives an anointing of the Spirit to be a minster of life to others.

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(1) 1 Sam. 16.13a (cf. Isa. 61.1).

(2) Luke 4.18

(3) 2 Cor. 1.21-22

(4) 1 John 2.20 & 27 (compare with John 14.26)

Ibid. p. 19.