Under the Anointing: Purpose, Power, and God’s Presence

Oct 17, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Anointed to Do Good: Smearing Vaseline and Shining for God

The anointing isn’t a distant theological concept—it’s as tangible as a mother smearing Vaseline on her child’s face before church. Just as that oil made faces shine, the Holy Spirit’s anointing marks believers for visible purpose. Jesus walked in this reality: His life overflowed with healing, liberation, and acts of goodness because God’s presence saturated Him. Every Christian carries this same anointing not for showmanship, but for radical obedience. When the Spirit rests on you, oppression breaks, chains snap, and dark places light up. The question isn’t whether you’re anointed—it’s whether you’ll act like it. [01:15:12]

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him."
(Acts 10:38, ESV)

Reflection: Where has fear or distraction kept you from “doing good” this week? What ordinary moment today could become holy ground if you lean into your anointing?

Day 2: Becoming What You Focus On: Miles Davis and the Image of Christ

Miles Davis didn’t become “cool” by accident—he immersed himself in jazz until his very breath carried its rhythm. Similarly, discipleship isn’t passive. Fixating on Christ’s character rewires our desires, speech, and reactions. The more we study His compassion in the Gospels, His courage before Pharisees, His patience with disciples, the more we mirror Him. Lukewarm faith often stems from divided focus: trying to harmonize Christ with worldly obsessions. But transformation demands undivided gaze. What you stare at shapes your soul. [01:21:52]

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."
(2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)

Reflection: What habits, media, or relationships compete for your focus on Christ? What one adjustment could deepen your gaze at His glory this week?

Day 3: Born Twice: Discovering Why You Were Born

Mark Twain said the two most important days are your birth and the day you discover why. For believers, the second birth—through the Spirit—unlocks eternal purpose. Jesus didn’t wander; He moved with clarity, “proclaiming freedom” because His anointing defined His mission. Your calling isn’t generic “goodness” but specific works God prepared before your birth. The tragedy isn’t unsaved people drifting without purpose—it’s Christians living beneath their anointed identity. The Spirit doesn’t just save you; He summons you. [01:26:42]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
(Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: What unique passion, skill, or burden has God woven into your story? How might your daily routine shift if you saw it as preparation for your ordained works?

Day 4: Dunamis in a Dead Battery: Testing Your Spiritual Voltage

A car battery’s voltage test reveals its power capacity—and so does your prayer life. Jesus’ dunamis (miraculous power) flowed from His communion with the Father. Many feel spiritually drained not because the Spirit left, but because they stopped plugging into His presence. The enemy fears two things: Christ’s name and knees hitting floors. When prayer dwindles, strongholds form. Yet the same Spirit who empowered Jesus to cast out demons lives in you. Your battery isn’t dead—it’s undercharged. [01:35:07]

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it."
(Ephesians 1:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: When did you last pray with desperate expectation, not routine? What area of weakness might become a testimony if you dared to lean on dunamis this week?

Day 5: Fellowship in Every Room: Inviting the Spirit to Dinner

The Holy Spirit isn’t a guest you entertain in your “prayer closet”—He’s a resident claiming every room. Jesus’ presence in your kitchen, commute, and conflicts turns mundane spaces into sanctuaries. Like oil marking doorposts, consecrate your home, devices, and relationships to His rule. The Spirit isn’t repelled by your mess but empowered to cleanse it. Fellowship means asking, “What’s cooking?” as you stir pots and “What’s stirring?” as you face temptations. Anointed living means no area stays off-limits. [01:39:23]

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."
(John 14:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: What “room” in your life have you labeled “no entry” to the Spirit? What practical step could you take today to welcome His fellowship there?

Sermon Summary

Acts 10:38 puts the question right in the room: “Are you anointed?” God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and Jesus went about doing good, healing those oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him. The text gives disciples more than something to admire. The text gives them a pattern for how to live.

The image of Miles Davis shows that people become what they focus on. Second Corinthians 3:18 says that beholding the Lord changes believers from glory to glory. Discipleship means being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did. Jesus’ life becomes the master class: Spirit-filled, powerful, purposeful, and present with God.

The anointing gives purpose. Jesus proclaimed good news to the poor, liberty to captives, sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed. Ephesians 2:10 declares that good works were prepared beforehand for God’s people. The Holy Spirit brings believers into the purpose, gifts, and mission God had in mind before they were born.

The Holy Spirit also gives power. The anointing is not a title, a degree, a position, a shout, or goosebumps. The anointing is the Holy Spirit working in a surrendered life. Prayer measures spiritual power like a meter tests a car battery. Prayer is not a cosmic slot machine for getting desired outcomes. Prayer is fellowship, dependence, surrender, and alignment with the Father’s will.

The Holy Spirit refuses to remain outside closed rooms of the life. The living room, kitchen, bedroom, habits, thoughts, and private choices must become places where believers can say, “Holy Spirit, You are welcome in this place.” The Spirit gives power to pray, live holy, love difficult people, withstand temptation, endure tribulation, and confront the devil’s harassment without relying on human strength.

The presence of God becomes the greatest testimony anyone can have: “God was with him.” The Father anoints, Jesus does the work, and the Holy Spirit gives power. The Trinity makes a home in those who love Christ and keep His word. Christian life was never meant to be lived by talent, education, church office, or personality alone.

Under the anointing, sin loses its mastery, sorrow receives joy, fear receives boldness, and broken lives receive freedom. The risen Jesus has poured out the promised Spirit. God’s people therefore reject lukewarm Christianity and ask continually to be filled, taught, led, and used by the Spirit of the living God.

Key Takeaways

1. Focus on Jesus and be changed
The gaze of the heart is never neutral. What believers behold, admire, rehearse, and pursue slowly shapes them. Fellowship with Jesus is not passive religious activity; it is the place where His character starts becoming visible in ordinary life. [1:21:52]
2. The Spirit reveals God-given purpose
Purpose is not merely a career choice or a personal dream. God prepared good works, gifts, and assignments for His people before they were born. The Spirit brings clarity by drawing surrendered lives into what God already intended. [1:25:34]
3. Prayer is dependence, not a slot machine
Prayer loses its depth when it becomes only a list of requests. Jesus sought the Father in prayer because prayer aligned Him with the Father’s will. The Spirit forms power in believers who come to God for fellowship, surrender, and daily dependence. [1:40:31]
4. Every room belongs to the Holy Spirit
The Spirit does not seek a small religious corner of life. Habits, entertainment, food, relationships, speech, and private decisions all become part of the house believers offer to God. Holiness begins where hidden rooms are opened without excuse. [1:39:00]
5. The anointing creates Spirit-filled living
The anointing is not an emotional moment that fades after church. The Holy Spirit changes desires, convicts of sin, produces joy in sorrow, and gives strength to obey when temptation speaks. God’s power becomes visible through a surrendered life that depends on Him. [1:44:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[1:15:12] - Acts 10:38 and the Question of Anointing
[1:17:45] - Becoming a Friend of the Holy Spirit
[1:19:08] - Miles Davis and the Power of Focus
[1:23:28] - Jesus as the Pattern for Disciples
[1:25:34] - Anointing and God-Given Purpose
[1:27:48] - Baptized, Sealed, and Anointed
[1:34:14] - Spiritual Power Through Prayer and Surrender
[1:38:32] - Making Room for the Holy Spirit
[1:41:13] - The Presence of God Within
[1:44:35] - What Happens Under the Anointing
[1:50:02] - Not by Might but by the Spirit
[1:57:16] - Deacons as Spirit-Filled Warriors
[1:58:48] - Daily Fellowship With the Holy Spirit
[2:02:27] - Rejecting Lukewarm Christianity

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Acts 10:38
“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” [01:15:12]

2 Corinthians 3:18
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” [01:22:13]

Ephesians 2:10
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” [01:26:19]

Observation questions

In Acts 10:38, what does Jesus do after He is anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, and what reason is given for His ministry? [01:23:41]
According to 2 Corinthians 3:18, what happens as believers behold the glory of the Lord? [01:22:13]
What does Ephesians 2:10 say believers were created for, and when were those works prepared? [01:26:19]
What examples are given of areas of life that must be open and welcoming to the Holy Spirit? [01:38:46]

Interpretation questions

Acts 10:38 connects the Holy Spirit’s anointing with doing good and bringing freedom to the oppressed. What does this show about the purpose of spiritual power?
If people become like what they consistently focus on, why is fellowship with Jesus necessary for lasting change rather than simply trying harder to improve behavior? [01:22:21]
Ephesians 2:10 teaches that God prepared good works for His people beforehand. How does this truth reshape the way a believer thinks about purpose, gifts, work, and service? [01:27:10]
The anointing is described as the Holy Spirit working in a surrendered life, not merely an emotional experience or a church position. How might that help a group distinguish Spirit-filled living from outward religious activity? [01:44:35]

Application questions

What has been receiving the most attention, admiration, and mental focus in your life lately? In what ways might that focus be shaping your character—for good or for harm? [01:21:52]
Where do you sense God may be calling you to do good this week—in your home, workplace, school, neighborhood, or church? What is one specific step you could take?
Prayer is fellowship, dependence, surrender, and alignment with the Father’s will—not a cosmic slot machine. How would your prayer life change if you came to God first to know Him and yield to Him, not only to ask Him for things? [01:40:42]
Think of the “rooms” of your life: habits, entertainment, speech, relationships, private thoughts, spending, food, or online activity. Is there one area where you have not fully welcomed the Holy Spirit? What would surrender look like in a practical way? [01:39:19]
Where are you most tempted to rely on your own talent, experience, education, title, or personality instead of depending on the Holy Spirit? [01:44:07]
Is there a difficult person, ongoing temptation, fear, sorrow, or burden where you need the Spirit’s power right now? How can this group pray with you and support you in taking one faithful next step? [01:45:52]

Sermon Clips

50s

#InviteGodIn

“Imagine that you're a real estate agent trying to sell your home to the Holy Spirit. And you say, well, the Holy Spirit can't come in my living room because I'm watching stuff I don't need to be watching. The holy spirit can't come into my kitchen because I'm not eating healthy food. The holy spirit can't come in my bedroom. You just name what you're doing in there. need to be able to invite God in every room of your house and say, Holy Spirit, you are welcome in this place.”

32s

#PrayerAndPurpose

“And you know something else? Prayer was the key to his... Jesus' anointing. Prayer was the way that Jesus sought alignment with the father's will. Too many too many of us view view prayer as a cosmic slot machine where we ask God for what we want from our creator and get mad at God when we don't get it. We need to learn to pray for fellowship and dependence upon God. Lesson number one, purpose. Somebody say purpose.”

40s

#PowerOfTheHolySpirit

“When you and I receive the anointing, we now receive a person, but we receive power. Power to pray. Power to live holy. Power to worship. Power over the devil. Power to be a great husband. Power to be a wonderful wife. Power to have anointed children. Power for witness. Power to stand in towels and tribulation. You cannot say you're anointed with the Holy Spirit unless you have power. I don't know about you, ladies and gentlemen, but I need the power of the Holy Spirit.”

31s

#GodWithUs

“The greatest thing that anybody can say about you in your life, whether you are a preacher or not, that God has been with you. Have you noticed in Acts ten thirty eight passage, the father, the son, and the holy spirit are working together. The father anoints Jesus. Jesus does the work, and the holy spirit gives the power. Do you realize that if you are a disciple of Jesus, you and I can have the same experience that Jesus had?”

33s

#ObedienceToGod

“The spirit of the Lord is upon me. He's anointed me to preach the gospel. The spirit of the Lord is upon you. He's anointed you to pray. The spirit of the Lord is upon you. He's anointed you to be a blessing everywhere you go, in the schoolhouse, at your workplace, wherever you go. I am a blessing. No matter what's happening in my life, no matter what's happening in the church, everywhere I go, it gets blessed. It's not me.”

45s

#PowerOfPrayer

“The Holy Spirit also is attracted to obedience. Not your obedience, but the Holy Spirit giving you a will and a desire to obey. You can't, you and I can't obey by willpower. Am I talking to real people you try? They say, I ain't gonna never do this again. I ain't gonna... When I'm driving and somebody cuts me up, I ain't gonna never say something out of my mouth again. And the next day they do... And they do it and do it again. You have to rely on the spirit of the living God to give you a desire. Said, oh, I'll pity that person. I'm a pray for him.”

30s

#GodsPresence

“You could tell how much spiritual power is in the church today, individually or collectively by the level of prayer in our lives and in our congregations. You have a prayerless congregation. You got a congregation that's been habit... Inhabited by the devil. Two things the devil's scared of. He's scared of Jesus, and he's scared of prayer. And that's why he doesn't want you to pray.”

37s

#BaptizedInTheSpirit

“There are some in this world today, they are born, but they don't know why they are born. They're roaming around and... Without any purpose, and they they're going to this and and that thing and that thing, and and they're very unhappy, and they're very miserable. And some of them are not children. They are adults. You still haven't figured out what your purpose is. I'm gonna tell you, if you get with God and you ask God to fill you with the spirit of God, God will give you your purpose.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Community SDA Church of Englewood, NJ This sermon · AI assistant

What does the Holy Spirit’s anointing empower believers to do?

How does focusing on Jesus transform a disciple’s character?

Why is prayer essential for spiritual power and deliverance?