Bring the Oil
Something happened to me. On a Wednesday night at church. I was minding my business. The guest preacher had finished his sermon and was calling people to the altar for prayer. He called on people who needed prayer for depression, financial issues, health…..you get the picture. I needed prayer for all those things, but I did what I usually do. I stretched my hands up and said “Lord, you can send your healing right on to this pew. You know what I’m in need of.” People went back to their seats after the prayer, and then he said that God wanted him to pray for business owners.
My body instantly shot up. I stepped over my cousins and went straight to the altar. This was a safe prayer. A no judgement prayer. A name it and claim it and ain’t no shame in it prayer. Or so I thought. Because the next words out of his mouth were, “Bring the oil.”
SKKKKKR!!!!!! (That’s my record screech sound) Wait, wait, wait. Several things went through my head:
- You had all those other folks up here for prayer and never pulled out this oil.
- If you had been slinging oil from the beginning, I would have not gotten up from that pew.
- Dang, I can’t go back to my seat.
Let me be clear. I believe in oil being used but I haven’t ever been a member of a church where it’s a regular practice. So many times, I feel like people bring out the oil because they want you to put on a show. And I don’t believe in play acting unless I’m on a real stage.
But the sermon that he had preached that night was about David and how he slayed Goliath. It was a fixed fight. Do you know about David? David is often described as a man after God’s own heart. And I’ve struggled with understanding how God could call and love a man who did so much messed up stuff.
Samuel is sent to anoint the next king of Israel. He looks at all of David’s brothers and the Lord says “nope, not them.” Samuel asks Jesse if he has any more sons. Jesse says, “Yeah, my baby boy is out in the field tending the sheep.” So they sent for David. And when David came, the Lord told Samuel to anoint David, for he was the one. And then the oil began to flow.
All of that flashed through my mind as I was standing at the altar. The guest preacher began to prophesy that lives would be changed in 21 days. He began to anoint all the business owners who came for prayer. And he skipped me. He asked if he missed anyone. At this point, I had to raise my hand. I wanted that oil. Not because I wanted wealth. But because I needed God’s anointing on my life.
The oil wasn’t flowing for everyone before then because it wasn’t their time. I knew in my soul that God was telling me that He wants greater out of me. And I made up my mind to trust Him. Ya’ll I’m messed up just like David, but for some reason, He’s calling me. And I know it’s Him.
My prayer for everyone is that they can stay the course. One day, God is going to let the oil flow over your life. We may have to walk down the aisle. We may have to set aside our preconceived notions. We just might have to raise our hands. But I’m persuaded that we’ll all be in position when He decides to bring the oil. #wepreach
