The Dangers of Being Anointed

Leviticus 10:7
You shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting, or you will die, for the anointing oil of the Lord is on you.

One of the most overused terms in the church is the word, “anointed.” When we use the word “anointed’ it is usually used to denote an individual who has extra-ordinary abilities that are directly attributed as being gifted by the Holy Spirit to minister. In other words, they couldn’t do what they do if God didn’t empower them to do it. A lot of times people that are anointed don’t even look like they can do what they do until they do it. It is awesome, rewarding, and a blessing to be used of God but it is also dangerous, draining, and lonely.

There is a price to being anointed. People see you but they just don’t know! There is a different kind of standard for those of us who have been anointed for leadership. If you are anointed, it is never for your personal benefit. You are anointed for the service of God and to God’s people. The anointing is never about you or for you.

James 3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu offered “unholy fire” before the Lord such as he had not commanded them and fire came out from the presence of the Lord and they died before the Lord. They died because they offered “unauthorized fire.” The Hebrew word for “unauthorized fire” is Zar which is used to denote some person or thing found where it should not be. How many times have you been guilty of being anointed and being where you should not be? Ain’t you glad God didn’t kill you? Thank God for grace!

These were Aaron’s sons. They carried them out by their tunics because they didn’t want to defile themselves by touching them. These were relatives, but they couldn’t touch them because it would have messed up their anointing to touch the dead bodies of disobedient relatives. Moses told Aaron and his other sons that they couldn’t even mourn for them. They couldn’t even cry. When you are anointed there are times when you have to serve and you don’t even get to mourn like everybody else because you are anointed. Sometimes, you are serving and you don’t even get to feel it. This example is, of course, before the grace that came as a result of Jesus. In fact, one of the most radical scriptures is, “Jesus wept.” If he being our High priest wept, we can too, but there are times when we can’t. Being anointed ain’t easy.

They couldn’t go outside the Tent of Meeting while they were serving. There are some places you can’t go because the anointing oil is on you. There is a distinction that will not allow you to leave the Tent of Meeting or else you will die. God doesn’t always physically kill us when we compromise our anointing, sometimes he just kills the anointing. When an anointed man or woman of God continues to go outside the Tent of Meeting and do what everybody else is doing inevitably they lose it. You hear people say, “They used to be so anointed.” I heard a preacher tell a story about an old preacher that stayed drunk all the time. It was so bad that the deacons used to have to help him out of the pulpit. This young preacher visited the old preacher and he was drinking alcohol in his study. The old preacher said, “son don’t ever get to a place where the people feel God more than you do (he takes a sip of alcohol pauses and looks up) ….Son I think God done fired me.”

Once again Jesus brought in grace with our being able to leave the tent as his “anointed.” Jesus went to parties and social gatherings with the sole intention of saving souls through relationship evangelism but he was still anointed. Leaving the tent during ministry endangers your life and your anointing so make sure you protect your oil.

Here are three ways to protect your oil:

1. Do not drink when you are coming in to serve. Leviticus 10:9 Drink no wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons, when you enter the tent of meeting, that you may not die

2. You are to distinguish between the Holy and the common. Leviticus 10:10 you are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean

3. You are to teach the Bible! Leviticus 10:11 and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them through Moses.
It’s not easy being anointed that’s why there are only a few. I once heard someone say that at any given time, there are only 10 anointed people in the world. When you start thinking that you are one of them, you no longer continue to be. Stay in the Tent of Meeting.

Dear God, thank you for using me for your service. Please order my steps so that I will not offer “unauthorized fire.” Please help me to be conscience of my distinction and not be places that I shouldn’t. Protect me from myself and use me to be a blessing to people who need to see your Glory. Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord to the cross where thou hast died so that I might live.

In Jesus Name,
Amen