IS IT RIGHT TO USE ANOINTING WATER WHEN MAKING INTERCESSION?
Question:Is it right to use items such as water,oil or salt we hen making intercession?
ANSWER:It is important for us to understand that what brings about healing upon a person is the blood of Jesus alone.In the blood of Jesus is where his name is found.Every time we call upon the name of Jesus to get healing for our illnesses,it specifically announces the blood of Jesus as being in action.As a result every disease or problem is taken away completely in the name of Jesus Christ.
Hence,it is wrong to believe or think that anything else apart from the blood of Jesus can heal a person, release them from their suffering or even bring them blessings.One who does this is just like an idolater.
In the course of healing a person, God gives certain instructions which should be followed to effect the action of healing.
For example,a person suffering from an illness of the skin may decide to go to a medical centre to seek medication for his problem.Now,it is the doctor who will choose the method of treatment he sees best for their patient.He may give the patient some medicines (tablets) and instruct them to swallow and thereafter drink a lot of water, and do the same for each dose.The doctor may also decide to give them other drugs in form of tablets and instruct the patient to dissolve a few in a basin of water and bathe using the same water.Depending on the prescription given by the physician, this patient may be required to do so with the medicines thrice a day for three days, perhaps.And after this period, the illness may leave completely.Still, the doctor may as well decide to give him an injection instead of issuing drugs.Either way,the disease still heals.It just depends on the way the doctor sees best and effective.
Divine healing happens likewise whereby the Holy Spirit himself gives directions on what should be done.As it depends on him, the Holy Spirit may instruct a person to use a certain item for anointing,for example,oil or mud.Just like in the incident when Jesus healed a man who had been blind since birth.(John 9:6).The Holy Spirit directed him to make some mud with his saliva,which he put on the man’s eyes, and after the latter had washed in the Pool as told by Jesus, he began to see.
The Spirit of God may also instruct a person to use things like flour or salt,as did Elisha who anointed the stew using flour, and also anointed the water using salt.(Read 2 Kings 4:41,2:21).One may also be asked to use a piece of cloth for anointing, like Paul whose clothing and handkerchiefs were used to heal people (Acts 19:11-12),or whatever thing it may be.However,it should not become a routine.Today, there are many people in the name of God’s servants who do things out of normalcy and as a routine but not as instructed by the Spirit.
Anointing water or oil or salt have become a tradition for many people today.They are used as a solution for their problems.If for example,a person gets sick,they turn to anointing water or oil to get healed.But this is not an instruction from the Holy Spirit.Because the Holy Spirit does not have a particular routine or specific style of healing people.
Jesus too did not have a particular way of teaching or healing people.His ways did vary.For instance, he’d just speak a word and the sick got healed.Or he would just touch the sick and they could be healed instantly.And so on.He did not repeat whatever he taught again and again.This shows clearly that the Lord Jesus always waited to be instructed by the Holy Spirit before he did anything.He never healed or taught on his own accord without being given instructions.Neither did Jesus do anything as a routine.
Similarly, Prophet Elisha , Apostle Paul and all the other apostles of the Lord did not have a specific style of doing things.In Acts 19:12,we read about Paul whose clothes and handkerchiefs were used to heal the sick and people who had various problems were released.But there is nowhere else, be it at Corinth or Galatia,when he was seen to use the same things to heal people.He always used the of Jesus Christ whenever he taught, preached or healed.Likewise, Peter’s shadow could at one time heal the sick.While he passed where the sick people lay on mats and cots along the way,his shadow fell on some of them and were healed on the spot.(Acts 5:15).Yet there is not a time again when he used his shadow to heal people.On almost all occasions,Peter used the name of Jesus Christ in performing miracles.
Acts 3:3-8;
“Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
And Peter fastening his eyes upon him with John,said,Look on us.
And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none;but such as I have give I thee:IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH RISE UP AND WALK.
And he took him by the right hand,and lifted him up:and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
And he leaping up stood,and walked,and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping, and praising God.”
In the incident above,we see that Peter did not use his shadow to heal the man at the Beautiful Gate.Rather he used the great name of Jesus Christ!
You might ask therefore,why do some people use anointing water or oil as their routine and are healed of their problems and needs.?
The use of anointing water and other things work only for those who are spiritually immature,and have just begun to know Christ or they have just converted to Christianity.Thus, the Lord allows them to receive their miracles in this way for a certain period of time,that they might continue seeking to be near God.After this period has elapsed, while they have now known the truth or heard the Gospel for long but still remain stiff-necked,using such items for anointing now turns into idolatry.If they continue to use them ,they will not experience any miracles or change.Instead,they are turned far from God and may at times be tormented by evil spirits.They are also certain to lose all they have because they have become enslaved by this practice which now turns into idol worship.They will begin to roam about in search of anointing water or oil to deliver them from their suffering.And since many of them having been led astray by this form of idolatry no longer continue to seek God,they will be deceived.
During the present times,so many false prophets are out in the world as it was foretold.For God has sent in the world a strong delusion upon all the false prophets so that all who reject the truth may be deceived.This is meant to ensure that the difference between weeds and the wheat comes out clearly ready for the time of harvest.(The harvest cannot take place without the weeds being properly distinguished from the wheat.)
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12;
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause GOD SHALL SEND THEM STRONG DELUSION,that they should believe a lie:
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Let us, therefore,be careful and alert, watching out for the deceiving spirits so as not to be deluded.If you have not been given any instructions by the Holy Spirit,do not be hasty to use water or salt or flour, etc,.It is dangerous for your soul.Only use the name of Jesus Christ.It is enough.God bless you.