3 Keys to Anointed Faith (It’s Time to Oil the Shield!)

I believe God is saying, ‘I have a fresh anointing ready to release upon your faith! That enemy that has been resisting you will not hold you back any longer. Instead, that enemy is about to get knocked back.’

A few days ago, I was worshipping in our church when a picture came to my mind’s eye. I saw someone crouched over a shield, with a container of oil and a cloth. The person was using the cloth to rub the oil into the shield.

When I looked up a Bible dictionary, I learned that ancient shields were made either of several thicknesses of leather, or of wood covered in leather. They were cared for by the application of oil, which kept them supple. [1,2]

In Isaiah 21, for example, the prophet is sounding an alarm to Babylon and he cries out, ‘Get up, you officers, oil the shields!’ (Is 21:5b, NIV)

Right now is the time to apply the Spirit’s anointing to our faith.

Are you facing a battle?
Be encouraged today. It’s time to oil your shield.

You can have anointed faith; faith that has been in contact with the Presence of God.

The Bible has much to say about the importance of our faith. Here are some keys I believe our Father is bringing to our attention, as we seek freshly anointed faith:

1. Take Time Aside with God

Oiling a shield was done aside, away from the battlefront. It was done in the place of preparation.

Preparation means separation. Hear Jesus say, ‘Come away with Me!’ It’s time to come aside to spend time in the secret place, with God and His Word.

There is greater value in this, and more at stake, than you have been aware of. 

The Greek word translated anointed, ‘chrio’, means to rub or smear with oil (Strongs G5548). The word’s imagery speaks of the physical act of anointing. It is used metaphorically of being anointed with the Holy Spirit.

In Acts, the religious leaders were amazed by the faith and courage displayed by the Apostles. We read: ‘When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.’

When we take time to be with Jesus, then His faith, His Spirit will be imparted to us. What is on Him will ‘rub off’ onto us. Our faith will be anointed.

2. Meditate on The Power of Jesus’ Shed Blood

‘Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.’ (Psalm 5:12 NIV)

God has a shield of protection for us that completely surrounds us! It is the favor of God. Favor and faith go together. But we will never experience this grace as long as we are trying to earn it. We must simply receive it.

‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.’ (Rev 12:11)

When you confess and declare what the blood of Jesus has done for you, your faith is anointed. It becomes unshakeable.

You grow bold in faith, because you realize that your right-standing with God is not as a result of anything you have done or deserve.

3. Be Intentional About Strengthening Your Faith

The Apostle Paul wrote

‘…above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.’ (Eph 6:16, NKJV)

The Roman soldiers of Paul’s time knew how to care for their shields. They knew how to look after them, how to bear their weight, and how to hold them for maximum protection.

Paul reminds us that faith has to be ‘taken’ in order to be used. The Greek word is analambano (Strongs G353) and means to take up, to raise up in order to use.

Receive a fresh anointing as you declare today:

‘I am not wavering in unbelief regarding the promise of God, but I am strengthened in my faith. I am giving glory to God! I am fully persuaded that God has power to do what He has promised.’ [3]

4. Make Your Prophetic Declaration

As I continued watching the vision of the shield, the picture changed:

I saw that person in the battle, in close engagement with an enemy. Suddenly, that anointed shield shone so brightly it turned into a mirror.

Now, that enemy was facing a mirror image of himself in that shield. And what he saw dismayed him—for right behind him was an angel of the Lord; larger and stronger than he was and about to take him down!

As I prayed about this, I felt the mirrored shield was symbolic of the spoken declaration of our faith, prophesying the enemy’s downfall. I was reminded of the story of David and Goliath (1 Sam 17).

~Fear is when we listen to the enemy’s intended outcome for us
~Faith is when we declare to the enemy God’s intended outcome for him!

Your Faith is About to Knock the Enemy Back

Whatever you are facing, you can do this, because God has got this.

Today, you can be like David. When David stepped forward to fight the giant Goliath, the only shield he had was the shield of faith. In stark contrast, Goliath had a massive shield, carried before him by an armor bearer (1 Sam 17:7)

When David stepped out onto the battlefield, Goliath mocked and cursed him. But David was undaunted. He didn’t believe Goliath for a moment.

Instead, he declared God’s outcome for that battle.

That young shepherd boy prophesied Goliath’s downfall. And then, he unleashed his slingshot and cast that stone. Too quick for the enemy’s shield-bearer, David’s stone found its mark right in Goliath’s forehead.

Hear your Father saying:

‘I have a fresh anointing ready to release upon your faith! That enemy that has been resisting you will no longer hold you back. Instead, that enemy is about to get knocked back.’

Notes

[1] When we’re not out traveling or ministering, my husband and I love worshipping at our home church, which is Planetshakers Church here in Melbourne, Australia.

[2] DAVIS, J.G. Davis Dictionary Of The Bible. 1972. London: Pickering & Inglis

[3] Declaration based on Romans 4:21 ~ concerning Abraham’s faith

Related Post:

How to Receive Your Fresh Anointing

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© 2018 Helen Calder Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching
Enliven Ministries
In the David McCracken Ministries family

Helen Calder

Helen Calder is a prophetic minister and writer, and founder of Enliven Ministries. Helen has a unique gift of equipping in prophetic ministry and prayer. She is known for Enliven Blog (est. 2009), an online resource that reaches thousands of people globally.