Oil of Gladness

When you think about Jesus, what comes to your mind? Is it Jesus teaching or healing? Or, perhaps you think of Jesus, the suffering servant in the Garden of Gethsemane, submitting His will to the Father.  For many, they think of Jesus on the cross.  

Hebrews 1:8-9 points to a wonderful visual of Christ, “But of the Son He says, ‘…Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your companions.'”

Isn’t that a wonderful image for us to think of—Jesus anointed with the oil of gladness above all others? What does that mean? The words “anointed with” are often used in reference to the Holy Spirit being upon a person. We know from Galatians 5:22 that joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Joy. Gladness. Jesus is anointed with the Holy Spirit, with gladness, joy “above” others. And rightly so. He accomplished what no one else could do. He paid mankind’s sin debt. He obtained salvation for all who call on Him. Jesus is overjoyed…more than anyone else on earth or in heaven. 

But there’s more. Isaiah 61:3 prophesies that Jesus Messiah would give, “The oil of gladness instead of mourning, the cloak of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.” Jesus, having accomplished salvation for all who call on Him, pours out the Holy Spirit and His joy on others (Acts 1:8).

If you’re disheartened, remember Jesus, anointed with the oil of gladness. Ask Him to fill you with His gladness. Then, let His joy flow through you to others.

Lord Jesus, I praise You, anointed with the OIL OF GLADNESS above others. Overflow Your gladness on and through me so others see and believe in You.

Would you like to learn more about walking by the Holy Spirit? Listen to these free podcast teachings: “Listen UP! 31 Points Every Christian Should Know About the Holy Spirit.”

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When you think about Jesus, what do you envision? A body hanging on a cross? I hope not. Although we begin our relationship with Jesus by acknowledging His death on the cross on our behalf, there’s more to our relationship with Him. We also need to see Him resurrected, ascended, sitting at the right hand of the Father. And, by the way, we need to see Him anointed with the oil of gladness. “What?” you may ask. Hebrews 1:8-9 explains. “But of the SON He says, …Your God has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your companions.’” What does it mean that Jesus is anointed with the oil of gladness? It means joy is poured out all over Him. He’s rendered the devil and death powerless. He’s freed we who were held captive in sin. (Hebrews 2:14-15) Jesus accomplished what He intended to do – save us. He is full of joy. If you’re ever dragging through your day, discouraged or down, look toward heaven and remember that Christ, who is anointed with the oil of gladness, has you safe and secure in His hand. You will one day share in the glad salvation He has prepared for you. In the meantime, ask Him to fill you with gladness. Share His gladness with others who are down and out.

Lord Jesus, anointed with the oil of gladness, pour your anointing in and through us so others see and believe in You.

“But of the Son He says,

When you think about Jesus, what do you picture in your mind? A body hanging on a cross? I hope not. Although we need to begin our relationship with Jesus by acknowledging His death on our behalf, there’s more to our relationship with Him. We also need to see Him resurrected, sitting at the right hand of the Father. And, by the way, He’s glad. He’s overjoyed! Why? The kingdom is His. He’s rendered the devil and death powerless (Hebrews 2:14). We’re saved. We’re safe in His presence, where we find fullness of joy.

If we realize that we’re dragging through our day and are discouraged, we can do something about it. We can look toward heaven and remember that the oil of gladness is flowing over Christ because salvation has come to us. We can ask Him to fill us with the oil of gladness so it pours through us to others.

Lord Jesus, we praise You for our salvation. Fill us with the OIL OF GLADNESS so others see and believe in You.

“But of the SON He says,

Hebrews 1:8-9

Recently, I watched a friend prepare a salad. First, she washed and dried the lettuce leaves. Next she tore them into pieces. But the salad wasn’t ready to be served. She took a bottle of olive oil and poured it on the lettuce to flavor it. As Christians, Christ has washed us and put us in places of service in our homes and work places. Sometimes we may feel as the lettuce – torn and shredded. But we must always remember that Christ, whom God anointed with the OIL OF GLADNESS, lives in us. We can pray, “pour Yourself upon me.” When we do, we’ll experience Christ’s OIL OF GLADNESS giving our lives a heavenly flavor…even if we’re torn and shredded.

Lord Jesus Christ, I praise You! Pour Your OIL of GLADNESS upon me so others taste the joy of You in my life.