In What Ways do you Feel the Anointing on a Person?

Its not what you sense, its what is revealed by the Holy Ghost.

If we read the New Testament correctly, the baptism in the Spirit is the anointing and it does not come and go. It is there permanently. It is not an emotion or a "sense" or feeling of any kind. We were anointed when we were born again. It is the authority that we have received as sons of God. So, a person remains anointed because as a son of God he has an abiding relationship with Christ living inside of him. The idea of some type of anointing that comes and goes is an Old Covenant thing and is no longer applicable and anyone who maintains that mind set is still thinking in the Old Covenant and does not realise yet that he is a New Covenant believer who has the Holy Spirit living permanently within him.

Therefore a person is not "anointed" to lead worship. There is no such thing, because it is nowhere mentioned in the New Testament. It is a theoretical construct dreamed by religious people to explain why they feel good in church services sometimes. The nice feeling in church services is also not mentioned in the New Testament either, so it is a non-Biblical concept and therefore very low on the importance scale when thinking of our service to Christ.

It is not what we "feel" during church services that edifies, it is what is said. That is what Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 14.

If people are looking for emotions and feelings, the devil is always there to give it to them to get their minds on themselves and away from Christ.

God most certainly does call one person to do one thing, and another person to do something else. This is shown throughout the entire Bible. Obedience to God brings His approval, disobedience brings something else.

It doesn't matter if we call it "the anointing" or not. The fact is, that it exists. When someone is faithful to do what God has asked them to do, God's power is upon them. This is evident in certain ways.

To answer the OP's question, a lot of time the "signature of God's approval" just looks like human talent and ability. Benny Hinn tells of how he was called to ministry, but always spoke with a stutter. Once "the anointing" was upon him to preach, the stutter went away. So, one way to tell if God's doing something, might be to get to know the natural abilities of the person He's using. If they can't play a thing without the Holy Spirit's help, then there might be something special to their music.

Otherwise, we do learn over time how to discern the "special circumstances of God's power". (Why can't we just call it "the anointing???" lol) This is something that comes with spiritual maturity. We sense and feel His presence time and time again, so eventually we just know when we hear the Shepherd's voice. This is the purpose of the Prophetic ministry, imo. That we have prophets to help us lean how to hear God for ourselves. Rather than grow dependent on prophets to always stand between us and God, we really just need to learn how to hear Him ourselves.

Oscarr said:

Under the old covenant different people were anointed to do different things. Under the new covenant we are permanently anointed with the fullness of Christ and can do anything to bring the gospel to the the lost just the same as Jesus did. We are so one with Jesus then as He was in the world so are we. We minister as the representatives of Jesus. Jesus said what He was anointed for and it was not for running worship in religious services. As we are Jesus in the world now through the baptism in the Spirit we are anointed in the same way. We are anointed with the authority of the name of Jesus and we are given the ability to use that name to bring the gospel, including healing and setting the captives free through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. We have total freedom to use any supernatural resource that is available to accomplish it. Specific anointing to do certain things like to lead worship services is an invention not supported by scripture. Anointing comes before empowerment. Jesus said that the Spirit was upon Him BECAUSE He was anointed, not the other way around. Read the wording of the scripture.

Therefore anointing is not empowerment, nor is it a fuzzy wuzzy feeling someone gets in a worship service. It is the appointment of sonship in Christ.

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I think we're comparing apples with oranges. When people started calling a certain something "the anointing" it wasn't based upon a deep theological study of the scriptures. It was based upon working with the Holy Spirit, and needing a word to identify this certain thing. So, it started to be called "the anointing."

Theologically I can agree with you that this might have been a bad choice of words. However, this certain something most definitely exists! If you take a look at two worship leaders, and one is submitted to God and listens closely to the promptings of the Holy Spirit while he plays...

While the other operates in the flesh and is only looking for the praises of Man... Then there definitely is something spiritually significant about how the guy who submits to the Spirit does his job!

I don't think the Early Church ever had to make the distinction. They wouldn't put up with it for a second having preachers and worship leaders "performing" in front of the church! But today that is the norm; due to thousands of years of church services without anyone bothering to submit themselves to the Holy Spirit.


Many people want us to doubt. They want to tell us that it's not the Holy Spirit we sense, but just emotion. They want to justify their spiritually dry religious traditions by telling us that we have nothing different than they do.

Tobias said:

I think we're comparing apples with oranges. When people started calling a certain something "the anointing" it wasn't based upon a deep theological study of the scriptures. It was based upon working with the Holy Spirit, and needing a word to identify this certain thing. So, it started to be called "the anointing."

Theologically I can agree with you that this might have been a bad choice of words. However, this certain something most definitely exists! If you take a look at two worship leaders, and one is submitted to God and listens closely to the promptings of the Holy Spirit while he plays...

While the other operates in the flesh and is only looking for the praises of Man... Then there definitely is something spiritually significant about how the guy who submits to the Spirit does his job!

I don't think the Early Church ever had to make the distinction. They wouldn't put up with it for a second having preachers and worship leaders "performing" in front of the church! But today that is the norm; due to thousands of years of church services without anyone bothering to submit themselves to the Holy Spirit.


Many people want us to doubt. They want to tell us that it's not the Holy Spirit we sense, but just emotion. They want to justify their spiritually dry religious traditions by telling us that we have nothing different than they do.

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What you are observing is not anointing as it is defined in scripture. This is not theology it is plain New Testament scripture. Your definition of anointing is actually Charismatic theology not scripture. What you are seeing is Holy Spirit empowered ability. We all share the same anointing but are given different abilities as the Spirit wills. We are not anointed with a gift but because we are anointed to be in Christ we are given specific gifts to do the work of Christ.

Tobias said:

I think we're comparing apples with oranges. When people started calling a certain something "the anointing" it wasn't based upon a deep theological study of the scriptures. It was based upon working with the Holy Spirit, and needing a word to identify this certain thing. So, it started to be called "the anointing."

Theologically I can agree with you that this might have been a bad choice of words. However, this certain something most definitely exists! If you take a look at two worship leaders, and one is submitted to God and listens closely to the promptings of the Holy Spirit while he plays...

While the other operates in the flesh and is only looking for the praises of Man... Then there definitely is something spiritually significant about how the guy who submits to the Spirit does his job!

I don't think the Early Church ever had to make the distinction. They wouldn't put up with it for a second having preachers and worship leaders "performing" in front of the church! But today that is the norm; due to thousands of years of church services without anyone bothering to submit themselves to the Holy Spirit.


Many people want us to doubt. They want to tell us that it's not the Holy Spirit we sense, but just emotion. They want to justify their spiritually dry religious traditions by telling us that we have nothing different than they do.

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I disagree with the entire premise of an anointing or the anointing.

We are really just the children of God. It is God in us that allows any of us to be anything that others think is special. When we assign a category to the gifts of God that we have RECEIVED or the effects of the fruit of the spirit in our life that others see, we are walking a slippery slope.

We give God glory when we disclose that it is HIM in us, not us or our gifts.

I primarily agree with Oscar's comments. It is the Lord that does all good through us, not anything we have or are, lest any man boast.

Anointing is not a word I ever use.

I can say that I had the privilege of being invited to a bible study in a pentecostal church many years ago. The teacher was a very young man just out of bible college. From the very first word he spoke through the entire hour long study I had a particularly strong sense that The Holy Ghost was all over me. He spoke very softly and one could sense that he was humbling himself before God as he teached. I can't think of a better way to put it. I just knew that I knew that he had the anointing as he taught.
I was devastated when he took another position far away from my hometown. How I wish he had stayed. He was able to reawaken the experience God poured out on me when I first told another believer I'd gotten saved 2 weeks prior.
My guess is that many enter into a ministry they were not called by God to take. He was called. He was called.

The "anointing" is God's Presence through the Holy Spirit on a person.

His presence when there is easily discernible.

When a person is attempting to minister and God's Presence is not there.

It is all "flat".

That "anointing" comes upon a person to witness.

Doesn't not matter the form the "witnessing" takes.

Once the witness is completed the "anointing", or Presence subsides.

It does not remain upon the person, but is always available when needed for witnessing.

Optimax said:

The "anointing" is God's Presence through the Holy Spirit on a person.

His presence when there is easily discernible.

When a person is attempting to minister and God's Presence is not there.

It is all "flat".

That "anointing" comes upon a person to witness.

Doesn't not matter the form the "witnessing" takes.

Once the witness is completed the "anointing", or Presence subsides.

It does not remain upon the person, but is always available when needed for witnessing.

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I can see that being a possiblity.

How does that co-relate back to those who say they are 'annointed'? I've never heard anyone say that they lost that annointing after the Holy Spirit left.

ToBeBlessed said:

I can see that being a possiblity.

How does that co-relate back to those who say they are 'annointed'? I've never heard anyone say that they lost that annointing after the Holy Spirit left.

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The "anointing" is not lost.

It is there available but not "active".

It becomes "active" or comes upon a person when they "witness" in some form.

That power or "anointing" first became available here.

Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. KJV

There is also the tangible presence of God in times of worship. When a group of believers sign worship to God and there is a 'corporate' anointing.

It's not about us, but Him.

Missyjojo88 said:

When it comes to your worship team or leaders in your church how do you sense the anointing in them? I heard some people say they feel a river of living water coming from the person that is leading the worship team.

Have you ever felt that river of living water coming from someone other than yourself? How does it feel like to sense the anointing coming from another person? Also what other ways do you sense the anointing on a person without it being based on the person's ability to tap into one's emotional through their singing abilities?

Also why is it that others can claim they sense the anointing on a person, but the person themselves cannot sense God's anointing on them?

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Well if someone who's anointed prays for you you notice it and also when someone preaches, also Derek Prince or Corrie ten Boom on youtube, immediately I sense that anointing and the Holy Spirit, although they're already in heaven.

I still don't like that word.

It seems that if I was out looking for someone annointed I would find one. Seems more of a way of people to view other people than about God.

ToBeBlessed said:

I still don't like that word.

It seems that if I was out looking for someone annointed I would find one. Seems more of a way of people to view other people than about God.

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Every christian is "anointed".

Some are more developed in operating in an "anointing" than others.

1 John 2:27
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. KJV

It try not to trust feelings much in determining a person or the truth inside them. If i feel joy then that's a good thing but i look for truth and sincerity in a persons heart through their words. I tend to shy away from what people today call the anointing. The anointing to me is the spirit of truth which Jesus promised in John 14. Its a leading of Gods spirit but not necessarily feelings or sensations. Why would one person bring joy by singing a song while another does not? I have felt joy while hearing a recorded hymn but when i hear it again later i dont feel quite the same sensation. Its the same song, same person singing it, but not the same feeling. Im just not sure i would follow this idea of feeling the anointing.

Souldier said:

It try not to trust feelings much in determining a person or the truth inside them. If i feel joy then that's a good thing but i look for truth and sincerity in a persons heart through their words. I tend to shy away from what people today call the anointing. The anointing to me is the spirit of truth which Jesus promised in John 14. Its a leading of Gods spirit but not necessarily feelings or sensations. Why would one person bring joy by singing a song while another does not? I have felt joy while hearing a recorded hymn but when i hear it again later i dont feel quite the same sensation. Its the same song, same person singing it, but not the same feeling. Im just not sure i would follow this idea of feeling the anointing.

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It's not about feeling a tingling, but more sense His Presence very strong.

Messy said:

It's not about feeling a tingling, but more sense His Presence very strong.

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I think i may know the feeling, and if it is the Lord then perhaps we cannot judge a person by that feeling. The anointing is within us not the singer or the speaker that is ministering at the time we feel it..
As i said before though, i just dont feel comfortable following feelings, i follow truth. Maybe this is a mistake on my part, i cant say.