What is the anointing of the Holy Spirit?
"Anointing" is the Bible’s picture of the Spirit setting apart and empowering God’s people. Once a special endowment for kings and prophets, it is now poured on every believer who belongs to Christ.
In the Old Testament, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil as a sign of God’s call. The oil symbolized the Spirit consecrating them for their task.
Jesus is the supreme Anointed One — that is what "Christ" and "Messiah" mean. He read Isaiah 61 of himself: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me."
And now, John writes, "you have an anointing from the Holy One" (1 John 2:20). Every believer is anointed, set apart for God’s purposes, and equipped by his Spirit.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.