Ceaseless Supply of Oil

(Zechariah 4:6 KJV) Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. 

True power can only come from the Spirit of God. Even when Pilate told Jesus that he had the “power to crucify Him,” Jesus’ response to Pilate was that he had no power “...unless it had been given you from above...” (John 19:10-11 NAS).

That being the case, then one would assume that the power that man has either comes from God or it is human power which is a product of the flesh.

The difference between these two powers is that God’s power produces life and comfort, whereas man’s power usually produces fear and intimidation. God’s power also produces anointing. The word anointing means “greasy fat” which implies that when God is with you that there is a “ceaseless supply of oil.”

There seems to be those who walk so close to God that they too have a “ceaseless supply of oil” like God. Such was the case with a little lady I once knew who lived in a small town in East Texas.

I am not sure that she ever went past the eighth or ninth grade in school, but she had unusual wisdom. Her wisdom was not contrived by vain imagination, but by the Spirit of God.

As a result of her anointing, there seemed to always be a stream of folks dropping by her simple little home—which she commonly referred to as her shack—to be enriched by her wisdom. If there was ever a classic example of one who had a “ceaseless supply of oil” (anointing), it had to be her. The wisdom she possessed may have at first seemed to be homespun, but it did not take long to realize that the power behind it came directly from the Spirit of God. She expected a miracle each time she prayed.

Even though this “one of a kind” precious soul went home to be with the Lord many years ago, I still study and think about her life, her faith...and above all her “ceaseless supply of oil.” I have come to the conclusion that one can only learn about life by living it. One can only learn about faith by reading or hearing the Word of God. One can only possess a “ceaseless supply of oil” by walking very close to the source of that oil (which is the Lord).

Over the years I have known many men and women who were highly educated in the Scriptures. They could divide the “Word of God” and tell you the length, breath and the depth of every syllable. I highly respect each of these theologian types who have given their lives to learning the depth of the Bible. However, when it comes to the “ceaseless supply of oil” I would rather be mentored by the little old woman from East Texas.

Father,

I thank You for showing us that You really do take “...the foolish things of the world to confound the wise...” as You said in your Word. Lord, help each of us to lay aside that which we think we know about the Word and walk close to the “ceaseless supply of oil” which is the Word. 

Amen