Throughout Scripture, oil was used to anoint people for many reasons. Typically, it was part of their calling to represent God in the earth. Priests, kings, prophets and temples were anointed as a sign that they were being set apart for God and His purposes. In 1 Samuel 16:13, for example, the prophet Samuel anointed David the shepherd boy as the future king of Israel. Interestingly, people were also anointed for burial, for medicinal reasons and as a part of personal hygiene. In John 12:1-8, six days before Passover, Jesus visited Lazarus, Mary and Martha in their home. While He was there, Mary anointed Jesus’ feet, and when Judas questioned her use of such costly oil, Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial” (verse 7, NKJV).
Today, we most often use oil to anoint someone when they are battling sickness or disease. We do this in obedience to the Word in James 5, and we use any kind of oil, such as olive oil or another easily accessible type. The Word instructs us: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up” (verses 13-15, NKJV).
The Impact of Anointing With Oil
In recent years, Kenneth Copeland noticed a small spot on his hand that had begun to itch. When he naturally scratched it, not only did it become inflamed, but it also began to hurt. Having it looked at by a doctor and biopsied, he learned that it was malignant. Following the instructions in God’s Word, he called for “the elders of the church to pray over him.” In the context of this scripture, the elders were the leaders of the church.
So, Brother Copeland called his pastors, George and Terri Pearsons, and shared what he was facing. The family gathered in his kitchen: Gloria and a dear friend of Gloria’s, Pastors George and Terri, with John and Kellie Copeland on the phone. For the Copeland family, it was a time to come together in faith and agreement for Brother Copeland’s healing, and take a stand against the diagnosis he’d been given.
The Word promises us that “if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:19-20, NKJV).
Understanding this and James 5:13-14, Pastor George led everyone in prayer, and as he did, he took a drop of oil from a small bottle and put it on his finger. Then he touched it to the spot on Kenneth’s hand. When he did, Kenneth said that a shock went through him, and immediately he began to laugh and say, “Glory to God! That did it!”
A Point of Contact
Now, the oil didn’t perform the healing, because healing comes from God. However, using the oil like Pastor George did it is what we call a “point of contact.” That is something you use to focus and release your faith. It’s an action taken that God honors and is symbolic. For example, Kenneth has often spoken of his mother praying for him when he was a young man living at home. When he was out, she often would take his pillow, wrap her arms around it, and walk as she prayed for him. When she was through praying, she would put it back on his bed. For his mother, this was a point of contact. It was something used to focus her faith while praying for Kenneth.
Likewise, when it comes to anointing someone with oil, the oil itself doesn’t have healing properties. As we release our faith and take the action of anointing with oil in obedience to God’s Word, healing comes from God. We use the oil as a physical point of contact as we connect with God’s healing power.
Testify
When Kenneth had the spot rechecked medically, the doctor shaved off a portion of the skin and examined it for cancer cells—and there were none. To this day, Kenneth has a scar to remind him of God’s healing power and faithfulness to heal when we follow His instructions to “call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14, NKJV). As we do the same, our lives will also testify of the power of God to save and heal!