Understanding Anointing Oil in Spiritual Warfare

Anointing oil was used for a variety of reasons in Hebraic culture. God intended it to symbolize His blessing poured out upon His people–His Spirit covering them in prayer, battle, worship, and their thoughts and actions. 

Anointing oil in spiritual warfare and any part of a Believer’s life represents sanctification, divine protection, and Christ’s power within us.  

The use of anointing oil is deeply rooted in biblical tradition and was an essential practice from healing the sick to the dedication of priests. 

You Are Anointed as a King and a Priest 

As a Believer, you are anointed with the Holy Spirit. He sanctifies, or sets you apart, and aligns you with God. You are anointed as a king and a priest, carrying the King-Priest anointing!   

• “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…”—1 Peter 2:9 (emphasis added)
• “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”—2 Corinthians 1:20-22 (emphasis added)
• “… To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”—Revelation 1:5-6 (emphasis added)

Because of this King-Priest anointing, we can walk in Kingdom alignment to live in the fullness of our salvation—not defeated, doubtful, and depressed. 

When using anointing oil in spiritual warfare, you must understand that oil possesses no supernatural qualities. It is a tool from the Lord that we can use to speak to the spiritual realm. 

Remember, we do not war against flesh and blood. We war against dark forces and overcome them in the spirit.  

• “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”—2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (emphasis added)

The Enemy Looks for Legal Access and Open Doors

God’s Word is clear. When you walk in agreement with Him and heed His instruction, you are blessed (see Deuteronomy 28). 

He is also clear about curses that have legal access to us. 

When you choose to walk according to your carnal mind, you are coming out of agreement with the Lord. He no longer is first in your heart and soul, giving the devil a foothold. This opens a door–either known or unknown–and gives him access.

• “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…”—Deuteronomy 28:15

The Word describes the curses that will come upon those out of alignment. These curses range from confusion in the land to illnesses in the body.  

Using Anointing Oil in Spiritual Warfare Makes a Statement

Using anointing oil in spiritual warfare proclaims, “I am a co-heir with Christ and I have an inheritance in the Lord. I agree with the promises of God written in His book. I am calling on these heavenly promises to be drawn down to earth in my life for His name’s sake.”

In other words…

You are telling the evil powers of this world that you are not only seated with God in the heavenly places (in the spirit), but you are aligning your soul—mind, will, and emotions—with Him in the physical. 

You are taking what is written in the heavenly books and asking that they be manifested through your earthen vessel—your body. 

You are telling the spiritual realm that you recognize and agree that you are anointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in…

• Divine healing
• Divine protection 
• Divine knowledge
• Divine power and authority

Spiritual Warfare & Anointing Oil for Healing

The enemy wants to rob you of good health. 

The enemy wants to rob you of your health. He does this through family curses and negative thought patterns. 

We must anoint our hearts—spiritually and physically—to guard them. When our hearts are in line with God’s Word about our health, we represent His divine glory instead of being overcome by depressive doubt.

• “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…”—Proverbs 23:7
• “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”—Proverbs 4:23

Satan will tempt you into negative thinking. You must take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ (see 2 Corinthians 10:5-6). 

Come into agreement with God’s Word and anoint. Intentionally set yourself apart for His purposes.

• “…[the Lord] said, ‘If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.’”—Exodus 15:26
• “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.”—James 5:14

Spiritual Warfare & Anointing Oil for Protection

The enemy wants you to forget God’s goodness.  

The enemy wants you to step out from under God’s divine protection. He wants you to forget the price Jesus paid and the blood He shed on your behalf. 

Satan wants you to forget about how the Holy Spirit leads you through the valley of the shadow of death, protecting you from evil.  

You have the Holy Spirit who has anointed you.

• “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”—Acts 2:38

Notice here that Peter said, “Repent…” The Hebrew word for repent is teshuvah, which literally means to return. 

If you sense that you are unprotected or the enemy is trying to destroy your protection, repent first and turn back to the Lord. Step into His presence and seek Him. 

Anoint your shield of protection when the enemy is prowling around looking to devour.

• “Prepare the table, set a watchman in the tower, eat and drink. Arise, you princes, anoint the shield!”—Isaiah 21:5

“Anointing your shield” describes preparations for battle. Soldiers would rub oil on the leather of their shields so they would be agile and prepared for war. 

We know from Ephesians 6 that we have the shield of faith. So then, to anoint your shield would be intentionally using the anointing oil in prayer to claim the protection of God over your life, reminding the enemy he has nothing on you because your faith is in Christ alone.

Spiritual Warfare & Anointing Oil for Godly Protection

The enemy wants you to think God is keeping knowledge and wisdom from you.

If Satan can make you think God is keeping something from you, he has changed your view of a good Father. This was how he attacked Eve in the garden (see Genesis 3:1-5). 

But God’s Word reminds us that Christ did not leave us as orphans, but instead gave us a Helper, the Holy Spirit who anoints us (see John 14:16-18). 

Remember, God holds nothing back, giving you more than you can ask and blesses you with every spiritual blessing (see Ephesians 1:3, 3:20). 

You are anointed for a purpose, and He will guide you into all truth. Agree with God’s Word and anoint yourself with oil. 

• “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”—John 16:13
• “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.”—1 John 2:20

Spiritual Warfare & Anointing Oil for Kingdom Power and Authority 

The enemy wants you to underestimate the power you’ve been given. 

When you begin to understand how real and powerful God’s Word is, Satan will start to tell you it is all theoretical. If He can make you think that God’s Word is true only in theory, then he knows you won’t actually try to apply it practically.  

Satan wants to keep you from using the power you have in Christ. 

However, Jesus instructed us to pray for things that are written in Heaven—which we know is already stated in God’s Word. He said to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” (Matthew 6:10). 

Jesus said…

• “… ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.’”—Luke 10:18-19 (emphasis added)

Behold is a key word in this statement. In other words, Jesus is saying, “Listen up. What I am about to say is not only important, it is key to living a life of victory and tapping into My power.”

You are to live anointed and empowered. You are anointed as a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession called out of the darkness and into the light. 

Jesus proclaimed the prophet Isaiah’s words…

• “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because he has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed;”—Luke 4:18

Anoint yourself and agree that you are free in Christ. By this action step, you are setting free any part of you that has been held captive, and the darkness that once consumed you no longer is a master over you. 

As a result, you can now see and are empowered to give a message of hope, divinely displaying what Christ’s freedom looks like. 

Jesus explained to the disciples that the words He spoke were from the authority of the Father (see John 14:10). 

• “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”—John 14:12-14

He imparted that same authority to Believers. It is time you understand your anointing. It is time to pray powerful prayers that declare to the spiritual realm God is for you, not against you… prayers that will keep His covenant promise and empower you to do His will.  

Use anointing oil in spiritual warfare to engage the physical realm and align it with the spiritual realm!