Living as Pentecostal People
The Five-Fold Levels of the Anointing
The Five-Fold Levels of the Anointing
Ezekiel 47:1-10 & 2 Corinthians. 3:17-18
Be Continually Filled
 Every born-again, Spirit-filled child if God has the anointing upon
their life.
 However, each individual is responsible for keeping and increasing
the level of anointing. That is why some walk in a greater
anointing than others.
I.
The Word teaches Christians to be filled and continually filled
with God’s Spirit, thus ensuring a fresh outflow of the anointing
II. Ephesians 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is
dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
III.
It should be noted that after the outpouring of the Holy Ghost
recorded in Acts 2, the disciples experienced another outpouring
soon afterwards. Acts 4:31 31 And when they had prayed, the place where
they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

The Five-Fold Levels of Ezekiel
 Ezekiel’s prophecy gives believers a clear picture of how the level
of God’s presence and power can increase in the lives of His
people.
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 Water, streams and rivers often refer to the presence and flow of
God’s Spirit. The highest attainable level of God’s anointing is
represented by the waters which flow from God’s throne to
individuals, groups or nations, and is often referred to as the sea.
 Wherever these water go, they bring healing and life to the needy.
 Spirit-filled believers have rivers of living water flowing from their
innermost being. Because they are the New Testament temple of
the Holy Spirit, they are the source of God’s river. Ezekiel gives a
clear description of a five-fold level of the anointing upon every
Spirit-filled believer.
 Level 1 – Watching
Here Ezekiel watched the waters flow from the temple of God. Many
believers do not have the full revelation that they are the source of Life,
because they are the temple of God’s Spirit. So instead of activating the
life-source that resides within them, they become mere spectators of
God’s power. They watch how others flow with the anointing.
This represents people who know the way but are unwilling to take the
first step of commitment.
 Level 2 - Ankle Deep
Many believers only desire a shallow experience with God. Although
they are saved and Spirit-filled, they seldom go beyond that point and
live a carnal existence. They are not in a position to affect anyone
around them with the Gospel. To them, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is
a once-off experience. Thereafter, they seldom desire spiritual gifts and
spiritual anointing.
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 Level 3 - Knee deep
The knee deep level of the anointing is not much greater than the ankle
deep experience. However, it does indicate a deeper experience with
God. The knee represents prayer and could indicate a loyalty to the
things of God, but at the same time they dare not wander deeper in the
unknown realm of what God has for them.
 Level 4 - Waist Deep
The waist often refers to influence. This type of believer is active in the
things of God and interacts with others around them. They may even
have an active role in the local Church. They love the Lord and are
somewhat involved in the activities of the ministry. But it does indicate
an unwillingness to give everything.
The waist measures half of the body length, indicating a halfhearted approach to full surrender. This is the point where is Jesus
refers to those who are lukewarm Rev 3:16 So then, because you
are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,[a] I will vomit you out
of My mouth. And also those who must make a choice to either
submit everything to God or everything to the world Matthew 6:24
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one
and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and
despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
 Level 5 - Fully-Immersed
 This represents the believer who lives by faith and does not make
decisions according to outward appearances, but has absolute faith
in the voice of the Word and the Spirit.
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 These believers are those who produce fruit, who are led by the
Spirit Romans 8:14 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
these are sons of God. and are not influenced by the flesh or
natural surroundings. They are a blessing to others, bringing
light, hope, joy and healing to those who are yoked in bondage.
 They produce Kingdom fruit in their Christian walk and
experience a breakthrough relationship with the Holy Spirit.
Fresh Oil the Key to Growth
IV.
A key to growing in the Spirit is to ensure an acceptable Level
with fresh oil Psalm 92:1010 But my horn You have exalted like a wild
ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil.
V.
God told Moses that the anointing oil had to be fresh (Num.
11:8). King David asserts that the anointing of fresh oil upon his life
will ensure the defeat of his enemies Psalm 92:10-12 10 But my horn
You have exalted like a wild ox;
I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11 My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies;
My ears hear my desire on the wicked
Who rise up against me. 12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
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VI.
The same principle applies to the New Testament anointing of
the Holy Spirit. Believers who wish to be effective need to receive a
fresh outpouring of God’s anointing upon them Acts 4:13New King
James Version (NKJV)
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The Name of Jesus Forbidden
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Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that
they were uneducated and untrained men, they marvelled. And they
realized that they had been with Jesus.

The Five-Fold Levels of Anointing on King David
From the anointing performed upon David by Samuel the prophet (1
Sam. 6:1-13), David grew in his anointing and resultant authority and
influence.
I.
Anointing to Kill the Lion and the Bear
VII. After the first anointing, which took place among his brothers,
David killed a lion and a bear. God first tests believers with small
things before they are promoted Luke 16:10 10 He who is faithful in
what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least
is unjust also in much.
 Anointing to Defeat Goliath
 After his success in killing the lion and the bear, David overcame a
supernatural battle by killing Goliath. If he had not exercised his
Godly anointing by killing the lion and the bear, he would not have
had the courage to face Goliath (1 Sam. 17:34). No one took the
challenge of this Philistine, including King Saul. This brought
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about promotion and soon David was eating with King Saul and
ministering to him.
VIII. Anointing to Lead an Army
David's time in Saul's court developed him further. Evading murderous
threats and actions was an experience new to the shepherd boy turned
court minstrel.
 When personal elevation is due to God-given victories, a spirit of
jealousy can be released from those who once had the anointing
and who came to know the value of what they had only after they
had lost it.
 Pursued by a jealous King Saul, David fled to the cave of Adullam,
where his family joined him along with a number who were
distressed, in debt, or discontented.
 After many years of struggling to survive, during which he refused
to kill Saul, David faced his greatest test to stay alive as well as to
stay free of bitterness.
 The anointed upon his life kept him from harm by the thousands of
soldiers in Saul’s army, who were in hot pursuit of him every day.
But at the same time, he moved in the favour and power of God when he
pursued the Amalekites and recovered everything and everyone that had
been taken.
 David progressed beyond his first anointing - from shepherd boy to
national hero; from the leader of 400 rebels to a warrior able to
recover quickly from grief and win back more than he had lost.
Along the way,
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 David remained true to God's promise that he would fulfil his
divine purpose and Israel and refusing to fight King Saul, even
though he had the full mandate to rule when the prophet Samuel
poured oil on his head.
King of Judah
 Soon after, King Saul and three of his sons died in a fight with the
Philistines and David's life as a fugitive came suddenly to an end.
 Leading the distressed debt-ridden and the discontent misfits into a
400-strong fighting force developed David even more. Mastering
the temptation to kill Saul when the opportunity presented itself
did likewise.
 Defeating discouragement at Ziklag (1 Sam. 30:1), which was a
far greater giant than Goliath, was David's final, first-level step.
His days as a hated, hunted fugitive were at last over.
 Although anointed king by the prophet Samuel, David's initial
development in the anointing took place while hiding from Saul.
On learning of the king's death, David asked the Lord for direction
and was guided to Hebron which was a town belonging to Judah,
his own tribe.
 Then the men of Judah came to David and they anointed David
king over the house of Judah (2 Sam. 2:4).
 Although David was no longer a king without a kingdom, his reign
was to be a limited, tribal one for the next seven years. Judah was
much smaller than the kingdom God had promised him.
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 To David, however, a portion of the kingdom was better than no
kingdom at all. After having kept his family and 400 others safe
while being hunted in the wilderness, he could keep safe his family
and his followers in the territory of his own tribe.
King of Israel
 King David reigned for 40 years, from the age of 30 until the age
of 70. The waiting period from first to final recognition was at
least 20 years. Those were years spent developing in the anointing.
 However, this new level of responsibility brought change. Instead
of random skirmishes, there was a long war between the dynasties
of Saul and David. (2 Sam. 3:1) But as David grew stronger and
stronger, the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker because
David's house had an anointed king.
 Saul's dynasty died with Ishbosheth. All the tribes of Israel came to
David after the death of Saul’s son, Ishbosheth and recognised his
right to rule, and swore loyalty to him. Acknowledging his past
leadership and faithfulness to Saul, they also remembered that,
through the prophet Samuel, God had long before chosen him as
their rightful king (2 Sam. 5:3).
Successful Achievement
In just 20 years, David had developed in the anointing, from potential
king to nominal king to actual king. He had grown from shepherd to
warrior to ruler. He had been recognized by his family, his tribe and his
nation.
 It is possible to begin ministry as a person with potential, winning
small but important victories - as David did over the bear and the
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lion - without continuing to develop in the anointing. It is
important to go beyond the initial empowerment (Acts 2:4) and
develop a continuous relationship and intimacy with the Holy
Spirit.
 God’s anointed followers can and should develop in the anointing
by degrees. Experiences in the anointing are progressive and steps
to higher levels.
a. David's first steps were the killing of a lion and a bear, and
led him to the next level, the conquest of Goliath. Israel's
inability to face the giant Philistine was the result of the
nation's longtime failure to deal with its fears (Num. 13:33).
b. Many of David's actions portrayed those of the coming, greater
Son of David, Jesus Christ. David's victory over Goliath
portrayed Christ's victory over Satan. Since David was a
prophet, much of what he said and did was prophetic (Acts
2:25-31).
c. David was anointed three times - the second, among his tribe,
and the third, among his nation, confirming the first, which had
been among his family. Each was a further, and wider,
recognition of David's right to rule.
d. Although he was anointed five times, David did not have five
anointings! The Bible speaks of "the anointing" which is
singular in meaning. However, the gifts are plural. One
anointing but many expressions.
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Level of the Anointing upon Jesus
 Jesus functioned and flowed in the anointing. Obviously, Jesus was
flowing according to the will of God.
 He also determined how much anointing to flow in at a particular
time and place. Sometimes when God tells Him to flow in a sign,
He will demonstrate a sign. In Mark 5, when the woman with the
issue of blood for twelve years touched His garment, the anointing
flowed out of Him and healed her. Jesus knew that the anointing
had flowed through His life.
 He knew how the anointing came upon His life and how the
anointing can flow out of Him.
 Jesus acknowledged God’s anointing upon Him (Luke 4:18). He
was announcing it. He was telling it to the people using Scriptures
from the prophet Isaiah that the anointing was upon His life for the
people. It is for the people to exercise their faith, believe it, and
then receive the anointing of God into their lives.
 In the same manner when people are not sensitive to the anointing
of God, they would not know what it is like when it is present.
Levels of the Anointing upon Believers
1. Measure Upon Measure
 Believers must learn to be sensitive to the anointing. God anointed
Jesus without measure. However, He gives the anointing by
measures to His own.
 The anointing upon the lives of Christians is increased measure
upon measure, as they grow and prove their faithfulness to the
anointing.
 The fullest potential of the anointing is the anointing without
measure which is the same as the anointing upon Jesus’ life.
 The potential is there, but can only be attained through effective
growth.
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2. Without Measure
 Believers will do greater works than what Jesus did (Jn. 14:12).
This implies that now the Holy Spirit is sent without measure.
 The Holy Spirit has been sent in Acts 2 as prophesied without
measure. He is now pouring out on all flesh.
 The potential is there for people to reach into that measureless
anointing that Jesus had.
 Some people have moved in their respective office to a realm quite
close to that. As they move into the anointing, they must move
exactly as God shows them. No more and no less.
 There have been men and women who have moved into levels of
anointing close to the level of Jesus Christ in the office God has
called them.
 Every minister called by God should aspire to reach into that
anointing without measure.
 However there are principles to move into that measureless
anointing. All start with a measure of anointing God placed on our
lives.
 God does not give an anointing without measure immediately.
There must be testing; there must be proving and there must be
faithfulness shown.
 God will give a deposit of anointing upon a believer’s life up to a
certain level. As they are faithful in it and function effectively in it,
then God gives another measure. Then at that greater measure God
will tests their faithfulness.
 The Corinthians had the gifts of God but they were not operating
them perfectly.
 This shows us that the operation and perfection of the gift depend
on us not on God.
 Paul never question that the gifts that the Corinthians had were not
from God. He acknowledged that they were from God but he wrote
that he would show them a more perfect way to operate those gifts.
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 The operation and perfection of a gift depends on us not on God. It
is our responsibility.
3. The Anointing is measured
 The anointing can be measured. The anointing enables one to do
the works of Jesus.
 The anointing can be increased. Just as believers grow from faith
to faith, from glory to glory, and from grace to grace, so do they
also grow in the level of anointing in their lives.
 In addition, the Holy Spirit is received in measures. The amount
and the level of anointing that operates in a believer can be
measured.
 There are different degrees, different measures of the anointing.
4. Factors Affecting the Level of the Anointing in a Meeting.
The Will of God
 When the anointing upon is not functional upon a Christian’s life,
it will be lifted off. It will not be present all the time.
 The anointing functions according to the will of God as the Spirit
wills. It depends on the will of God whether God wants to manifest
supernaturally at that moment in time or not.
 If there is no need for the anointing to manifest then the anointing
will not manifest.
 The anointing comes only when there is a need for it. It depends on
the will of God to manifest the anointing although the fullest
potential is available.
 Preparedness
 The level of the anointing will vary according to a believer’s
preparedness.
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 Sometimes, Christians are more prepared than at other times.
Sometimes they may be able to spend time waiting on God more
than other times. It is important to spend time in fellowship and
intimacy with God in order to build up a preparedness to move
when the Spirit moves.
 By being prepared, Christians are more able to tap into the full
measure of the anointing upon their life.
 There is a price to pay in anointed ministry, such as waiting upon
the Lord, praying, fasting, studying the Word and seeking the mind
of the Spirit.
 There are sacrifices that have to be made in order to walk in God’s
fullness.
 Preparedness affects the anointing of God upon an individual’s
life. When God places a call upon a person, he expects total
submission. This almost always means turning off the voice of the
flesh. Jesus said that He sanctified Himself for the purpose of
anointed ministry (Jn. 17).
 He consecrated Himself because He had such a high mission for
the sheep. He gave Himself entirely to the Lord.
 Expectancy Level
 When people are expectant, there is the potential to operate at a
higher level.
 Jesus could do no mighty works in His own city, because the
people there did not receive Him. They were offended at Him and
that stopped the flow of God’s anointing (Matt. 13:58)
 Many people were healed when the expectancy was high and the
power of God was present to heal them (Luke 5:17).
 Some people pay a high price to receive their miracle. They may
have to push through the crowd like the woman with the issue of
blood (Matt. 5:25). Or they may have to shout to draw attention to
their plight (Matt. 20:30).
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 Some may have travelled long distances with the hope of
receiving a touch from God.
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