No Anointing is Above the Anointer
Verses:1 Kings 18:30-32
"Then Elijah said to all the people, 'Come near to me.' And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, 'Israel shall be your name,' and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed.'"
Elijah stood on Mount Carmel, facing a nation that had turned away from God. The altar of the Lord was broken, and the people had forgotten His precepts. Yet, in this moment of great tension and expectation, Elijah did not act out of his own audacity or presumption. He could have taken matters into his own hands, building an altar according to his own plan, believing that his anointing gave him the freedom to do as he pleased. But he did not. Instead, he humbly and diligently followed God’s instructions, rebuilding the altar according to the divine pattern. This act of obedience was not just about stones and sacrifices; it was a profound demonstration of Elijah’s submission to the will of God.
Elijah was a man of boldness and courage, but his audacity was never directed toward God. He understood that no anointing, no matter how powerful, could ever place him above the Anointer. He could have misinterpreted his calling as a license to act independently, thinking that God’s favor granted him the freedom to bypass His stipulations. But Elijah knew better. He recognized that God’s commands were not restrictions but boundaries designed to bring us closer to Him. These limits are not meant to confine us but to create a space where we can truly encounter His presence.
In our walk with God, it is easy to fall into the trap of spiritual audacity. We may begin to feel that our anointing or calling gives us the right to operate beyond God’s prescribed limits. We might chase after extraordinary experiences, seeking to push the boundaries of what is permissible in our relationship with God. But Elijah’s example reminds us that true spirituality is not about testing the limits of God’s patience or grace. It is about honoring His precepts, even when the world around us has abandoned them. It is about rebuilding the broken altars of obedience and worship, not according to our own plans but according to His Word.
God’s stipulations are not arbitrary rules; they are the pathways to His presence. When Elijah rebuilt the altar with twelve stones, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, he was not just following a ritual. He was restoring the covenant relationship between God and His people. He was declaring that no matter how broken the system, no matter how far the people had strayed, God’s ways remained the only way back to Him. And when Elijah honored God’s limits, God honored him. Fire fell from heaven, consuming the sacrifice and proving that the Lord alone is God.
This is a powerful lesson for us today. We must never allow our anointing or spiritual experiences to make us feel superior to God’s commands. Our audacity, if not tempered by humility, can quickly turn into mockery. We must seek not the freedom to push boundaries but the wisdom to recognize and respect the limits God has set. These limits are not barriers to our spiritual growth; they are the very means by which we draw near to Him.
The broken altar on Carmel serves as a metaphor for our own lives. There may be areas where we have neglected God’s precepts, where His commands are no longer prevalent. But like Elijah, we are called to rebuild. We are called to restore the systems of obedience and honor, even when it seems inconvenient or outdated. When we do this, we create a space for God to move. Carmel will be set on fire not by our audacity but by our faithfulness.
Are we willing to follow Elijah’s example? Are we ready to humble ourselves, to rebuild the altars of obedience, and to honor God’s limits? Let us not seek to go beyond what He has permitted but to dwell within the boundaries of His will. For it is there, in the place of humble submission, that we will encounter His presence and power.
Prayer:
Lord, we come before You, acknowledging that too often we have sought to push beyond the limits You have set. Forgive us for the times we have used our anointing as a license for independence rather than a call to obedience. Help us to rebuild the broken altars in our lives, to restore the systems of honor and worship that bring You glory. Teach us to walk humbly before You, recognizing that no anointing is above the Anointer. May we find joy and fulfillment in honoring Your precepts, and may our faithfulness draw others to Your presence. Amen.