I am not an auto mechanic!  I know very little about cars, let alone trying to fix them.  I don’t even do my own oil changes, as simple as that seems to be.  And I’m glad!  After oil, the oil change experts of the world need my business to stay in business, right?

Changing your oil is the most important thing you can do to keep your car running smoothly, and running longer, as well as keeping the engine cooled down.   The lubrication new oil provides is essential to have everything running with less friction.  Today’s cars are built to go well over 100,000 miles, many over 200,000.  A fresh supply of oil is the key to making this kind of mileage a reality with your car.

Some say you should change your oil every 3,000 miles to make sure you are always running with fresh clean oil in your system.    Other say that 5,000 miles is the norm.  Still other say 6,000 miles if you use the synthetic oils that are now on the market.  Whichever your mechanic says, it is up to you to make the decision and have it done.  Our Enclave tells us when it is ready for new oil – I like that!

In the Bible, oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.  In the Old Testament, oil was an anointing element used in worship.  When something is anointed, it is consecrated or set apart to God for service.  Oil was applied to the meal offering (Leviticus 2) which was an offering of praise.   Oil was applied to the burnt offering (Ex 40:10) to set it apart.  The burnt offering was an offering of obedience to the Lord.  Oil was applied to the priests (Ex 40:13) to consecrate them, or anoint them, for service to God.  Oil was applied to the Prophets (I Kings 19:15) and to Kings (I Sam 16:12).  Setting apart people with anointing oil was reserved for those who were in special service to the Lord in the Old Testament.

But in the New testament, the Holy Spirit takes the place of the Anointing oil from the Old Testament.  Joel tells us in the Old Testament that in the later days He will pour out His spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28) Jesus receives Frankincense at His birth, an oil that was used to anoint priests.  He also receives Myrrh, and oil that was used to anoint the dead.  Both are symbols of His future. 

The Holy Spirit descends in bodily form like a dove and rests on Him (Matt 3:10, Luke 3:22), symbolic of the oil being poured over the High Priests’ head, anointing Him for service, and running down his shoulders.  It is 40 days of wilderness training after this anointing that Jesus begins His ministry.

The priests made intercession for the people in the Old Testament.  The priests had to be anointed to fulfill that role.  In the New Testament, we can go directly to God because the Holy Spirit within us speaks directly to God, and speaks the will of God (Rom 8:26).  We can also go directly to God because the veil of the temple was rent n two – removed – when Jesus said “It Is Finished”.  The veil was a wall between the people and God – God was thought to abide in the Holy of Holies, deep within the Temple.  Only the High Priest could go in there to make intercession for the nation once a year, and it was believed he met directly with God.  It was called the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16).  With the veil ripped, The Holy of Holies became available to all of us.

In I Kings 17:6 and 2 Kings 4 we see cruses of oil that just kept flowing out more oil than can possibly fit n them.  The speaks of the unending supply of the Holy Spirit to be with us and meet our needs.  Jesus said the Holy spirit would bring His words to our remembrance when we need them (John 14:26), would guide us to the truth (John 16:13), would help us with what to say (Luke 12:12), and would help us pray (Rom 8:26).  The Holy Spirit, the anointing, plays a major role in our Christian walk.­­

This brings me back to the oil change, because it is so important that we always have a fresh supply of the Holy Spirit flowing through us,  He is also known as the Living Water (John 4).  A fresh, unlimited supply is there for us whenever we need it.   We just need to bring our vessel (body) to God and allow Him to fill us up (see the story of the cruse of oil above). 

Then we must pour it out to others and not hold it inside.  It becomes a soothing balm among people and makes everything go smoother ij our lives, much like the oil does to the engine.  If you are not seeking a new infilling on a regular basis, you are running on old oil, and it will be seen in various areas of your life. And if you are also holding it inside, you are just holding it oil that has no value anymore, and will cause only your problems, no one else.  This s what happens to those we see constantly complaining, moaning and groaning and unforgiving.  If they carry on too long, bitterness sets up in their heart, and that is a nasty evil (Romans 3:14), and can take a person far from God (Hebrews 12:15).  Only Jesus can remove these roots (Matt 3:10).

Have you had your Oil Changed Lately?  2 Tim 2:20-21 tells us that if we get rid of some of the clutter in our lives, and give that space or time to the God, He will fill us with His purpose, which means a fresh anointing to do His work.  Kind of like taking out the dirty oil and putting fresh in, isn’t it?  Just take some time with the Lord in prayer and praise, and ask Him for the fresh anointing – that oil change today.  I guarantee that is a prayer He will answer!