Text: Isaiah 61:1-3
Memory verse:
“And wine that makes glad the heart of man, Oil to make his face shine, And bread which strengthens man’s heart.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭104‬:‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

‘Sweet, Sweet Spirit’
“There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place, and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord; There are sweet expressions on each face,
and I know they feel the presence of the Lord.”
Composer Doris Alkers captures the thoughts of today’s devotional in this song.
Many years ago, as I was ministering during the power night in an interdenominational youth camp meeting, the anointing of joy came on me and instead of speaking, I began to laugh in the Holy Ghost. At the beginning, the youths thought I was just being funny and they tried to catch some fun too. But suddenly, the anointing of joy fell on them also and they began to laugh uncontrollably. The anointing was so much that most of them fell on the floor and others were staggering like being drunk with wine. This continued for about an hour. What an awesome moment! There were sweet expressions on each face and outburst of inner joy as they got drunk in the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:18).
The anointing gives you inner joy that causes you to be joyous irrespective of the situation around you. It is the oil of joy that ends the season of mourning and ushers in unspeakable joy.
“To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; …” ‭‭(Isa 61‬:‭3‬)
In the ancient times, oil was poured on guests during joyous feasts as a symbol of joy. But, during mourning, oil was laid aside.
According to our memory text, wine makes glad and oil makes the face radiant. In the scriptures, wine and oil are symbols of the Holy Spirit. Thus, the anointing makes glad and shines the face. You can’t encounter the true anointing and remain depressed .
Friends, are you struggling with depression and inexplainable sadness? Do you often have suicidal thoughts? Do you have a pattern of moodiness in your life? Ask the Holy Spirit to anoint you with the oil of joy.

Prayer points
1. Father, Oh that You will anoint me with the oil of joy and that sorrow of any form be banished from my life in Jesus name.
2. I bind and cast out every spirit of depression, moodiness and grief in my life in Jesus name.

Today’s declarations
1.I am anointed with the spirit of joy and so I can’t be depressed.
2. As wine makes glad and oil makes the face to shine, so is the anointing to me

Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng