Affliction and Anointing: There’s Oil in the Crushing

“I’m going through a rough time.”

“Life’s been hard lately.”

“I’m struggling.”

“I’m dealing with a lot.”

“I feel like I’m being crushed.”

“I’m under a lot of pressure.”

“I’m going through it right now.”

“I’m in a dark place.”

“I’m facing a storm.”

“I feel broken.”

“I’m in a season of suffering.”

“I’m carrying a heavy load.”

“I’m hurting.”

“I feel like the world is against me.”

“I’m going through a lot.”

“I’m down bad.”

“It’s been one thing after another.”

“I feel like I’m drowning.”

“This is my wilderness season.” 

“I’m in the fire.”

Did I catch your attention? Don’t worry. I’m good, because God is good.

But I just wanted us to get real about some of the terms we use when life is not going the way we planned. And that’s why we are still talking about affliction today. Because that is what it is. 

Generally, affliction is not a word we rush to embrace. It’s a word I never really used until we started this study. 

We would more likely say or hear those terms I began with.

So affliction is a biblical or formal term, really. But in both respects, it speaks of hardship, pressure, sorrow, and suffering. 

Throughout Scripture, we find a mysterious truth in the stories of God’s people: affliction is not the end of the story. Hallelujah.

In fact, affliction often becomes the very process through which God extracts something precious—something we might call oil. 

In biblical language, oil often symbolizes anointing, blessing, the Holy Spirit, and divine empowerment. But this oil doesn’t flow without the pressing, without a crushing. Mmm.

It is through the trials, not apart from them, that the blessing is produced.

As we look in the scriptures for examples, let us start with Jesus. No one bore greater affliction. 

Isaiah prophesied, “He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief… He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:3, 5, ESV). 

The crushing of Jesus was not without purpose. Out of His suffering flowed the oil of salvation, redemption, and eternal life for all who believe. 

Jesus Himself said before His crucifixion, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24, ESV). 

That fruit—life, liberty, and forgiveness—is the oil that came from His crushing.

But this principle is not limited to Jesus alone. Let’s consider some others whose afflictions produced divine oil.

Take Hannah, for example. Her affliction was barrenness—a source of deep pain and social shame in her time. I’m not sure how that is looked on as these days but I hope that we are all more mature to not frown down on those who do not have biological children.

Year after year Hannah was provoked and misunderstood. Yet in her anguish, she poured out her soul to the Lord. The result? Samuel, the prophet who would anoint kings and lead Israel back to God. 

Scripture says, “In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:10, NIV). 

Her tears were crushed prayers that produced prophetic oil.

We can also look at Joseph, sold into slavery by his own brothers, unjustly imprisoned, and forgotten. 

Years of suffering might have made him bitter, but instead, Joseph stayed faithful. 

When finally elevated to power in Egypt, he declared to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20, NIV). 

The affliction became the anointing for leadership and national preservation. Take a pause and think of your affliction, your pain, your struggle. Looking back or even looking into your current circumstances, can you see where God elevated you after you made it through?

 

Another example from the Bible is of course Job, a man whose name is almost synonymous with suffering. 

Job lost everything—family, wealth, health—yet he declared, “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him” (Job 13:15, NIV). 

At the end of his trial, Job did not just get back what he lost; Scripture says, “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part” (Job 42:12, NIV). 

The oil that came out of Job’s crushing was a double portion and a deeper revelation of God.

Oh that we would position ourselves to receive fresh oil from God today.

In the New Testament, Paul is another example. He writes, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed… persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9, NIV). 

The Apostle Paul understood that affliction produced in him a greater weight of glory: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17, NIV). 

Paul’s afflictions produced the oil of revelation, endurance, and unshakable faith.

But what does this look like in real life? The oil of anointing that comes from the crushing…

Let’s imagine a woman going through a difficult divorce and  who finds herself crushed emotionally. But in that season, she discovers her voice, her calling, and a ministry to others walking through brokenness. That’s oil in the crushing.

Or this man who loses his job unjustly, goes through financial hardship, and finds himself praying like never before. He discovers creative gifts and starts a business that not only restores his family’s finances but blesses others with employment. That’s oil in the crushing.

How about a caregiver worn down by years of looking after a sick relative but draws near to God, developing a heart of compassion that becomes the foundation of a healing ministry. Oil in the crushing.

We see that the oil is the blessing, the purpose, the wisdom, the anointing, the testimony, and the power that could not have been produced without the pressing.

The olive must be crushed to release the oil. The grape must be pressed to release the wine. So must we, in our moments of pain, lean into God’s process and trust that He does not waste suffering.

As David declared, “You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5, ESV). 

But what preceded this was a walk through the valley of the shadow of death. The oil came after the valley.

Let us remember Family: there’s oil in our crushing. There’s purpose in our pain. And when we allow affliction to press us closer to God, we receive not only healing, but the anointing.

As Paul reminds us: “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10, ESV). 

That strength is the oil.

So if you’re in a season of affliction, do not despair. Let God do His pressing work. Because out of your crushing will flow an oil that blesses others, glorifies God, and testifies of His power in your life.

aub - 14May25

www.ZJoyVI.com

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