We must be aware of the reasons that drain us of our anointing. Most important among them is pride. But at the same time, it is also very difficult to identify. Others may not be able to diagnose a person with pride, because it is often hidden. Pride is a secret sin and a hidden trait that destroys our anointing. Pride is a big thing, but very difficult to trace. A proud person cleverly hides his arrogance with a cloak of humility. His behaviour and conduct never give others any clue about how proud a person he is. He covers up everything that would betray his original self to others. He will make sure that no other person comes to know about his arrogance. But as he continues with his pride, his anointing keeps on draining.
Every person has a certain amount of pride, but they never want others to know it. Even as they try to hide their pride and arrogance from others, they are gradually losing their anointing. Often we see people who know many Bible verses by heart, but many use it as an instrument to promote their pride. They would say; ‘I know this many verses by heart, I am a knowledgeable person, so-and- so is my spiritual father, I run my ministry under the guidance of this priest or that bishop’, and so on. ‘I am somebody, I belong to such a big ministry…..’, so goes his words of self promotion. Such words are signs for them having lost the anointing because pride is a sure way to lose one’s anointing. They are simply bragging about their merits, not knowing that their anointing keeps on draining with every such word. Never think that the Holy Spirit will accompany you solely because you have learnt many verses from Scripture by heart. The Spirit is present at places that are holy only. Holiness… holiness is the keyword. The Holy Spirit will remain with those who are holy only. The Holy Spirit cannot and will not stay with a person who is unholy nor does our Lord go with such persons.
The only person who could diagnose whether I am proud or not is myself. So, let us do an introspection that will help us shun our arrogance so as to avoid its consequences, and to reap the rewards of humility. The Scripture says: ‘He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly’ (Lk 1:51-52).
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