Pursuing the Sacred Anointing
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Benjamin Kreps:
Hey everyone, and welcome to the Mark Prater Podcast—where our aim is to connect our global family of Sovereign Grace churches with our Executive Director.
Mark, as you know, we care deeply about preaching in Sovereign Grace. One of our seven shared values is gospel-centered doctrine and preaching. Typically, that preaching is expositional. Our family of churches is full of faithful pastors who regularly study, take classes, and learn how to rightly divide God’s Word—crafting sermons that feed, edify, and serve their churches. We’re grateful for that and wouldn’t want it any other way.
However, there is a potential danger for preachers: we can invest time and energy into sermon preparation while neglecting what is most vital when stepping into the pulpit. That’s what we’re going to talk about today.
Mark Prater:
Yes, I’ve been thinking about that recently while reading 1 Corinthians 2:2–5. Let me read it:
“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,
and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom,
but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
This is the first time the Spirit is mentioned in 1 Corinthians, and it’s in the context of preaching. Paul wanted a demonstration of the Spirit’s power when he preached. He was pushing against the rhetorical wisdom that had captivated the Corinthians, reminding them of the central concern of the gospel.
There’s an important application for us as preachers. We’re often tempted to rely on ourselves—whether in sermon prep or delivery. Yes, we must do those things well, but we must not lose sight of preaching in the power of the Spirit. As one commentator said, the gospel is the central concern: proclaimed through human weakness but accompanied by the powerful work of the Spirit so that lives are changed through a divine-human encounter.
Benjamin Kreps:
That’s so helpful. We’re grateful for gifted men in Sovereign Grace, and God certainly uses their gifts. Paul was no exception—he was clearly a skilled preacher. But that alone is not enough. What we desire is what Martyn Lloyd-Jones described as “the sacred anointing.”
In fact, in his book Preaching and Preachers, which we were discussing before recording, the final chapter focuses on this sacred anointing. If you haven’t read that book, you’ve got something to look forward to!
Mark Prater:
Yes, and that final chapter is titled Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power—straight from 1 Corinthians. Lloyd-Jones begins by asking why he waited until the end of the book to address this. His answer is powerful: everything else in the book will not succeed apart from the Spirit of God and His power.
He defines the sacred anointing as the Holy Spirit falling upon the preacher in a special manner. It’s an access of power—God enabling the preacher to do the work in a way that transcends human effort. The preacher becomes a channel through whom the Spirit works. It’s a reminder that we need this sacred anointing every time we preach. Without the Spirit, even the most well-prepared sermon will not transform lives.
Benjamin Kreps:
Amen. I think many pastors have encountered ads or training about sermon writing, cultural exegesis, and delivery techniques. While we can learn from those, there’s sometimes a subtle suggestion that good technique is all you need. But we know better.
We need God to work when we preach. If we don’t feel our need for the Spirit, it’s time we start. So how do we pursue this sacred anointing?
Mark Prater:
There are many ways, but let me read what Lloyd-Jones says in that chapter:
“Seek Him. Seek Him! What can we do without Him?
Seek Him always. But go beyond seeking—expect Him.
Do you expect anything to happen when you preach?
Or do you simply think, ‘I’ve prepared my address, some will appreciate it, some won’t’?
Are you expecting a turning point in someone’s life?”
That’s what preaching is meant to be—life-transforming. Lloyd-Jones continues:
“Seek this power. Expect this power. Yearn for this power.
And when the power comes, yield to Him. Do not resist.
Forget your sermon if necessary. Let Him use you.
Let Him manifest His power in you and through you.”
This is such a strong encouragement. We need to seek the Spirit—and expect Him to move.
Benjamin Kreps:
That definitely challenges me. I’ve been guilty of losing that sense of expectancy, especially in the weekly rhythm of sermon prep. There have been moments where, when asked about my sermon, I’ve said things like, “It’s a sermon, and it’s going to get preached.” That’s not the posture we should have.
Instead, we must seek the Spirit and expect Him to work. Faith is essential—not just in sermon prep, but in the preaching moment itself. This has been a needed reminder for me, and I’m sure it will encourage others too. Any final thoughts?
Mark Prater:
Yes—actually, I found an old quote from a class at the Pastors College. It was a preaching class taught by Jeff Purswell and C.J. Mahaney, back when we were still PDI!
One quote, from Charles Spurgeon, is especially fitting to end with:
“Unless the Holy Ghost blesses the Word, we who preach the gospel are of all men most miserable.
For we have attempted a task that is impossible.
We have entered a sphere where nothing but the supernatural will ever avail.
If the Holy Spirit does not renew the hearts of our hearers, we cannot do it.
If He does not regenerate them, we cannot.
If He does not send the truth home to their souls, we might as well speak into the ear of a corpse.”
That’s the reality of preaching. We need the Spirit’s power because we are attempting a supernatural work. Without Him, it’s impossible.
Benjamin Kreps:
Amen. May we be a family of churches filled with pastors who are utterly devoted to the Word and utterly dependent on the Holy Spirit. If you’re a preacher—or aspiring to be one—let this shape your calling. Mark, thank you for your encouragement.
And thank you to all our listeners. We’ll see you next time, Lord willing.