Below is a copy of an email I received this last week. The question was, is there a biblical basis for such things as prophetic soap and anointing oil?
I am seeking guidance on a situation involving the use of prophetic soap and anointing oil, as instructed by a prophet. The prophet created a soap, referred to as prophetic soap, and mailed it to my family with instructions to use it every three days while making prophetic declarations while bathing with it… A church in the USA instructed the congregation to carry a bottle of anointing oil for a monthly anointing church service. We were directed to pray over ourselves and even drink a shot of the oil. Sometimes, we are told to anoint our points of contact with objects like business cards, resumes, and other items.
These practices concern me, as I am uncertain about the biblical basis for using physical objects like soap and anointing oil as means of receiving blessings or healing. Are there any biblical examples of objects being used in this manner, and how can one discern whether such practices are biblically sound or potentially misleading?
Helen
Answer from Mark Virkler
Helen, here are several Scriptures that shed light on the questions you raised...
1. It is biblical for the power of God to be infused into an object - God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out (Acts 19:11-12).
Many healing evangelists have sent out pieces of cloth for people to place on themselves for healing. Oral Roberts would have people lay their hands on the radio as he was praying for healing. This was a point of contact to release their faith for healing, I would see both of these actions as congruent with biblical protocols.
2. I have never heard of prophetic soap - It could be a point of contact to release faith, but I don’t believe we see this in Scripture anywhere and I am not inclined to participate in using it.
3. Anointing with oil is found in Scripture - They were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them (Mk. 6:13).
In the verses in James (below), you see that if you are sick, you call for the elders of the church, and several things are to transpire: They pray and anoint with oil in the name of the Lord, and if sins have been committed, you confess sins to one another.
Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (Jas. 5:14-16).
4. Drinking healing oil - I am not aware of that being done in Scripture. You would want to know what was in the oil to ensure nothing is damaging to one's health. I have never done this, and am not inclined to do it.
5. Prophetic actions, like anointing points of contact with objects like business cards, resumes, and other items - One prophet told a king in Israel to strike the ground with a staff as a prophetic gesture of striking and defeating the enemy. The king only struck the ground three times, and the prophet was upset and told him he should have struck the ground 4-5 times, and because he didn’t he would not fully defeat the enemy (2 Kgs. 18;18,19). So yes, prophetic actions, when performed in faith, can be instrumental in releasing God's power.
6. Cautions, honor the leading of the Spirit - But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth (1 Jn. 2:20).
7. Cautions, never come under a person's domination or control - Nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock (1 Pet. 5:3).
Final thoughts: People are free to do different things than what I do, as long as those things are not forbidden in Scripture. I do not think any of the actions you listed are forbidden in Scripture. If I was in a great church that was ministering life to me, and the above actions were my only points of concern, I could easily set them aside as something they liked and I didn’t and that was fine. I would just enjoy the other aspects of the ministry I was receiving from them. We don’t need to agree on everything.
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