“One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”  (Luke 7:36-39).

This woman is a picture of what love looks like. The deep surrendering of the soul at such a great price. She had to face darkness to get to Jesus. She faced shame, persecution, and rejection. When she walked into the Pharisee’s house, she had to literally walk into a room full of religious leaders who would accuse her, remind her of her past, and in so doing, disqualify her to her face, to reach Jesus… let that sink in. 

But it was a small price for her to pay compared to the amount of overwhelming love she felt for Him, for her King. She was willing to surrender her pride, her shame, and her heart. The oil itself cost a lot of money, a whole year’s wage! But the real anointing wasn’t in the oil, it was in her heart. For the sake of love, she wholeheartedly handed herself over to Jesus no matter the cost.

No one in that room knew who she truly was but Jesus. She was hidden, like treasure. That is the real cost of the anointing. We fast, we pray and we study our Bibles. We get teachers and mentors and go to Bible colleges but that isn’t where the anointing grows. The anointing comes from a much more costly place. It comes from sanctification, from being set apart and made holy. The anointing will cost you everything. It will cost you your career, your reputation, relationships, and even family members. It will cost you your time as well. Being set apart, sanctified and used for His purposes is costly. Being chosen by God to carry a mantle is a life of sacrifice. Paul called himself a prisoner of the Lord, a bond servant of Christ. He said his chains were in Christ. When he was locked up in prison, he considered himself chained to Jesus, not the Romans… again, let that sink in.

But the anointing is not without reward. This woman’s love for Jesus compelled her to face her fears in an instant to approach Him. She had to go alone, no one went with her! Imagine loving Jesus so much you would endure through the greatest darkness the world has ever known because your love and desire for Him is so much greater than your fear of persecution, suffering or even death.

She had one goal, to get to the one her soul loved. The One who freed her from her past, the One who speaks truth. His words burned in her heart I am certain of it. And when she got to Him, she bowed at His feet. Have you ever been in a church service where the presence of God is so strong you bow and weep? I have! I have felt the weight of His love and glory pulling on my heart. It wrecks me. In those moments I can’t understand why He would choose me for such perfect love. It’s so past my understanding, so overwhelming and more beautiful than I have words for.

I imagine this is what she felt while she wept at his feet and gave Him her whole heart. The translation in the Greek suggests she was weeping like rain. Her tears came from deep within her soul. She became vulnerable before Jesus, she emptied herself. Deeply humbled by His love, she poured the very best of all she had at His feet. The alabaster oil was very expensive, but her tears, more so.

Her tears were costly only to her and to Jesus though. He understood her. She was seen by Him. And He completely accepted her for who she was. He brought forth her identity because of this.

God is building an army of end time warriors who have paid a heavy price for the anointing they now carry. They have walked the rugged road through wind, rain, sleet, high mountain ranges, and the deepest valleys! They walked through fire, and they have done it in hiddenness, and in silence, often being misunderstood, lonely and left with deep longing. They have suffered at the hand of God. Their trials have been so hard they questioned God’s love for them at times. They have felt cut off from the body of Christ. But they never gave up. These warriors have stayed the course, determined to walk as closely with Jesus as possible because they have never known a love like His. They have been very weary yet repeatedly refreshed by God’s love. In the secret place they have known Jesus. He has come out of hiding and revealed His heart to them, giving them love and purifying their hearts. They have been given revelation knowledge and downloads from heaven. These end time anointed vessels of honor have paid a costly price for their anointing and now they wait on God to release them. They are pure before God and have oil in their lamps.

I believe we are in a season of the hidden ones coming forth. No longer will you be a message tucked away in a bottle. But the word that burns in you will come forth. Like Jesus resurrecting Lazarus from the dead, He is resurrecting the revelation He put in you. It is time to preach Jesus. You have been given a paint brush anointed with that costly oil, and it is time to paint a picture of the One your soul loves. It’s time to reveal Jesus as the Bridegroom King.

If this message is for you then say this prayer with me…

Father, prepare me, search my heart and my mind and reveal Yourself to me. I want to know You and I want to represent You rightly in this world. Help me paint a perfect picture of Jesus as the Bridegroom King. I want to partner with You to wake up and prepare Your Bride. I want Jesus to have His inheritance. I have set Your love, King Jesus as a seal upon my heart. My life is Yours. Do what You want with it. You are everything to me. Use my life for Your pleasure and Your glory. You are the One whom my soul loves. Give your life to me so that I can give it to others. I am your servant… In Jesus’ name, amen.

Thank you for taking the time to read these messages! If they have encouraged or helped you, please consider sharing with someone. Want to receive new messages directly in your inbox? Just fill out the contact form on our (Contact Page). If you’d like to support the growth of this ministry, we invite you to consider making a donation. Have a wonderful day – and remember, Jesus loves you deeply. He is for you, not against you!