In a prior issue of Preaching, Ben Awbrey points out that “D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones defined unction as an access of power. To amplify his perception of unction, Lloyd-Jones said it is “God giving power and enabling through the Spirit to the preacher in order that he may do this work in a manner that lifts it up beyond the efforts and endeavors of man to a position in which the preacher is being used by the Spirit and becomes the channel through whom the Spirit works.

“A simple understanding of unction is God’s unmistakable presence attending and empowering the preaching of His truth. In other words, unction is commonly referred to as the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Preaching with unction occurs because of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

“This simple understanding might be understood in such a way to assume the preacher bears no responsibility or liability for preaching with unction or lack thereof. Without trying to curtail the sovereign work of God in anointing a preacher with His Spirit, there are some particular areas that a preacher must fulfill for there to be an unmistakable presence and empowering of the Holy Spirit in preaching.

“Preaching that bears this presence of God is preaching that is according to His Word and is spoken through His servant who is of His choosing and under His control and, therefore, speaks on His authority, by His power, in His conviction, with His passion, from His motives, for His purposes and to His glory.

“Preaching with unction is accompanied by the perceptibly powerful presence of God that impacts the hearts of the hearers. Because there is preaching with unction, there will be preaching with impact. No wonder unction was described by Lloyd-Jones as ‘the greatest essential in connection with  preaching.'” (Click here to read the full article.)

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