You Annoint My Head With Oil

Just wrote this to a friend & as I was typing this, I couldn't help but think of Andy and tomorrow. It's not my own words. It's from a study I did a few years ago called "LORD, I Want to Know You" by Kay Arthur.

"Sheep can suffer greatly because of the nose fly. This is a fly that seeks to deposit its eggs on the mucus membrane of the sheep's nose. There the eggs hatch into small wormlike larvae that eventually work their way up the nose into the sheep's head. As these larvae burrow into the sheep's flesh, they cause a tremendous irritation, which in turn causes the sheep to thrash and beat its head against anything it can find. A sheep can become so driven to distraction by the irritation that it will actually kill itself in a desperate attempt to get rid of the source of aggravation.


As I learned this truth, I could not help but think of how men and women can be tormented by thoughts that burrow their way into their flesh. The eggs of torment are laid by the enemy and hatch into repulsive, destructive worms that work their way into their heads. Thoughts of fear, rejection, bitterness, hatred, failure, incompetency, sensuality, and greed plague God's sheep, tormenting them, even driving some to suicide. But is this to be the fate of God's sheep? No! Just as there is an oil the shepard can prepare to protect the sheep from nose flies and their destructive work, so our Shepard has a way to keep His sheep from such torment. As the psalmist says, "Thou annointest my head with oil" (Psalm 23:5, KJV)

What is the Shepard's oil of protection against pests that would attack our minds?

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6-7

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:8-9

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." Isaiah 26:3

Kay Arthur goes on to say:

"I want you to note one last truth. It is the end result of having the Lord as your Shepard:

"Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. "

Psalm 26:3