"You anoint my head with oil." - Psalm 23:5
The Lord is our Shepherd (Psalm 23) and we are His sheep (Psalm 100).
In his book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, W. Phillip Keller provides the following insight:
“Sheep are especially troubled by the nose fly… These little flies buzz about the sheep’s head, attempting to deposit their eggs on the damp mucous membranes of the sheep’s nose. If they are successful, the eggs will hatch in a few days to form small, slender, worm-like larvae. They work their way up the nasal passages into the sheep’s head; they burrow into the flesh and there set up an intense irritation accompanied by severe inflammation.
For relief from this agonizing annoyance, sheep will deliberately beat their heads against trees, rocks, posts, or brush. They will rub them in the soil and thrash around against woody growth. In extreme cases of intense infestation, a sheep may even kill itself... Often advanced stages of infection from these flies will lead to blindness.”
I’m sure we’ve all dealt with our own “flies” — those insecurities, distractions, offenses, and lies that wreak havoc on our minds.
How then does a good shepherd protect his sheep from the flies?
By applying OIL to their heads. A generous smear of oil repels the flies and restores the sheep to peace.
Our Good Shepherd anoints our heads with oil and it’s that anointing that breaks the power of the flies from the enemy!
But it’s not a one time thing. As long as we live on the earth, the flies will keep coming. We must walk closely beside our Shepherd and stay in fellowship with Him, so that each day we can receive a fresh smear of His oil.
“Just as with the sheep, there must be continuous and renewed application of oil to forestall the “flies” in my life; there must be a continuous anointing of God’s gracious Spirit... Only one application of oil was not enough for the entire summer. It was a process that had to be repeated. The fresh application was the effective antidote.
[The Lord] alone makes it possible for us to react to aggravations and annoyances with quietness and calmness. When people or circumstances or events beyond our control tend to “bug” us, it is possible to be content and serene when these “outside” forces are counteracted by the presence of God’s Spirit.”
I feel like the Lord is saying: Your life is a “no-fly” zone for the enemy!
Whatever is buzzing around in and around your head today, I declare a fresh anointing of His oil to be applied to your mind, your eyes, and your ears.
No flies allowed here!