What seems now to be a lifetime ago I led a trip on a tour of Israel. In Jerusalem we went to all the major New Testament spots like the Garden tomb and the upper room. When the bus arrived at the Upper Room location our guide told us that we had just fifteen minutes to look around and then we had to vacate the area so that the next tour party could enter. We entered the vaulted chamber, looked around and listened to the guide’s explanation of the day of Pentecost experience. She finished speaking and headed off towards the exit. Just then someone started singing and soon we all joined in. The guide stopped and looked back impatiently at us. I can’t adequately describe what happened next, but it was as though the Holy Spirit poured out His anointing on all of us. Our voices soured in songs of adoration and tears streamed down our cheeks. Then the words of the song faded and instead a glorious harmony of tongues immerged as we joined as one in singing in the spirit. I don’t know how long we were in that place, but it was well over half an hour yet the next tour party had not arrived. When the singing subsided I looked over at our guide, a secular Israeli, and saw her standing with her face heavenward and tears coursing down her cheeks.

What happened that morning was what could be described as a corporate anointing. No one in that room was unaffected by what the Holy Spirit was doing, not even the guide. I will never forget the wonder of it.

In times of revival, corporate anointing is common. Crowds of people travelling from one village to another are stopped in their tracks and fall to their knees in prayer, repentance, and worship as the Spirit of God comes upon the entire company. Church services go on for hour after hour and not one person leaves the building for as long as the anointing of the Spirit is upon them.

Revival is not an individualistic thing. True, individuals are indeed revived but the experience of revival is a corporate phenomenon. Groups, church congregations, and sometimes whole geographic areas are affected as God pours out His anointing.

“Lord God, as in the days of Acts, as in the days of Roberts, Campbell, Wesley, and Lake, so O Lord in our day, will you not pour out your anointing on your people?!”