When God went looking for a king, He chose the least likely of Jesse’s sons: the youngest, the shepherd boy. Then He sent Samuel the prophet to find him. Samuel sought David out.

“Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16:13 NASB).

God anointed David with His own Spirit. He chose David for a purpose so much bigger than what he could have imagined as he tended sheep. God gave the young shepherd His Spirit to accomplish His calling.

To be anointed means to be selected and appointed. You may feel like the least likely to be chosen or singled out for divine purpose, but you, too, are anointed with God’s Spirit. Just as David didn’t achieve his own anointing, you don’t achieve yours either; you receive it from God when you receive Christ.

When you trust Jesus as your Savior, His Spirit lives in you—you are anointed with His Spirit. First John 2:20 says, “You have an anointing from the Holy One and . . . you know the truth.”

And Jesus said His Spirit, “the Spirit of truth[,] . . . lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). God loves you so much that He wants not only to be with you, but in you—that is why He anoints you with His Spirit.

As He did for King David, the Spirit of the Lord will be “mightily” upon you every day of your life. And His Holy Spirit continually anoints you with purpose and strength. Though you may sometimes feel like an overlooked shepherd boy, God sees you and chooses to anoint you with His Spirit for a purpose that is so much bigger than your perception of yourself and your abilities.

Ask God to refresh you with His Spirit today so you can walk in your anointing.