Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they travelled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:41-52)

Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” (John 1:24-34)

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

Being filled with the Holy Spirit and having the anointing of the Holy Spirit are two different things. The Holy Spirit lives in every believer, but that does not necessarily mean that every believer walks in His anointing. If we have the anointing, we will have a special power that He gives us. We each have a different anointing, like Samson, Elijah, Elisha and so on.

There are several practical reasons why we may miss the anointing:

1. We fail to seize key moments God places in our path, as a result of fear, pride or even a religious spirit.

Scripture tells us that Mary and Joseph busied themselves with religious duties for three days until they realized that Jesus was missing. We tend to be involved in church activities to a point that we are not focused on worshiping God. We need to be present in His presence to receive His anointing, we need to seize the moment as He leads.

2. Our lives become too crowded.

Spend time in the presence of God so that you can develop sensitivity to discern important moments.

3. We get so caught up in the present that we fail to realize the importance of the future.

We are so busy with our lives and daily activities that we forget the future. We will spend eternity with the Lord. How are you actively investing in the Kingdom of God?

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:20-21, 27)

Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. (2 Timothy 1:14)

Whoever fears the LORD walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways. (Proverbs 14:2)

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 14:12)

If we realize we have lost Jesus, we need to go back and look for Him like Joseph and Mary did. The Bible says that they found Him in His Father’s house. We will find Jesus if we seek Him.