Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (John 17.3 NIV)

In 1Jn. 2.20 the Spirit of God is spoken of an anointing on the Christian resulting in them knowing the Lord: And you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know (Him) [my translation]. Additionally, verse 27 of 1st John 2, further elaborates aspects of this anointing: But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him (ESV). These verses describe how the the New Covenant operates and fulfills Jer. 31.34a: No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest (NIV).

This anointing aspect is similar to how the Israelite High Priests and kings were anointed for serving the Lord. Also, some of the warriors in the book of Judges were temporarily clothed with the Spirit (see Judges 3.10, 11.29, 13.25, 14.19, et al). While in the O.T. select individuals were empowered by the Spirit, all Christians under the New Covenant have this anointing. This fact helps explain how those in the Kingdom of God are “greater” than even the most important O.T. saints: Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Mt.11.11 NIV). By the way, this verse is not saying that God’s Kingdom is now on earth. No, Christians pray for “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt. 6.10 NIV). Believers in Christ have their citizenship in heaven and in the New Jerusalem (see Phil. 3.20, Gal. 4.26). Christians presently function as ambassadors (see 2Cor. 5.17-20). As such, by definition, an ambassador represents another country while living in a foreign one. Therefore, since ambassadors do not overthrow their host country, neither do Christians try to establish God’s Kingdom on earth. Instead, we should seize the opportunity to understand and sow the word in the world’s field.