Every throne needs oil, and every dominion requires anointing. In God's kingdom, the oil that sets kings and priests apart is not just the oil of position but the oil of gladness. Without joy, strength disappears. Without gladness, victory fades. Believers who want to rule in life must be filled with joy because joy is the source of dominion.

The psalmist said that those who love righteousness and hate wickedness are chosen for the oil of gladness above their peers. This means joy is not random but part of a covenant. It is more than an emotion; it is a source of power. Dominion weakens where depression reigns, and authority shrinks where sorrow rules. The enemy knows that if he can take away your joy, he can also weaken your strength. That is why Scripture tells us that the joy of the Lord is your strength.

The oil of gladness is not just frivolous laughter; it is a spiritual force that comes from revelation. It arises from knowing who you are in Christ and what God has promised you. This joy is not shaken by circumstances. It does not fade in trials. It is not silenced by storms. Paul and Silas showed this truth in the Philippian prison. In the midnight hour of suffering, they sang praises to God, and the foundations of the prison shook. Their joy became their breakthrough. Their gladness led to their deliverance.

Understand this truth: dominion involves more than just decrees; it is also about mindset. A king who rules with heaviness soon loses control, but a king who carries the oil of gladness reigns with power. Joy sets the atmosphere. Gladness creates a space where the Holy Spirit moves freely. Depression pushes away the anointing, while joy draws in the Spirit’s presence.

Even Jesus, the King of Kings, was characterized by joy. The Scriptures say that God anointed Him with the oil of gladness above His peers. This joy gave Him the strength to endure the cross, disregard the shame, and still sit at the right hand of God’s throne. If Christ needed this oil to reign, then no believer can reign without it.

Dear friends, to live a new life and to serve as a king and priest, you must protect your joy carefully. Resist any attack on your gladness. Reject the weight of sorrow. Dismiss the spirit of heaviness. Wrap yourself in the garment of praise. Fill your mouth with thanksgiving. Celebrate your God in every season. Complaining does not secure dominion; gladness does. Murmuring does not elevate a person; joy does.

Do not let life’s circumstances dictate your mood; let revelation motivate your joy. Dominion is maintained where joy is kept. Those anointed with the oil of gladness above their peers cannot be overthrown.

SIX DIMENSIONS OF THE OIL OF GLADNESS IN DOMINION 

1. JOY AS STRENGTH FOR DOMINION

Nehemiah 8:10, ‘Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord. Neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ 

Strength to rule comes from joy in the Spirit. 

1. JOY AS A WEAPON OF VICTORY

Isaiah 12:3, ‘Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.’ 

Joy acts as the bucket that pulls out divine resources. 

1. JOY AS A PROOF OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Romans 14:17, ‘For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.’ 

Where righteousness rules, joy flows abundantly. 

1. JOY AS A PRESERVER OF FAITH

1 Peter 1:8, ‘Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.’ 

Joy strengthens faith, allowing us to believe beyond what is visible. 

1. JOY AS A FORCE FOR BREAKTHROUGH

Acts 16:25–26, ‘And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God; and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.’ 

Praising with joy opens doors that pressure cannot unlock. 

1. JOY AS AN ATMOSPHERE FOR THE ANOINTING

Isaiah 61:3, ‘To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.’ 

Where gladness overflows, the anointing flows freely.