God’s Word shows us that each time a person is baptized into Christ, the representative authority established by God, such as the apostles, should lay hands upon such a one on behalf of the Head and the Body. This shows us the significance of the laying on of hands. When a person receives the laying on of hands, his head is lowered. This means that from that day on, he will no longer expose his own head. His head will submit to authority. It will not expose itself but will instead be under authority.
When an apostle, a representative of the Body, lays his hand on me, it means that he and I have fellowship and that we have become one. The apostles represent the Body because God has placed the apostles in the church first. This is why they represent the church. When an apostle, who represents the church, lays his hands on you and says, “Brother, you are one with the Body of Christ,” the anointing from the Head will flow to you. Because you are one with the Body, the anointing comes to you as well. This is the reason the apostle lays his hands upon you. The laying on of hands identifies you with the Body of Christ.
The apostles represent not only the church but also Christ. God has placed the apostles in the church first. Being first means having authority. In other words, the apostles are the representative authority. Therefore, when an apostle’s hand is upon your head, it is not only the church that is laying hands on you but also Christ who is laying His hands on you. This means that the Lord is bringing you under His authority. From that point on, you are under the headship of Christ.
We must be under the authority of the Head, and we must act as members in the Body of Christ. We should never presume that we can go on by ourselves. The very nature that we received when we were saved makes us members in the Body. This very nature does not allow us to be alone. Once we are by ourselves, we will die. We can live only when we are attached to the Body.
We must see the importance of identification. After we see the importance of identification we can receive the blessing of transmission. If we do not see the importance of identification, there will be no blessing of transmission. The main thought behind the laying on of hands is identification. Although it also carries the function of transmitting, its main significance is identification.
Today when brothers lay hands on you, it is not a vain or mindless act. Your eyes must be opened to see that from that day on, you have become a child among many children, a cell among many cells, and a member among many members. As a member, you live by the whole Body. If you live as an individual Christian, you are finished and you are useless. As soon as you cease fellowshipping with other children of God, trouble will come. No matter how strong you are, you cannot survive on your own. No matter how great and how wonderful you are, you are dead if you are severed from the Body. You cannot boast of your power. You are powerful only because you are in the Body. This is what the laying on of hands does for you. Once you leave the Body, you are finished.
As others lay their hands on you, you should have a realization within yourself: “Lord, I cannot live by myself. I confess that I am a member in the Body. Without the Body I cannot live. Without the Body I cannot have the anointing.” Is this clear? The anointing is on the Head. Therefore, you have to come under the headship; you have to submit to the authority of the Head along with all the other children of God. Individually you have to submit to Him, and you have to submit to Him in oneness with others. You have to submit directly, and you have to submit indirectly together with the whole Body. When you do this, the anointing will come to you. When you stand in this position, the anointing will spontaneously flow to you.