1Sa 16:11-13 ESV
(11) Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here."
(12) And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him, for this is he."
(13) Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
This was the point where David was anointed King of Israel by Samuel the prophet. Saul, the current king, had disobeyed God and had turned his heart from God, so God took his anointing from Saul.
Here's the question: what did David do after Samuel left?
Here's the answer: he went back to tending his sheep.
It was literally years before David sat upon the throne of Israel, even though God had chosen him for the job. Saul continued to reign - ineffectively - chasing David because of jealousy and satisfying the demands of his own ego.
Do you sense God calling you to something? Something big? Are you ready to step into it, or is there a spiritual training camp you need to attend? Don't step into anything until God says you're ready - even if you know He has called you. Make sure, above all, that you have been walking under God's authority, which typically starts by placing yourself under the mentor-ship of someone in your church! If you cannot submit to authority, you will never be placed in authority.
Showing posts with label Saul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saul. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Stepping Into The Prophetic
Regarding prophecies, there are a couple of types that come to mind. There is that which is fore-ordained. God has said it, and He will not 'repent' of it, therefore it WILL be. Bank on it. If we read Revelation, we see a solid twenty two chapters of that which will be, period. There is nothing that can happen that will prevent Jesus Christ from accepting the deed to the creation He has purchased. We will rule and reign with Him. There will be great tribulation on the earth. You get the point.
However, when you have a word prophesied over you, realize that you must step into it. Many of the prophecies in the Old Testament were given as a warning to Israel. Rarely were the prophets popular for this reason. Literally, the word to Israel was often 'turn or burn'. Sometimes they turned. Sometimes they burned. But as a people they stepped into the prophetic. They had a say.
1Sa 23:10-14 LITV
(10) And David said, O Jehovah the God of Israel, Your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.
(11) Will the masters of Keilah shut me up into his hand? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? I pray You, Jehovah the God of Israel, tell your servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down.
(12) And David said, Will the masters of Keilah shut me and my men up into Saul's hand? And Jehovah said, They will shut you up.
(13) And David and his men, about six hundred men, rose up and left Keilah, and went wherever they could go. And it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah. And he ceased to go out.
(14) And David stayed in the wilderness, in the strongholds. And he stayed in the hill, in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him all his days. And God did not give him into his hand.
In this example, the very word from God was: The citizens will give you over to your enemy, Saul. It was prophesied by God. David could have stepped into this, but heeding the word of God, he chose to run to the desert, and nothing prophesied came to pass.
If it has been prophesied in your life that you will be a great man or woman of God, and that you will lead many to Jesus, you need to understand that this will not come to pass in front of your PlayStation. It's difficult to reach people for the Kingdom if you invest nothing in the Kingdom. We must press in. We must be serious. We must be zealous. We must be intentional.
However, when you have a word prophesied over you, realize that you must step into it. Many of the prophecies in the Old Testament were given as a warning to Israel. Rarely were the prophets popular for this reason. Literally, the word to Israel was often 'turn or burn'. Sometimes they turned. Sometimes they burned. But as a people they stepped into the prophetic. They had a say.
1Sa 23:10-14 LITV
(10) And David said, O Jehovah the God of Israel, Your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.
(11) Will the masters of Keilah shut me up into his hand? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? I pray You, Jehovah the God of Israel, tell your servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down.
(12) And David said, Will the masters of Keilah shut me and my men up into Saul's hand? And Jehovah said, They will shut you up.
(13) And David and his men, about six hundred men, rose up and left Keilah, and went wherever they could go. And it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah. And he ceased to go out.
(14) And David stayed in the wilderness, in the strongholds. And he stayed in the hill, in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him all his days. And God did not give him into his hand.
In this example, the very word from God was: The citizens will give you over to your enemy, Saul. It was prophesied by God. David could have stepped into this, but heeding the word of God, he chose to run to the desert, and nothing prophesied came to pass.
If it has been prophesied in your life that you will be a great man or woman of God, and that you will lead many to Jesus, you need to understand that this will not come to pass in front of your PlayStation. It's difficult to reach people for the Kingdom if you invest nothing in the Kingdom. We must press in. We must be serious. We must be zealous. We must be intentional.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Playing It Safe
1 Samuel 22:5 MKJV
(5) And the prophet Gad said to David, Do not stay in the stronghold. Leave and go into the land of Judah. And David left and came into the forest of Hareth.
When David was on the run from Saul, he left the cave of Adullam and went to Moab, seeking shelter from the king. God sent His prophet, Gad, to tell David to move on.
There are safe places for us to stay - thankfully - where we can rest spiritually, physically, and emotionally. In the embrace of our church family is such a stronghold. However, it's very easy to live within the confines of the church walls and never stray outside. We get complacent. Our Christian walk is only on sanctuary carpet. If this has been your walk, God says it's time to move on. Yes, there are risks outside, but with no risk there is no reward. God's plan for us rarely involves us being stagnant. His kingdom is constantly moving forward. Are we moving forward with it?
(5) And the prophet Gad said to David, Do not stay in the stronghold. Leave and go into the land of Judah. And David left and came into the forest of Hareth.
When David was on the run from Saul, he left the cave of Adullam and went to Moab, seeking shelter from the king. God sent His prophet, Gad, to tell David to move on.
There are safe places for us to stay - thankfully - where we can rest spiritually, physically, and emotionally. In the embrace of our church family is such a stronghold. However, it's very easy to live within the confines of the church walls and never stray outside. We get complacent. Our Christian walk is only on sanctuary carpet. If this has been your walk, God says it's time to move on. Yes, there are risks outside, but with no risk there is no reward. God's plan for us rarely involves us being stagnant. His kingdom is constantly moving forward. Are we moving forward with it?
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Attack In Faith
1Sa 13:2-5 JPS
(2) And Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmas and in the mount of Beth- el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeath-benjamin; and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
(3) And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the horn throughout all the land, saying: 'Let the Hebrews hear.'
(4) And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also had made himself odious with the Philistines. And the people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.
(5) And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude; and they came up, and pitched in Michmas, eastward of Beth-aven.
Pressing into the Kingdom of God is a job for 'violent' men and women (Matt 11:12). What we find when we become active in 'pressing' is that we upset the powers of the enemy. We become targets. Saul and Jonathan learned this the hard way, as they became 'odious with the Philistines'. Jonathan was a man of faith that 'pressed' by faith. As a result, Jonathan was victorious in his battles, but really ticked off the enemy! Saul never proved to be much of a man of faith. He relied more upon numbers and the backing of his people and his prophet, Samuel. This reliance upon flesh never panned out for Saul. Rather, it cost him absolutely everything.
We can know that in these days, we are to be acting more like Jonathan. Attack in faith and expect victory. Also expect the enemy to gather against us, but realize no enemy can overcome the people of God, for no weapon formed against us shall prosper.
(2) And Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmas and in the mount of Beth- el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeath-benjamin; and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
(3) And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the horn throughout all the land, saying: 'Let the Hebrews hear.'
(4) And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also had made himself odious with the Philistines. And the people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.
(5) And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude; and they came up, and pitched in Michmas, eastward of Beth-aven.
Pressing into the Kingdom of God is a job for 'violent' men and women (Matt 11:12). What we find when we become active in 'pressing' is that we upset the powers of the enemy. We become targets. Saul and Jonathan learned this the hard way, as they became 'odious with the Philistines'. Jonathan was a man of faith that 'pressed' by faith. As a result, Jonathan was victorious in his battles, but really ticked off the enemy! Saul never proved to be much of a man of faith. He relied more upon numbers and the backing of his people and his prophet, Samuel. This reliance upon flesh never panned out for Saul. Rather, it cost him absolutely everything.
We can know that in these days, we are to be acting more like Jonathan. Attack in faith and expect victory. Also expect the enemy to gather against us, but realize no enemy can overcome the people of God, for no weapon formed against us shall prosper.
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