Sorry for the lack of activity over the last week…I did something my friend Brad Morgan is very proud of for me: I took a few days off! Because of that I have been on what I call another internet fast.
This last week I have been pouring over the story of Saul and David again. This story amazes me and yet it seems like I am pressured to live it out almost every day of my life. And so do you. It’s the pressure to be or conform to something you are not!
In 1 Samuel Saul is anointed King, messes up with the Amelkites, and is told by Samuel and God, He has chosen one that will obey Him…then Goliath is found taunting the Hebrews for 40 days and nights. See all the mighty men of valor shaking in their boots! Even the king can’t get enough courage to go out against this great Philistine warrior!
Then David shows up. Carrying a sack lunch from the local McDonalds (double cheese please!) Makes his brother so mad he tries to chase David back home to take care of daddy’s sheep when David pipes up and says, “…is there not a cause?”
Saul calls him in and instead of going with him to the battle he gives him his own armor, built just for Saul and tries to send David out to the battle. And you know the story…
This really stood out to me this week as I read it a couple of times through! And this is what is happening to so many of us preachers…day after day after day…
Some of us just do not fit in! We don’t fit in some of the churches…we don’t fit in our denominations…we don’t fit into some fellowship groups, because God is calling us to be David’s while everyone else is trying to fit us into Saul’s armor!
Please understand, I do love the elderly! I do appreciate our fathers and mothers in the faith who have paved the way before us!
But I am absolutely agitated and nauseated at the pressure I see pastors laboring under…the pressure to be the next Joel Osteen, the next Rod Parsley or Benny Hinn that we are allowing people to put us into Saul’s Armor…I’m telling you it aint gonna work!!!!!
Yes, I know I should call myself down. I know I need to finish my degree. I know I need to learn how to correctly enunciate my words and carry myself a little better in the pulpit. But guys and gals, none of that ever set a drug addict free! None of that ever delivered a demon possessed person!
I am not against anything that will help us or sharpen us; I’m not against furthering our education or anything that will help us to be greater men and women of faith!
But take off Saul’s armor!
Pick up your five stones! Use what you know works!
David picked up a bunch of rocks! No three piece suit. No Rolex. No airplane. No website. No 501© 3. No degree. No credentials from a major denomination. But he picked up what he knew would work: a rock!
God has taken you through the steps and traumas and obstacle’s He has, to teach us, it’s still not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of God!
Take off Saul’s Armor!
An excellent application from the story of David, and very preachable in several ways besides! I would add that the application can be flipped inside out– that in trying to copy what others are doing we are only putting on Saul’s armor– and yield another facet of the application. Excuse me now, I’ve got to take inventory so I know where to find my five smooth stones.
David,
About 15 years ago I had a prophet tell me that I don’t have to wear Saul’s armor. That was very liberating to me. I knew I wasn’t like many men, and I was struggling with that. When that prophetic word came I was set free to be myself!
Right on David!
God has spoken to me so much about David and Saul over the last few years. I believe we are in a time where God is raising up Davids in the midst of Sauls. David always honoured and loved Saul and recognised Saul’s anointing, even when Saul was not favourable towards him, but he still got on with the task at hand the way that God showed him to do it, not the way that Saul expected it to be done (and as we know, sadly, the results infuriated Saul).
Regarding Saul’s armour. I know just what you mean. The problem is that we (or me at least!) can be more predisposed to pleasing people than pleasing God, not least of all from members of our own churches who are unsure of the new things that God is doing. But David was a man after GOD’s own heart - and he ushered in something new for all the people.
Thanks for the encouragement.
What a wonderful thing it is to learn how to be who God has made us. Scripture says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. I am convinced that one of Satan’s greatest attacks on people in ministry is to convince them to be someone they are not. The enemy wants us to live under a pressure to produce while God wants us to be led by the Spirit of God. David’s armor caused him to be more than he could ever be and do more that he thought he could ever do. Congratulations on taking a few days off. The armor God would have us wear is equipped with rest. We love you guys. Thanks for the post.
God has also been speaking to me on the distinction Father is making on the Saul and David anointing. What we need to guard against is there will come a day in which we will be where the Saul’s are at now: and how are we going to act and respond to the changing environment in the Body when we are coming to the end of our days on this earth?
You know David, God was speaking to me about that this very afternoon! He said to me “build as if you’re not always going to be there” - and I don’t think He was meaning when I pop my clogs!
There are a lot of levels to that understanding. Some of the guys that were our heroes and heads above everyone else did not turn out so well in the end. I have tried to wear that armor many times cause everyone else in the church was. Now is the time to rely on the Spirit alone and become who he is calling us to be.
I sense there is a growing hunger and desire to stop all the nonsense and seek after Jesus and Him alone! And when He again becomes the central focus of our lives and ministries, we can’t help but walk in His provision, His protection and His power!