Post by Les Brewer on Dec 17, 2014 23:26:46 GMT
Merry Christmas 2014 and Greetings my friends and fellow workers of the Kingdom of God. I am humbled to share the word of God with you this Christmas Season and I pray that the presence of God through the Holy Spirit will manifest here in Jesus name and teach us to pray…and challenge us to truly Honor!
Preface
GOD DOESN'T CHOOSE PASSIONLESS PEOPLE... who are content to achieve nothing in life to do His work in the world. He doesn’t require that a person earn a university degree in order to be used by Him. But He does look at a person’s attitude and desire before He lays His hand upon him and calls him to do something historic and monumental. -- RICK RENNER
In these last days there is a great deception going on and we must be careful who we honor. We must honor nonetheless, for such is the Kingdom of God. We must honor God and never honor evil. Yet we also should honor those that support us. Our family and fellow workers should never feel we are abusing them, taking advantage or just using them for our needs alone. The truth is we should freely give honor to those around us. This may seem contradictory to honoring God, but what it means is that we do not honor evil, but we do pray for those who are used by evil and bless them. We honor the things God's honors. Yahweh honors the humble and contrite, not the haughty or proud. This is why we need to be constantly checking our heart and stay at the feet of Jesus. Love and honor must be seen through us even if we are persecuted.
Definition of Honor - a concept of life (a value if you will) that we are losing in today's value-free society. Very few seem to have any idea of honor either in their daily lives, their relationships or their work. Webster's Dictionary defines "honor' as: "...official dignity, repute, esteem - a keen sense of right and wrong - adherence to actions or principles considered right - integrity - to bring respect .... to show regard..."
In the Old Testament, the Bible uses several different Hebrew words that are translated "honor." These carry the idea of magnificence or splendor. In the New Testament, the main Greek word translated "honor" means "to praise or to revere." It has its origin in a Greek word meaning "valuable." In fact the Greek word for "without honor" literally means "no value."
Then we must define Honor as “to value.”
To have Honor is a many-sided virtue and includes:
Self-Discipline--disciplining or training oneself.
Responsibility--being accountable to ourselves and to others.
Courage--standing our ground in the face of impossible odds.
Perseverance--keeping on keeping on when it would be much easier just to quit.
Honesty-being genuine, real, in everything we do.
Loyalty--being faithful to others.
Duty - doing what's right whether or not it's popular and whether or not we win.
Faith--reaching beyond ourselves and our own abilities.
Introduction
We may be familiar with the Hebrew King Saul and his fall from favor through his pride and the influence of evil in his life. Tonight let us see how the “new king” is raised up to replace him. You may think that it will be a cinch to be the anointed king of Israel. That when we get favor from God we are going to move right into the job. Not true. We are not always exactly ready for ministry or our life's work. We must be trained up. Our character needs to be tested, not just so God can see our hearts, (He already knows what’s there,) it is so we can see what's there and come to repentance and be transformed and grow in maturity in Christ.
Here is the primary points:
Point 1 The Baton must be passed to a new leader…
Point 2 David’s saga continues as he learns to be king
Point 3 Honor everyone even the dishonored
Point 4 David's star was rises as Saul's star explodes
Point 1 - The baton must be passed to the next king.
Prophetically we see how God uses His apostles and prophets to raise up the leaders for service today. The apostolic and prophetic anointing is required to raise up mighty leaders who can be true servants of Christ. There must be promotion in the Kingdom of God. We are not all mature when we are called, and we need seasoning and vessel of honor. We learn to honor God and others first. All of us have been called for this ministry.
Let's read king David's call:
1 Samuel Chapter 16 World English Bible
1 Yahweh said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill your horn with oil, and go: I will send you to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons. 2 Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. Yahweh said, Take a heifer with you, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Yahweh. 3 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do: and you shall anoint to me him whom I name to you. 4 Samuel did that which Yahweh spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Come you peaceably? 5 He said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice to Yahweh: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 6 It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab, and said, Surely Yahweh's anointed is before him. 7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, "Don't look on his face, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for [Yahweh sees] not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart." 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, Neither has Yahweh chosen this. 9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, Neither has Yahweh chosen this. 10 Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, Yahweh has not chosen these. 11 Samuel said to Jesse, Are here all your children? He said, There remains yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he come here. 12 He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful face, and goodly to look on. Yahweh 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 Yahweh came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 14 Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him. 15 Saul's servants said to him, See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp: and it shall happen, when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well. 17 Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me. 18 Then answered one of the young men, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person; and Yahweh is with him. 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send me David your son, who is with the sheep. 20 Jesse took a donkey [laden] with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer. 22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight. 23 It happened, when the [evil] spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
David becomes the armor bearer to Saul after the king becomes filled with evil. Now imagine this situation, you are a young boy and when you have just been anointed to become king you are selected by the king to be the armor bearer for a demon infested king. That is scary. You know David's training is not going to be easy. Not a snowball's chance in hell, David would be living in earthly hell from this day forward. His metal was being tested by God to show, him (David) his own nature. Like a musical instrument that does not make a tone until it is played, it was through the adversity that David soared on eagle wings brought the beauty of his song. What about you? Are you going through a hard time and complaining or are you resonating your frequency of character that shows the beauty of your character?
It is not easy to be behind the scenes serving in a ministry while others get the limelight or better said glory. We need to remember that honor comes after our time is done here. Each of us will be exalted at the proper time.
Point 2 - David’s saga continues as he learns to be king:
1 Samuel Chapter 17 World English Bible
1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. 2 Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 3 The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. 4 There went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a helmet of brass on his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 6 He had brass shin-armor on his legs, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders. 7 The staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head [weighed] six hundred shekels of iron: and his shield-bearer went before him. 8 He stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, Why are you come out to set your battle in array? am I not a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 9 If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall you be our servants, and serve us. 10 The Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. 12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken [in years] among men. 13 The three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest; and the three eldest followed Saul. 15 Now David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Beth-lehem. 16 The Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. 17 Jesse said to David his son, Take now for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry [them] quickly to the camp to your brothers; 18 and bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and look how your brothers fare, and take their pledge. 19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the place of the wagons, as the host which was going forth to the fight shouted for the battle. 21 Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army against army. 22 David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 23 As he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words: and David heard them. 24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 25 The men of Israel said, Have you seen this man who is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. 26 David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27 The people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man who kills him. 28 Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why are you come down? and with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the naughtiness of your heart; for you have come down that you might see the battle. 29 David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? 30 He turned away from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. 31 When the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him. 32 David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34 David said to Saul, Your servant was keeping his father's sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after him, and struck him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck him, and killed him. 36 Your servant struck both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said, Yahweh who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. Saul said to David, Go, and Yahweh shall be with you. 38 Saul clad David with his clothing, and he put a helmet of brass on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail. 39 David girded his sword on his clothing, and he tried to go; for he had not proved it. David said to Saul, I can't go with these; for I have not proved them. David put them off him. 40 He took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his wallet; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. 41 The Philistine came on and drew near to David; and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42 When the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair face. 43 The Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks? The Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky, and to the animals of the field. 45 Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day will Yahweh deliver you into my hand; and I will strike you, and take your head from off you; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky, and to the wild animals of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that Yahweh doesn't save with sword and spear: for the battle is Yahweh's, and he will give you into our hand. 48 It happened, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand in his bag, and took there a stone, and slang it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine, and killed him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath of it, and killed him, and cut off his head therewith. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52 The men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until you come to Gai, and to the gates of Ekron. The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron. 53 The children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. 54 David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent. 55 When Saul saw means David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I can't tell. 56 The king said, "Inquire whose son the young man is!" 57 As David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 Saul said to him, Whose son are you, you young man? David answered, I am the son of your servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.
This young (ruddy) or short warrior stood up to a giant. We have all heard the story, now lets us go to the heart of this message. There was not one honorable man in the Israel army besides David, but in the world's standards he was a dishonorable man. Yahweh looks at the heart of His warriors, not the external attributes only. His warriors are like you and me, “The Dishonorables.” They will come after us and tell like Saul and his brothers tried to tell David you can't do this. We need to remember that as God looks at our heart He sees the potential, the prophetic and already can see what we will be, for He is already in our future. The religious blockers who are always there to try and cause us to stumble, to bring us dishonor. For some it may be just jeolousy like Cain with Abel, or and it can be outright pride and fear. David was a leader not by the world's standards, but because he was a God pleaser not a man pleaser. His heart fully belongs to God, although this does not mean he was completely pure either.
Can you visualize this image: David in front of the king with the head of that giant right there? What an image it must have been. Saul would never forget that he was made low by such a weak and feeble young boy.
His pride would rise up to rage later:
1 Samuel 18 World English Bible
1 It happened, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him, and gave it to David, and his clothing, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his sash. 5 David went out wherever Saul sent him, [and] behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. 6 It happened as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music. 7 The women sang one to another as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands. 8 Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9 Saul eyed David from that day and forward. 10 It happened on the next day, that an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand; 11 and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will strike David even to the wall. David avoided out of his presence twice. 12 Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him, and was departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Yahweh was with him. 15 When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them. 17 Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give you as wife: only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh's battles. For Saul said, Don't let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him. 18 David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, [or] my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? 19 But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife. 20 Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David, You shall this day be my son-in-law a second time. 22 Saul commanded his servants, [saying], Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you: now therefore be the king's son-in-law. 23 Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, Seems it to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 24 The servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spoke David. 25 Saul said, Thus shall you tell David, The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. The days were not expired; 27 and David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife. 28 Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David; and Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him. 29 Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy continually. 30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it happened, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
We see an incredible thing happen. God's favor continued to pour hot coal's on Saul's head. Even his own son became best friends with David. The maidens play tambourine and tell the story of how great the victories David are as Yahweh's anointing is bringing a blessing. May I remind you that you have the same anointing. You have a kingly and priestly anointing to bring victory to Yahweh. Your enemy's will recent you. They will think you do not deserve any honor. They might work to destroy you and your ministry. Their anger will rise up to rage and even murder of reputation if possible. We must be aware and battle the enemy and not the people themselves, for we do not battle flesh and blood. We fight principalities and evil powers of darkness, that demons folks. Fallen angels. We don't fight with guns or bombs, we fight with spiritual weapons. We see the incredible things that God can do through one of His “Dishonorables.” He uses the weak, the poor, the outcasts, the humble servants like you frustrate and confound the enemy.
Point 3 - Honor everyone even the dishonored leaders
WE are all leaders in the kingdom of God. Some of us lead others only to train them up until they can lead too. There are some leaders who never honor anyone. We are on a mission to save the lost and set the captives free, we can't do this without a team, we don't fight alone. Be careful though because sometimes those who lead can get off course and then we would be honoring someone God is not honoring in that function.
In the case of Saul trying to be a prophet though, David honored his anointing as king and did not respond as treated by Saul:
1 Samuel 19 World English Bible
1 Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David. 2 Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeks to kill you: now therefore, please take care of yourself in the morning, and live in a secret place, and hide yourself: 3 and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will commune with my father of you; and if I see anything, I will tell you. 4 Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, Don't let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you: 5 for he put his life in his hand, and struck the Philistine, and Yahweh worked a great victory for all Israel: you saw it, and did rejoice; why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause? 6 Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death. 7 Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shown him all those things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as before. 8 There was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him. 9 An evil spirit from Yahweh was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand. 10 Saul sought to strike David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he struck the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 11 Saul sent messengers to David's house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning: and Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, If you don't save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be slain. 12 So Michal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 13 Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' [hair] at the head of it, and covered it with the clothes. 14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. 15 Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him. 16 When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' [hair] at the head of it. 17 Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he is escaped? Michal answered Saul, He said to me, Let me go; why should I kill you? 18 Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived in Naioth. 19 It was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. 20 Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? One said, Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah. 23 He went there to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God came on him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 He also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
We should be careful that what we see with our eyes isn't always as appears. Saul was falsely prophesying and was using a divination spirit to do it. Also, remember we have the Lord of Hosts, the commander of the armies of God at our 12 o'clock. He leads us into battle.
Part 4 - David's star was rises as Saul's star was explodes.
We begin to see that honor must be accompanied by action. For example if David would be king of all of Israel, he would have to lead people. He could NOT stay on the run from Saul for ever. Also we see who David's team members would be, “The Dishonorable 400.” who eventually became the “Mighty Men of Renown.” Every apostle of God (Sent one) has a team. They are there to support the commission of God. In the spirit realm there is also mighty angelic warriors too. The honor due the apostle, the prophet and the evangelist comes from the Lord. He honors those He calls. Again, will we honor the anointing of the Holy Spirit or not?
Will we act like Saul and as a religious zealot try to destroy our disciples in training or will we raise them up in honor? Folks we don’t eat our young!
1 Samuel Chapter 22 World English Bible
1 David therefore departed there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam: and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. 3 David went there to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab, Please let my father and my mother come forth, [and be] with you, until I know what God will do for me. 4 He brought them before the king of Moab: and they lived with him all the while that David was in the stronghold. 5 The prophet Gad said to David, Don't stay in the stronghold; depart, and get you into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth. 6 Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. 7 Saul said to his servants who stood about him, Hear now, you Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, 8 that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 He inquired of Yahweh for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. 12 Saul said, Hear now, you son of Ahitub. He answered, Here I am, my lord. 13 Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into your council, and is honorable in your house? 15 Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: don't let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more. 16 The king said, You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father's house. 17 The king said to the guard who stood about him, Turn, and kill the priests of Yahweh; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and didn't disclose it to me. But the servants of the king wouldn't put forth their hand to fall on the priests of Yahweh. 18 The king said to Doeg, Turn you, and fall on the priests. Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell on the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod. 19 Nob, the city of the priests, struck he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies, and oxen and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword. 20 One of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. 21 Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Yahweh's priests. 22 David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned [the death] of all the persons of your father's house. 23 Abide you with me, don't be afraid; for he who seeks my life seeks your life: for with me you shall be in safeguard.
Saul knows his time has arrived. His soul is lost and owned by the enemy. David still has honor for his anointing though:
1 Samuel 24 world English Bible
1 It happened, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats. 3 He came to the sheep pens by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave. 4 The men of David said to him, Behold, the day of which Yahweh said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly. 5 It happened afterward, that David's heart struck him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 6 He said to his men, Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Yahweh's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Yahweh's anointed. 7 So David checked his men with these words, and didn't allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance. 9 David said to Saul, Why listen you to men's words, saying, Behold, David seeks your hurt? 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that Yahweh had delivered you today into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill you; but [my eye] spared you; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is Yahweh's anointed. 11 Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn't kill you, know you and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt after my life to take it. 12 Yahweh judge between me and you, and Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you. 13 As says the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be on you. 14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. 15 Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand. 16 It came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 17 He said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have rendered to me good, whereas I have rendered to you evil. 18 You have declared this day how that you have dealt well with me, because when Yahweh had delivered me up into your hand, you didn't kill me. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may Yahweh reward you good for that which you have done to me this day. 20 Now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Swear now therefore to me by Yahweh, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house. 22 David swore to Saul. Saul went home; but David and his men got them up to the stronghold.
David's heart was trained to be honorable in the fear and presence of Yahweh. Saul was wicked to the core. Everything he was appeared superficial. The wars revealed who he really was. The Holy Spirit's refining fire exposes the dross (character flaws or impurities) in all of us. The true lesson here is that we honor authority not because someone is commanding us alone. We are also honoring the Lord and ourselves when we honor others. Why would anyone follow us if we are always dishonoring the leadership and authority. They would think, “What a Hypocrite,” because we expect respect, when we give none. Will we learn that men like Saul are leading by the flesh and not the Spirit. They are gifted, but their gifts are not for others, they only think of themselves. These gifts can be hijacked just like Saul was and then well you know what happens next. What about you? Will you lead with honor like David?
Conclusion
Whether we are in support behind the scenes or so-called “in front leadership position” we are still servants and leaders. Our rise to our position in our calling comes as we humble ourselves in adversity over time. Honor must be given throughout a whole ministry not just for the heads of that ministry. We must give praise that is worthy, but never misplaced honor or premature honor. Never honor that which God does not honor. We never honor the proud. We honor the contrite! But remember that if love if what we are about then we do not dishonor anyone either. It is up to God to remove leaders at His time not ours. We can rebuke and restore. Our exaltation is in His hands and timing.
1 Peter 5:6 NLT So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you.
My Challenge:
Submit Yourselves to God first and not just to men
James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Preface
GOD DOESN'T CHOOSE PASSIONLESS PEOPLE... who are content to achieve nothing in life to do His work in the world. He doesn’t require that a person earn a university degree in order to be used by Him. But He does look at a person’s attitude and desire before He lays His hand upon him and calls him to do something historic and monumental. -- RICK RENNER
In these last days there is a great deception going on and we must be careful who we honor. We must honor nonetheless, for such is the Kingdom of God. We must honor God and never honor evil. Yet we also should honor those that support us. Our family and fellow workers should never feel we are abusing them, taking advantage or just using them for our needs alone. The truth is we should freely give honor to those around us. This may seem contradictory to honoring God, but what it means is that we do not honor evil, but we do pray for those who are used by evil and bless them. We honor the things God's honors. Yahweh honors the humble and contrite, not the haughty or proud. This is why we need to be constantly checking our heart and stay at the feet of Jesus. Love and honor must be seen through us even if we are persecuted.
Definition of Honor - a concept of life (a value if you will) that we are losing in today's value-free society. Very few seem to have any idea of honor either in their daily lives, their relationships or their work. Webster's Dictionary defines "honor' as: "...official dignity, repute, esteem - a keen sense of right and wrong - adherence to actions or principles considered right - integrity - to bring respect .... to show regard..."
In the Old Testament, the Bible uses several different Hebrew words that are translated "honor." These carry the idea of magnificence or splendor. In the New Testament, the main Greek word translated "honor" means "to praise or to revere." It has its origin in a Greek word meaning "valuable." In fact the Greek word for "without honor" literally means "no value."
Then we must define Honor as “to value.”
To have Honor is a many-sided virtue and includes:
Self-Discipline--disciplining or training oneself.
Responsibility--being accountable to ourselves and to others.
Courage--standing our ground in the face of impossible odds.
Perseverance--keeping on keeping on when it would be much easier just to quit.
Honesty-being genuine, real, in everything we do.
Loyalty--being faithful to others.
Duty - doing what's right whether or not it's popular and whether or not we win.
Faith--reaching beyond ourselves and our own abilities.
Introduction
We may be familiar with the Hebrew King Saul and his fall from favor through his pride and the influence of evil in his life. Tonight let us see how the “new king” is raised up to replace him. You may think that it will be a cinch to be the anointed king of Israel. That when we get favor from God we are going to move right into the job. Not true. We are not always exactly ready for ministry or our life's work. We must be trained up. Our character needs to be tested, not just so God can see our hearts, (He already knows what’s there,) it is so we can see what's there and come to repentance and be transformed and grow in maturity in Christ.
Here is the primary points:
Point 1 The Baton must be passed to a new leader…
Point 2 David’s saga continues as he learns to be king
Point 3 Honor everyone even the dishonored
Point 4 David's star was rises as Saul's star explodes
Point 1 - The baton must be passed to the next king.
Prophetically we see how God uses His apostles and prophets to raise up the leaders for service today. The apostolic and prophetic anointing is required to raise up mighty leaders who can be true servants of Christ. There must be promotion in the Kingdom of God. We are not all mature when we are called, and we need seasoning and vessel of honor. We learn to honor God and others first. All of us have been called for this ministry.
Let's read king David's call:
1 Samuel Chapter 16 World English Bible
1 Yahweh said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill your horn with oil, and go: I will send you to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons. 2 Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. Yahweh said, Take a heifer with you, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Yahweh. 3 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do: and you shall anoint to me him whom I name to you. 4 Samuel did that which Yahweh spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Come you peaceably? 5 He said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice to Yahweh: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 6 It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab, and said, Surely Yahweh's anointed is before him. 7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, "Don't look on his face, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for [Yahweh sees] not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart." 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, Neither has Yahweh chosen this. 9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, Neither has Yahweh chosen this. 10 Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, Yahweh has not chosen these. 11 Samuel said to Jesse, Are here all your children? He said, There remains yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he come here. 12 He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful face, and goodly to look on. Yahweh 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 Yahweh came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 14 Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him. 15 Saul's servants said to him, See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp: and it shall happen, when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well. 17 Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me. 18 Then answered one of the young men, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person; and Yahweh is with him. 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send me David your son, who is with the sheep. 20 Jesse took a donkey [laden] with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer. 22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight. 23 It happened, when the [evil] spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
David becomes the armor bearer to Saul after the king becomes filled with evil. Now imagine this situation, you are a young boy and when you have just been anointed to become king you are selected by the king to be the armor bearer for a demon infested king. That is scary. You know David's training is not going to be easy. Not a snowball's chance in hell, David would be living in earthly hell from this day forward. His metal was being tested by God to show, him (David) his own nature. Like a musical instrument that does not make a tone until it is played, it was through the adversity that David soared on eagle wings brought the beauty of his song. What about you? Are you going through a hard time and complaining or are you resonating your frequency of character that shows the beauty of your character?
It is not easy to be behind the scenes serving in a ministry while others get the limelight or better said glory. We need to remember that honor comes after our time is done here. Each of us will be exalted at the proper time.
Point 2 - David’s saga continues as he learns to be king:
1 Samuel Chapter 17 World English Bible
1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. 2 Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 3 The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. 4 There went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a helmet of brass on his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 6 He had brass shin-armor on his legs, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders. 7 The staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head [weighed] six hundred shekels of iron: and his shield-bearer went before him. 8 He stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, Why are you come out to set your battle in array? am I not a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 9 If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall you be our servants, and serve us. 10 The Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. 12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken [in years] among men. 13 The three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest; and the three eldest followed Saul. 15 Now David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Beth-lehem. 16 The Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. 17 Jesse said to David his son, Take now for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry [them] quickly to the camp to your brothers; 18 and bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and look how your brothers fare, and take their pledge. 19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the place of the wagons, as the host which was going forth to the fight shouted for the battle. 21 Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army against army. 22 David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 23 As he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words: and David heard them. 24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 25 The men of Israel said, Have you seen this man who is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. 26 David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27 The people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man who kills him. 28 Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why are you come down? and with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the naughtiness of your heart; for you have come down that you might see the battle. 29 David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? 30 He turned away from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. 31 When the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him. 32 David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34 David said to Saul, Your servant was keeping his father's sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after him, and struck him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck him, and killed him. 36 Your servant struck both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said, Yahweh who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. Saul said to David, Go, and Yahweh shall be with you. 38 Saul clad David with his clothing, and he put a helmet of brass on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail. 39 David girded his sword on his clothing, and he tried to go; for he had not proved it. David said to Saul, I can't go with these; for I have not proved them. David put them off him. 40 He took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his wallet; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. 41 The Philistine came on and drew near to David; and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42 When the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair face. 43 The Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks? The Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky, and to the animals of the field. 45 Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day will Yahweh deliver you into my hand; and I will strike you, and take your head from off you; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky, and to the wild animals of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that Yahweh doesn't save with sword and spear: for the battle is Yahweh's, and he will give you into our hand. 48 It happened, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand in his bag, and took there a stone, and slang it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine, and killed him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath of it, and killed him, and cut off his head therewith. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52 The men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until you come to Gai, and to the gates of Ekron. The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron. 53 The children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. 54 David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent. 55 When Saul saw means David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I can't tell. 56 The king said, "Inquire whose son the young man is!" 57 As David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 Saul said to him, Whose son are you, you young man? David answered, I am the son of your servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.
This young (ruddy) or short warrior stood up to a giant. We have all heard the story, now lets us go to the heart of this message. There was not one honorable man in the Israel army besides David, but in the world's standards he was a dishonorable man. Yahweh looks at the heart of His warriors, not the external attributes only. His warriors are like you and me, “The Dishonorables.” They will come after us and tell like Saul and his brothers tried to tell David you can't do this. We need to remember that as God looks at our heart He sees the potential, the prophetic and already can see what we will be, for He is already in our future. The religious blockers who are always there to try and cause us to stumble, to bring us dishonor. For some it may be just jeolousy like Cain with Abel, or and it can be outright pride and fear. David was a leader not by the world's standards, but because he was a God pleaser not a man pleaser. His heart fully belongs to God, although this does not mean he was completely pure either.
Can you visualize this image: David in front of the king with the head of that giant right there? What an image it must have been. Saul would never forget that he was made low by such a weak and feeble young boy.
His pride would rise up to rage later:
1 Samuel 18 World English Bible
1 It happened, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him, and gave it to David, and his clothing, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his sash. 5 David went out wherever Saul sent him, [and] behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. 6 It happened as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music. 7 The women sang one to another as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands. 8 Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9 Saul eyed David from that day and forward. 10 It happened on the next day, that an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand; 11 and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will strike David even to the wall. David avoided out of his presence twice. 12 Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him, and was departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Yahweh was with him. 15 When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them. 17 Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give you as wife: only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh's battles. For Saul said, Don't let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him. 18 David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, [or] my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? 19 But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife. 20 Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David, You shall this day be my son-in-law a second time. 22 Saul commanded his servants, [saying], Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you: now therefore be the king's son-in-law. 23 Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, Seems it to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 24 The servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spoke David. 25 Saul said, Thus shall you tell David, The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. The days were not expired; 27 and David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife. 28 Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David; and Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him. 29 Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy continually. 30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it happened, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
We see an incredible thing happen. God's favor continued to pour hot coal's on Saul's head. Even his own son became best friends with David. The maidens play tambourine and tell the story of how great the victories David are as Yahweh's anointing is bringing a blessing. May I remind you that you have the same anointing. You have a kingly and priestly anointing to bring victory to Yahweh. Your enemy's will recent you. They will think you do not deserve any honor. They might work to destroy you and your ministry. Their anger will rise up to rage and even murder of reputation if possible. We must be aware and battle the enemy and not the people themselves, for we do not battle flesh and blood. We fight principalities and evil powers of darkness, that demons folks. Fallen angels. We don't fight with guns or bombs, we fight with spiritual weapons. We see the incredible things that God can do through one of His “Dishonorables.” He uses the weak, the poor, the outcasts, the humble servants like you frustrate and confound the enemy.
Point 3 - Honor everyone even the dishonored leaders
WE are all leaders in the kingdom of God. Some of us lead others only to train them up until they can lead too. There are some leaders who never honor anyone. We are on a mission to save the lost and set the captives free, we can't do this without a team, we don't fight alone. Be careful though because sometimes those who lead can get off course and then we would be honoring someone God is not honoring in that function.
In the case of Saul trying to be a prophet though, David honored his anointing as king and did not respond as treated by Saul:
1 Samuel 19 World English Bible
1 Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David. 2 Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeks to kill you: now therefore, please take care of yourself in the morning, and live in a secret place, and hide yourself: 3 and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will commune with my father of you; and if I see anything, I will tell you. 4 Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, Don't let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you: 5 for he put his life in his hand, and struck the Philistine, and Yahweh worked a great victory for all Israel: you saw it, and did rejoice; why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause? 6 Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death. 7 Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shown him all those things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as before. 8 There was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him. 9 An evil spirit from Yahweh was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand. 10 Saul sought to strike David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he struck the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 11 Saul sent messengers to David's house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning: and Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, If you don't save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be slain. 12 So Michal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 13 Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' [hair] at the head of it, and covered it with the clothes. 14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. 15 Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him. 16 When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' [hair] at the head of it. 17 Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he is escaped? Michal answered Saul, He said to me, Let me go; why should I kill you? 18 Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived in Naioth. 19 It was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. 20 Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? One said, Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah. 23 He went there to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God came on him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 He also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
We should be careful that what we see with our eyes isn't always as appears. Saul was falsely prophesying and was using a divination spirit to do it. Also, remember we have the Lord of Hosts, the commander of the armies of God at our 12 o'clock. He leads us into battle.
Part 4 - David's star was rises as Saul's star was explodes.
We begin to see that honor must be accompanied by action. For example if David would be king of all of Israel, he would have to lead people. He could NOT stay on the run from Saul for ever. Also we see who David's team members would be, “The Dishonorable 400.” who eventually became the “Mighty Men of Renown.” Every apostle of God (Sent one) has a team. They are there to support the commission of God. In the spirit realm there is also mighty angelic warriors too. The honor due the apostle, the prophet and the evangelist comes from the Lord. He honors those He calls. Again, will we honor the anointing of the Holy Spirit or not?
Will we act like Saul and as a religious zealot try to destroy our disciples in training or will we raise them up in honor? Folks we don’t eat our young!
1 Samuel Chapter 22 World English Bible
1 David therefore departed there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam: and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. 3 David went there to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab, Please let my father and my mother come forth, [and be] with you, until I know what God will do for me. 4 He brought them before the king of Moab: and they lived with him all the while that David was in the stronghold. 5 The prophet Gad said to David, Don't stay in the stronghold; depart, and get you into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth. 6 Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. 7 Saul said to his servants who stood about him, Hear now, you Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, 8 that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 He inquired of Yahweh for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. 12 Saul said, Hear now, you son of Ahitub. He answered, Here I am, my lord. 13 Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into your council, and is honorable in your house? 15 Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: don't let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more. 16 The king said, You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father's house. 17 The king said to the guard who stood about him, Turn, and kill the priests of Yahweh; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and didn't disclose it to me. But the servants of the king wouldn't put forth their hand to fall on the priests of Yahweh. 18 The king said to Doeg, Turn you, and fall on the priests. Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell on the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod. 19 Nob, the city of the priests, struck he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies, and oxen and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword. 20 One of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. 21 Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Yahweh's priests. 22 David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned [the death] of all the persons of your father's house. 23 Abide you with me, don't be afraid; for he who seeks my life seeks your life: for with me you shall be in safeguard.
Saul knows his time has arrived. His soul is lost and owned by the enemy. David still has honor for his anointing though:
1 Samuel 24 world English Bible
1 It happened, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats. 3 He came to the sheep pens by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave. 4 The men of David said to him, Behold, the day of which Yahweh said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly. 5 It happened afterward, that David's heart struck him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 6 He said to his men, Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Yahweh's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Yahweh's anointed. 7 So David checked his men with these words, and didn't allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance. 9 David said to Saul, Why listen you to men's words, saying, Behold, David seeks your hurt? 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that Yahweh had delivered you today into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill you; but [my eye] spared you; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is Yahweh's anointed. 11 Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn't kill you, know you and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt after my life to take it. 12 Yahweh judge between me and you, and Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you. 13 As says the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be on you. 14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. 15 Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand. 16 It came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 17 He said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have rendered to me good, whereas I have rendered to you evil. 18 You have declared this day how that you have dealt well with me, because when Yahweh had delivered me up into your hand, you didn't kill me. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may Yahweh reward you good for that which you have done to me this day. 20 Now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Swear now therefore to me by Yahweh, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house. 22 David swore to Saul. Saul went home; but David and his men got them up to the stronghold.
David's heart was trained to be honorable in the fear and presence of Yahweh. Saul was wicked to the core. Everything he was appeared superficial. The wars revealed who he really was. The Holy Spirit's refining fire exposes the dross (character flaws or impurities) in all of us. The true lesson here is that we honor authority not because someone is commanding us alone. We are also honoring the Lord and ourselves when we honor others. Why would anyone follow us if we are always dishonoring the leadership and authority. They would think, “What a Hypocrite,” because we expect respect, when we give none. Will we learn that men like Saul are leading by the flesh and not the Spirit. They are gifted, but their gifts are not for others, they only think of themselves. These gifts can be hijacked just like Saul was and then well you know what happens next. What about you? Will you lead with honor like David?
Conclusion
Whether we are in support behind the scenes or so-called “in front leadership position” we are still servants and leaders. Our rise to our position in our calling comes as we humble ourselves in adversity over time. Honor must be given throughout a whole ministry not just for the heads of that ministry. We must give praise that is worthy, but never misplaced honor or premature honor. Never honor that which God does not honor. We never honor the proud. We honor the contrite! But remember that if love if what we are about then we do not dishonor anyone either. It is up to God to remove leaders at His time not ours. We can rebuke and restore. Our exaltation is in His hands and timing.
1 Peter 5:6 NLT So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you.
My Challenge:
Submit Yourselves to God first and not just to men
James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
