Sermon Central
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The Spirit Of Saul
Contributed by Joshua A. Muncy on Aug 17, 2016 (message contributor)
Summary: The Spirit of Saul is one of the many spirits coming against the church today. This message tells how to identify, confront, and demolish this spirit before it destroys a church.
NOTE TO THE READER:
I was preaching a series near the beginning of the year at the War PH Church entitled "Close Encounters", when God stopped me dead in my tracks, and started teaching me of the "Spirit of Saul". I had no knowledge of this spirit until then. The week before, I had preached on how David had an encounter with God, but during my study time, God interrupted me, and taught me about this evil spirit. He told me, after teaching me all about it, to warn the churches because there are may falling victim to this horrific spiritual deviant. So please take this sermon as a warning, and warn your churches of it before it is too late.
THE SPIRIT OF SAUL:
TEXT: 1 Samuel 18:6-9 (NKJV)
1 Samuel 18:6 - Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments.
1 Samuel 18:7 - So the women sang as they danced, and said:
“Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.”
1 Samuel 18:8 - Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?”
1 Samuel 18:9 - So Saul eyed David from that day forward.
As we read from our text today, Saul, David, and the armies of Israel had been in battle with the Philistines for a bit, and during the battle, Saul kills thousands of soldiers, but David kills tens of thousands. When they get back home, people are coming from near and far to see the soldiers return. They have heard about Saul slaying thousands of men, but they have also heard about David slaying tens of thousands of men. They recognize and praise David for his efforts, so what happens? Saul begins to get envious. He begins to get jealous, and in doing so, he develops an intent to harm David.
Have you ever felt that way? Let's say you have worked a job for so many years, but all of a sudden, a new person comes in, and out-works you. Soon they start getting more praise and recognition than you. After a while, they get a promotion that you have been working for since you started at the company. How does that make you feel? But you have worked this job for all these years! How could this happen?
You see, earlier Saul was anointed king of Israel. We read this in 1 Samuel Chapter 10.
1 Samuel 10:1 - Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “Is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over His inheritance?
Saul was having a pretty nice experience at this point in his life. To be put in charge of all of the Lord's inheritance is a pretty big deal right? I'd say he was ecstatic.
But at some point he made a terrible mistake that cost him all of that, which brings me to my first point:
1. Saul's Disobedience: 1 Samuel 15
His mistake was not just a minor mistake, but it was a doozy! He disobeyed the Word of the Lord. God sent him and his army to the Amalekites to kill them. God plainly instructed them to kill every creature in the territory, but Saul decided to save the animals and later on make a sacrifice to God. But that is not what God instructed was it?
So the first symptom of knowing that you have a "Spirit of Saul" is disobedience to God and His will for your life.
1 Samuel 15:23 - For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”
So this scripture explains disobedience to a "T".
You see, God will call you into a certain field of ministry, and you will proudly accept His call. Later on, you will notice others around you finding success in the same field, but you are still stuck in the same position that you were in since God called you into ministry.
You begin to say things such as:
I wish that was me!
Why can't I do that?
Why can't have that?
So you decided to take it up on yourself to start trying to create your own opportunities. You decide to make your own ways.
Why? Because the moment you said:
"I wish that was me, why can't I do that, why can't I have that", Satan slipped the Spirit of Saul upon you.
