Do You Have It - A Distinct Spirit Series

THE AUTHORITY OF THE BELIEVERS: HAVE YOU GOT IT?

A MAN OF DISTINCTION

I Samuel 16:14-23 (18)

What Is Authority? What Is Power? Woe Is Me, Who Gave You The Power? Just Speak The Word, Jesus Could Do Nothing? A Look At The Miracles, Who Is Jesus? Is He The Christ? A Look At The Miracles, Saved But Bound, Knowing Your Weapons, Knowing The Enemy, etc.

Illustration: Bury My Cat - You Should Have Told Me It Was A Baptist Cat

Illustration: Christian Bear & Hunter

There Are Four Basic Categories Of Saved People In The Church

ƒá Those Who Think They Are Saved, But Aren't. Matt 7:21-3 (Not Everyone¡K)

ƒá Those We Think Are Saved, But Aren't. 1 John 2:18-19 (They Went From¡K)

ƒá Those Who Are Saved, But Don't Act Like It: James 3:11 (Fountain Cannot¡K)

ƒá Those Who Are Saved, And They Act Like It. (Matthew 25:3: Well Done¡K)

Illustration: A girl confessed to her pastor that she was guilty of the sin of pride. "When I look in the mirror, I think I am beautiful." The priest said, "That's not a sin, that's a mistake."

Before You Get Saved, There Are No Qualifications (Isaiah 1:18) Other Than Realizing You Are A Sinner, Confessing & Accepting Christ. Come as you are ¡V you don¡¦t have to clean yourself, Christ will clean you. But when you become a Christian, the rules change ¡V you must develop certain qualities and habits that will resemble God. How can two walk together unless they agree? Something of God must rub: Courage, Honesty, Reliability, Discipline, Responsibility, Tolerance, Vision, Integrity, Respect, Endurance, Generosity, Perseverance, Compassion, Commitment, Enthusiasm, Self-Sacrifice, Humility, Patience, Loyalty, Forgiving, Passion, etc.

We Cannot Move To The Next Level But With A Special Attitude. When you accept Christ, you have the foundation. When you are in Christ, you must build upon that foundation ¡V David did. A Character Of Distinction means something sets you apart from everyone. Thus the cock is different from the rooster. Stallion v/s horse. Noble v/s peasant. Mansion v/s cottage. Christian v/s unbelievers. Original v/s copyright.

DAVID AND GOD

God Had David On A Path That Would Lead To Greatness - But it wasn¡¦t an overnight journey. If you want intimacy with God it will cost you something. It may be years of obscurity & pain, trials & tests, joys & sorrows as God moves you from A to B and breaks and molds your life and character until it resembles that of His Son.

Illustration: David - I Sam 22:1-3 / Jacob - Gen 32:22-31 Alone & Crippled

God Is Doing Some Scouting Of His Own Today. 2 Chron 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him¡K¡¨ God is looking for people that He can make champions on His team. What kind of person is God looking for? One of the clearest pictures you will find of the kind of person is in 1 Samuel 16. The Command From Saul Was To Seek A Man. A Player & Partner. Then God Provided a Complete Man willing to be shaped by God. He was flesh and blood. Not superman. He came with a character few in the church seek and few in the church have. He prayed and worked ¡V skill.

Illustration: For This Child I Prayed (I Samuel 1:26-28)

WHAT DID DAVID HAVE? HAVE YOU GOT IT?

1. CUNNING ON THE HARP (NOT HEAD KNOWLEDGE ONLY) - DAVID WAS A HARD WORKER (18)- There are people who know about sports, but are not players. Some know about leadership but are not leaders. Some know about God but are not godly. It is not enough to know, you must possess.

2. CUNNING ON THE HARP (HAND KNOWLEDGE) (18)- Showing with ingenuity, artfully subtle or shrewd; crafty; sly. We live in a Society that wants something for nothing. Many parents have rejected the concept of hard work and give children anything they want. If you expect to be something for God it takes hard work, Sweat, Tears, Rejection, Sleepless nights, Pain and agony.

Illustration: Majority say government should not interfere ¡V they are joking.

Illustration: What if David had feared the harp or the computer or serving or singing

ć Ps 127:5: If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning (skill).

ć Mat 10:16: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

ć 2 Cor 11:3 But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Keen Observer As He Plays (Plays With His Eyes, Mind & Heart) - You can be the best accountant, the best teacher the best counselor, the best friend, but do you carry out your duties with observation? Some are zombies in the exercise of their duties. David played well, but played with observation.