I find joy in studying characters in the bible, there are those such as David, Nehemiah, and Gideon that inspire me to be a better man and be courageous. There are also those such as King Saul and Judas who’s life serve as a warning to not forsake the voice of God. There is much to learn from these mighty men in the bible, God gave us this infallible word to instruct, inspire, and guide us through life. I want to look for a moment at the life of King Saul, he’s an illustration of what happens when we quit listening to the voice of God and do things our own way.

This book I’m currently reading about the life of David by F.B. Meyer, echoes the saddened state of desolation that King Saul found himself in. He was vexed by a spirit that required him to send for the young lad David, and with his soft anointed play and song; it would momentarily soothe the mind of Saul. Here’s what F.B. Meyers says about Saul’s discord.

The fact that music was the corrective of the king’s malady seems to indicate that, being wrong with God, he was out of harmony with the universe, which is the circumference of which God is centre. Perfected sense, which can only be had on the condition of unbroken union with God’s will, purpose, and life, would detect all things uttering, “Hallelujah!” and be compelled by the contagiousness of a holy sympathy to swell the anthem. To all this Saul was a stranger. He was out with God, and there was consequently discord in his heart and life. Music falling on his ear recalled memories of his former better self, and laid a brief spell upon the discordant elements of his soul; reducing them to a momentary order, destined, however, to be marred and spoilt so soon as the sweet sounds were withdrawn. (David: Shepherd, Psalmist, King, By F.B. Meyer)

I can only think of what misery it would be to fall into the same state as King Saul. Here is a man that was hand picked by God to lead his people, he was destined to be a mighty man on earth, yet he quenched the spirit of God in his life and God stripped him of his crown, and withdrew his spirit and blessings from his life. Saul now found himself in a state of destitution, he cried out to hear the voice of God and was left wanting. The reason David found himself in the favor of God almighty is because he had proper alignment in his life, and he kept it. He knew all he was and was going to become came from The Lord. He aligned himself under God and his precepts, and this is why David become King and out of the offspring of David was born the man Christ Jesus, Emmanuel-God with us! Had Saul properly aligned himself under the authority of Gods word, it perhaps could have been said Jesus being the root and offspring of Saul. Instead, Saul become drunken with power and pride. He proceeded to break the laws of God, and dismiss the words of the man of God in his life, the Prophet Samuel. It ended with the demoralizing fate that Saul faced when he thrust his own sword into his body the day he drew his last breath.

I think about our lives today, and how we are blessed to be living in the continuation of the Book of Acts church, with his spirit being poured out upon all flesh. As long as we follow the plan of salvation, live a life pleasing unto God and keep ourselves properly aligned under the authority of The Word of God, WE CAN INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. What prompted me to write this morning however, is the fact that if we do not guard ourselves, God can withdraw his spirit from our life. Genesis tells us “…And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man…” I absolutely wouldn’t know how to carry on in life if I woke up one day and said the dreaded words that haunted King Saul:

1Samuel 28:15    And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

Saul lost the voice of God in his life, he lost the lamp unto his feet and the light unto his path; Saul lost it All! It would be like traveling around the world for a specific destination and not having a map, or any type of assistance to get to where you’re headed, it’s like a man who digs a pit and falls therein, it’s like the blind leading the blind. When we don’t hear the voice of God, we lose all sense of balance, peace, and direction in our journey called life. We’re all headed to a destination, and it’s either Heaven or hell. There is no purgatory, and the only roadmap God gave us was the infallible Word of God. It’s the very breath of God, and we most obey it line upon line, precept upon precept.
Saint of God let the downfall of Saul serve as a warning to our delicate souls, that still being in our fleshly bodies, we can lose out on God. There is nobody on earth who doesn’t have to contend with our own flesh. Galatians 5:17    For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. We must die out to our sinful nature, and throw ourselves on the mercy seat of God and make sure we guard ourselves from sin. The great news is when we mess up and have a contrite heart, 1 John 1:9   tells us “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The key difference between David and Saul was David saw himself for who he truly was after his transgressions, yet Saul’s pride kept him from seeking the mercies of God. If you want to guard yourself from becoming desolate like Saul, we must see ourself for who we truly are and that’s a sinner saved by grace, we must have a perpetual experience such as Isaiah when he came before the very presence of God almighty. Isaiah 6:5    Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Saint of God, we must keep the precepts of The Lord in our hearts, and bind them around our necks, we must earnestly desire to keep the voice of God alive in our lives. If we do this, we can live a life pleasing unto The Lord and escape the dreaded life that engulfed Saul. Allow the voice of God to transform you into his likeness, allow it to prick your heart, and mold you into the person he desires you to become.

Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you (2 Peter 1:10 – 1:11 NASB)

God bless, JDS