Warriors Arise: September 9, 2022
1 Samuel 18:8 (NKJV) 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?”
This is a sticky place to be. David had been anointed to be the next king, but no one told Saul. David did all Saul asked him to do. David didn't ask for Saul's oldest son, Jonathan to make covenant with him. He didn't ask to be placed over the men of war. He didn't ask the women to sing praise of his battles. Saul was the king. He also had been anointed by Samuel. He was in the position God had given him, but his jealousy caused him to be distracted from his purpose on the throne. His jealousy set him up against God. God had chosen David; therefore, He would protect him. When you go after God's chosen then you are setting yourself up against God. David just had to remain under God's leading and he would be protected and positioned to fulfill all God intended for him.
There are people we work for who get jealous of us. We serve faithfully. We honor. We have no intentions of taking their place. We don't even want their position, not now and not without being in God's timing. However, if they are a person of jealousy, grasping for greatness, instead of achieving greatness through God's divine appointment; they will have positioned themselves to have lost what was given to them before their time.
We do not have to grasp for something God has already says is ours. Saul just needed to be faithful to God like David was to Saul. David honored Saul. He did everything he was told to do. David behaved wisely. What if Saul had honored God and did everything God had told him to do? What if Saul had behaved wisely? History would be different. When jealousy overtakes us, it steals our destiny, dreams and purpose. It is as if we live in a fog, uncertain of what to do next, and lacking purpose or passion to fulfill what has been given into our hands to do. We begin attacking the very person or people who have been the most faithful. We begin to make accusations. We can see the possibility of what they can become. Saul didn't know David was anointed to be the next king of Israel. David did not tell anyone. David submitted under Saul, even knowing Saul no longer honored God. This is a difficult position to be in. Most of us, most Christians would not serve the one who is no longer honoring God. However, David served faithfully and behaved wisely. He honored Saul not because Saul earned it, he honored Saul because David was a man of honor.
Later in Scripture, we will see David eventually leaves. He doesn't just leave, but he flees for his life. Saul has vowed to kill him. People can be killed in different ways. Saul literally tried to kill David. However, now-a-days, leaders try to break the spirit of a person, crush their dreams, cause people to turn away from them, spew lies or even say the truth but out of context. Yes, David would be the next king of Israel, but he wasn't going to take it from Saul, he wasn't going to kill Saul to become king and he wasn't going to tell the crowd of the distressing spirit that came upon Saul. He wasn't going to tell how he was the only one who could bring peace back to Saul. David could have totally undermined Saul's leadership, but he didn't. He chose to flee, which generally makes people think the one fleeing is the one who was in the wrong. However, David did the honorable thing. He left to prevent Saul from sinning. Saul would then be the one held responsible for killing God's anointed.
In most cases, I would say to stay and take a stand for what is right. This would not be the case for David. What could he say if Saul asked him if he had any ideas of becoming king? Of course he had ideas, he was anointed by Samuel; but it wouldn't happen in the way Saul was thinking or implying. So, what can David do? He had served well but to prevent Saul from sinning he fled. We aren't quite to this point in Scripture. We need to understand sometimes the honorable thing to do when others are overcome with jealousy and accusations are spewing. David would be the next king one day, just not now, not this way. David would not be the downfall of Saul. David tried to prop him up in his position for the length of time he served in the palace.
This can be difficult. God can show you the plans He has for you. Sometime I don't want to know. When people begin to get jealous it is not a good thing. With David knowing he was anointed to be the next king, he had to think about making sure he would still be alive to be the next king. He had served faithfully. He had behaved wisely. He had brought great fame to Saul. He had soothed the distressing spirit that came upon Saul. There was no fault to find in him other than his purity, his honor, his steadfastness to serve in whatever capacity Saul needed. But, he could not let himself get killed. He could not lose sight of the anointing God had upon his life/ He could not sacrifice his God-given destiny to satisfy a man. So, he fled for his life, to live until the day God would restore him to his destiny. It is a tricky situation. No one wants to be in a predicament like that, but it happens more than we care to think.
It can happen anytime a leader tries to get the approval of the people verses the blessing of God.
It can happen anytime a leader rejects following God.
It can happen anytime a leader only uses their relationship with God to get what they want rather than what God wants.
It can happen when a leader sends someone else to do what they were positioned to do.
It can happen when a leader uses another's relationship with the Lord to make their relationship seem stronger than it really is.
It can happen when those who serve the leader have a healthier relationship with the Lord.
It can happen.
In the tricky situation what should you do? You should make sure you are following God and not the approval of man. David had to give up a lot when he fled. He left his prestigious position. He left the comfy palace. He was no longer over the men of war. He left his best friend. He left his wife. This is tricky. It can cost so much to be a person of honor. Never forget, in all David faced under Saul, he never left God.
Father, I pray I will remain faithful to You. I pray I will seek You daily and listen to Your leading. I pray I will know Your goodness and the fullness of being a person of honor. I want to serve faithfully those You have placed over me. There will come a time when they will be judged for their jealousy, but it is not my place to bring it out and confront it. Jealousy is so blinding. It is lethal toward the person operating in it. It will cloud their understanding and create confusion. It will cause insecurity and suspicion. I will serve You. I will keep my focus on You. I will be a person of honor. I will pour my life into building others up and teaching them everything I know. One day there will be someone to take my place and I want them ready to serve You well. I want them to be a person of honor and keep their focus on You in all that they do and how they serve You and the people. You are to be honored. If I have to leave, I pray they will come to their senses and the jealousy will end. I pray they will not transfer it onto anyone else. I pray it will end and they will be restored in their relationship with You in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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