TUESDAY April 30, 2019
Downward Spiral
And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.”
1 Samuel 15:27-29
Samuel pronounced God’s judgment on Saul’s life. Can you believe Saul’s actions in response to God’s judgment? He was not sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and there was no repentance. Instead, Saul seized the edge of Samuel’s robe and it tore. In doing so, Saul brought double judgment on himself. Saul was just a man; he was not the strength of the nation. The Strength of Israel was God. The Lord would see to it that another man would replace Saul––someone better. Who was that man to be? David, a humble shepherd boy––he would be the next king.
Understand, God would not change His decision about Saul––He had made up His mind. Saul was completely finished; from this point on his life would become a downward spiral. He would still reign as King of Israel, but eventually everything would be taken away from Saul.
When a person is not sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and they begin to act towards God in rebellion, if they do not humble themselves and repent, their life will go spiraling downward. When God has finished working with them in any capacity in a leadership position that will be the end of that.
Understand, in ministry each of us is replaceable. We should never try to hold on to a position when God has already taken it away. It is gone––gone––gone. Remember, God is the one who anoints people. He is the one who exalts a person in a position, and He can take them down.
The idea that God will pardon a rebel who has not given up his rebellion is contrary both to Scripture and to common sense.
~A.W. Tozer~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!