“Functioning in Fear”
“Functioning in Fear”
Blessings folk!
Read once again…
1Sa 13:5-14
Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and people like the sand which is on the seashore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of Beth-aven.
When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard-pressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars, and in pits.
Also some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead.
But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
Now he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel,
but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him.
So Saul said, “Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.”
And he offered the burnt offering.
As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came;
and Saul went out to meet him and to greet him.
But Samuel said, “What have you done?”
And Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash,
therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.”
Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.
“But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”
Note what Saul did.
He waited seven days, as Samuel has instructed.
Yet, Saul did not wait the full seven days.
A grievous error.
What did Saul do?
He moved from fear.
Fear of what?
- Fear that an enemy was assembling..the Philistines at MIchmash
- Fear that Samuel had not yet arrived, though the day was not over
- Fear of what he saw…the people were scattering from him
So many within the professing Body of Christ function in fear…especially “leadership”.
The last point is especially relevant.
So much of what is done “in the name of the Lord” is nothing but superfluous activity designed to “attract” and “keep” the people from scattering.
How many times I’ve seen leadership fret over “the people leaving”!
So, what did Saul do?
He step beyond his calling.
He took on a mantle that was not his.
He decided to take matters into his own hands.
We will look at that tomorrow…
For today, fear not!
Fear not the enemy.
Fear not the timing of the Lord.
Fear not what you see in the natural.
Fear the Lord!