Slain in the Spirit

An evil spirit of jealousy and rage had caused Saul to hunt down David to kill him. There was nothing holy in Saul, for he had been given a tormenting spirit and by this time probably more than one.

1 Sam 19:18  So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.
1 Sam 19:19  And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.
1 Sam 19:20  And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
1 Sam 19:21  And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.
1 Sam 19:22  Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.
1 Sam 19:23  And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
1 Sam 19:24  And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

Luke 19:39  And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
Luke 19:40  And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

The presence of God was so strong with David and Samuel that all who were sent to capture David began to prophesy. Did this mean these men were more holy than other men? No, the Lord was holy, his presence was strong and gave them words to speak. I recall that evil Balaam was a prophet as was his donkey. The Lord may cause anyone to speak for him, even stones if he so desired. The one who had a stone heart and devoid of the holy spirit was king Saul, and yet when he came to kill David, he fell to the ground and began prophesying. He also was naked, disrobed I assume by an evil spirit. Can an evil spirit speak God's truth? Yes, the demons were the first to speak that Jesus was the holy one from God.

Mark 1:23  And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
Mark 1:24  Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
Mark 1:25  And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

Saul was slain by the spirit, as we say when someone falls under the power of God. He was also naked, which is not something that a holy man would do before God. Remembering the seven sons of Sceva. When they tried to cast out a devil in the name of Jesus that Paul preached. They were overcome by the spirit and they fled naked and wounded.

Acts 19:16  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Saul laid on the ground, naked and shamed, prophesying, all that day and night, while David escaped. I ask you, having been slain in the spirit, did it change Saul for the better? We must examine the fruit of the prophet as well as his words. The words must line up with the Holy Bible and the fruit of the Spirit also must be shown in the life. Saul continued to seek and to try to kill David. That is the fruit of the evil one. Our fruit is the fruit of the spirit, love... and our mission is to seek and to save the lost. We invite the presence of God not for a performance, but for his glory. Our heart's are to be prepared to meet him and our lives are to show his presence within us.

The Ebenezer Stone

When the ark was in captivity, it brought plagues to the Philistine people. The false images bowed and were broken in the presence of the ark. For fear of the God of Israel the ark was returned to a place in Israel called Bethshemesh, and from there to Kirjathjearim.

1Sa 7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
1Sa 7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
1Sa 7:4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
1Sa 7:5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
1Sa 7:6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
1Sa 7:7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
1Sa 7:8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
1Sa 7:9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.
1Sa 7:10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
1Sa 7:11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
1Sa 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

Israel missed having the Ark in the temple and by Samuel's counsel, they repented and put away their foreign idols. Satan doesn't give up easy, he always tries to disrupt the moving of God; the Philistines were coming to fight. The people cried out to Samuel, their prophet and Judge. He offered a burnt offering of a baby lamb and prayed. His prayer was answered with a voice of a great thunder that so upset the Philistines that Israel was able defeat and drive them away. The Ebenezer stone memorialized this victory. Ebenezer : God is our help (the stone of help).

If we are children of God, through faith in Jesus Christ we may call out to God ourselves, with the Lamb of God as our intercessor. Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb. God's spirit in us prays to the Father and he helps us. The Holy Spirit is our comforter and helper. He is God with us and we are as priests to God and son's of the most high God. We are the Spirit filled family of God. May I suggest that you find an Ebenezer stone of any size to remind you that God helps us? Jesus is the Rock of my salvation. I had a custom of going to a rapid place on the river for prayer. I would find a white stone and pray for a certain person and throw the stone into the living waters. These were as Ebenezer stones for God to help those that I prayed for. There was a large Ebenezer stone in Israel, but we can make our own to remember God is our help.

Servant and Prophet

The story of Hannah is a beautiful story. She had not been able to bear a child and was being tormented by her husband's second wife. She vowed to the LORD that if she could bear a son that she would give him to the LORD as his servant. Samuel was born to Hannah and when he was weaned she brought him to the house of the LORD to be raised by the high priest who was named Eli. Eli had two son's who were priests in name only. They stole from the offerings and seduced the young women who served in the temple. Eli did not discipline his son's and everyone knew they were evil. This is the place Samuel was brought to be in the presence of God and to live for him. The ark of the covenant was in the temple. Samuel began to hear the LORD calling to him. At first he thought it was Eli. Eli told him to respond by saying, yes LORD, speak for I am your servant and I hear you.

1Sa 3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
1Sa 3:11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
1Sa 3:12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
1Sa 3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
1Sa 3:14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
1Sa 3:15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
1Sa 3:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
1Sa 3:17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.
1Sa 3:18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.

The young prophet Samuel had heard from the LORD. A prophet hears from the LORD and is to deliver the true message of God. Eli wanted to hear the truth and told Samuel to speak the truth. This is important for a prophet and a man of God. Samuel spoke what the LORD said to him, that Eli's son's would be killed and his family would be cursed because he did not restrain his sons.

There are many lessons here. One is that a man of God is to speak the truth of God. Too many are not speaking to discipline those in the house of God. They only allow sin and speak as if God will bless them anyways. I am not speaking this to the Pastors I know and love, but the churches are in danger of slack leadership. We are to speak the truth in concern for the family of God. We are also to live separated lives unto the LORD. Eli's son's had it all, but it was all of the flesh and God cursed them.

Last night I met a man in an Internet Bible chat who has stage 4 renal cancer. He was a blessing to all of us with his positive heart full of love and faith. He said that everyday was an opportunity to bless and to be led by the LORD. We prayed for his healing, and his soul is already healed. He is a man of faith with the spiritual presence of God. This was a truly blessed adopted son of the Father. Pray for John that he will be healed in body as well.