When Taking Control of Your Life Goes Bad
Good Son-Day!!!
When Taking Control of Your Life Goes Bad
Psalm 37:1 Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.Lamentations 3:25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him
The king of Israel was a man who was overly confident in appointment as king and impatient with God. Let’s examine the folly of his impatience with God.
1 Samuel 10:8 Go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.”
Samuel did exactly as directed. Here is the result.
1 Samuel 10:24 24 Then Samuel said to all the people, “This is the man the Lord has chosen as your king. No one in all Israel is like him!” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
In Saul’s 40th year as king of Israel, the Philistines collected armies pitched their camp against Israel’s borders. The Israelites did likewise at the border. In those days, the Israelites would not go to any battle until the priest had made supplications (i.e., put in request for guidance) to God and submitted burnt and peace offerings to God. Samuel, the head priest and prophet, gave explicit instruction to Saul to wait for him for seven days, so he could hear from God. When Saul waited and followed instructions. He was victorious and richly rewarded.
When Saul was impatient with God, the end results were disastrous.
1 Samuel 13:8-14 Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. 8 Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. 9 So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.
10 Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, 11 but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?”
Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. 12 So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”
13 “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
Saul’s impatience diminished him, reduced his authority with his subjects, and provoked rebellion against him. Moreover, when Saul consulted God for further counsel, God would not answer him.
1 Samuel 14:36-37 Then Saul said, “Let’s chase the Philistines all night and plunder them until sunrise. Let’s destroy every last one of them.”
His men replied, “We’ll do whatever you think is best.”
But the priest said, “Let’s ask God first.”
37 So Saul asked God, “Should we go after the Philistines? Will you help us defeat them?” But God made no reply that day.
Tis better to wait on God than not hear from Him at all.
Impatience at its core is arrogance—-we think we know better than God what is good for us. We put our trust in our very limited scope of reality over having faith in God's all encompassing perspective, plan, and love for our lives. Our impatience makes us deaf and resistant to the voice of God. We become limited in our ability to impact our lives and others without God’s presence and power. We become rigid.
How do I wait on God? Talk to Him about it.
In prayer, call out the impediment to spiritual growth—-impatience! The acknowledgement to God is a sign of humility, which is fertile ground for Him to do wonders and miracles. He can, and He will grow patience in your spirit.
Here is a prayer template: Dear Lord Prayer, please forgive me for my impatience in my decisions and actions. I ask you to teach me how to trust your timing and plan and not rely on my lowly understanding of life. Manifest in abundance the fruit of patience in my spirit, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Next up, the opposite—- promptly responding to the will of God
Song of the Week
"God Problem", 2023, Maverick City
God Problem Lyrics
He can solve 'em
Yeah
There's just some problems only God can fix
If there'll be some moments that just don't make sense
I've seen it happen time and time again
There's just some problems only God can fix
There's just some battles flesh and blood can't win
There'll be some moments that just don't make sense
I can't see it now, but I'm still convinced
There's just problems only God can fix
Not by power, not by might
But by the Spirit of the living, Spirit of the living God
Not my battle, not my fight
But by the Spirit of the living, Spirit of the living God
The spirit taking care of that problem
He's taking care of that problem
I've seen a breakthrough that I can't explain
I found a healing hidden in my pain
I know a dead man that once robbed the grave
I've seen some breakthroughs, and I will again
Not by power, not by might
Come on!
But by the Spirit of the living, Spirit of the living God
Spirit of the living
Not my battle, not my fight
It's not my fight
By the
By the Spirit of the living, Spirit of the living God
By the
By the Spirit of the living, Spirit of the living God
My fortress, my refuge, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
My helper, defender, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Someone let the people know anything is possible
No weapon will prosper, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
You got it, come on!
My fortress, my refuge, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
He is, He is
Helper
My helper, defender, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
He is
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Someone let the Devil know, tell him that he's gotta go
No weapon will prosper, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
Come on! Still a strong tower
Not by power, not by might
Come on!
But by the Spirit of the living, Spirit of the living God
Oh, the Spirit of the living God
Not my battle
Not my battle, it's not my fight
Oh, it's not my fight
It's not my, not my fight
I am gonna witness now
By the Spirit of the living, Spirit of the living God
Come on! Say, "My fortress"
My fortress, my refuge, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
My refuge, He is, He is my helper
My helper, defender, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
My defender, He is
Come on!
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Sing!
Someone let the people know anything is possible
No weapon will prosper, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
My fortress
My fortress, my refuge, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
He is still a strong, yes, He is, yes, He is, my helper
My helper, defender, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
My defender
Oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Someone let the Devil know, tell him that he's gotta go
Say, "Oh"
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Someone let the Devil know
Someone let the Devil know, tell him that he's gotta go
Say, "Oh"
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Someone let the Devil know
Someone let the Devil know, tell him that he's gotta go
No weapon will prosper, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
For the name of the Lord
Yes, the name of the Lord
Is still a strong tower, still a strong tower
For the name of the Lord is
Still a strong tower, still a strong tower
I'll find my safety in Him, He is
Still a strong tower, still a strong tower
I know where to go
I know where to go
I know where to hide
I know where to hide, my hiding place
He's still a strong tower
Still a strong tower
He's my hiding place
He's still a strong tower
Still a strong tower
He's my hiding place
He's still a strong tower, still a strong, He's my hiding
Still a strong tower, still a strong, He's my hiding place
I know where to go
Still a strong tower, still a strong, He's my hiding place
I know, He's my hiding place
I know, I know where to go
Still a strong tower, still a strong, He's my hiding place
He's my hiding, oh, I'm sad at 8 PM
Still a strong tower, still a strong, He's my
Oh, He's my, He's my
Hiding place
Hiding place
Hiding place
Hiding place
Hiding place
He's my Hiding place
Hiding place
He, He's my hiding place
Hiding place
Oh, I know where to go
Hiding place
I know where to run
Hiding place
Hiding place
Still a strong tower, still a strong tower
He's my hiding place
Oh-yeah-yeah-yeah, oh-oh
Oh-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
Come on, say it one more time
It's not by
It's not by power, not by might
By the Spirit
By the Spirit of the living, Spirit of the living God
Spirit of the living
Not my battle
Not my battle, not my fight
But by, by Your Spirit
By the Spirit of the living, Spirit of the living God
You may have an incurable disease in the room
Sounds like a God problem
He can solve it
You may have something you can't figure out in the room
Sounds like a God problem, He can solve it
He's on it
I've got a God problem, He can solve it
He's on it
One more time
My fortress, my refuge, still a strong
My refuge, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
My helper
My helper, defender, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
Oh, come on
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Someone let the people know
Someone let the people know anything is possible
And no weapon will prosper
No weapon will prosper, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
One more time
He is my fortress
My fortress, my refuge, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
My refuge, peace, my Lord
My helper
My helper, defender, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
Defender
Oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Someone let the Devil know
Someone let the Devil know, tell him that he's gotta go
Tell him that he's
My weapon will prosper, still a strong
No weapon will prosper, still a strong tower, still a strong tower
No weapon will prosper
It's not by power, not by might
Come on, it's your last time singing, come on, sing, but
By the Spirit of the living, Spirit of the living God
Not my battle
Not my battle, not my fight
It's not my fight
By the
By the Spirit of the living, Spirit of the living God
Spirit of the living God
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