THE HOLY SPIRIT ENCOUNTER IS ALMOST HERE!

March 22 – 28, 2020

We will be doing PUBLIC meetings Monday through Thursday at 7pm at 34296 Kowitz Rd, Lebanon OR with worship and special guest speakers every night…so plan to come if you are in the area!

REAL FELLOWSHIP, PERSONAL HOLY SPIRIT ENCOUNTER!

CORPORATE PROTECTION, BODY PROSPERITY

And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 1 Sam 7:13-14 NKJV

What was it about Samuel and his ministry that afforded the children of Israel such favor and protection? Under godly ministries, the people should flourish. Indeed, this may be one of the great indicators of godly ministry – people around you get better, get closer to God, bear greater fruit, get healthier, happier and better looking.

Men and women of God have three basic stances that they can take: they can advance, they can hold their ground, or they can flee. The default mode of every minister is to advance (“Go ye into all the world…). Sometimes our position is to stand our ground no matter what the consequences (“We ought to obey God rather than men…”). And, sometimes the leading of God is to back off and regroup, living to fight another day, ‘advancing to the rear’ as one general said. Jesus did this! You can make an argument from the text that at times he made himself invisible to be able to escape certain situations. Another level of supernatural living – divine escapes!

What made Samuel so effective? Samuel was one tough dude. Everything we see about him reflects a strong, intelligent, highly motivated and deeply passionate (1 Sam.15:11) individual who sought to do God’s will, someone who was ‘lent to the Lord’ all his days. When he moved from place to place, some times he inspired fear (1 Sam 16:4). God raises up tough servants for tough times. At one point he executed a wicked king by hacking him in pieces with a sword. There is some interesting stuff about his childhood before we get into his ministry that we should look at. Something caught my eye which reminded me of Luke…

And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men. 1 Sam 2:26 NKJV

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Luke 2:52 NKJV

Samuel had great parents, as of course so did Jesus. Joseph and Mary are biblical superstars, while Elkanah and Hannah are perhaps just a notch below them. All four were courageous, faithful servants of God whose exploits are legendary, and who brought up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Can you imagine the scene when Mary first told Jesus about His conception, or when Hannah told Samuel about Eli the priest and her vow?

Samuel means ‘Asked of God.’ Hannah made a vow, which is a conditional promise (If You’ll do THIS, then I’ll do THAT) which acknowledges God as the prime mover in the situation. I think sometimes we try to bribe God by doing this or that. But with a vow, God first moves, then you and I move. I do these all the time. I told God when we (Peter, Lisa, RM and I, and a few others) started this ministry that I would work for Him IF He would pay me faithfully. He hasn’t missed a paycheck in twenty-four years of living by faith.

First great key for Samuel as a man of God – great parents. Now, your parents may have been ‘Mr. and Mrs. Daimon,’ or you may be an orphan and not even know your physical parents (I know two great men of God who were orphans), but now the living God is your Father, and you can know the love of a father. On a practical note, ask the Lord to give you a spiritual mom and dad who can love you, believe in you, train and teach you in the ways of the Lord. Even two years with anointed, adopted ‘parents’ can more than make up for what you lacked as a physical child, bless God forever. Even now, you don’t have to go without that blessing…

By the way, even if your parents are the devil, you are still responsible to honor them all the days of your life. God gave you life through them! This may be the most love they ever receive…

Second great key to Samuel as a man of God – Samuel learned obedience to the leading of the Lord. Truly walking by the Spirit is far greater than just hearing God’s voice. Every child of God receives revelation daily (Luke 10:21, John 10:27), but walking by the Spirit requires great maturity. A Spirit led man or woman will say and do the right thing at the right time continually. They are not just peaceful, or peacekeepers, but are peace makers. They go in and end fights. How many true peacemakers do you know?

Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word (Heb. DABAR) of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. 1 Sam 3:1 NKJV

What you have in 1 Samuel Three is one of the clearest descriptions of training to receive revelation described in the Word of God. The DABAR – comparable to RHEMA in Greek – of God was being lost, there was no open vision. Proverbs reminds us that where there is no vision, the people perish, so this was a perilous time.

And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, that the Lord called Samuel.

True, biblical Christianity, like freedom, is always only one generation away from being extinguished. Eli’s sons were traitors to the faith, and Eli himself knew his house was doomed. But God had a plan, and Samuel was the focus of it. But Samuel had to learn to receive the DABAR, the revelation of God.

And he answered, “Here I am!” So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down.

Samuel was a young man, certainly not older than thirteen. (What are we teaching in children’s church? If we are not teaching them to receive revelation, we are doing them a disservice). The Lord gave him a vision, that may have been a dream, revelation that sounded just like Eli’s voice. I’ve experienced this many times, where I see and hear words in a vision of someone I respect, and they are saying, “This is what I think you should do…”, and it’s God’s communication, God’s revelation.

Then the Lord called yet again, “Samuel!”

You will see that the Lord calls Samuel’s name five times in this record. Five is the number for grace. When it comes to receiving revelation, it’s all grace. You don’t work for it, you don’t earn it, it’s all grace, God’s gift of love. You simply position yourself to receive it.

So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” (Now Samuel did not yet know (Heb. YADA – to ascertain by seeing) the Lord, nor was the word (Heb. DABAR) of the Lord yet revealed (Heb. GALAH – to uncover, synonymous to Grk. APOKALUPTO) to him. 1 Sam 3:2-7 NKJV

Are you starting to ‘feel’ for Samuel at this point? He wasn’t complaining, he wasn’t cursing Eli under his breath. His heart, his earnest desire to do what was right, was on full display here. That is a heart that can hear from God!

And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.'” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 1 Sam 3:8-9 NKJV

FINALLY… Eli gets a clue as to what is going on, and he gives Samuel some instruction that will help Samuel with the breakthrough. I’m sure he shared more than what was revealed here. He could have talked about how the Lord gives revelation to the inner man of your spirit, which has five spiritual senses, just as his natural body has five physical senses. He would hear and see with the senses of his inner man!

Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” 1 Sam 3:11 NKJV

“the Lord came and stood and called.” What did that look like? In a vivid dream I saw a huge angel standing over me, and he seemed unimpressed with me, as he spoke to Heaven about me. I’m sure Samuel saw and heard what came next…

Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 1 Sam 3:11-12 NKJV

Third great key or reason – Samuel was an intercessor. In fact he is listed with Moses as the two great intercessors in the OT (Jer. 15:1). People pray for others…and then there are anointed intercessors. The intercessor says, Take my life instead of theirs! (Ex.32:32) The intercessor can agonize like a woman giving birth. ‘That baby must come!’ Intercession is getting involved in someone else’s fight, and the intercessor makes their fight, his fight. It becomes personal!

So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Ezek 22:30-31 NKJV

The reason Israel prospered under Samuel is because Samuel was one tough dude who obeyed the voice of the Lord and stood in the gap for his/His people. Are you that tough dude or dudette? The people under you will prosper if you will fight their fights. Get your ‘game face’ on, and let’s win some battles! Love you!

Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…