Take Off Saul’s Armor

Sorry for the lack of activity over the last week…I did something my friend Brad Morgan is very proud of for me: I took a few days off! Because of that I have been on what I call another internet fast.

This last week I have been pouring over the story of Saul and David again. This story amazes me and yet it seems like I am pressured to live it out almost every day of my life. And so do you. It's the pressure to be or conform to something you are not!

In 1 Samuel Saul is anointed King, messes up with the Amelkites, and is told by Samuel and God, He has chosen one that will obey Him…then Goliath is found taunting the Hebrews for 40 days and nights. See all the mighty men of valor shaking in their boots! Even the king can't get enough courage to go out against this great Philistine warrior!

Then David shows up. Carrying a sack lunch from the local McDonalds (double cheese please!) Makes his brother so mad he tries to chase David back home to take care of daddy's sheep when David pipes up and says, "…is there not a cause?"

Saul calls him in and instead of going with him to the battle he gives him his own armor, built just for Saul and tries to send David out to the battle. And you know the story…

This really stood out to me this week as I read it a couple of times through! And this is what is happening to so many of us preachers…day after day after day…

Some of us just do not fit in! We don't fit in some of the churches…we don't fit in our denominations…we don't fit into some fellowship groups, because God is calling us to be David's while everyone else is trying to fit us into Saul's armor!

Please understand, I do love the elderly! I do appreciate our fathers and mothers in the faith who have paved the way before us!

But I am absolutely agitated and nauseated at the pressure I see pastors laboring under…the pressure to be the next Joel Osteen, the next Rod Parsley or Benny Hinn that we are allowing people to put us into Saul's Armor…I'm telling you it aint gonna work!!!!!

Yes, I know I should call myself down. I know I need to finish my degree. I know I need to learn how to correctly enunciate my words and carry myself a little better in the pulpit. But guys and gals, none of that ever set a drug addict free! None of that ever delivered a demon possessed person!

I am not against anything that will help us or sharpen us; I'm not against furthering our education or anything that will help us to be greater men and women of faith!

But take off Saul's armor!

Pick up your five stones! Use what you know works!

David picked up a bunch of rocks! No three piece suit. No Rolex. No airplane. No website. No 501© 3. No degree. No credentials from a major denomination. But he picked up what he knew would work: a rock!

God has taken you through the steps and traumas and obstacle's He has, to teach us, it's still not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of God!

Take off Saul's Armor!