(Read 1 Samuel 16:1-13)
This morning I continue our series entitled, “Standing on a Word from God.” This is Part 32 of the series and Part 4 of the life of David.
David is a grace-case from start to finish. He was minding his own business, going about his daily routine, tending to his father’s sheeping, not knowing that God was about to perform a significant act in his life, when one of his brothers ran out to get him from the field. I could just imagine the conversation. It probably went something like, “David, hurry up, you need to get home right away. There is a prophet in our home and he is looking to do something with one of us. He already looked at each of us and now he is waiting on you.”
When David arrived, still smelling like sheep, the prophet quickly anointed David’s head with a special oil in an informal, yet extremely significant, ceremony. The Bible says, “From that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power” (1 Sam. 16:13). From that moment David became known as an “anointed one” or “the LORD’s anointed.” From that moment on David was God’s designated leader for the nation of Israel.
What had David done to deserve this honor? Nothing. Apparently his family agreed. They didn’t even invite him to his own coronation. Besides, historically, a new king had to be the son of an old king. Jesse was no king and David was no prince. This was not a natural selection. It was a spiritual one. David’s selection was not a birthright, it was a divine appointment. David was not selected because he earned it, he was selected because GOD CHOSE HIM buy His unearned grace! God picked David, even though he was not from the right family. God picked David, even though he was the youngest of Jesse’ boys. God picked David, even though he did not do anything special to deserve it. God picked David for his divine assignment. Guess what? He did the same with you!
As soon as the impromptu coronation ceremony was over you would think that the clouds would open up, that a voice would come from heaven, or that the prophet would escort David to the palace so he could take over the throne from Saul. None of that happened. The prophet left. David rubbed the oil off his forehead. David’s brothers went back to whatever they were doing. David went back to his sheep. None of them could truly understand what had just happened. God had transitioned the power for national leadership from Saul to David in the spirit, but naturally speaking, it would be over a decade before David would physically assume the throne. This is the point of this series. David had to wait on God. David had to stand on God’s Word. David had to believe God’s promise. Even though it would not happen for over a decade. David had to wait patiently and serve faithfully in order to SEE (in his hands), what the Lord had already done (in his heart).
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
- God made plans for you before the foundations of the world. Not because of anything you did, because you were obviously not even born. God made these plans completely based on His amazing and unearned grace.
- You have and will continue to experience divine moments in your life, when God shifts something in the spirit, in order to see His Kingdom plans and purposes for your life come to pass in the natural. When this happens your heart must be open to simply BELIEVE and RECEIVE what God is revealing. You don’t have to understand it, but you do have to RECEIVE it. If you REJECT it, God will have to keep working with you to expand your capacity to believe to the point where you can RECEIVE it.
- When God reveals something to you that He already planned, because He speaks from the perspective of eternity, He will say to you that is is already done. From His perspective (eternity), He always communicates His plans in the sense of NOW! I call this the ETERNAL NOW! However, for us, in the earth, what God said is NOW, may not actually manifest in TIME for weeks, months, years or even decades. Our requirement then, is to live by faith until we see the manifestation in the earth of what God revealed to us in our hearts.
- In the space between the promise (in your heart) and the performance (in your hands), I recommend you do two things. First, remain faithful to the call. While it may not happen for months or years, you can take steps daily and weekly that take you incrementally closer to the fulfillment of the promise. Second, live every day with divine anticipation and expectation in your heart. True anticipation will fuel your faith and it will keep your heart open to receive from God.
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. You made plans for me before the foundations of the world. You were thinking of me before I could do anything to earn your attention. And after I was alive, I ignored You and went my own way. I was completely undeserving, but You pursued me anyway. You loved me enough to track me down, even when I had no consideration for You. You saved me by Your amazing grace. Not only did You save me, but You CALLED ME to an amazing life. I now live my BY FAITH, pursuing what You birthed me to do, knowing that I will take decades to fully walk OUT all that You have deposited IN ME! I live every day with an acknowledgment of Your plans, with an expectation that fuels my faith, and with an amazing excitement, because I know there are things You planned in eternity that can happen AT ANY TIME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
