continued from Part 2
Why Consult with the Witch at Endor?
King Saul did this in order to pacify his fear, in order to justify his suspicion, in order to pacify his own rebellion, against God.
He resorts to consulting the witch at Endor a familiar spirit. Consulting by means outside of God. Saul only needed to humble himself and repent to open the door that would usher him back into the presence of God. He was still operating in self. Stuck in rebellion and stubbornness.
We see this in 1 Samuel 28:6
6. And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
In other words, God was giving him a message by not speaking to him. His glorious presence had departed from him and God allowed it to instigate repentance.
WAS SAUL SEEING HIMSELF FOR WHO HE REALLY WAS???
Was Saul oblivious to the fact that he was in disobedience?
It’s very possible to be so stuck that we deceive our own selves.
Saul was in total denial that God had departed from him and was insistent on getting a word from the Lord.
So, Saul is going to create his own message.
So often this is what happens when the body of Christ becomes susceptible and tempted with witchcraft in the competition of fellow servants of Christ.
It begins with denial toward the truth.
And wanting to imagine God is saying something he did not say and is not saying. And that is exactly what happened to Saul in this instance.
2 Samuel 1:1-27
FIRST there is a concept to take note of here…
When GOD gives you an assignment, AND you know what it is AND you are not confused about the instructions. You perfectly understand…
Know this: The assignments that you fail to accomplish when it comes to the enemies of God, have a way of resurfacing.
In other words, you can send yourself back around the mountain, because you failed to accomplish the task the last time!
Except this time you are contending with spirits that are stronger (because you have made them stronger by your rebellion and disobedience). They’re objective was always to remove you from your place…now even more so!
Obedience is Better than Sacrifice.
The Amalekite King that Saul did not destroy in one of his moments of disobedience, believing he knew what was best on his own accord, instead of following the orders he was given by God.
HE THOUGHT HE HAD A BETTER PLAN THAN THE PLAN GIVEN TO HIM BY GOD
His actions caused the Amalekite’s to resurface in the book of Esther. It was also an Amalekite that finished him off after he fell on his own sword. What sword? The very disobedience he walked in took his own life.
Remember that Prophet Samuel asked King Saul, “Did you do the Lord’s commandment?”, and King Saul replied that he had done the Lord’s commandment.
Saul had not completed the assignment the way he was commanded to do. Saul did it his way and opened the door to a spirit that every generation continues fight.
Every child with siblings has learned the hard way, that their disobedience/rebellion has the potential of causing the same behavior in their siblings. Every rebellious friends goal is to get you to participate in their wicked behavior. Point being: this type of behavior leaves another to have to pick up the bondage and fight the same battle again.
Someone has to slay the dragon! If it’s your assignment, and you refuse to do it or you only do the part you want to do, then you leave another to finish the job. You may even subject them to more spiritual dangers and stronger enemies because you chose not to finish your spiritual assignment.
The spirit of Amalek.
2 Samuel 1:1-27. The consequences of cooling off in one’s service to God.
1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
1 Samuel 30:1-31 Ziklag had been attacked by the Amalekites. David pursues them across the Negev Desert and defeats them –and rovers all, including his two wives.
Meanwhile, King Saul fights the phillistines in Mt Gilboa 1 Samuel 31:1-3
2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
A prisoner of Israel – from the battle with the Amalekites.
Consult your bible maps. note the position of Jezreel vs Mt Gilboa
4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
5 And David said unto the young man that told him, how knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
The spirit of Amalek always insist everything happens by chance… there is no design, destiny or providence of GOD.
Note: King Saul was fighting the Phillistines on Mt Gilboa 1 Sam 28:4, David was fighting the Amalekites at that time.
7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, here am I.
The Amalekites were generational enemies of Israel. This Amalekite wants King David to believe he “just happened to be passing through a battle with Israel and the Phillistines?” Is he just waiting in the cut to see how the battle will turn out?
8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
And I am proud to declare and will not hide the fact that “I am Amalekite”. (Grandson of Esau, ever present enemy to Israel, known for their audacity) Ex 17:14 GOD will blot out the name of Amalek, Deut 25:17 Amalek did not fear GOD;
9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.
…”and Saul asked me to kill him“
Amalek’s primary tactic is to sneak up from behind, to attack the weak, the lame, the young, the aged, the infirm, when they are too weak to lift up their own hands in defense… Deut 25:17, Ex 17:8-16
10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
… so when Saul is weak, you can stand up..
so I did as he asked, and then I took his crown and bracelet. (If I meant to do you and Israel honor, wouldn’t I have brought back his body for burial?
Note: This Amalekite who was being held by the Israelites is somehow at Mt Gilboa with King Saul on the battlefield, just passing through?
Was he escaped from the camp of the defeated Israelites at Mt Gilboa and heard about the defeat of the Amalekites before David?
Was he an Amalekite who just happened to be passing by the battlefield of King Saul & the Phillistines?
Was he an Amalekite who heard about the defeat of his people before David and went to the battlefield of King Saul and the Phillistines in order to cut off the weak and injured? Collecting the spoils of war?
Why is an Amalekite on the battlefield with the Phillistines?
11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
(So, here you are David…a gift for the next King of Israel that we will destroy)
12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
I am ger… one who will sojourn in your land..inhabit the land, dwell here, abide (with hostile intent?), bring fear, remain in the land… ger (guwr) someone without original rights; Amalek had a lot to lose when Israel came out of captivity. They were occupying Israels land during their 400 years in captivity. They were not interested in seeing Israel set free.
an Amalekite – stated for the 2nd time Scripture repeats itself twice when we are supposed to be paying attention. (there is a bit of pride in this declaration)
14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?
GOD was internationally known for anointing his people, especially His Kings, Priests and Prophets…. there is no way a person in the bloodline of Esau would not know that Saul was anointed by GOD). Amalek did not fear GOD.
15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
David was not deceived. He saw, heard, perceived what was going on. The Amalekite was mocking GOD, the Children of Israel, the Kingdom and everything they stood for… David recognized the enemies of GOD and Israel. Would you know when the enemy is mocking GOD in your life?
Do you know when someones story does not add up?
16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord’s anointed.
17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.
26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!
YOUR PRAYER LIFE IS… YOUR STRONGEST SPIRITUAL ASSET
While here on earth, Amalek sought to destroy the Israelites with a vengeance. His baseless hatred for Israel was shrouded in fear of Israel. Amalek never attempted to confront Israel face to face. That would have meant, taking on the tribe of Judah head-on (Ex 17). Why take on a lion when you can sneak up from behind and challenge the a cub… The Tribe of Dan…(whom they thought was a weak link).
The Tribe of Dan was the rearguard. Their job was to protect Israels treasures; the old, the young, the weak. 11 Tribes mounted the frontal defense and protected the flanks. Dan was the rearguard.
Note: When the children of Israel left Egypt, they were no way in the path of the territory of Amalek. Amalek pursued them when they had already passed by… a completely different path to Mt Sinai. And when did they attack? Right before the children of Israel were about to get their Word from GOD… Right before they were scheduled to receive their Word about their destiny.
If you find out who you are in GOD.. the enemy has a big problem. If Israel figured out that all of this territory that Amalek illegally inhabited really belonged to the children of Israel AND if they (the Children of Israel) ever got their fight back and remembered who they are/were…
Judah was already leading them to their promise… and Judah was not to be trifled with.
What they did not know is that Dan, was a Lion’s whelp… and if you have ever seen a lion’s cub play you would recognize that they are severely underestimated, have no idea that they are the smallest, love to wrestle and are always ready for the battle. Dan was quick like a viper and strong like a lion. Add prayer to the fight and they were unbeatable!
The spirit of Amalek continues their attempts to take out GOD’s Anointed. They are relentless. If they can get you so frustrated that you come out of prayer, curse, get angry, hold grudges, act out in rage, jealousy, nurse wounds, throw your hands down ( they have sufficiently weakened your hands in prayer).
If they can just poke at your heels, drag you down to a level where you are spiritually and emotionally broken, despondent, hopeless, feeling entitled and justified in your own behaviors… If Amalek can get you to operate in greed, pride, envy, strife, etc.
If they can get you to pick up the worlds weapons and put down the weapons of your warfare, then they have you in a headlock. Your hands become weak, you have no prayer life and you are subject to the enemy’s devices.
Prayer makes your hands strong… and in GOD’s Kingdom we need strong hands to war with in prayer! Hands Raised + Praise + Humility + GODs weapons= Power in Prayer ; means you win the battle!
Hands locked down and immobilized + use of the enemies weapons+ pride, lies, deceit etc.= no strength in prayer – You lose.
Rephidim ( Ex 17) means weakening of the hands. The children of Israel propelled themselves into a spiritual condition of Rephidim through all of their complaining, moaning, chiding- the sapped up their own anointing with their own mouths.
There was no water = there was no anointing. Why do we expect the anointing to flow in our lives, on our prayers, on our vision and dreams, when all we did all day was whine, moan and complain? Why do we expect the anointing to flow when all we did all day was point the finger, ridicule, blame, lash out, criticize our leaders, friends, brothers and sisters?
THE WORD OF GOD IS CLEAR ABOUT THIS POINT:
Negativity does not release the anointing. Frustration, complaining, etc does not release the anointing. Pointing the finger, blame, ridicule, etc does not release the anointing.
The Prayer of Faith releases the anointing.
You can’t be on both sides of the equation. You can not do both and expect your prayers to break through. There is no middle ground here. You can’t be double minded and expect power in prayer.
When I began this teaching I made a statement…the Spirit of Witchcraft- One of the Works of the Flesh. What I am saying is that, we can easily fall into the trap of thinking that witchcraft is happening somewhere from outside, being performed by someone else, directed at us through someone else.
I am showing you another side to the coin. The witchcraft of words can come from us… from within us, from our own actions, our own flesh.
We deceive ourselves in double mindedness, when we operate in disobedience, rebellion or in any of the activities described. We allow the spirit of Amalek to operate in our lives and only we can shut it down.
Saul wanted to operate in the things of GOD and the things of the world, as it suited him. It doesn’t work like that, and it cost him everything.
Reading Assignment: Read it all in context Starting at 1 Samuel 9 – 1 Samuel 15
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