Hanging Out With The Prophets Series

HANGING OUT WITH THE PROPHETS

There is an old legend of a certain guide that lived in the desert and who never lost his way. He carried with him a homing pigeon with a very fine cord attached to one of its legs. When in doubt as to which path to take, he threw the bird into the air. The pigeon quickly strained at the cord to fly in the direction of home, and thus led the guide accurately to his goal. Because of this unique practice he was known as "the dove man." So, too, the Holy Spirit, the heavenly Dove, is willing and able to direct us in the way that leads to the more abundant life if we submit to His unerring supervision. The Holy Spirit desires to guide us in the way that we should go. As we submit ourselves to Him we will grow more and more into the likeness of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit moves in our lives to lead us in 3 important and different ways:

1 Samuel 10:1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, "Has not the LORD anointed you leader over his inheritance? 2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel's tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, `The donkeys you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about you. He is asking, "What shall I do about my son?"' 3 "Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine. 4 They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them. 5 "After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, tambourines, flutes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying. 6 The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. 7 Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.

1. The Spirit FILLS - being anointed

In 1 Samuel 8 we see that nation of Israel wanted a king. The prophet Samuel had been a great leader for the people but he was getting older and his children did not follow the Lord. In chapter 9 we see that Saul was chosen by God to be the first king of Israel. As Saul looked for a lost donkey he was lead to Samuel. Now in chapter 10 Samuel anoints Saul as king over Israel.

There were several signs or steps which Samuel gives to show God’s selection of Saul as king. The first thing Samuel does is to anoint Saul with oil. The oil signified the Holy Spirit. Saul had been chosen by God and His Spirit would rest on Saul to commission him into service. Maybe you are asking “Why put oil on his head”? We see in the Bible that oil is often used to represent the Holy Spirit. Often when we pray for people we anoint them with oil.

Mark 6:13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

James 5:14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit would rest upon men. He would come for a particular time or for a particular task and then later be removed. When David sinned with Bathsheba he prayed in Psalm 51 that God would not take His Spirit from him, the anointing he received when he became king.

In the New Testament we see that the Holy Spirit does not simply rest upon us for a time but dwells within us. When we accept Jesus into our hearts we are anointed and commissioned into our specific role in the kingdom. Like Saul, the Holy Spirit is given to empower us for service – to the task God has given us to do. The Holy Spirit is essential to living the Christian life.

Nobody can be indwelt by the Spirit of God and keep that Spirit to himself. Where the Spirit is, he flows forth. And where there is no flowing forth, he is not there. -- Bishop William Temple