The Possibilities Are Limitless: When You Are Turned Over To God. Series

The Possibilities are Limitless: When you Are Turned Over To God.

Samuel 10.1-25

Last week Senator Obama took the lead in total committed delegates as he moves toward the nomination for the democratic ticket. Presently Senator Obama has 1262 of the 2025 delegates while Senator Clinton has 1213 delegates. The race is close and it looks as if we will be in late April before a clear cut winner will have been decided. The election has taken a hold of our nation in a way that most of us can not recall during our adult life. I am not certain why this election has taken on such an electric feeling, the fact that we have two improbable candidates vying for the position, the fact that the race is so close, the fact that our nation is clamoring for change. Whatever the reason it is an exciting time. I want so much for you to embrace what is taking place on the national scene into your own personal life and see that despite the historic realities, despite the prohibitions that may have existed that the possibilities are limitless. You have an opportunity via the aide of the Holy Spirit to reach unprecedented levels in every area of your life. There is nothing impossible for you if you put your trust in God and allow God to direct your paths. We have spent the last few weeks looking at the life of Samuel as a prototype for our embracing a process for us operating in a mindset that leads to limitless possibilities. One of the things that I hope that you have come to embrace more than all others that one can never step into the vastness of possibilities without the aide of the Holy Spirit, without the move of God, without a relationship with the divine. We saw that in the beginning in Hannah’s prayer and each step process including last week we saw it in the process for Samuel. This week a new character is brought into the story line but in so doing we still see how God uses Samuel to empower him to a place in a position to experience the limitless possibilities that God has in store for him. Last week we saw a shift in the politics of the young nation of Israel as they sought God to move from a state of government under priestly leadership to a traditional monarchy ruled by a king. God grants their request and today we see the process in which God brings him to an unimaginable place which leads to limitless possibilities. I want to suggest that we too can reach limitless possibilities by trusting God in the same process.

1. He was anointed by the prophet: vs 1 The fist thing that happened for Saul was the anointing that was administered by Samuel. This is a significant juncture in the life of Saul and in the life of Samuel. Samuel litteraly turns the mantle of leadership over to Saul. It had to be a difficult day for him as much as it had to be a difficult day for Saul, the reason for the difficulty is quite different. For Samuel it was the giving up the leadership mantle and for Saul it was the assumption of the leadership. Samuel was surrendering his leadership mantle and that was the choosing of the people with the blessing of God. For Saul the adversity and complexity had to be in the very idea that God would choose him for such a position of authority. The anointing was a moment in the life of Saul where God was setting him aside for the purpose of operating in leadership. The anointing would separate him from all others that desired the position or hoped that God would choose them. The anointing was a lying on of hands if you will by God through the hand of the prophet. Saul though statuesque and respected among his peers did not posses anything extraordinary to be anointed in the place of leadership. It was the choice of God, it was God’s choosing that resulted in him being set aside for the purpose of leadership. For those of you that are considering your place in leadership you too must know that the anointing is not based on who you are but based on who God is. God chooses us despite our frailty, despite our brokenness, despite our background and anoints us to serve. You have to be willing to submit to the will and the way of God and in so doing God chooses to use us according to the good pleasure and will of the creator. One of the amazing things about the path that lead to leadership for Saul is that he left home looking for donkeys. Three donkeys were missing and Saul left home looking for them. He goes to Samuel, because he believers him to be a seer, one who is able to see the future, but he gets more than what he is seeking. Samuel assures him that the donkeys are found but God has a greater purpose for your life. That is what the holy spirit would have you know as well, that you may have come for one thing but God has other things for your life. You may have come looking for the one thing, but instead of what you are looking for it is about what God has appointed for your life.