1 Samuel 11
Saul defeats the Ammonites
Nahash (intuition) of the Ammonites (careless thoughts caused by sin) went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead (shame blocking the spirit) and men said to Nahash, "Make a treaty and we will serve you". But Nahash said, "Only on the condition that I gouge out your right eyes (thoughts that make us stumble), and bring disgrace on all Israel." Elders (collective thoughts) of Jabesh (shame) said to him, "Give us 7 days respite that we may send messengers through all territory of Israel. Then if there is no one that can save us, we will give ourselves up to you." When the messengers (perception) came (forefront of) to Gibeah of Saul (self-centered mind), they reported the matter in the ears of the people, and all the people wept aloud.
When we have sinful thoughts (sex for example...), it is not just a matter of a contained thought that comes and goes, not influencing anything in it's path. This thinking causes a reckless state of mind and will consume our thoughts and produces shame. Our God given intuition picks up on this while the sin justifies it's stay. Our intuitiveness will only accept the removal of these influencing thoughts. So we ponder until such a time that we reveal this perception to the center of our thoughts and produce an outwardly painful response.
Behold, Saul was coming from the field (response), behind the oxen (zeal). And Saul said, "What is wrong with the people, that they are weeping?". The people told him the news. And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. He took a yoke of oxen and cut it into pieces and sent them throughout the territory of Israel, by the hand of the messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!" Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out as one man. When he mustered them at Bezek (executive decision), the people of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah (spiritual makeup) thirty thousand. And they said to the messengers who had come, "Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: "Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have salvation." When the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad. There for the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you." The next day Saul put the people in 3 companies. They came in the midst of camp in the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no 2 of them were left together.
There is somewhat of a conflict in the ranks. Part of us brings awareness to the thoughts bringing shame. At the forefront, would be our core set of principles or at least what they appear to be. To live by self will as your driving force (with God's power in this case), conflict becomes a very emotional response. Self pride closes us from seeing the truth and we react, perhaps forcefully. Angered responses leave a mark. God now sees that a great majority of our thoughts are invested in this perceived righteousness. What is left of our spiritual makeup measures small compared to the force behind our judgment. In our cunningness, thoughts sooth our shame. With God's power; when unprepared, the disorganization that our intuitiveness picks up on is struck down. Remnants of these thoughts are left unable to function collectively.
The Kingdom Is Renewed
Then the people said to Samuel, "Who is it that said, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Bring the men, that we may put them to death." But Saul said, "Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel." Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom." So all went and made Saul king, before the Lord in Gilgal (denial of bondage). They sacrificed peace offerings (transmutation) before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
Before parts of us has a chance to fully understand the significance of change and organize a response, our self will steps in and places us in a state of denial. By not realizing we are bound to this enhanced form of self-will, we feel a sense of perseverance. When this happens, parts of our character go through a change.
How this speaks to me...
Imagine what would happen if your self-will had the power of God.
Speaking from personal experience, there was a great length of my life that revolved around my self will. Years of attempting to influence everything in my outer world to accomplish an inner peace. It not only took a long time to realize what I was doing, by the results left in the wake of my path, it took quite awhile to identify the wiring inside that had a tendency to activate these types of actions.
11 years ago, a new chapter of my life had begin. I was discovering God in many ways of my life. It was amazing in so many ways. I decided it was time to be baptized (6 years ago). I was excited, but unaware that deep down, I was expecting God to clean up everything in my past and that I was going to reclaim my seat on the thrown once again. I was humbled in ways that turned my life upside within a year. In fact, it took 6, before I uncovered enough to see what was truly happening and how my self-will and actions were blocking me from God.
The most amazing part of this whole story is that not a day went by that I didn't talk to God in some way. When I use God's power for His good, remarkable things happen in many ways. When I attempt to rely on myself, I am a collective mess. If I was to have God's power to perform my will, everybody would be a collective mess.
Nahash (intuition) of the Ammonites (careless thoughts caused by sin) went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead (shame blocking the spirit) and men said to Nahash, "Make a treaty and we will serve you". But Nahash said, "Only on the condition that I gouge out your right eyes (thoughts that make us stumble), and bring disgrace on all Israel." Elders (collective thoughts) of Jabesh (shame) said to him, "Give us 7 days respite that we may send messengers through all territory of Israel. Then if there is no one that can save us, we will give ourselves up to you." When the messengers (perception) came (forefront of) to Gibeah of Saul (self-centered mind), they reported the matter in the ears of the people, and all the people wept aloud.
When we have sinful thoughts (sex for example...), it is not just a matter of a contained thought that comes and goes, not influencing anything in it's path. This thinking causes a reckless state of mind and will consume our thoughts and produces shame. Our God given intuition picks up on this while the sin justifies it's stay. Our intuitiveness will only accept the removal of these influencing thoughts. So we ponder until such a time that we reveal this perception to the center of our thoughts and produce an outwardly painful response.
There is somewhat of a conflict in the ranks. Part of us brings awareness to the thoughts bringing shame. At the forefront, would be our core set of principles or at least what they appear to be. To live by self will as your driving force (with God's power in this case), conflict becomes a very emotional response. Self pride closes us from seeing the truth and we react, perhaps forcefully. Angered responses leave a mark. God now sees that a great majority of our thoughts are invested in this perceived righteousness. What is left of our spiritual makeup measures small compared to the force behind our judgment. In our cunningness, thoughts sooth our shame. With God's power; when unprepared, the disorganization that our intuitiveness picks up on is struck down. Remnants of these thoughts are left unable to function collectively.
The Kingdom Is Renewed
Then the people said to Samuel, "Who is it that said, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Bring the men, that we may put them to death." But Saul said, "Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel." Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom." So all went and made Saul king, before the Lord in Gilgal (denial of bondage). They sacrificed peace offerings (transmutation) before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
Before parts of us has a chance to fully understand the significance of change and organize a response, our self will steps in and places us in a state of denial. By not realizing we are bound to this enhanced form of self-will, we feel a sense of perseverance. When this happens, parts of our character go through a change.
How this speaks to me...
Imagine what would happen if your self-will had the power of God.
Speaking from personal experience, there was a great length of my life that revolved around my self will. Years of attempting to influence everything in my outer world to accomplish an inner peace. It not only took a long time to realize what I was doing, by the results left in the wake of my path, it took quite awhile to identify the wiring inside that had a tendency to activate these types of actions.
11 years ago, a new chapter of my life had begin. I was discovering God in many ways of my life. It was amazing in so many ways. I decided it was time to be baptized (6 years ago). I was excited, but unaware that deep down, I was expecting God to clean up everything in my past and that I was going to reclaim my seat on the thrown once again. I was humbled in ways that turned my life upside within a year. In fact, it took 6, before I uncovered enough to see what was truly happening and how my self-will and actions were blocking me from God.
The most amazing part of this whole story is that not a day went by that I didn't talk to God in some way. When I use God's power for His good, remarkable things happen in many ways. When I attempt to rely on myself, I am a collective mess. If I was to have God's power to perform my will, everybody would be a collective mess.
