Spirit of the Lord--A New Heart

Yesterday we were introduced to Saul, with much more fanfare about his fleshly qualifications, than any mention of his relationship with the Lord. When we saw him engaging in something even possibly spiritual...it was at his servant's prompting.

So no wonder that in 1 Samuel 10, we see people amazed that he should somehow be counted amongst the prophets. How is it that he has gone from secular to spiritual?

But as it was with Saul, so it can be with us:

• God picked Saul just as he was, even though he was not a particularly spiritual man.
• Yet God did not want to leave Saul just as he was.
• For God to use Saul to the fullest, He had to be turned into another man
• by the filling of the Spirit of the Lord.

The difference between Saul's yesterday and today was the Anointing! Not just the physical anointing of oil by Samuel onto Saul's head, but what it depicted. That of the Spirit of the Lord coming upon him. That anointing is what turned Saul into a different man.

In Women's Bible Study today we learned a lot about the Holy Spirit, but one of the most securing, and yet challenging truths, was that as Christians under the New Covenant, we are anointed by the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:20).

We are filled with, and blessed by, the Holy Spirit. This is something that is the common property of all Christians, but something we can and should become more submitted and responsive to.

Also, from this chapter, we see that Saul started out his reign with so much promise.

• He was chosen and
• anointed by God
• He was filled with the Holy Spirit
• He had the support of a man of God like Samuel
• He had been given gifts appropriate to royalty
• He had the enthusiastic support and goodwill of most all the nation
• He had valiant men around him, men whose hearts God had touched to support him
• And, he had the wisdom to not regard every doubter, or every critic, as an enemy

What will Saul do with these great advantages?

But even more closer to home, what will I do with the great advantages given me?

Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for choosing the unspiritual, the disinterested, as it were. And for the anointing of the Holy Spirit that is daily making me into a different woman. Father, You have blessed my life with so many earthly advantages as well. Help me to move up to higher ground because of them!