1 Samuel 16
Samuel Goes to Bethlehem
1 Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons.”
This is one of my all time favorite verses in times of failure and disappointment. One of the enemies goals is not just to get us to fail, but is to stop us in our tracks with guilt, shame, discouragement and fear. He’s also there in times of disappointment to pile on with doubts, and debilitating self-pity. When we wallow around in guilt and self-pity then he has neutralized us, and has taken us out of he game. Samuel had anointed Saul and things had not worked out very well, and Samuel got discouraged in his disappointment, and was busy feeling sorry for himself. He was frozen, and out of the game. Of course God wasn’t in despair. There are no setbacks with Him. He was moving forward, bringing everything into order, as He always does. He is now ready to choose a new king, and wants to use Samuel to make it happen, but Samuel is sidelined. The Lord comes to him and speaks those awesome words,”fill your horn with oil and go.” In other words, “receive a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit, and get up (out of the guilt and self-pity) and go on doing the will of God.
If you find yourself out of the game, frustrated with yourself, discouraged, disappointed, or having a great big pity party, then confess what you need to confess, and by faith receive a fresh filling of the Spirit (fill your horn with oil) and get up and go. Get back in the game and start living by Faith again doing the will of God with joy. Have a great day living under an open Heaven.
Hover o’er me, Holy Spirit,
Bathe my trembling heart and brow;
Fill me with Thy hallowed presence,
Come, O come and fill me now.
Refrain
Fill me now, fill me now,
Jesus, come and fill me now;
Fill me with Thy hallowed presence,
Come, O come, and fill me now.
Thou canst fill me, gracious Spirit,
Though I cannot tell Thee how;
But I need Thee, greatly need Thee,
Come, O come and fill me now.
Refrain
I am weakness, full of weakness,
At Thy sacred feet I bow;
Blest, divine, eternal Spirit,
Fill with power and fill me now.
Refrain
Cleanse and comfort, bless and save me,
Bathe, O bathe my heart and brow;
Thou art comforting and saving,
Thou art sweetly filling now.