Losing grip on leadership

All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service. - 1 Samuel 14:52

At this point Saul’s integrity and leadership had been spiraling down so fast. He was growing insecure and disillusioned. His decisions compulsive and indecisive. The men and even his son Jonathan did not respect him (Jonathan did his own exploits without his father’s knowledge, and the men saved Jonathan despite Saul’s oath to kill him ch. 14). All of this because Saul fell away from the Lord. Disobedience begets disobedience. It was trying to clean a mess with a dirty rag, you just spread the mess even further.

So it was said “All the days of Saul there was bitter war” on every side, not only with the Philistines, but with other nations around him. Saul did not find rest in his leadership until his death. And his growing insecurity had been obvious. Whenever he saw a mighty or brave young man, he took him into his army and tried to make it stronger.

When we fall away from God, and sometimes it’s the unsuspecting that leads us away from God like missing our time alone with Him in prayer and reading His Word. Inch by inch we step away from the throne of grace. And thus as we reject grace, everything we have once enjoyed freely, peace, provision, presence and protection, we now have to work for with our bare hands, struggling to meet the bare minimum. We find ourselves in No Man’s Land, struggling for survival. But abounding Peace, provision, presence and protection can be found in God. You don’t have to work for it! It’s now the work of grace, and Christ’s righteousness that clothes us.

What now?

1. Watch out that your leadership is subjected to God’s lordship

2. Sin begets sin, don’t linger in sin, it will only get worse. Run to God, you can never be careless in running to God, and the Bible says, “If you confess your sins God is faithful and just to forgive us.”

3. Don’t miss your time alone with God. It’s through prayer and God’s Word that we get a clear picture of our destiny. 

“And I give You praise, for You are my righteousness.” - I Worship You, Almighty God