AN UNUSUAL COURAGE

• DAY 160
• FEAR FILE: KING SAUL
• SCRIPTURES: 1 SAMUEL 11:4-8

When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the people about their plight, everyone broke into tears. Saul had been plowing a field with his oxen, and when he returned to town, he asked, “What’s the matter? Why is everyone crying?” So they told him about the message from Jabesh. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry. He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the LORD made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one. When Saul mobilized them at Bezek, he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah.

In our text today we see a different side of Saul. The Saul we knew was a fear-full king in hiding. Today he is a courageous warrior. If you missed the past two days when we talked of Saul, catch up here. Now let’s get into some backstory.

In our text today, another threat has been issued to a town in Israel. The Ammonites showed up and besieged Jabesh. When a town is besieged it means that it is blocked on all angles. They can’t get anything in or out. Including food, which will lead to hunger. The only way to get your gates open is to fight, have a treaty, or surrender. This town chose a treaty. But the price was to gauge their eyes out. Of course, no one wants that. It was an impossible deal. So they asked for time to seek help and they sent the news around Judah and everyone was sad and crying. 

When Saul heard this he became furious, we call this type of anger a holy anger. It is inspired by the holy spirit and it is often against injustices, the works of darkness, or sin. Jesus got angry when he saw traders in the temple. Paul got angry at the hypocrisy of Peter. Peter got angry when Simon Magnus wanted to buy the Holy Spirit with money. In the same way, I get angry when I see a child of Abba enslaved by fear. This holy anger fuels an uncommon, unusual level of courage. It can inspire someone to do the unthinkable. Saul was so furious he cut up two oxen and threatened all of Israel.

The Spirit Of Courage

What made this hiding king this audacious? You guessed it, the Holy Spirit. He is the spirit of courage. When He comes upon a man, everything about that man changes for the better. A timid weak and broken man becomes bold and ferocious. If you do not have the spirit of God in you, courage will be very far from you. If you are born again, then you have this same spirit in you every day. If you ever need courage, turn inwards, He’s in there.

In addition to that, there are times when the spirit overpowers you and fills you with unusual courage for a specific assignment or season. This is what happened to Saul, the spirit of God came heavily on him and when everyone else was timid and crying, he was bold and angry. His courage stirred up a whole nation for war. His victory in this war not only endorsed him as king but solidified his position and silenced his naysayers.

Beloved, when God sends you on an unusual assignment, He gives you unusual courage to go along with it. So maybe that’s why nobody understands why you are so driven and passionate, it’s all in the plan. If you are on a new assignment from God, know that you are empowered for it. You do not need to fear, courage is in You.

Shalom