Saul and David both received the outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord through the ministry of Samuel (1 Samuel 16:13-14). What distinguished the two was after they received it. While the Spirit of the Lord continued to rule over David, the Spirit of the Lord had withdrawn from Saul. Everyone can receive the outpouring of the Spirit, but only few people who can make the Spirit of the Lord that has shed continues to rule/take control of their lives. To receive the outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord we only need to connect with an anointed servant of God, but making the Spirit of the Lord continues to rule over us, it takes a certain quality of life. The qualities of life that are needed to be built:
1. Live in the guidance of His Spirit.
God placed His Spirit in our lives with a desire to lead us to walk in His path. That’s why He would definitely give His direction and guidance either through our leaders or directly. The problem is whether we choose to live in His guidance or not.
Saul chose not to live in the guidance of His Spirit (1 Sam. 13:5-14, 15:18-19, 24), anything that God commanded were always “changed” or “discounted,” that’s why the Spirit of the Lord withdrew from him. While David chose to continue living in the guidance of His Spirit, whatever decision he must take, he always asked for guidance of His Spirit, and he acted in accordance with the guidance of the Spirit (1 Sam. 22:3-5, 23:1-5, 10-14).
When he took a decision, the main consideration was the guidance of His Spirit, not the opinion of people or situations, that’s why the Spirit of the Lord continued to rule over him.
2. Live in the guidance of conscience.
Once, David had an opportunity to kill Saul, but when he wanted to touch Saul, his heart was pounding (his conscience was speaking). All his followers said that it was the time for fulfillment of God’s promise to David. There was a big opportunity to kill Saul, but David showed again that his main consideration in making decisions was not situations or people’s opinions, but the voice of his conscience.
Even when the opportunity came again, David still followed the guidance of his conscience (1 Sam. 24:1-8, 26:1-12), whereas logically, if he killed Saul at that time, he would not be the king’s fugitive anymore, he even would be king. That’s why God was pleased and continued to rule over his life.
3. Life controlled by vision and free from ambition (1 Sam. 18:6-11).
David had just finished defeating Goliath and all the soldiers came home in triumph. They were greeted and in that welcoming, the women sang, “Saul has killed thousands, but David tens of thousand.” Having heard that, Saul became disappointed, angry, jealous, and insecure. Since then Saul hated David and tried to kill him. Why it happened like that? Because of ambition!
Ambition makes our hearts easily contaminated, disappointed, jealous, and insecure. David was controlled by vision and free from ambition, that’s why his heart was safely guard. Even when Saul made his life suffered because he became the king’s fugitive, he was not hurt and disappointed.
That’s why when he has an opportunity to kill Saul, he didn’t do it. Vision makes our hearts feel secure, not easily contaminated, not easily discouraged, and not easily offended. A person who is controlled by the vision of God will accomplish his vision in God’s way and in His time.
A person who is controlled by ambition will realize his ambition in human’s ways (by any means necessary) and in their own time (as soon as possible). Vision makes the Spirit of the Lord continues to rule over us and ambition will make the Spirit of the Lord departed from us.
Those are the qualities of life that are needed to be built making the Spirit of the Lord continues to rule over us.
Also read: If the Spirit of God Continue to Rule Over Us.
