OBEY TO THE LETTER

1 SAMUEL ALSO SAID TO SAUL, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. NOW THEREFORE, HEED THE VOICE OF THE WORDS OF THE LORD. 2 THUS SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt.
3 NOW GO AND ATTACK AMALEK, AND UTTERLY DESTROY ALL THAT THEY HAVE, AND DO NOT SPARE THEM. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
1 Samuel 15:1-3 (NKJV)

• The most important thing in the life of whoever is walking with God and working for Him is obedience to whatever He commanded to be done.

• In the above Bible passage, Saul the King was instructed or commanded to go and destroy the Amalekites completely or utterly (1 Samuel 15:3).
• The instruction was, Saul should destroy them totally. Saul, however, destroyed the worthless things, and spared their king and the animals which he claimed he wanted to use for Sacrifice to God:
  13 THEN SAMUEL WENT TO SAUL, and Saul said to him, “BLESSED ARE YOU OF THE LORD! I HAVE PERFORMED THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD.” 14 BUT SAMUEL SAID, “WHAT THEN IS THIS BLEATING OF THE SHEEP IN MY EARS, AND THE LOWING OF THE OXEN WHICH I HEAR?” 15 AND SAUL SAID, “THEY HAVE BROUGHT THEM FROM THE AMALEKITES; FOR THE PEOPLE SPARED THE BEST OF THE SHEEP AND THE OXEN, TO SACRIFICE TO THE LORD YOUR GOD; AND THE REST WE HAVE UTTERLY DESTROYED" (1 Samuel 15:13-15 NKJV).

• God wants a total obedience from whoever is following Him. Even when what He instructed to be done looks harsh, or inhuman; If you had actually heard from Him, that is what you should do—you have to obey to the letter, or to the last detail:
17 SO SAMUEL SAID, “WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE IN YOUR OWN EYES, WERE YOU NOT HEAD OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL? AND DID NOT THE LORD ANOINT YOU KING OVER ISRAEL? 18 NOW THE LORD SENT YOU ON A MISSION, AND SAID, ‘GO, AND UTTERLY DESTROY THE SINNERS, THE AMALEKITES, AND FIGHT AGAINST THEM UNTIL THEY ARE CONSUMED [exterminated].’ 19 WHY THEN DID YOU NOT OBEY THE VOICE OF THE LORD? WHY DID YOU SWOOP DOWN [Seize or lay sudden hold] ON THE SPOIL, AND DO EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD?” (1 Samuel 15:17-19 NKJV).

• What God instructed Saul the king looked inhuman, but these people that God instructed him to destroy completely were sinners and God's enemies.
• God is just, and you cannot be kinder than Him. When He said the people should be destroyed wholly, why did you spare their king and some animals which you claimed that you wanted to use for Sacrifice.
• Disobedience is Evil in the sight of God: " . . . WHY DID YOU SWOOP DOWN ON THE SPOIL, AND DO EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD” (1 Samuel 15:9 NKJV).

• Another important thing which whoever is working for God should be mindful of is the greed for material things.

• As Saul did claim that he had obeyed the LORD, but he greedily and intentionally took those things that were supposed to be destroyed, saying, he wanted to use them for sacrifices.
• Greed for money and other material things should be dealt with in the life of whoever is called to work for God—in the ministry (1 Timothy 3:3).
• One of the qualities which whoever would be ordained as a Bishop, or whoever desires to be used of God, should possess is, not being greedy for money, and not covetous:
  2 A BISHOP THEN MUST BE BLAMELESS . . . 3 NOT given to wine, not violent, NOT GREEDY FOR MONEY, BUT GENTLE, not quarrelsome, NOT COVETOUS" (1 Timothy 3:2,3 NKJV).
• The greediness and covetousness affected Gehazi, Elisha's servant or protege, who had the potential of receiving double portion of Elisha's anointing, but he collected leprosy instead:
  25 NOW HE WENT IN AND STOOD BEFORE HIS MASTER. Elisha said to him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.” 26 THEN HE [Elisha] SAID TO HIM [Gehazi], “DID NOT MY HEART [spirit] GO WITH YOU WHEN THE MAN [Naaman] TURNED BACK FROM HIS CHARIOT TO MEET YOU? IS IT TIME TO RECEIVE MONEY AND TO RECEIVE CLOTHING, OLIVE GROVES AND VINEYARDS, SHEEP AND OXEN, MALE AND FEMALE SERVANTS? 27 THEREFORE THE LEPROSY OF NAAMAN SHALL CLING TO YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS FOREVER.” AND HE WENT OUT FROM HIS PRESENCE LEPROUS, AS WHITE AS SNOW" (2 Kings 5:25-27 NKJV).

• Any number of ministers have lost the Anointing on their lives because of greediness and covetousness; being rapacious, having a huge and strong appetite for money. Such ministers are lacking in discipline for money and other material things (Philippians 3:19; 1 Timothy 6:9,10).

• Saul missed it, he lost his throne, because of disobedience, and his inability to discipline himself on the affection for material things.
• Ministry work or assignment is a thing which you cannot do the way you like. Every instruction should be carried out as you were told or commanded—to the last detail:
  "WHO serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, AS MOSES WAS DIVINELY INSTRUCTED WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO MAKE THE TABERNACLE. FOR HE SAID, “SEE THAT YOU MAKE ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN” (Hebrews 8:5 NKJV).

• You will not lose your relevance and place in Jesus' name. And your place would not be given to another person in Jesus' name.

• Should there be any sickness in your body, receive your healing now in Jesus' name.
• The hold which is broken now in your life will never rise again, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
• Your healing and deliverance is permanent in Jesus' name.
  Peace!

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!