Bible Message – Week 26.  Oil: It is not OVER, because God is not FINISHED. Pst. Johan Venter

• Week 26
• Scripture Reading: – 1 Sam 16:¹
• Topic: – It is not OVER, because God is not FINISHED, -and there is more OIL

Between the PROMISE and the DREAM, there is always a PROCESS

1 Sam 16:¹ 

Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go;”

Why was Samuel’s horn empty?

Because he had poured out all his oil upon Saul. Saul’s kingdom was Samuel’s DREAM! That’s how we feel sometimes when something doesn’t work out. ① Empty. ② Used. ③ Wasted. We gave so much only to get so little in return.

• We loved so deeply only to be rejected when someone else came along.
• We served so faithfully only to be discarded because we were no longer deemed useful.
• We’ve poured ourselves out and now we’ve nothing left to offer.

We have been there. At our lowest point of failures and rejections, we honestly wondered if God would ever use us again. In our darkest moments of sin and brokenness, we thought that we were beyond the grace and repair of God. When betrayed by people we loved, I didn’t think I would ever trust again.

Here’s what we have discovered in our emptiness.

[Moses is DEAD, – Joshua move on]!

• God has more oil.
• He has complete restoration.
• He has greater mercy.
• He has better relationships.
• He has deeper healing.
• And He has fresh empowerment of His Holy Spirit for your next assignment.

He sends Samuel, with a horn full of fresh oil, to the house of Jesse to anoint a new king, Saul’s successor. Samuel possibly thought that Saul’s failure meant the end of the role of kingship in Israel. Yet, God already had another plan. He had already chosen a new king.

God isn’t as sentimental about people and things as we are. We become very attached to individuals and places and ways of doing things. We can’t imagine life without them. And we sometimes assume that God couldn’t do without them as well. What do you do when the reality that you live in does not look like your DREAM?

God ALWAYS has another plan.

• If one person says no, He will find someone who will say yes.
• If one place doesn’t work out, He can locate somewhere that will suit him perfectly.
• If a leader fails, He can raise or release someone new to step into the role.
• His purposes are always bigger than any one person, position, or place.

While Samuel has been lamenting the loss of favour upon Saul, God has been closely watching a young shepherd boy on the outskirts of a tiny place called Bethlehem. Each day, he looks after his dad’s sheep, fights off predators, and sings songs accompanied by his lyre.

Samuel is stuck on NOW. God has moved on to NEXT. In the current shaking inside and outside the church, a changing of the guard is happening. ‘Saul’s leadership is finished. 

That is, leaders who control and manipulate people, misuse their power, abuse the vulnerable, and cling to position and status. [Church is busy CHANGING, – Irresponsible Shepherds] 

Eze 34:¹ 

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ²“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

God has already declared that these types of shepherds’ days are numbered. They may still hold the position and title, for now. But the anointing has lifted. The approval of heaven no longer rests upon them. In the spiritual realm, they hold no real authority. One by one, you will watch them resign or be removed. It may happen quietly or through public exposure. But, over time, they will exit. Meanwhile, out of sight, the LORD has been raising up others to take their place.

The Branch of Righteousness 

Jer 23:¹ 

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. ² Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord.

³ “But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds, and they shall be fruitful and increase. ⁴ I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the Lord.

Godly men & women are being raised up by God:-

• The unknowns.
• The overlooked.
• The outwardly unimpressive.
• The men and women after His own heart.

They are being called in from the sidelines, drawn in from obscurity.

• They don’t seek popularity or platforms.
• They fear God more than they fear man.
• And their only desire is to please the One who has called them.
• Watch as they emerge to lead the remnant in these last days.

In the PROCESS of OBEDIENCE, we will learn about patience, perseverance, opposition, obstacles, tests & trials. Remember OBEDIENCE will ALWAYS bring the BLESSING of God into your life!

What FAILURES in your life are you MOURNING about? 

God had already PROVIDED the outcome! The BEST is yet to COME! The best days of Israel were still AHEAD of them! And so are yours and mine! God is GREATER than ALL your FAILURES, your MARRIAGE, your unsaved CHILDREN, your WORK, your FINANCES, all of your SINS! God is BIGGER than ANYTHING you are FACING right NOW!

God has a BLESSING for EVERYBODY that BELIEVES it! God even had to speak to Joshua and remind him that Moses was DEAD! 

So God is challenging us today, yes we’ve made mistakes, yes things did not work out the way we intended, BUT God is challenging us through His Word TODAY! David was ANOINTED with OIL while Saul was still on the THRONE! 

God will ANOINT you with OIL, while the enemy is still on the THRONE of your life! Fill your HORN [Symbol of POWER, STRENGTH, and HOLY SPIRIT], life, emotion, your failures, [Empty] and let it be FILLED with the Spirit of God! EMPTY yourself so that God can FILL you!

So, let us stop mourning and get moving. God has more for us. He never downgrades; He only upgrades. 

There is MORE Oil.

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