The Ewok witch of Endor 1 Samuel 28: 1-25
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· 29 viewsSaul turns to the occult for answers when God would not listen
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Intro: Last week we talked about David In Ziklag
Intro: Last week we talked about David In Ziklag
We all encounter our own Ziklag or wilderness
be careful to keep seeking God
2. We can’t stop Doing
called to be Salt and light
3. Ziklag should be a place of growth
so many times we give up and do our own thing
Need to recognize this is where we learn faith and discipline
this is where we
I hope that if you have found yourself in a Ziklag that you will take advantage of it. Learn what God is trying to teach you. Today we turn from David back to Saul. He is in trouble big time and is scrambling for help
About that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with Israel. King Achish told David, “You and your men will be expected to join me in battle.”
“Very well!” David agreed. “Now you will see for yourself what we can do.”
Then Achish told David, “I will make you my personal bodyguard for life.”
Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him. He was buried in Ramah, his hometown. And Saul had banned from the land of Israel all mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead.
The Philistines set up their camp at Shunem, and Saul gathered all the army of Israel and camped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear. He asked the Lord what he should do, but the Lord refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets. Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.”
His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.”
So Saul disguised himself by wearing ordinary clothing instead of his royal robes. Then he went to the woman’s home at night, accompanied by two of his men.
“I have to talk to a man who has died,” he said. “Will you call up his spirit for me?”
“Are you trying to get me killed?” the woman demanded. “You know that Saul has outlawed all the mediums and all who consult the spirits of the dead. Why are you setting a trap for me?”
But Saul took an oath in the name of the Lord and promised, “As surely as the Lord lives, nothing bad will happen to you for doing this.”
Finally, the woman said, “Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?”
“Call up Samuel,” Saul replied.
When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, “You’ve deceived me! You are Saul!”
“Don’t be afraid!” the king told her. “What do you see?”
“I see a god coming up out of the earth,” she said.
“What does he look like?” Saul asked.
“He is an old man wrapped in a robe,” she replied. Saul realized it was Samuel, and he fell to the ground before him.
“Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?” Samuel asked Saul.
“Because I am in deep trouble,” Saul replied. “The Philistines are at war with me, and God has left me and won’t reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for you to tell me what to do.”
But Samuel replied, “Why ask me, since the Lord has left you and has become your enemy? The Lord has done just as he said he would. He has torn the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David. The Lord has done this to you today because you refused to carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites. What’s more, the Lord will hand you and the army of Israel over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me. The Lord will bring down the entire army of Israel in defeat.”
Desperate Measures
Desperate Measures
Saul had previously outlawed Medians
The law made it clear that God would turn against anyone who consulted mediums.
“I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community.
levit
1. Saul had previously outlawed Medians
b. This is the famous or infamous Leviticus chapter 20.
After 3500 the scripture still finds itself being dealt with. New York times just had a article a couple of weeks ago trying to twist this passage in favor of immorality
The word of God will last forever
The grass withers and the flowers fade,
but the word of our God stands forever.”
Isa
2.
2. Saul had no one to go to
Samuel was dead and the philistines were coming
He had killed all the priest those who heard from God
He went to God to tell him what to do
He faced what we sometimes face.
Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you,
nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.
It’s your sins that have cut you off from God.
Because of your sins, he has turned away
and will not listen anymore.
Isaiah 59
only true repentance can bring your relationship with God back together.
Saul never truly repented. Trying to kill David and Johnathon killing gods priest. We see him have regrets but he never turns away from wickedness to righteousness
Saul needed a answer to his problem so he devised his own spiritual plan. We do that to sometimes. Make up psudo spiritual plans when we haven’t heard from God. It never comes out well.
The Witch from Endor
The Witch from Endor
I run into a lot of skeptics when I talk to Christians about the occult
We say we believe in the supernatural but only the good stuff
We lift are noses about ghost and goblins and supernatural power in this world
Just because Dionne Warwick and the psychic network didn’t see their bankruptcy coming doesn’t mean we get to sweep the bible under the rug.
There are things going on out there
In another realm we know there are angels. Daniel, Jesus, Jacob...
We know there are evil spirits and the can affect this world
talks about Molech and children being sacrificed to him. People don’t get there on their own. Demons were more active and showed power to people.
Tim i don’t believe in that mumbo jumbo… Well I don’t believe in most of it either but I don’t turn my back on it either. Lets put it this way...
3. Science verses supernatural
In heaven ask Jesus how did you heal. Oh its easy… you reinstate the genetic code in any cell and then you replicate it on quantum level, poof a miracle Maybe? Maybe not?
What we think of supernatural could be just science. Make the sun stand still. Here is how you do that. Gravity and time are interrelated so you manipulate the time flow to slow the precession of the planet with a small black whole. that way the planet feels the slowing affect without the people on it noticing.
Science is great/ God is rooting for us. So much for us to learn.
Physics may not be the same everywhere in the galaxy
Space might be thicker between solar systems
It would’t surprise me that sin is a virus. That satan launched a a bio-attack on humanity and he was patient zero
It wouldn’t surprise me that AI would learn that the only way for us to survive as a species is to emulate Christ and start preaching the gospel
Interestingly enough this new multiverse theory, which I don’t buy i think it was made up to make it more probable that we happened without god, Says there are a infinite number of universes out here based on choice.
Universe where Adam and eve chose right, or even a universe where Lucifer remained true. Choice become the most powerful thing in the universe. Hmmm. I know choice is the most powerful thing in your life.
I say all this so you can understand that there is more. Christians are not afraid of science! Don’t buy into that nonsense. when we discover something new we say… So that's how God did that.... Back to our witch...
4. The woman is surprised
Finally, the woman said, “Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?”
“Call up Samuel,” Saul replied.
When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, “You’ve deceived me! You are Saul!”
“Don’t be afraid!” the king told her. “What do you see?”
“I see a god coming up out of the earth,” she said.
“What does he look like?” Saul asked.
“He is an old man wrapped in a robe,” she replied. Saul realized it was Samuel, and he fell to the ground before him.
1 samuel 28:11-
She cried out because her usual suspect was not brought up? She cried out because she was a fake and didn’t expect anything. I am not sue which, but it leads to a great truth about the occult. When you open a door you don’t get to choose what comes through.
She cried out because her usual suspect was not brought up?
She cried out because she was a fake and didn’t expect anything
Time why would God do this and why would he put it in the word of God?
Our God is in the heavens,
and he does as he wishes.
God let Samuel come back and give Saul the bad news. You will be with me here soon.
Here… The place of the dead. Jesus hadn’t set the captives free to heaven yet and this is where the dead wait for final judgement.
Saul gets his answer from the last judge of Israel. From a dead prophet.
What can we do if faced with the occult
What can we do if faced with the occult
Don’t panic
1 John 4:4
But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
You can resist the devil.
Do not negotiate with evil. You have heard Make a deal with the devil. there is truth to that.
Demonic forces are looking of some quid pro quo that is how you open your life to them and why quija boards are so dangerous. Same with tarot cards. I want an answer, the want paid.
“I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution
Prostitute them selves, sell themselves for power or knowledge.
Don’t panic Resist the devil and he will flee, who do we do that.
2. Learn to use God’s weapons
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
:10-18
2 weapons v17-18. The sword of the spirit which is the word of God v18, praying in the spirit, stay alert
Jesus resisted Satan with the written word of God. We need to do that too.
Reading the word memorizing it. We want God to protect us but spend no time learning to use the protections and weapons he has supplied.
Don’t panic, learn to use God’s weapons and...
3. Don’t focus on the Devil
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Our focus should always be on Jesus not the enemy
If our focus is on him we will be ready when faced with battle
You are not late for work because the devil made the light turn red...
Don’t panic, learn to use God’s weapons, focus on Jesus and...
4. Don’t dabble in the diabolical
And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
ephesians 4:26-27
This is talking about anger but it is talking about giving a foothold to devil
for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
Watch what you read and the movies you go to.
Don’t panic, learn to use God’s weapons, focus on Jesus, don’t dabble and finally
5. Get help if you have developed a Stronghold.
We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
A stronghold is a lie from Satan that has built a fortress in your life.
ephesians 6:12
Alcohol, I need it… Pornography… the ones that feel demonic but also the ones that don’t
rejection, bitterness, anger, hate, racism, laziness, fear, feeling sick, judgmental attitudes...
You need to identify the strong hold and sometimes we need some help doing that.
Once identified you need to surround it with the truth from God’s word.
I know you are embarrassed because you only half believe it.
To confront a stronghold of the enemy you will have to speak. In the name of Jesus my Christ I tear out this demonic stronghold of rejection because the bible says this about me…
Summary:
Summary:
Preaching through the bible is fun! we get see somethings that our faith needs to encompass but not focus on. If you are struggling with some strong holds in life its time to get some help. Go see a good christian councilor.