“Samuel said, ‘Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.'”
1 Samuel 15:17
Saul was not able to overcome the evil spirit that made him feel inferior. Even though he was the king, he allowed it to take root in his heart. Low self-esteem caused him to make poor decisions that cost him his kingdom. He saw himself as inferior to others, small and worthless. The first thing that affected him was accepting in his mind and in his heart his own insignificance. People said that he was one of the most handsome men because he was very tall and good-looking, but Saul thought and felt quite the opposite. He saw everybody as a hypocrite, and considered what they said as a mere act of kindness to make him feel good.
His inferiority complex led him to disobedience. The prophet confronted Saul and said, “Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?” “But I did obey the LORD,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king” (1 Samuel 15:19-20). Because he did not destroy the enemy king, he did not fully obey the Lord. Saul´s weak character was the result of his low self-esteem.
If you allow this evil spirit in your life, you will not be able to fully obey God’s voice. If you have pride, you will disobey His Word. Today, receive the divine revelation of who you are in Christ so that obeying Him will not be a problem in your life. This way, your decisions will lead you directly into His destiny for your life.
When He created us, God imparted a level of wisdom to us. We do not have to go beyond this wisdom, because it helps us keep a balance in everything we do. Going above this level of wisdom means falling into pride, whereas to remain below it means to give place to a sense of inferiority. The Apostle Paul said, “…Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (Romans 12:3). The Word of God produces a good sense in us. The correct measure of wisdom for each one of us is given through Jesus. He said, “…learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
When we fail to keep a balance in ourselves, we steer away from the objective. The individual who has been given a mission by God will not accomplish it, if he does not maintain the balance of wisdom. If he receives a spirit of inferiority, he will not attain the correct measure of wisdom and will obey God´s voice only partially. If he has a spirit of superiority, he will break His Word because everything he does will be out of order. Therefore, he will not be reaching the objective that was set by God. The Lord is looking for well-balanced men and women. God called Saul because He longed for him to use the balance of wisdom; but Saul did not. He obeyed God´s voice only in part, because he did it according to his own understanding and with his troubled mind. The person who does not live with the correct measure of wisdom, will lack character and will be influenced by circumstances, just as Saul who thought that he was acting correctly in spite of being disobedient.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
There is a kind of eagle that is so daring that it attacks seals. They can sink their talon suddenly into the flesh of the seals to sweep them from the water and up to the coast. They use the strength of their wings to try to take them to their own nests. However, most of the time they do not succeed. Compared to eagles, seals are too strong and heavy. When an eagle tries to carry a seal, it cannot let the seal off. Due to the angle of the eagle´s talon, the seal’s strength often overcomes the eagle and forces it to give up and be drowned.
To the same extent, our self-esteem frequently induces us to do things that, actually if you stopped to think, make no sense. Frequently we think that we can control certain situations based on our own strength to finally give up in the face of difficulty. Do not go off course, keep your eyes on the objective and listen to God´s voice.
TODAY’S DECLARATION
“The Word of God protects my mind and emotions from all contamination, and I enjoy spiritual freedom.”
Today’s post is an excerpt from Pastor Cesar Castellanos’ book, Declarations of Power for 365 Days of the Year: Volume Four.
TODAY’S BIBLE READING
- Old Testament: Jeremiah 12-13; Ecclesiastes 4
- New Testament: John 2:1-11; James 3:1-12
