SUBSTITUTABEL!

MEMORISE: ‘Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.’ (1 Kgs 19:18)
READ: 1 Samuel 16: 1, 13- 14

The greatest level of deception that anyone God is currently using can labour under, is to believe that he or she is the most qualified for an assignment and therefore irreplaceable. King Saul learnt this the hard way. When the children of Israel insisted on having a king rule over them, like other heathen nations, there was no one as qualified as Saul to be king. His credentials, stated in 1 Samuel 9, 15: 17 revealed his father to be a man of valour. He himself was a choice young man, humble, handsome and physically well built. He was God-fearing and obedient to his father.

‘And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said God save the King’ (1 Sam 10: 24). After he was anointed king, he began to treat God’s instruction as he liked. He became full of himself and that led to his rejection.

It is a good thing if God decides to use you. Rejoice! However, be very careful because immediately he is assigning you to some task, he simultaneously prepares a substitute to replace you should you fall out of his plan. Eli was another careless servant of God who eventually lost out to his substitute. In 1 Samuel 2: 27- 30, Scripture tell us how this man, a priest of the Most High whose family had been chosen to produce priest forever before God, was rejected. God said’ Be it far from me; for them that honour me, I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.’

Has God chosen you to a particular office or assignment? Congratulations! Now take steps to secure it and prevent replacement. Ensure you remain humble and highly esteem God’s Word above everything else. Serve God acceptably and stay far away from sin. Give him glory, honour and all the credit for everything he dos through you. After all, he is who gives the assignment also gives the grace to complete it. Remain faithful in each assignment he gives you. And do each task with joy, right from your heart. This way you can be sure the substitutes looking forward to take over your job, will look elsewhere.

ACTION POINT
Ask God to keep you from anything that will make him reverse his good plan for your life and to silence every move against the Church.