WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1
Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:32-33, Hebrews 11:32-34

Hebrews 11:32-33 says, “And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.” That is what made Samuel so very important for us today. Samuel had the assignment of confronting wayward kings for disobedience and raising up their replacements! Saul was removed by prayer moving God’s Hand. Congratulations to all who prayed ‘Saul’ out in America’s 2016 election. Praying to see the heart of Samuel established in the church is essential. 1 Corinthians 10:4-10 shows us the importance of this when it says, “…and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.” All these things are written for our instructions upon whom the ends of the world have come. Do we understand that what we find in 1 Samuel 15 is written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the world have come? In order to navigate through the many enemies of Christ in the last days, we will have to understand the lesson of 1 Samuel 15. We have to train to walk in faith in the end-times like Samuel and that is what this Bible study is about. We have to learn to discern when to pray the judgment of God and when to turn the other cheek. As 1 Corinthians 10 says, we need to be trained by the things that are written in the Old Testament so we understand the heart of God when it comes to evil. Those that have and walk in the Holy Spirit are to restrain evil in the last days. Hebrews 11 points us to Faith’s Hall of Fame as a training ground to become like David, Samuel and the prophets so we can gain ground in days ahead. When Saul is out of office, hope is restored because Spirit-led decisions can prevail!