1 Sam 10:20-23 NIV
When Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri's clan was chosen. Finally Saul son of Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. 22 So they inquired further of the Lord, "Has the man come here yet?"
And the Lord said, "Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage."
23 They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others.
Saul was extraordinary – stood above everyone else
Gifted, chosen & anointed by God
But saw himself as flawed – “so I must hide”
vs. 1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you leader over his inheritance?”
Look at where he was hiding – in his baggage: Shame, Low Self-Esteem, Condemnation
In spite of being chosen & anointed, he responded more to his Inner Voice than the Voice of God
We all have an inner voice – that voice serves as our interpreter
ex. Preaching in a foreign country with an interpreter
One thing is said or done
But, that Inner Voice tells you what they really meant
Catch: It Interprets based on what you already believe about yourself
You hear the Word weekly
It should change your thinking & change your perspective & renew your mind
But you never change the voice of your interpreter
So when something is said, or happens that challenges or confronts you
Your inner voice begins to speak up
Or it becomes defensive or argumentative – it exaggerations
That voice begins to affect our view
If your view is from hiding – behind veil
We can’t see you properly
But you can’t see us properly either
Num 13:33. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."
The Bible actually says that the giants were afraid of them
But they listened to their Inner Voice of low self-esteem
Engaged in mind-reading – which is never favorable towards self…
The Voice begins to Affect Relationships
Saul thought David was against him – he thought his son
Relate to him, not based on what he said or did…
But based on the negative motive he assigned to David
When you do that you frustrate & damage relationships, no one can talk honestly to you
The Voice rejects other Voices that bring Wise Counsel
Because you take counsel & correction as criticism & condemnation
You reject those voices – become defensive
When you only listen to your own voice – you agree with yourself
You only re-affirm your negative thinking
We all need a voice that will regulate us & challenge our thinking
Prov 9:8-9 NIV
Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.
9 Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still;
teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.
Worst, that Voice will talk you out of dreaming – moving forward
Fulfilling the will of God
Taking risk
Doing new things
We must deal with that Inner Voice before we can possess
Josh 5:9. The Lord said to Joshua, "This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you."
Before Jesus, the deliverer could come… there must be a New Voice
The Voice of one crying in Your Wilderness - to prepare the way
Preaching Good News
Rev 12:10. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
Repent
2 Cor 10:5. Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Whose report will you believe?
The report of your negative Interpreter or the Truth?
Shame is not true: There is nothing wrong with you
Shame is a lie you believe about yourself
You cannot be condemned, because you are IN Christ
Low self-esteem is not even related to humility
Every low place will be exalted – Is 40:4
Casting down imaginations is not a one time action
You have been listening to the voice of your interpreter for a life-time
Rom 12:1-2. Renewed in your mind Daily
Faith comes by hearing
You’ve got to hear yourself saying it – how long have you heard yourself saying the negative?
When you go to the Dr. – Rx for healing
It takes time & application for the Rx to work – 2x day for 90 days
How can something be wrong with you if God says this about you?
You are all God says you are