Who doesn’t love superhero movies? I mean, what’s not to love? Good guys fight bad guys, good guys win and the whole world is happy. That is, until the next bad guy shows up. (I mean there is a profit to be made right?) But if you think about almost every superhero, something has happened to them to give them their superpowers. Spiderman was bit by a radioactive spider. The Earth’s yellow sun gave Superman his powers. The Hulk was exposed to green gamma rays, making him the brute that smashes bad guys. The Fantastic Four were exposed to cosmic rays in space. The Flash had lighting strike his lab, dousing him in a cocktail of chemicals that gave him his super speed. You notice the common thread here, superpowers come when a regular human encounters something extraordinary. What would you say if I were to tell you that superheroes are real? And that they are being made even today?
Today in 1 Samuel chapter 16 we’re introduced to an individual that could be considered by some to be an Old Testament superhero. He burst onto the scene to battle evil, defeat giants and unite a kingdom. David did indeed have great power and it was indeed given to him just as a fictional Marvel or DC character. And it is in our text this morning we see just this moment, one of the greatest miracles that the world has ever witnessed. And this miracle continues to this day.
God has rejected Saul as the king of the Israelites, and God has selected a new king. The people demanded a king and out of their request, God gave them Saul, an evil leader to match their evil hearts. But this time, God will select His king. A man after his own heart. God’s selection process will start with the inside of the man, not the outside. God sends Samuel on a journey to the house of Jesse to locate and anoint this new king. Jesse has 8 sons and Jesse marches them out in order of importance. The tallest, best looking, most kingly coming first. God rejects all 7 until only one son is left. He is out in the fields tending the sheep, not even seen as worthy enough for his father to present him to Samuel. But David is brought in and Samuel first lays his eyes on the new king of Israel. And as he does God speaks these words to Samuel.
“And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. At that moment, the Spirit of the Lord took control of David and stayed with him from then on.” 1 Samuel 16:12-13 CEV
Did you see it? The superhero moment that just took place? David was just a normal boy of about 15 to 16 years old. He got up that morning just like any other day, had a bowl of Fruity Pebbles and then went about his shepherding duties in the fields. Just another day, as ordinary as taking a breath. But then he hears his name being called in haste and he rushes in to see the matter. A stranger calls him king, pours oil on his head and in this moment, David’s life changes forever. I call this moment, the miracle moment.
You see, our sin separates us from a God that loves us. Our sin separates us from our creator. That sin creates a barrier that not even Superman can break through. And that barrier of sin will stand for all of eternity if not confronted. And folks, Jesus Christ confronted that sin on the Cross 2,000 years ago. Jesus came to this planet as a man, to live, die and be resurrected to defeat the power of sin once and for all. If you call upon the name of Jesus to save you from the eternal death of your sin, He is faithful to save you and redeem you.
“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 2:21
“For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13
And folks, in the very moment that you call out to the Lord, the miracle moment happens. Just as with David, you will be anointed by God. Not with physical oil, but with the very Spirit of God. What a miracle to behold as the Holy Spirit of God comes upon a new believer and infiltrates their very soul. And folks, what I love about our study verse today, when the Holy Spirit rushes upon someone that calls out to Christ, it lasts forever. It is a permanent change. They are a new creature. A new being. The old has passed, the new has come. What was, has been changed forever, and it is the Spirit of God that has done the changing.
As you receive the Holy Spirit of God, life changes. Your life now has the direction of God. Your life now has the wisdom of God. Your life now has the love of God to steer you well clear of sin and temptation. Your life now has the superpower of God…living right within you.
But folks, just as with any Superhero with new powers, you have to learn how to handle these new powers. You see, you were well practiced in doing everything in your own limited power, but now you have the unlimited power of God at your disposal. You were well practiced in depending upon yourself, but now you can depend on God and the power of His Spirit. You see, you are going to find out that you can do so much more through the power of God’s Spirit than you ever could on your own. You‘ll find that you can’t do things on your own, but you can do them through the power of the Holy Spirit. You can’t but you can.
Today, relent to the power of the Holy Spirit. Allow God’s Spirit to lead your life. Allow the Spirit to make your decisions. Allow the Spirit to guide your steps. Allow the Spirit to speak into your heart. You see, when we operate in our own power, we are weak, feeble, and frail. But as we operate solely in the power of God’s Holy Spirit, we have the strength of a Superhero. We inherit the unlimited power of God. We operate not in our limited intellect but in the all-encompassing wisdom and knowledge of the Lord. As you allow God to run your life, not yourself, you will see that miracle moment unfold into miracle days, miracle months, and miracle years. Because, folks, the Holy Spirit of God stays with you "from then on"…all the days of your life.
Be blessed today as you recklessly follow the Holy Spirit of God.
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