1 Sam 16. ¹³ So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

Contrast between the man who wore the crown but lost the anointing vs the man who had the anointing but not the crown.

Nobody knew Saul was yesterdays man – went on another 20 years.

David has no platform/ power/prestige. A secret anointing, nobody would know for years. He ahd not sought it. He did have some gifts and talents as a musician and suddenly he is given this anointing.

First test of it – Goliath. He saw him merely as an uncircumcised philistine, not his height.

Do you identify with David, as being without the crown. If Samuel was to say that the man who was his hero would become his enemy and seek to destroy you for the next 20 years. The biggest mistake we can make is to think the anointing has made us ready for the crown. David would need that 20 years. He needed deliverance from various things –

Jealousy of his brothers. Eliab was angry with him when he turned up at the battlefield. “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”

Underestimation of his parents. He was totally bypassed by them at the feast. No affirmation.

Underestimation of the established leadership. Saul said, “You’re only a boy!” (vs 33).

Various colleges rejected eg G Campbell Morgan and Spurgeons. Elvis was rejected by his church choir!

David had the secret anointing, to know in his heart killing Goliath would be no problem.

But his next test was being true to yourself.

Remember how Saul was something of a giant himself? David couldn’t go in his armour, he had to take it off. The hardest lesson is to learn to be yourself.  Folly of trying to be someone else. When God made you, he threw the mould away. Instead of asking, “Why couldn’t I be this or do that?’ Don’t take yourself too seriously.

We can want to mimic our mentors. Cf the Southern Baptist preacher who would put his left hand over his ear. People loved him. He became professor of preaching, and all his students at South Western Theological Seminary would put their hand over their ear too. Why did he do it> He was hard of hearing – not the anointing.

Dr Lloyd Jones told of a preacher who flicked his hair back, and a generation of hair flicking preachers followed – even a bald guy who did so when he preached.

Maybe your time has not come because you’re trying to wear Saul’s armour?

Next test; The maidens came singing the sing that made Saul angry and jealous.

The best preparation you can get is to have someone jealous of you and learn to cope with it in a Christlike way. David was wise in all his ways here. The best thing that ever happened to David was the worst thing!

Long haul preparation.

RT had 6 months of visions after his conversion. But he never got his grandmothers approval – or the car back. He asked God why. Hebrews 12:6 came into his head.

Chastening – doesn’t mean God is getting even. Tit for tat. God has not rewarded us according to our iniquities. God got even at the cross! Chastening is God’s way of refining our anointing. David wasn’t ready to be King!

If you are waiting for your time to come, maybe you are not yet ready for it.

The worst thing that can happen to a person is that they succeed before they are ready. Most of us cannot handle the praise that might come our way.

It says even Jesus was ‘made perfect through suffering.’ I don’t get that verse! But its’ what it says, and if he needed it – how much more you and i?

Spurgeon: If i had 25 years left to live, I’d spend 20 of it in preparation.

If what you dream of, or the prophetic word has been postponed, it’s for your good! He has spared you of all you dreamed of, until his time has come.

Chastening is not pleasant. It’s no joke.

Suppose there were two lines – 1 side, “All those who want the anointing through laying on of hands, this side.

2 All those who want it through suffering!

But David had a good friend. Jonathan. We need to be accountable to those who will tell us what we need to know. You need to get your self esteem largely if not entirely from God’s approval.

RTs life verse – John 5:44 How can you believe, when you receive honour one of another but make no effort that comes from God only.

When you come to the place where you only want HIM to look down at you and say, “GOOD.” Get your kicks, your thrill from that inner testimony. When that is all that matters to you, you will react to criticism and praise much the same.

David needed to develop a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. There was handed to him an opportunity to kill his enemy. David said no, let’s not d that – but let’s have a little fun. Cut the hem off his robe. But then, he was conscience stricken. Why? He was hearing something those around did not here – he knew he had grieved the Spirit.

The dove.

³²Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. ³³I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God

Notice that word remain? I know what it is for the Holy spirit to come down, and it’s wonderful. But i my case, he flies away. A dove is shy and sensitive. You can feed the pigeons at Trafalgar square for bread. Doves don’t go there. They are in the same family, but different. You cant train a dove. Pigeons are not shy of people. Counterfeit spirit. Pigeon Religion!

The easiest thing to do is to grieve the Holy Spirit. He is sensitive. If we say a person is hyper sensitive, it’s not a compliment. But the Holy Spirit, if you know him, you will want to know his ways.

Heb 3, Psalm 95  – they have not know my WAYS.

God wants us to know his word and his ways.

What if God spelt your love for him TIME.

How much do you pray?

Suppose it was on the screen and all could see how much time you spend alone with God? A poll was taken of church leaders in the west, average time church leader prays.

Martin Luther’s journal. “I have a very busy day today, must not spend 2 but 3 hours in prayer.’ Wesley, 2 hours a day.

Average church leader spends 4 minutes a day in prayer – do we wonder why we are powerless? Give at least one hour a day to pray!

When J John met Sister Teresa in India, do you have a word for me? 45 minutes later, she cam back with a list. Last one on it –“God likes your company.

You get to appoint where you realise, “If I finish that sentence, the dove will fly.”

How long does it take to admit you were wrong, you sinned? Close the pride gap. Our temper gets us in trouble, our pride keeps us in anger.

Narrow the time gap between sin and confession and repentance! Then, you get to know his ways and sense when you are ABOUT to grieve the Spirit.

Get wisdom! Get insight! From where? The Holy Spirit.

For 20 years David was learning to wait on God. He got another chance to kill Saul, and he said, ‘No, I’m not even going to cut his robe, I’m doing nothing – let God do it.”

Don’t try and succeed until God says you are ready. We know what it is to have egg on our face because we have not heeded this. We know what it is for the dove to fly away.

RT tells of the time he and his wife had an argument, Saturday morning, before sermon preparation time. Hours of silence! Blank sheet of paper. Nothing! ‘Lord, you have to help me.’

A voice faintly answered, ‘Really?’

More hours. Went to his wife, and apologised, it was all my fault. Kissed and hugged. Then went to eth same chair, bible, and in 45 minutes he had all he needed, because the dove came down.

You can accomplish more in 5 minutes with the dove down than 5 years with the dove grieved!

There has been a silent divorce in the church between the word and the spirit. Paul said his gospel came in BOTH. It can be word only.  When there is a divorce, sometimes the kids go with the mother, sometimes with the father.

One says, “Get back to Jonathan Edwards, reformation.”

Another says, “Get back to miracle power, shake the house.”

What’s wrong with either emphasis? Nothing – but it is not either/or.

If the day was to come when the two come together there would be spontaneous combustion.

Some churches you come to hear. Others you come to see.

But the day is coming when those who come to hear will see, and those who come to hear- will see!