Alignment Leads to Advancement and New Anointing
This past Sunday we took the time to honor our mothers and other women who have poured into our lives. As I was preparing for Sunday morning’s service I felt like Holy Spirit was leading me to a passage that wasn’t just for mothers, but a NOW WORD for each of us. Open your hearts to allow HS to speak to you as we look together at 1Sam 25.
1Sa 25:1 Amp. “NOW SAMUEL died, and all the Israelites assembled and mourned for him, and buried him at his house in Ramah. David arose and went to the Wilderness of Paran.”
With the death of Samuel, there was a move toward the manifestation of the “new” order that had begun when David was anointed to be the next king of Israel. Saul was still the reigning king, but Samuel has spoken forth the Word of the Lord that David was to be the new king. I believe that this is a good picture of what we are experiencing in this hour in the church. God has spoken that there will be a new move of Holy Spirit that will bring in an abundant harvest of souls into the Kingdom. It has been prophesied that the “new move” will be more powerful than any the world has seen and yet we see in the natural the old system continuing to reign. I hear Holy Spirit saying that the old guard is passing and we are moving closer and closer to the full manifestation of the new. Holy Spirit is saying that there is a new anointing being released to move us into the next assignment, which will bring advancement as we learn to walk in the authority that has been given us and come into alignment with God’s order. Five “a’s” for this hour – five is the number for grace – and grace will be the power that brings it all to pass.
1Sa 25:2‐3 Amp. “A very rich man was in Maon, whose possessions and business were in Carmel. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
The man's name was Nabal and his wife's name was Abigail; she was a woman of good understanding, and beautiful. But the man was rough and evil in his doings; he was a Calebite.”
Let’s look at the meaning of a couple of words mentioned in this passage:
Maon – an abode, (even referring to the house of God) a home, a retreat
Carmel – a place of fruitfulness, plentiful
Nabal – stupid, wicked, fool
In a place (Maon) where there was supposed to be a home or retreat – a place of peace and comfort, a place (Carmel) where there was abundance, we find Nabal –a wicked, stupid, fool carrying out his ordinary business. This represents the old order and way of doing things – there has been success and prosperity at times in the old order, but God is getting ready to do a new thing. We can be part of His new move, if we will accept the new and change with it, but if we are foolish and refuse to change, we will be left in the old while others go forth into the new assignment.
In 1Sam 25:3‐12, we read the story of Nabal shearing his sheep and having a great feast. David sends some of his men to ask for food and supplies because David and his men had protected Nabal’s shepherds while they were out in the field. Nabal (living up to his name) refused to bless David’s men and even verbally abused them.
When the men return to David with the news of Nabal’s refusal, David orders his men to prepare for battle and starts out to destroy Nabal and his people. Back at Nabal’s home, one of the servants who had witnessed Nabal’s refusal to bless David, hurried to Abigail – Nabal’s wife‐ with the news. Abigail (meaning joy of the father), has a choice to make. She uses great wisdom and follows her heart, by ordering supplies to be made ready for her to take to David.
1Sa 25:20,23,24 Amp. “As she rode on her donkey, she came down hidden by the mountain, and behold, David and his men came down opposite her, and she met them.
When Abigail saw David, she hastened and lighted off the donkey, and fell before David on her face and did obeisance.
Kneeling at his feet she said, Upon me alone let this guilt be, my lord. And let your handmaid, I pray you, speak in your presence, and hear the words of your handmaid.”
Abigail positioned herself for a miracle. She took the responsibility to humble herself (even though she had done nothing wrong) and acknowledged David’s anointing. She honored him with provisions and spoke words of wisdom to him. (Read 2Chron7:14 and see the similarities.) One was we align ourselves with God’s order to with our offerings. As we give to God’s leadership we position ourselves for increase.
1Sa 25:35‐42 Amp. “So David accepted what she had brought him and said to her, Go up in peace to your house. See, I have hearkened to your voice and have granted your petition.
And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house like the feast of a king. And [his] heart was merry, for he was very drunk; so she told him nothing at all until the morning light.
But in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife told him these things, his heart died within him and he became [paralyzed, helpless as] a stone. (Compare to Luke 12:16‐20)
And about ten days after that, the Lord smote Nabal and he died.
When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, Who has pleaded the cause of my reproach at the hand of Nabal, and kept His servant from evil. For the Lord has returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him as his wife.
And when the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, David sent us to you to take you to him to be his wife.
And she arose and bowed herself to the earth and said, Behold, let your handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.
And Abigail hastened and arose and rode on a donkey, with five of her maids who followed her, and she went after the messengers of David and became his wife. ‘
We see several important points in these verses:
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David accepted what Abigail gave. God will accept our offerings and petitions when we humble and position ourselves to come into alignment with what HE is doing.
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Abigail didn’t argue or try to change her husband but waited on the Lord. There is a lesson here for everyone who is joined to a person who will not change or even acknowledge what God is doing. F.B. Meyer says, “Never let the difficulties of your environment or home lead you to abdicate your throne. Do not step down to the level of your circumstances, but lift them to your own high calling in Christ.”
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David honors Abigail by offering to make her his wife. This is a new assignment and one of advancement and greater authority.
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As Abigail went to David, five servants followed her – GRACE – the power to walk in the new assignment and anointing.
God is revealing much to us through these verses. God has a new anointing for each of us to enable us to walk into our new assignment – an assignment that is for advancement and great authority that we will only be able to receive as we humble ourselves to come into alignment with what He is doing. You won’t fail – you have His Word on it!
His love and mine,
Rev. Jo Ann