TURNED INTO ANOTHER MAN – LESSONS FROM SAUL

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

1 Samuel 10:6 (NKJV)

“Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man” 

When the donkeys of Kish, the Benjamite got lost, God’s mission was to make a king.  Kish sent his son Saul and a servant on an assignment of looking for the donkeys that had gone missing (1 Samuel 9:3).

Consult and Seek Counsel

It was in the culture of Hebrews to seek counsel and inquire from servants of God whenever bad circumstances came their way; God was always their first priority in case of trouble. As a believer, where do you go or what do you do when something goes missing or wrong in your life? Some Christians just let go and give up yet God can intervene and give you a solution. We see Saul giving up after having looked in all surrounding areas. 1Samuel 9:4-5 (NIV) says;

“So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them. 5 When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”

However, his servant was alert concerning the culture of inquiring from God, but Saul was concerned with an offering, because the principle was that when you're going to the house of God or to see a man of God, you had to carry an offering. 1 Samuel 9:6-8 (NLT)

“But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.” 7 “But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.” 8 “Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!”

All Things Work Together For Good

We see God using this unpleasant experience to make Saul have an encounter with Prophet Samuel which encounter would not only raise Saul to kingship but also change him into another man. God was working on both sides because He had already told Samuel that Saul would seek him out and that he should anoint him king over Israel. 1 Samuel 9:16 (GNT) says;

“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the tribe of Benjamin; anoint him as ruler of my people Israel, and he will rescue them from the Philistines”

When Saul met Samuel, he told him that the donkeys had been found (1 Samuel 10:2); and Samuel did as the Lord had told him, anointed Saul and prophesied in 1 Samuel 10:5-6 (NKJV) that; 

“After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man” 

Spirit of God, Fresh Anointing

Not only was the office of kingship over Israel bestowed upon Saul, but also God turned Saul into another man and also gave him another heart. Saul was an ordinary man but after being anointed, he was transformed into another person. There is a great lesson here; you cannot change yourself, it takes the Holy Spirit. 1 Samuel 10:9-10 (NLT) says;

“As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day. 10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy” 

It is very important to know that before you are transformed, you must encounter a commissioned servant of God, and when the Spirit of God comes upon you, He replaces the old nature with new (2 Corinthians 5:17). When Saul met with the prophets, he started speaking in tongues because the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him – the Spirit of God empowers and transforms (Acts 1:8; 2:4). Some people get saved and remain the same just because they have not been filled with the Holy Spirit.

If you want to be transformed into another person, then you must also change the set of friends you have. It is when Saul met a procession of prophets that were doing God’s will that the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him and prophesied with them. Even people who formerly knew Saul, started marvelling at his new nature and actions (1 Samuel 10:11-12).

When you are anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit, you not only change your peers but also change the place where you dwell. We see that; “When he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place” - 1 Samuel 10:13. God will bless you and very soon you will change your position.

Sieve and Hold Your Peace

When God does miracles for you and big things manifest in your life, members of your family will ask you questions wanting to know what you did. They will even ask you questions concerning your faith and salvation life. We see Saul’s uncle asking him questions in 1 Samuel 10:14-16 (NIV)

“Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?” “Looking for the donkeys,” he said. “But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.” 15 Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.” 16 Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship”

It is very important to learn how to respond to non-believers when they ask questions concerning the secrets of the kingdom of God which are very difficult to understand on their part. We learn that Saul concealed some information from his uncle particularly that concerning kingship (vv. 16). There are some personal spiritual things you must keep for yourself; for they are secrets of the kingdom that a carnal person may not understand, especially prophesies.

When God anoints you, He brings you people to follow and support you - that is true ministry where God touches people’s hearts. However, you must also be ready to stand the challenges of people who might despise and speak against you; for it is rewarding to keep silent and hold your peace as long as God is for you and on your side. 1 Samuel 10:26-27 (ESV) says;

“Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some worthless fellows said, “How can this man save us?” And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace”

For when the Spirit of God comes upon you, your life will never be the same