In the ninth chapter of First Samuel, there is a stirring story of prophetic ministry redirecting
someone's heart.
Saul has been sent by his father to find their lost donkeys. After an unsuccessful venture, they decide to go to the nearest city to ask direction from a certain prophet. Meanwhile, God tells Samuel that Saul is coming to him to find his donkeys, and amazingly, he is to anoint him king of Israel. When Saul finally encounters Samuel, the prophet informs him that his donkeys are already found. Then he stuns Saul by asking him to stay until the next day in order to tell him all that is in his mind because he is the man in whom all the desires of Israel lie. Saul is shocked and says to Samuel, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?
Why then do you speak to me in this way?"
Low self-esteem has caused many people to lose sight of the greatness that God has placed in them. Notice that Samuel says he is going to tell him what is already in his mind (literally heart). The story goes on to describe how Samuel anoints Saul king and tells him that he is going to encounter a group of prophets coming down from the hills. When he joins them, he will be changed into another man. By the time Saul turned to leave, he was changed into another man. He was transformed back into the man that he was designed to be from the beginning. The real man who was hidden under low self-esteem and sin was revealed and restored. This is the heart of true prophetic ministry!
Samuel answered Saul and said, "I am the Seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is on your mind. As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's household?" Saul replied, "Am I not a
Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?" Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men (1 Samuel 9:19-22).
Afterward you will come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is; and it shall be as soon as you have come here to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre before them, and they will be prophesying. Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man (1 Samuel 10:5-6).
Does Greatness Promote Pride?
Some believe that calling out greatness in people promotes pride. True humility is not
thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. The truth of God's grace humbles a man
without degrading him and exalts a man without inflating him.
Some time ago I was teaching for the purposes of prophetic ministry. Beginning with a few
opening comments, I said: "Prophecy calls out the greatness in people."
Just then a pastor walked through the back door and said, "I have a question."
"What is it?"
"I believe that God is great," he said.
"Yes. Did I say something that made you feel that God wasn't great?"
"You said we are to call out the greatness in people. I believe that you are creating pride in
people by doing that," he said.
I fired back, "I believe that for years the church has emasculated and castrated people in
the name of humility." I pointed to a beautiful painting on the wall and said, "Let's
pretend you painted that picture"
"OK," he said, looking confused.
"That's a stupid looking painting! Look at those ugly colors!" I yelled. "Now," I asked
him, "Did demeaning the painting glorify the artist?"
"No," he said.
"Isn't it true that the beauty of the painting actually brings honor to the artist?" "Yes,
that's true," he said.
"You didn't paint yourself—God painted you," I told him. "Not only that, but Jesus is
the one who sat in the chair and modeled for the portrait. We are created in His image and
in His likeness. Every time we demean ourselves we are talking badly about the Artist and
the Model. The truth is that the beauty of creation actually gives glory to the Creator."
Replies
How to understand the Prophetic and Apostolic
My God, what an example, love it.
Low self-esteem has caused many people to lose sight of the greatness that God has placed in them. And we loose sight of His magnificent because we think it’s Us, we think we are the one that does something, and it’s All God, that why we had to be made in His image and in Their likeness. My Lord of Host, that’s why He is Lord.
You didn't paint yourself—God painted you," I told him. "Not only that, but Jesus is the one who sat in the chair and modeled for the portrait. We are created in His image and in His likeness. Every time we demean ourselves we are talking badly about the Artist and the Model. The truth is that the beauty of creation actually gives glory to the Creator."
This teaching right here is the best example greatness, pride and low selfesstem, I have every read. Wow.... I receive this word it make so much sence.
Syllabus Notes:
Does Greatness Promote Pride?
Some believe that calling out greatness in people promotes pride. True humility is not
thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. The truth of God's grace humbles a man
without degrading him and exalts a man without inflating him.
Some time ago I was teaching for the purposes of prophetic ministry. Beginning with a few
opening comments, I said: "Prophecy calls out the greatness in people."
Just then a pastor walked through the back door and said, "I have a question."
"What is it?"
"I believe that God is great," he said.
"Yes. Did I say something that made you feel that God wasn't great?"
"You said we are to call out the greatness in people. I believe that you are creating pride in
people by doing that," he said.
I fired back, "I believe that for years the church has emasculated and castrated people in
the name of humility." I pointed to a beautiful painting on the wall and said, "Let's
pretend you painted that picture"
"OK," he said, looking confused.
"That's a stupid looking painting! Look at those ugly colors!" I yelled. "Now," I asked
him, "Did demeaning the painting glorify the artist?"
"No," he said.
"Isn't it true that the beauty of the painting actually brings honor to the artist?" "Yes,
that's true," he said.
"You didn't paint yourself—God painted you," I told him. "Not only that, but Jesus is
the one who sat in the chair and modeled for the portrait. We are created in His image and
in His likeness. Every time we demean ourselves we are talking badly about the Artist and
the Model. The truth is that the beauty of creation actually gives glory to the Creator."
Amen that last statement was very powerful. That is truth in this article because religious folks will have you thinking your prideful if you are enjoying the gifts or talents that were given to you buy God to uplift His kingdom. Pride is when we take credit for the gifts not when we use them according to the Word of God. If we never exercise our gifts then we can not be proficient in them.
Amen God is the Artist and the true lover of our souls. Ganything.God gets the glory at the end of the day amen.