Join Pastor Jack Hibbs on Real Life Radio as he dives into the biblical accounts of David and King Saul, exploring their contrasting reactions to life’s challenges. In this episode, through the stories of the Old Testament, we learn how both faith and self-reliance play pivotal roles in shaping our destiny. Pastor Jack illuminates the influential lessons of embracing God’s promises and the dangers of turning away from divine paths.
The way I’m acting is the old me. That’s the way I used to act before I became a Christian. I’m not going to act like that anymore. In fact, the Bible gives me the authority to now say to me, the old me, you’re dead. Get back in your tomb where you belong.
SPEAKER 01 :
This is Real Life. Welcome to Real Life Radio with Pastor Jack Hibbs. I’m David Jay, thanking you for joining us today as we listen, learn, and are challenged by God’s Word, the Bible.
SPEAKER 02 :
Hey everybody, Pastor Jack here, and I want to encourage you to get a great book. Listen to this, Living Fearless in Christ. This is Hediya Miramadi’s story, life story, why I left Islam to win battles for the kingdom. A former Muslim comes to Christ and her ministry and her testimony is powerful.
SPEAKER 01 :
Get a copy for yourself, Living Fearless in Christ. Living Fearless in Christ by Hediya Miramadi. Available for the month of February for a gift of any amount at jackhibs.com. That’s jackhibs.com. On today’s edition of Real Life Radio, Pastor Jack now continues his series called 1 Samuel and a message titled, The Good, The Bad, and… Now, Samuel of the Old Testament was the last judge of Israel and the first of her prophets. So here in chapters 26 through 28, we’ll consider David and King Saul and their different responses to adversity, fear, and God’s ultimate plan for their lives. You see, there is a stark contrast between the faith and obedience of David and the fear and self-reliance of King Saul. When Saul finds himself desperate, his downward spiral turns toward disobedience. When David falters under pressure, he runs and hides in fear, but later turns towards God for his refuge and strength. So today, Pastor Jack teaches us that even though Saul’s downfall was allowed by God, he did not delight in it. Amid all the chaos, Saul refuses to repent while David honored Saul’s kingship. Now, overall, God was still in control and his purpose over King Saul and David was still brought to pass. Now, with his message called The Good, The Bad, and here’s pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs.
SPEAKER 02 :
I’ve read this. I’ve never done this. I don’t know if any of you ever have because we don’t use wineskins. But you would take a wineskin of old, and if it was oiled and massaged and used often and regularly, it still was supple. It was still shapeable and moldable so that you could put new wine in. Why is that important? Because new wine has to ferment. And when it ferments in that wineskin, there’s a lot of chemistry going on. And you chemists in here tonight, you know that as that begins to ferment, as the wine begins to rot, technically, there’s a lot of biology and chemistry taking place. And those molecules start dancing. They start hitting one another. They start creating friction. And there’s a fermentation taking place. And it begins to swell. And if you put new wine in an old skin that is now rigid, though, from lack of use, ooh, any of us Christians, been Christians for a long time, but God’s not using us? And when God says, hey, I want to use you, we say, come on. God, don’t you know me? I’m an old Christian. I know everything. What can you do with me? Maybe I should write a book, you know? God says, oh, I want you to do this. That’s for the little believer. You’re an old wineskin. The spirit of God wants to do something new and he can’t do it with you. You know what’s fun about this? You can be 99 years old and be a new wineskin right now. That’s the cool thing about God. Yeah, we may be getting older. We may be rusting out. But if God has control of our lives, we can burn out for God. I’d rather burn out than rust out, you know? I just want to burn for Jesus and then just nothing be left, right? But ashes, you know? So in our lives, in our hearts, we need to be careful. Instead of dressing up the flesh, hiding our cursing by carrying a Bible, disguising our drunkenness by lifting our hands in church and singing, you know. Watch out. It’s dressing up the flesh and something’s going to rip. God will see to that. He doesn’t want that. Listen, he doesn’t want that because it’s destructive for your life and my life. He wants to do a brand new work in us. It’s too bad Saul… Saul could have stopped at any moment and said, you know what? I’m repenting. I’m quitting being in charge. If he would just repent, he could have been preserved. When the flesh recycles itself. It brings forth death. The Bible tells us in Romans 6, 23, for the wages of sin, that is the earnings which it produces, is death. But the gift of God, that is what you cannot earn, is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Sin is death. And we may think like Saul that we’ve got the upper hand when we can look at somebody and tear them apart or say things. Or maybe we have these hidden things that are the most dangerous, you know. The most dangerous sins are the sins that aren’t surfaced on the public eye. That’s the sins that we have of being covetous of somebody’s possessions or we could hate somebody. And we look so fine on the outside, the flesh is all dressed up. But inside, these sins are eating us away. The Bible says that if that is not dealt with, it brings forth death. Romans 6, verse 5 says, Knowing this, that the old man… That’s not your dad. That’s you and me, the old person of who we were before Jesus… was crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be done away with. Now listen to this. That we should no longer be slaves to sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. The Bible, I know you and I battle with our temper still and with our flesh. That’s why the Bible says to reckon the old man dead. We’re to turn to the old Jack or to the old Bill or to the old Karen, whoever you are, and say, now wait a minute, me. The way I’m acting is the old me. That’s the way I used to act before I became a Christian. I’m not going to act like that anymore. In fact, the Bible gives me the authority to now say to me, the old me, you’re dead. Get back in your tomb where you belong. You’ve been crucified with Christ. And does anybody have an idea how often you have to do that? You know, don’t you think if he was crucified, he’d be dead forever, and you and I would accept Jesus and never sin again? Wouldn’t that be great? That’s what I thought happened when I got saved. I walked forward at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa. I thought I would never go. I didn’t hear the… Greg Laurie must have left the part out, I think, because I found out after I prayed the prayer and went back to the prayer room that sin was waiting outside for me in the parking lot. How did that happen? I’m a child of God now. What’s up? I’ve got to reckon the old man dead. Hey, that’s not me anymore. And the Bible says here in Romans 6 that the old man’s dead and he’s been freed from the law. The law presides over a man’s life until he’s dead. And if you and I would take God at his word and walk in the newness of the life that he’s given us, when someone comes knocking at the door tomorrow, at the water fountain at work, and you know, she’s the little corporate flirt around the office there, and you, oh no, you know, oh no, here she comes. You don’t have to be afraid. She comes up to the, oh, I want a drink of water too. You want a drink of water? I’ll give you a drink of water. Jesus says if you drink of the water he gives, you’ll never thirst again. Never. She’ll never bother you again. Try it. Oh, here he comes. You know, he’s coming. Oh, he’s calling. I know that’s his number. It’s on my display. Oh, what do I do? Because you know he’s troubled every time you’re around him. You just swoon when he’s in your presence, you know, when you pass out when he’s nearby. Hey, if you flirt with that setting, you’re going to get burned. But if you reckon… Yet as you determine the old you is dead and you’re alive to Jesus, your body belongs to the Lord now and he’s got that person for you and that person you’ll know. This other person is not for you. God will give you the very thing to say to them and the strength to put that temptation down. On what basis? On what premise? That the old man is dead. It’s hard to sneak in a little secret drink, you know, when he’s dead. He doesn’t have an appetite. He’s dead. Chapter 27. Chapter 27 is David’s lapse of faith, which leads to sin. Verse 1. Listen to this. Now I shall perish. Someday by the hand of Saul, there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines. And Saul will despair of me there to seek me anymore. in any part of Israel, so I shall escape out of his hand. What in the world is going on? Watch, chapter 26 ends with Saul and his lamentation going back to Jerusalem. David, his head kind of is kind of maybe still up. He’s getting weary though now. It’s been going on a long time where Saul’s been pursuing him. It’s been wearing on him. He goes on his way like this. And as he begins to think… It’s been happening in the past. It’ll probably happen again. This thing’s wearing me down that we open up chapter 27, the great man of faith, David, the great warrior. Look what he’s saying. Verse one, he says to himself in his own heart, that’s a dangerous place, people. When you begin to talk to yourself like this, now I shall perish someday. It’s over. Listen, have you ever been there? Don’t tell me you haven’t. Nothing’s going to change. It’s a cycle. I’m living in the wilderness. He’s going to go back to Jerusalem. He’s going to have a vacation or two, go water skiing on the Galilee, come back, chase me again. I’m living out here in a bunch of caves. It’s never going to change. This difficulty in my life, this situation is never going to change. I don’t see any break in this pressure. David begins to think. He sees nothing but despair. His lapse of faith begins to lead him on a path of sin. Because people, when that kind of defeat gets hold of you and I, it’s dark in every direction. Have you noticed that? There’s no way out because now David is being led by emotions rather than scriptural strength. God had told him as a young man, you will be king. Then God, I believe, speaks through Saul one last time in chapter 26 and says, you’re going to be great someday. David is still crushed. He’s defeated. He’s going down. And he’s in despair. And where is he going to seek refuge? To the land of the Philistines. It’s just like saying this. You know what? I’ve been a Christian. I’ve been fighting the good fight. Man, I’ve been pulling the line. I’ve been trying to stay upright. Nobody appreciates it. You just get attacked for it. Who needs it? People make fun of me at work. That’s all that’s happening. I can’t do this. You know what? I’m just going to take a break. I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to hide out from the one that’s pursuing me in the land of my enemy, in the land of Philistia. And so in chapter 27, David goes to the king and says, King, can I just live in a neighborhood that’s outside your city so I won’t be a threat to you? I just want to live at peace. I don’t want any trouble. I don’t want to live in Israel anymore. I’m not welcome. I don’t want to live in your city because… I don’t want to be a disruption to your people. Everybody knows who I am. I’ll just get a little place down the road. I’ll get a cow and a chicken. I’ll just live right on the border. I just want peace. People, get out of my face. I don’t want to know anybody. That’s where David’s heart is. Listen, you can’t do that. This is sin. You say, Jack, man, you’re being hard on David. It’s sin. It’s not right. He’s not believing the word of God that was promised to him. Church, Christian, what has God promised you? Great things. You know, you ever seen that bumper sticker? It’s hard to soar with the eagles when you work with turkeys. You ever seen that? You’re a Christian. God’s called you to great things.
SPEAKER 01 :
You’re listening to Real Life with Pastor Jack Hibbs. You know, to hear more episodes and maybe catch up in the series, just go to jackhibbs.com. That’s jackhibbs.com. And for now, let’s get back to our teaching. Once again, here’s Pastor Jack.
SPEAKER 02 :
You’re a Christian. God’s called you to great things. But you’re being a turkey about it. Oh, not me. You know, maybe for him, maybe for her, but not me. We’re supposed to mount up with, as it were, wings of eagles. Says Isaiah. But so often the Christian, because we do not seize the power and walk in faith, believing what God has said. And this is how you do that. When that world comes against us, like it’s coming against David, he should have reached back for scripture and for promises. He should have reached back to the books of Moses and remembered. God delivered Israel out of Egypt and he’ll deliver me out of the hands of one man. God can do it. I tell you, when you get full of self, you go down. And Christian, if that’s where you’re at tonight, you’re not going to die. It feels like you’re going to die. You’re not going to die. You’re going to make it. You’re going to be broken, crushed. You’re going to be ground, as it were, on a stone. The sooner you give up, and the sooner you let him live his life through, stop, listen, oh, hang on to your seat, then stop trying to be the goody good and impress God. Enjoy himself. Get up and live. And watch him do his thing through you. David’s lost this joy. He’s not writing those uplifting psalms at this time. He’s so destroyed. Quickly, lapse of faith that leads to sin. How so? Number one, I’m going to give you five of them. Lapse of faith that lead to sin. Number one. Just being at something for so long. I’ve been doing this for so long. Nothing’s changed. Number two, a sense of isolation. No one’s ever gone through what I’m going through. Three, all I need to do is just get away from this trouble. Boy, I get duped into that one every time. I just need to get away from this and take a break. That’s not the answer. That’s not the answer. It may be the answer from our jobs or from, you know, whatever. that carnal level thing might be, but when it’s a spiritual battle, you can flee to the uttermost parts of the sea and you can’t get away from it. When our faith begins to lapse, we say and think things like, I can’t remember. Watch. I can’t remember anything that God has said to me. You open the Bible and you’ll spend 10 minutes turning from chapter to chapter and you won’t read a chapter because… You don’t know where to read. You ever been there? It’s like, what? I don’t know. I know I got to get into this, and this is where my strength comes, but I don’t know. What do I? Maybe Genesis. I don’t know. I already know that. So how about Revelation? Well, you know, I just read that last week. What? And you debate with yourself, forgetting what God has said. Number five, seeing yourself as somebody common. You’ve forgotten that you don’t belong to the Lord God Almighty. He bought you… at a price with his blood, David is completely in this condition. Instead of being amazed, he now is also going down the emotional panic, and it’s tragic. The fix to those five steps, one, we need to counter this being at it for so long by putting things into perspective. Two, we need to encounter this sense of isolation by fellowshipping with a saint. Let me tell you what I think that means. It doesn’t mean to hang out with somebody next to you who just looks really godly. That’s not what I’m talking about. That’s a sweet thing, though. You know what? By fellowshipping with a saint, in my life, what helps me is what I’m going through. I need to find one of those awesome saints in the Bible that went through the same thing I’m going through today. Recently, I’ve read the book of Nehemiah seven times because I can really relate to Nehemiah and the construction progress that we’re going through or the lack thereof. Nehemiah. And I’m asking the Lord, please make me more like Nehemiah. Teach me how to be like Nehemiah. Why? What I need to do at this thing of a sense of isolation is that I need a fellowship with one of God’s saints. And I’m talking about one out of the Bible. Find somebody who meets or fits the situation you’re in. It’s powerful, and it becomes very personal. We want to counter that getting away from the trouble temptation with, Lord, show me you in the midst of the trouble. This is what I’m learning, too, now, is that in the worst situation, God is actually saying, hey, Jack, how do you like it? I made this one especially for you. Do you see me in it? No! Yeah, all the trouble, this big mushroom cloud that’s forming. Look behind the cloud. Look behind the cloud. All I can see is the cloud. You want to talk about a cloud and God behind it? Look at September 11th, 2001. 3,000 plus people died. I wonder how many tens of thousands, if not more, have accepted Christ since then. See Christ in it. See Christ behind it. Whatever that trouble is. And to counter that forgetting what God has said thing, reflect upon previous victories. David, you killed giants, right? David, you routed godless kingdoms. Think back on past victories. Number five, we need to counter that seeing yourself as a common person by examining your family tree and the Lord. That’ll bless your heart big time. Chapter 28, Saul’s desperation leads to death. The bad lines are drawn. Chapter 28, we see now the great call to battle again. It’s forming, it’s taking place very quickly. Let’s go through this, verses 4 through 6. It says, So Saul gathered all Israel together and they encamped at Gilboa. And when Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid. And his heart trembled greatly. That is, he was physically sickened by fear. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dream or by urim or by prophets. This is absolutely petrifying. And so Saul now is brought to this point of great desperation, and it’s going to lead to death. Verse 7 goes on. Then Saul said to his servants, Find me a woman who is a medium. Give me a witch. Get me somebody who’s a channeler or a condor that I may go to her and inquire of her. Is that not desperate? He’s going to that which has been forbidden in scripture. And a servant said to him, in fact, there is a woman who is a medium at Endor. So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes and he went and two men with him and they came to the woman by night and he said, please conduct a seance for me. Bring up for me one whom I shall name to you. Then the woman said to him, Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life to cause me to die? And Saul swore to her by the Lord. Listen to this. Oh, I swear to you by God, as we do this demonic thing, you won’t get hurt. He’s nuts, I’m telling you. This is too common. This is too real. As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing. Then the woman said, Whom shall I bring up for you? And he said, Bring up Samuel for me. Remember, he’s dead. When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul. And the king said to her, Do not be afraid. What did you see? And the woman said to Saul, I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth. So he said to her, What is its form? And she said, An old man is coming up and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and he bowed down. People, this is very important. I don’t want time to rob us of this. Jot it down now. Those of you who have seen or heard of, and I encourage you to not watch it, and I’ll tell you why in a moment. This guy Edwards on TV, people will laugh him off and say he’s a fraud. And he certainly fakes some things, I would think. But listen, people like him. That other guy, Wiener Wiesenheimer. That guy. Be careful. Stay as far away from that stuff as possible. There’s demons speaking to those people. And demons, we know from scripture, have the power to imitate people. There are cults that your confirmation to the faith is the visitation of a departed loved one of the family that comes to you and says in an apparition, an appearance in your room. I saw her in my room last night. It was her. And she knew things about me. It must be true. Demonic.
SPEAKER 01 :
pastor and Bible teacher, Jack Hibbs, here on Real Life Radio and his message called The Good, The Bad, And. You know, this message is part of Pastor Jack’s series called First Samuel. It’s a series that highlights the prophet Samuel, who was called by God during one of Israel’s darkest times to bring the people back to a heart of true worship. And we’ll continue on the next edition of Real Life Radio. You ever felt like something’s missing in your life? Maybe you’ve been searching for answers for peace or a sense of purpose. You know, the truth is those longings are there because you were created to know God. At JackHibbs.com, there’s a tab called Know God. It’s designed to help you discover what it truly means to have a relationship with God. This isn’t about religion. It’s about understanding who God is and why he loves you and how you can find hope and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. The page breaks it down in a simple, clear way, answering common questions and guiding you through the steps of faith. It’s a great place to explore and reflect whether you’re just curious or you’re ready to make that next step. So don’t miss out on the most important relationship you’ll ever have. Visit that tab called KnowGod at JackHibbs.com and start your journey today. That’s JackHibbs.com because knowing God changes everything in your life for the better. Take that next step. Explore and reflect at the Know God section at JackHibbs.com.
SPEAKER 02 :
Hey, thank you again so much for listening. And if you’d like to hear or see more of what we do here, you can always go to jackhibbs.com for all the latest on what’s going on with this ministry. If you’d like to partner with us and help support spreading the gospel around the world, you can do that there too. It has been so good to be with you today and I pray you find yourself in the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. See you on the next episode.
SPEAKER 01 :
This program is made possible by the generous contributions of you, our listeners. Visit us at jackhibbs.com. That’s jackhibbs.com. Until next time, Pastor Jack Hibbs and all of us here at Real Life Radio wish for you solid and steady growth in Christ and in His Word. We’ll see you next time here on Real Life Radio.
