Anger and Insecurity | 1 Samuel 18:9-12

Are you dealing with your anger and insecurity?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are reading 1 Samuel 18. I've titled this chapter "Allies and Adversaries."

At this point, jealousy is ticking down in King Saul against David, and let's see how this turns out in verses 9-12:

And Saul eyed David from that day on. The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David evaded him twice. Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. — 1 Samuel 18:9-12

If you have been following me for this series, you see a strong contrast here. Two men, both anointed by Samuel, would be kings of Israel. But now, a harmful spirit rushes upon Saul, and David, as commissioned, tries to soothe this harmful spirit with worship to the Lord.

David is fighting all kinds of battles, and they are all battles with a spiritual enemy. This time, the battle happens to be with an evil spirit possessing an ally, and the weapon in his hand is a weapon of worship. On the other hand, Saul holds a weapon of war in his hand and will misuse it against his ally, whom he perceives to be an adversary.

Insecure leaders act this way and often fight the wrong enemy. They see every attack as an attack against them because they incorrectly associate their identity with the attack. Therefore, when allies try to help, it only seems to hurt and then they hurl words or harmful objects in their hands.

King Saul is experiencing an undeniably harmful spirit. Those of you prone to anger know exactly what this feels like. You become consumed with rage when you perceive an attack. Then, all reason turns off, and you hurl words and objects. Unfortunately, you sometimes do this to people who are innocent of guilt and might be trying to help. You have to stop acting that way and get your heart and hands right with the Lord.

Looking back to the beginning of Saul's story, we see that this is not a sudden progression. It has been brewing for a long time. But Saul has never addressed it, and now it will result in a miserable end. Thus, Saul will become a lasting example of someone who starts with a flare and finishes with a fizzle. That's not the goal. The goal is to finish with a flare, but the only way there is to escape the devil's snare.

If you are possessed with anger, deal with it. Confess it to the Lord. Acknowledge your insecurities. Repent and reconcile with others.

And for those who have started with a fizzle, you need to know it is never too late to finish with a flare.

#SpiritualWarfare, #AngerAndInsecurity, #WeaponsOfWorship

Ask This:

1. How do you handle jealousy or insecurity when they arise, and what steps can you take to ensure you don't act out in anger towards those who are allies?
2. How can you use worship or positive actions to combat negative emotions and conflicts, similar to how David used his music to soothe Saul's harmful spirit?

Do This:

Deal with your anger.

Pray This:

Lord, help me recognize and address the root of my anger and insecurity. Guide me to respond with worship and grace rather than hostility. Grant me the strength to see my allies clearly and to handle conflicts with wisdom and humility. Amen.

Play This:

Raise A Hallelujah.