And the Police ended up Prophesying

Sunday, April 17, 2016 Comodoro Rivadavia, Patagonia

Scripture reading:  1 Sam 19    Psalm 59   1 Chron 7    Matt 4

S=Scripture  O=Observation  A=Application  P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S.  1 Sam 19:20-22 Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. NKJV

O.  King Saul is eaten up with jealousy and repeatedly tries to kill David, but David always escapes.  Now he has heard that David is with Samuel and the prophets so Saul sends his police force to arrest him.  Three tries and each time his police end up prophesying with the prophets.   

A.  I can see it now.  Three groups of Saul’s uniformed policemen singing the praises to God along with David and Samuel.  It reminds me of when, in the mid 1980s Evangelist Carlos Annacondia was preaching in an open field to thousands in the city of La Plata.  Responding to complaints of excessive volume the police chief sent an officer to tell them to turn down the volume.  When he didn’t come back, he sent another officer.  When the second officer didn’t return he sent a third only to find his two companion policemen lying flat on the ground and one was speaking in tongues.  It’s the story of Saul and David repeated all over again.

P.  Lord, you know that I was there several of those nights and I can testify that the volume was loud.  I can also testify that many demon-possessed people were carried out to the “intensive care” tent ... each one in a semi-conscious fit of screaming and kicking.  And one night with my guest, author Don Stamps, we spent hours observing in the “intensive care” tent and we saw each one leave that tent hours later delivered from evil spirits and joyful in their new experience with Christ.  Lord, You know that I did not want to copy Annacondia’s style, but couldn’t deny the truth of his simple, effective Gospel message and Your miracle power at work.  Amen.

Ralph