Bible Text: 1 Samuel 28 | Preacher: Pastor Steve | Series: David: Committed Living
1 Samuel 28:1-2 Now it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel…
Living with the consequences of our decisions, lifestyles and behaviors.
God does forgive graciously and provides amazing grace that can restore our relationship with Him but that does not mean that we will not have to live with the consequences or results of our actions or inactions.
Stay closely connected to the Lord
Word of God
Worship
Prayer and Praise
Relationships with believers
Serving and ministering
1 Samuel 28:3-5 …When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly…
1 Samuel 28:6 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.
Desperate people will turn and take desperate measures!
1 Samuel 28:7 Then Saul said to his servants, Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.
At the heart of ALL spiritism (psychic) is a lack of trust in God.  It comes from the root of distrust in the Lord. It is a lack of FAITH seeking answers in the wrong places.  It is fear and it is ALWAYS sin, rebellion and disobedience to consult or connect with spiritism (psychics).
We can live in constant contact and connection with the Lord through His Word, Holy Spirit, creation, church, prayer, praise and worship.
The required price is obedience, commitment and surrender
If you want to know of the power of God then we bow down at the feet of Jesus; If we want to know the power of darkness then we bow down at Satan’s feet.
1 Samuel 28:8-13 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.
1 Samuel 28:14-20 …So he said to her, what is his 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 bowed down…
Psychic Blues: Confessions of a Conflicted Medium, Mark Edward. The hunger in our culture for community and spiritual truth.
Edward admits to giving people: junkyard superstition … to the gullible, the lonely, the hopeful, and the dim.
Edward admits that he has no paranormal powers, and neither does anyone else.
Why doesn’t this happen today?
Luke 16:19-31
Luke 16:26 …And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.
Hell was not prepared for man. God never meant that man would ever go to hell. Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels, but man rebelled against God and followed the devil.
Hell is essentially exclusion from the presence of God for deliberately rejecting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior
1 Samuel 28:15-20 Then immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all night.
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
Sin has three major aspects:
Defying God’s Word
Damaging relationships with God and people
Disobeying God Will
When we are not getting answers, connecting with the Lord then we need to seek the Lord and check our heart!
Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
We need to STAND in HIS Strength
Ephesians 6:10-13  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.