So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all of Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a proohet of the LORD. ~1 Samuel 3:19-20
Have you ever wondered what gave Samuel such credibility with others? When he spoke, people listened.
Samuel’s success began when he was just a boy under his mentor, Eli. God spoke to Samuel during the night, then the lad spoke for God to Eli. Despite the hardness of God’s message to Eli, Samuel spoke the truth in love. This encounter began a long pattern for Samuel.
Soon, the Israelites sought out Samuel to speak words of direction for their future. They needed help to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant. They needed strategy against the Philistines. They eventually sought his permission to crown a king.
The influence of the prophet just kept growing. It grew so vast that when King Saul failed in his leadership, Samuel removed him. Imagine, having the sole authority fire the king! Samuel exhorted, he affirmed, he corrected, he prophesied, he reminded, and he taught the people. He spoke the truth, and he spoke it in love.
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