Walking with Jesus
"If the LORD delights in a person's way, He makes their steps firm; though they stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD upholds them with His hand." (Psalm 37:23,24)
Walking with Jesus

The Grand Narrative: (1 Samuel 9 &10) “Finding a King”

(1 Samuel 9 &10) “Finding a King”

Published 31 October 2025

Scroll down for “Lessons Learned…”

Designed for Personal Bible Study or for Bible Teaching

⚠️ Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Mistakes

  1. 1️⃣ Seeking appearance over anointing—Israel admired Saul’s height, not his heart (1 Sam 9:2).
  2. 2️⃣ Forgetting past warnings—ignoring Samuel’s cautions about kingship (1 Sam 8:10-18 → context).
  3. 3️⃣ Equating leadership with battle skills rather than obedience (1 Sam 9:16).
  4. 4️⃣ Forgetting that God still ruled even when humans lead (1 Sam 10:19).
  5. 5️⃣ Demanding kings like other nations instead of trusting the King of Heaven (1 Sam 8:5).

💥 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Failures

  1. 1️⃣ Failure to ask God first—decisions made from comparison, not prayer (1 Sam 8:6-7).
  2. 2️⃣ Failure to value integrity—choosing charisma over character (1 Sam 9:2).
  3. 3️⃣ Failure of discernment—seeing height but missing humility (1 Sam 9:21).
  4. 4️⃣ Failure of gratitude—forgetting that God’s patience is mercy, not approval (1 Sam 10:19).
  5. 5️⃣ Failure to learn from history—repeating rebellion generation after generation (Judg 2:11-19 → context).

🚫 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Sins

  1. 1️⃣ Rejecting God’s kingship while requesting His blessing (1 Sam 10:19).
  2. 2️⃣ Pride of appearance—believing strength and looks equal destiny (1 Sam 9:2).
  3. 3️⃣ Disregarding prophetic guidance from God’s servant (1 Sam 10:8).
  4. 4️⃣ Trading divine rule for human systems (1 Sam 8:7).
  5. 5️⃣ Forgetting holiness in politics—treating governance as secular only (1 Sam 10:25).

🏆 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Successes

  1. 1️⃣ God’s patience preserved His covenant people (1 Sam 9:15-17).
  2. 2️⃣ Samuel’s obedience despite heartbreak (1 Sam 9:16).
  3. 3️⃣ Saul’s humility before his anointing (1 Sam 9:21).
  4. 4️⃣ God’s Spirit transforms ordinary people for divine purpose (1 Sam 10:6).
  5. 5️⃣ The people witness God’s sovereignty in choosing leaders (1 Sam 10:24).

🌱 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Spiritual Growth Lessons

  1. 1️⃣ God’s call transforms the humble heart (1 Sam 10:6).
  2. 2️⃣ Obedience unlocks empowerment—Spirit before success (1 Sam 10:9).
  3. 3️⃣ Leadership begins with listening to God (1 Sam 9:15-16).
  4. 4️⃣ God uses ordinary people for extraordinary purposes (1 Sam 9:21).
  5. 5️⃣ Divine calling outweighs human credentials (1 Sam 10:24).

🧭 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Leadership Principles

  1. 1️⃣ Wait for God’s timing before leading (1 Sam 10:8).
  2. 2️⃣ Lead from humility, not pride (1 Sam 9:21).
  3. 3️⃣ Depend on God’s Spirit for courage (1 Sam 10:6-10).
  4. 4️⃣ Let God define success, not the crowd (1 Sam 10:24-27).
  5. 5️⃣ Stay small in your own eyes—true greatness begins in humility (1 Sam 15:17 → principle).