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Guidance from the Medium · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman
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  Speaker 1: that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to
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  Speaker 1: her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold,
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  Speaker 1: there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
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  Speaker 1: 1 Samuel 28.7 Heavenly Father, in moments of silence, when
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  Speaker 1: I am in between my present circumstance and my future promise,
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  Speaker 1: teach me to wait on you and your voice. I
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  Speaker 1: have made a conscious decision that, when I desire answers
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  Speaker 1: to life's problems, I will not seek them in false mediums, astrology, psychics,
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  Speaker 1: or those connected to the dark arts. Instead, I will
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  Speaker 1: position myself to be in your presence and to hear
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  Speaker 1: your voice. I decree and declare that your word is
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  Speaker 1: my guiding light. I decree and declare that your voice
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  Speaker 1: has the ability to cut through any dark times I
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  Speaker 1: may be facing. Your word is a lamp unto my
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  Speaker 1: feet and a light unto my path. And because I'm
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  Speaker 1: connected to your spirit, I don't have to settle for
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  Speaker 1: ungodly and false spirits. I will choose to wait for you, Lord,
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  Speaker 1: knowing that as I do, my help will arrive at
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  Speaker 1: just the right time. In Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you
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  Speaker 1: for praying with me today. Continue listening for an incredible
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  Speaker 1: Bible story brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: Guidance from the medium. In our last story, we learned
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  Speaker 2: about Saul's latest pursuit to take David's life. David once
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  Speaker 2: again had the opportunity to end Saul, and with him
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  Speaker 2: all the fleeing and exile. Yet David's conviction as a
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  Speaker 2: man of God stood its ground. He spared Saul, and
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  Speaker 2: Saul once again repented and left David's presence. Now David
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  Speaker 2: dwells in the land of the Philistines, serving under King Achish.
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  Speaker 2: David and his men made raids on the enemies of Israel,
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  Speaker 2: pretending to make raids for the Philistines. In this story,
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  Speaker 2: the Philistine horde rises up against Israel. David continues to
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  Speaker 2: wrestle with his alliances, while Saul, now living apart from
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  Speaker 2: the Spirit of God, turns to dark arts to settle
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  Speaker 2: his weary and restless soul. Inspired by the book of
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  Speaker 2: 1 Samuel.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
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  Speaker 3: in a Year podcast. But before we begin, I want
• 2:49
  Speaker 3: to let you know about a unique e-book That's yours
• 2:53
  Speaker 3: to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress.
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: And my prayer is that it will help you conquer
• 3:01
  Speaker 3: the daily tasks and pressures and burdens that bring stress
• 3:04
  Speaker 3: in your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: from Stress today by visiting jackgram.org slash stress. That's jackgram.org
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  Speaker 3: slash stress. In our last episode... We saw that David's
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  Speaker 3: loyalties were tested as the Philistines gathered to do battle
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  Speaker 3: against Israel and David and his men were among the
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  Speaker 3: ranks ready to attack. We saw how God prevented David
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  Speaker 3: from going into battle against his own people and protecting
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  Speaker 3: him from the consequences of terrible decisions. Today we'll return
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  Speaker 3: to Israel to meet up with King Saul and see
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  Speaker 3: what he was doing in the lead up to this
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  Speaker 3: same battle. While yesterday we saw David seek God's guidance
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  Speaker 3: before fighting the Amalekites, Today we'll hear how Saul turns
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  Speaker 3: to the occult for guidance. It is a final turning away,
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  Speaker 3: a terrible apostasy from God that will spell ultimate disaster
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  Speaker 3: for him. Let's now listen to today's reading from God's Word.
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  Speaker 2: The days grew darker and darker. War between the Israelites
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  Speaker 2: and Philistines raged like wildfire. Both sides struck devastating blows,
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  Speaker 2: and the spirit of both nations were growing dim. Valleys
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  Speaker 2: became swamps with the blood and gore of battle. Villages
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  Speaker 2: and towns were destroyed from plunder. Yet the Philistines were
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  Speaker 2: great in number and continued to bang on the drums
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  Speaker 2: of war against Israel. David still dwelled with his men
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  Speaker 2: and King Achish and the two became very close. David
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  Speaker 2: began to struggle with his identity as a Hebrew while
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  Speaker 2: in the presence of Philistine friends. Though he did not
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  Speaker 2: slay any Israelites, his association with the enemy made him guilty. However,
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  Speaker 2: He could not return to Saul, for his mind was
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  Speaker 2: like a tempest, tossing him to and fro. The Philistine
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  Speaker 2: horde approached the borders of Israel once again. Saul looked
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  Speaker 2: upon the sea of soldiers with fear and trembling. Saul's
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  Speaker 2: mind had grown weary and tainted with hatred. His soul
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  Speaker 2: was tormented and unsteady. A subtle madness overcame Saul, and
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  Speaker 2: since God had removed his spirit from him, there was
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  Speaker 2: no rest. Saul had not truly felt peace since David
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  Speaker 2: last played songs for him in the throne room. It
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  Speaker 2: seemed like a hundred years since that time. Samuel, who
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  Speaker 2: was his guiding compass, had been long dead. Night had fallen,
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  Speaker 2: and the Israelite camp was quiet and dimly lit by torches.
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  Speaker 2: Saul walked to the outskirts of camp and fell to
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  Speaker 2: his knees. The only sounds were Saul's tears as he
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  Speaker 2: wept before God. He buried his face in the dirt,
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  Speaker 2: begging God to speak to him once again. Silence. He
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  Speaker 2: looked to the stars, listening for any semblance of God's voice. Nothing.
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  Speaker 2: Saul sought prophets, but there was no response. Saul waited
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  Speaker 2: for dreams, yet he was still met with nothing but torment.
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  Speaker 2: Saul arose from his bed and woke up his servant.'
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  Speaker 2: Find me the necromancer woman from Endor,' he commanded. So
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  Speaker 2: the servant departed to find her and set up a
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  Speaker 2: meeting for her and Saul. If God would not respond
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  Speaker 2: to his prayers, perhaps another being would lend its ear.
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  Speaker 2: So Saul ventured a few miles north to meet her.
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  Speaker 2: A different type of darkness covered the city. A shroud
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  Speaker 2: of evil hovered over Endor like storm clouds. Saul disguised
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  Speaker 2: himself in a cloak to hide his identity and traveled
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  Speaker 2: the alleyways of Endor with secrecy. Saul entered into the
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  Speaker 2: necromancer's home. The room reeked of spice and death. Saul
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  Speaker 2: uncovered his hood and looked around the room. Dead ravens
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  Speaker 2: hung from the ceiling and incense burned under carved images
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  Speaker 2: of wicked gods. The room was dark and lit only
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  Speaker 2: by a few faint candles. There, in the corner of
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  Speaker 2: the room, a woman sat at the edge of her bed.
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  Speaker 2: She was equally revolting and intoxicating. She wore a scalding
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  Speaker 2: stare that shook Saul's spine. Saul stood a few feet
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  Speaker 2: away from her and whispered, I need you to bring
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  Speaker 2: forth a spirit for me. The woman remained silent and
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  Speaker 2: arose from her bed. She passed Saul and circled him
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  Speaker 2: like a lioness. You know that the righteous King Saul
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  Speaker 2: has banned all mediums and necromancers from the land. This
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  Speaker 2: could very well be a trap for me. The woman
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  Speaker 2: spoke with a smooth voice. She did not yet know
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  Speaker 2: it was Saul who stood before her. Saul clenched his jaw.
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  Speaker 2: As the Lord lives, I can assure you no punishment
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  Speaker 2: will await you, Saul said. He did his best not
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  Speaker 2: to stutter when he spoke, for even Saul knew that
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  Speaker 2: he was playing with unknown power. The necromancer stood a
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  Speaker 2: foot away from Saul and looked him in the eye.
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  Speaker 2: She was silent for a few moments, staring at Saul
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  Speaker 2: with an uneasy gaze. Whom shall I bring for you?
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  Speaker 2: she asked. Samuel, the prophet, Saul said. The woman took
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  Speaker 2: a step back and bowed her head. Her hair covered
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  Speaker 2: her face as she bent her neck forward. Saul could
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  Speaker 2: hear faint mumbles from the woman. She shook her shoulders
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  Speaker 2: back and forth, and her mumbles grew louder and louder.
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  Speaker 2: The woman began to shake uncontrollably, and a loud scream
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  Speaker 2: came out of her. You deceived me, the woman shouted.
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  Speaker 2: You are King Saul. The woman gritted her teeth and
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  Speaker 2: pointed toward Saul. I promise you will not be harmed,
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  Speaker 2: Saul said. Now tell me what you see. The woman's
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  Speaker 2: eyes rolled back with her head. She mumbled and jolted
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  Speaker 2: her neck back and forth. I see a man crawling
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  Speaker 2: up out of the ground, she said. He is old
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  Speaker 2: and wrapped in a robe. The necromancer began to tremble
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  Speaker 2: and scream in fear. She had come in contact with
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  Speaker 2: demonic spirits before, but now she was dealing with the
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  Speaker 2: Spirit of God. Saul fell on his face before the woman.
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  Speaker 2: He knew who she was seeing was indeed Samuel. The
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  Speaker 2: woman loomed over Saul, and the tone of Samuel came
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  Speaker 2: forth from her voice. Why have you disturbed me? he said.
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  Speaker 2: Saul looked up, still kneeling on the floor, and said,'
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  Speaker 2: I am in great distress. The Philistines are overtaking us,
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  Speaker 2: and God has turned away from me. I am lost
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  Speaker 2: without guidance. What shall I do?' Tears fell from Saul's eyes,
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  Speaker 2: and his hands were shaking.' Why do you ask me?
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  Speaker 2: God has made you his enemy, Saul. I told you
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  Speaker 2: that he would take your kingdom from you and give
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  Speaker 2: it to another. Now you know it to be David.'
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  Speaker 2: There was a silence for a moment. Saul began to
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  Speaker 2: speak until Samuel interrupted him, saying, Tomorrow you and your
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  Speaker 2: sons shall be with me, and Israel will be cast
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  Speaker 2: into the arms of the Philistines. Saul lay prostrate on
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  Speaker 2: the floor, and the woman shook her head and stumbled backwards.
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  Speaker 2: Saul's strength had departed him, and his face grew pale
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  Speaker 2: at the news. The woman composed herself and offered Saul
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  Speaker 2: food before he left. Saul refused, but his servants insisted
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  Speaker 2: since his face was so pale and deathly. Saul ate
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  Speaker 2: in silence on the woman's bed. He stared into the blackness,
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  Speaker 2: fearing every moment might be his last. Saul had called
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  Speaker 2: forth Samuel to be comforted, but he was met only
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  Speaker 2: with more sorrow.
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  Speaker 3: Today's story begins with the Philistines gathering for battle against Israel.
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  Speaker 3: David is still in Philistine territory, but as we saw yesterday,
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  Speaker 3: he would not be a part of the fight. Still,
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  Speaker 3: the Philistine army is large and powerful, and King Saul
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  Speaker 3: is filled with fear of this mighty enemy. Saul wants comfort.
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  Speaker 3: He wants assurance of victory. He wants to hear from God.
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  Speaker 3: But Samuel has been dead now for some time. Saul's
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  Speaker 3: connection to God is cut off. He seeks other prophets,
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  Speaker 3: but God does not listen. He waits for God to
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  Speaker 3: speak to him in dreams, but there's no revelation. Saul
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  Speaker 3: had strayed far, far from God. He had lived in
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  Speaker 3: disobedience and carnality. He had neglected to listen to God
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  Speaker 3: for so long that God is not responding to his cries.
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  Speaker 3: And so now he's desperate, so desperate that he makes
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  Speaker 3: a tragic decision. He appeals to ungodly spiritualism. He seeks
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  Speaker 3: counsel from a witch. Desperation is no excuse for sin, ever.
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  Speaker 3: And Saul wasn't really seeking God for guidance and wisdom.
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  Speaker 3: He was just seeking his own comfort and trying to
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  Speaker 3: save his own life. His motives were terribly wrong. Saul's
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  Speaker 3: actions were not only a violation of God's law. They
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  Speaker 3: violated his own laws. He had given orders to clear
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  Speaker 3: the land of all practitioners of spiritism and the occult.
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  Speaker 3: But because Saul was desperate, he sins for a necromancer.
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  Speaker 3: He disguises himself carefully so that his sin and hypocrisy
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  Speaker 3: isn't revealed. He entered the Median's home in the town
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  Speaker 3: of Endor and made his request. He needed her to
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  Speaker 3: summon a spirit from the dead. Even this witch was
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  Speaker 3: afraid that this was a trap. So Saul swore an
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  Speaker 3: oath in the name of the very God he was
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  Speaker 3: betraying that she would not be harmed. Saul told her
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  Speaker 3: he wanted to speak to the prophet Samuel, who had died.
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  Speaker 3: He wants to speak to the dead. To this woman's
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  Speaker 3: great surprise and horror, Samuel appeared. This was not an
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  Speaker 3: evil spirit pretending to be Samuel, and it wasn't a trick.
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  Speaker 3: This was real. She wasn't expecting it. You see, this
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  Speaker 3: had nothing to do with her powers. This was God
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  Speaker 3: at work, and this woman somehow knew it. She then
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  Speaker 3: recognized that it was Saul who'd come to her. Why
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  Speaker 3: did you lie to me? she asked in terror. But
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  Speaker 3: Saul told her nothing bad would happen to her. Just
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  Speaker 3: tell him what she saw. So she told him, and
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  Speaker 3: Saul knew it was Samuel. He bowed in reverence, surely
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  Speaker 3: thinking he was about to get the comfort that he needed.
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  Speaker 3: But then Samuel spoke directly to him, asking why he
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  Speaker 3: had disturbed his rest. Saul told Samuel God had fallen
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  Speaker 3: silent and he was in distress over the Philistines. Samuel's
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  Speaker 3: response was clear. God did exactly as he said he would,
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  Speaker 3: because Saul had disobeyed God and turned from him. Not
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  Speaker 3: only that, he confirmed what God had already said to Saul.
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  Speaker 3: The kingdom would be taken from him. David would soon
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  Speaker 3: be the king. sooner than Saul could have imagined. Then
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  Speaker 3: Samuel gave Saul the most devastating news in 1 Samuel 28, 19. Moreover,
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  Speaker 3: the Lord will give Israel also with you into the
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  Speaker 3: hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your son
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  Speaker 3: shall be with me. The Lord will give the army
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  Speaker 3: of Israel also into the hands of the Philistines. Saul
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  Speaker 3: was devastated, and rather than leave with confidence and comfort,
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  Speaker 3: he left with dread. for he knew that God's will
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  Speaker 3: could not be changed and his word would come true.
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  Speaker 3: The next time, we'll see how this all plays out
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  Speaker 3: in God's plan. Dear God, how we thank you for
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  Speaker 3: your word, the Bible. We thank you that these stories
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  Speaker 3: are not fables or fairy tales, but these are true
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  Speaker 3: stories inspired by your Holy Spirit. Always let us learn
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  Speaker 3: the lessons that we need to learn and to believe
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  Speaker 3: you and to obey your word. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
• 14:40
  Speaker 3: Before we go, I want to let you know about
• 14:42
  Speaker 3: a unique ebook that's yours to download absolutely free today.
• 14:47
  Speaker 3: It's called Breaking Free from Stress. And my prayer is
• 14:51
  Speaker 3: that it will help you conquer the daily task and
• 14:54
  Speaker 3: pressures and burdens that bring stress into your life. Download
• 14:58
  Speaker 3: your free copy of Breaking Free from Stress today by
• 15:01
  Speaker 3: visiting jackgram.org slash stress. That's JackGraham.org slash stress.