Have you ever had an expectation—one you wholeheartedly believed was from God—but it didn’t work out as you imagined?
It may have been a prophecy, a role or assignment, a relationship, or a ministry opportunity.
Perhaps you dreamed about the way God was going to answer a prayer, release your destiny or fulfill His promise—but it didn’t take place the way you expected.
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” (Prov 13:12, NKJV)
Today, I believe God is saying to many:
‘Let go of what you perceive to be unfinished business. Release those things to Me, for I have a fresh anointing and a new assignment for you.’
The Prophet Samuel Was Crushed and Disappointed—But God had a Plan
God gave Samuel the task to anoint Saul as king, but it didn’t work out as the prophet expected.
The new king rebelled and disobeyed God. And Samuel faced the painful task of delivering God’s message to Saul: ‘You’ve rejected God’s word—and now God has rejected you as king’. (See 1 Sam 15)
After that, Samuel withdrew and we read, ‘Samuel mourned for Saul…’ (1 Sam 15:35, NKJV) Think about this:
- Samuel himself had publicly identified and anointed Saul as king
- Afterward, he discovered the very instrument he had anointed was rotten to the core!
This was a situation that touched Samuel’s identity as a prophet. It impacted his life’s calling as a revivalist; to lead Israel to serve and worship God.
Samuel saw years stretched in front of him, in which an ungodly king ruled the nation he loved.
The prophet was stricken with grief over the loss of what could have been—and the young man he had seen potential in.
But the God Who loved and called Samuel had a plan. And God’s next instructions to Samuel are fresh and relevant to us today.
1. It’s Time to Rise Up
‘The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” (1 Sam 16:1, NIV)
God gave Samuel time to grieve—and He acknowledged the validity of those feelings. But there came a day when God said, ‘How long will you mourn?’
The Hebrew word for mourn, abal, means to bewail, lament, mourn [Strongs H56].
Samuel had strong feelings about what was lost. But God was saying, ‘I have a new plan! You cannot enter into it until you recognize what time it is. It is time to rise up and move on.’
Hear your Father say,
‘In order to move into the new assignment I have for you, let go of what is behind. Release those regrets and disappointments relating to the past.’
You can move forward free and unencumbered!
This principle does not only apply to good things that turned bad. It also applies to good things; even great things, that have had their time.
- That day is over and the Spirit is moving in a new direction.
An opportunity may have been good and anointed of God in the past—but if it is not His purpose in this current season, it can become a ‘Saul’.
You have been hankering after it, but that day, that opportunity is gone.
God’s Presence and anointing have left it! Release it, move forward, discover and anoint the new thing He is doing.
2. Receive Your Anointing and Fresh Commissioning
‘Fill your horn with oil and be on your way…’
Samuel was mourning over someone he had anointed—and it seemed that anointing oil had been wasted. Now God was saying, ‘Stop looking back where the past anointing was unfruitful, and look ahead to where I am appointing a new king!’
- Anoint the new thing God is anointing
- Prophesy about what He is appointing
- Bless what He is doing and about to do
See life, speak and declare life.
Notice God’s instructions to Samuel were, ‘fill first’! You can’t move ahead without a fresh anointing.
‘Anointing’ speaks to us of being filled with the Spirit~both for refreshing and for a purpose~and having a fresh encounter with God.
Hear Him say, ‘Lift up your head and your hands! Receive a touch of refreshing, a fresh outpouring from My Throne. I am for you and not against you! My Spirit is coming upon you and filling you.’
3. Launch Out in Faith
‘I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.’ (1 Sam 16:1, NIV)
Samuel went to the household of Jesse. Jesse means ‘wealthy’ or ‘gift’. As you begin to move, know all of Heaven’s resources are available to you for your God-given assignment. Nothing is too difficult for Him to accomplish, as you surrender to Him.
Notice God didn’t give Samuel complete instructions. He said, ‘I have chosen ‘one of his sons’.
As Samuel did, God calls us to live by faith.
There is always an element of mystery; some things the Holy Spirit will only show you when you reach your Divine appointment.
There was also something else; a message that God wanted to highlight:
‘The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’ (1 Sam 16:7, NIV)
What God has ahead for you, may not look as you or others expect it to.
Just as those close to David were surprised at God’s choice of him, many will be surprised at the ways in which God is about to use you.
For your Father is revealing plans that have previously been ‘under wraps’.
‘Let go of what you perceive to be unfinished business. Release those things to Me, for I have a fresh anointing and a new assignment for you.’
Related Posts:
The Anvil: There is Power in Your Surrender
Join the Enliven Prophetic School
The Enliven Prophetic School includes the following classes:
- How to get closer to God and hear His voice
- The basics of the discernment gift
- Keys to growth in the seer gift, prophetic pictures, and visions
- Find out how to receive and process prophetic warnings from the Holy Spirit
- Prophecy, foundations, prophetic guidance, and more
You can view and sign up for my self-paced video lecture series in the Enliven Prophetic School here. Choose between a small monthly subscription or a one-off payment with no expiry date.
© 2018 Helen Calder – Enliven Ministries
In the David McCracken Ministries family
Helen Calder is a prophetic minister and writer, and founder of Enliven Ministries. Helen has a unique gift of equipping in prophetic ministry and prayer. She is known for Enliven Blog (est. 2009), an online resource that reaches thousands of people globally.
Thanks again for the timely posts you deliver each time. But why don’t you grant personal prophecies assuming someone contacted you?
Peace.
Kenneth
Hi Kenneth, great question – one of the core values in our wider ministry (David McCracken Ministries) is accountability in the prophetic. The Apostle Paul teaches about prophecy in the church (between Christians) being in an environment where there is oversight and prophecy is carefully weighed up. So, we don’t offer prophecy freely to anyone who asks, as we don’t know their context, their motivation, and whether they have accountability in place and can steward the prophecy wisely… We do not believe offering prophecy without discretion (and without being personally directed by the Holy Spirit) fits with our high value on administrating the gift with wisdom and honouring the Holy Spirit. So we have a general policy in place. Yes, I’m aware other ministries believe differently, but this is one way we highlight our core value in this area.
Of course there will be times the Holy Spirit prompts us to share something encouraging to someone, but we want to let Him be the guide, not individuals asking. Hope that helps explain
And of course another reason for not being able to give personal counsel is, I simply do not have time to answer all the requests.
Hello. I have been following your enliven blog website for some time now and your teachings. Infact the one that touched me the most was my kingdom is open for business. And this is also very powerful. I just want to say God bless you for the good work you are doing. And I pray you will to help me to know the prophetic gift that God has given me.
Thank you Jonathan, I’m glad the articles have been a blessing to you. I’m interested the Kingdom Open for Business has touched you as this has been at the forefront of my mind the last couple of days. Very interesting…. And I pray for the clarity you seek in your gifting. God does take us on a journey of seeking over a longer period of time, and that’s ok :-)
Dear Helen
on February 16, 2003 my mother passed away after three months of fighting liver cancer. It was a very devastating experience, not so much because she died, as we will all have to say farewell at some point, until we meet again. But like many before me, and after, my own experience with God during that time saw me believing and putting on my faith in regard who heals and who I believed would heal.
The bitter disappointment, heartache, and loss of two of the most important relationships in my life made a mess of me for 13 years. Because though I had never walked away from the church, nor God I remained in the pews in body but very little of my spirit was there.
In October 2014, through a deliverance encounter arranged by Him that I didn’t see coming or even understood at the time, my spirit was reborn and reengaged. It has been an amazing journey of healing, one that has included leading me to your blog, your books, your teaching videos etc.
For the first time since, we now have another health crisis in the family as my brother in law was diagnosed with ALS last month – a muscular degenerative disease with no known cure that has already begun its process of degeneration. Despite all that I have learned and have let go of since my new walk in Christ this has been a bit challenging for my faith.
So this morning when I woke up on the 15th anniversary of her passing and as I prayed for my brother, Donald I felt a bit overwhelmed. I felt called to fast and decided to. When I came to work I was late but I had expectations of hearing from God today, I just felt that He was going to show up and so when I opened my email and I saw one from Helen Calder I thought “you don’t have the time Jeanette, you’re late and there’s a lot to be accomplished today”. But another voice said “open it”. In the first few lines was a gift.
“Have you ever had an expectation—one you wholeheartedly believed was from God—but it didn’t work out as you imagined? Perhaps you dreamed about the way God was going to answer a prayer or fulfil His promise, but it didn’t take place the way you expected. Today, I believe God is saying to many: ‘Let go of what you perceive to be unfinished business. Release those things to Me, for I have a fresh anointing and a new assignment for you.’
Thank you Father. Thank you Helen. I am not entirely sure of how to let go (I though I already had) but I know the next step was to pray what He sent through you. So I told prayed back to Him and declared it to be so the very words He sent me this morning through you and I have declared that there is a new fresh anointing and a new assignment for me and I thank Him for it and told the Lord I receive it. I know He has called me to the healing ministry. I am already in the streets praying for others but today a shift has taken place in that gifting for me and God will be exalted, glorified and delighted as I grow in this ministry and others are blessed (including Donald) and saved through the goodness and love of God.
Thank you Helen and may the God of Love continue to use and bless and strengthen and take you to an entirely new level in Him, Christ Jesus our Lord. Jeanette Calder :) in Jamaica.
Hello Jeanette, I’m so sorry to hear of the trials you’ve experienced.
Wow – I love how the Holy Spirit can take a word and make it such a ‘now’ personal word. Thank you for sharing your story all the way from Jamaica <3
I pray with you now for the release of healing for your brother. Reversal of that disease, in Jesus' Name!
Amen Helen bless God he is amazing wonderful perfect a healer a miracle
Yes indeed He is, Shinua!
Prophetic Word: ‘Rise Up, Go and Anoint’
Exactly what i needed, i received a prophecy a few months ago and what i am going through right now contradicts it so much, this revived my faith that one day all things will work out for the good! Thank You
Praise the Lord servant of God – what such a Rhema Word of God. I most needed it! May the True and Faithful LORD continue to use you and the Ministry touch and transform lives around the world. Particularly, you are a blessing to me. Keep up the good work sister Calder and more grace to you.