Intro

• Series setup - “We’re going to learn a lesson from many of the kings of Israel and Judah”
• Message setup - “Let’s tackle something that SO many people face INSECURITY”
  • Insecurities impacts our thought life tremendously
  • Insecurities impact are performance
  • Insecurities impact our opportunities
  • Insecurities impact our relationships

Saul:

• 1 Samuel 9:1–2 (NLT) — 1 There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.
• Every reason to have confidence and security, naturally speaking. 
• Money does not make you secure, influence or popularity, doesn’t make you secure, good looks does not make you secure, height does not make you secure.
• I have a deep burden for people that lack the security to become something in life.  

Symptoms of an insecure person:

1. Origin Blamer
   1. 1 Samuel 9:20–21 (NLT) — 20 And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.” 21 Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?”
   2. Insecurity almost always starts when you’re young.
      1. Didn’t come from much.
      2. Disfunction in the home
      3. Destructive talk coming to you.
         
         
2. Opportunity Misser
   1. All of Israel is invited to come together at Mizpah to find and anoint the FIRST king. 
   2. 1 Samuel 10:20–23 (NLT) — 20 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the LORD, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. 21 Then he brought each family of the tribe of Benjamin before the LORD, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. And finally Saul son of Kish was chosen from among them. But when they looked for him, he had disappeared! 22 So they asked the LORD, “Where is he?” And the LORD replied, “He is hiding among the baggage.” 23 So they found him and brought him out, and he stood head and shoulders above anyone else.
   3. Boys afraid to ask a girl out, Person afraid to go in for an interview, afraid to start that business,
      
      
3. Abandonment Fearer
   1. “If they leave me, what will I do”
   2. 1 Samuel 13:8–11 (NLT) — 8 Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. 9 So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself. 10 Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, 11 but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?” Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle.
   3. Living your life and fear that people are going to abandon you. 
   4. Doing everything stemming from the trauma of when someone left you earlier in life and now you make bad decisions just to keep people around.
      
      
4. People Pleaser
   1. 1 Samuel 15:24 (NLT) — 24 Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the LORD’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded.
   2. Rarely does the Bible say that God is sorry about something. Here it says that God was sorry he ever made Saul king. 
   3. Pleasers dress certain ways, say certain things, do certain things, all just to gain approval from people. 
   4. Many times it’s impossible to impress people and please God at the same  
      
      
5. Jealous Watcher
   1. 1 Samuel 18:8–9 (NLT) — 8 This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” 9 So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
   2. Notice how much Saul is focused on other people now. He’s not focused on the Lord, nor on the vision in front of him, he’s just focused on other people. 
   3. You will never finish well by looking at how other people are running. 
   4. Actually, one of the marks of a really secure person is their ability to celebrate other people doing well  
      
      
6. Paranoid Psycho
   1. 1 Samuel 22:7–8 (NLT) — 7 “Listen here, you men of Benjamin!” Saul shouted to his officers when he heard the news. “Has that son of Jesse promised every one of you fields and vineyards? Has he promised to make you all generals and captains in his army? 8 Is that why you have conspired against me? For not one of you told me when my own son made a solemn pact with the son of Jesse. You’re not even sorry for me. Think of it! My own son—encouraging him to kill me, as he is trying to do this very day!”
   2. It’s really sad what Saul turned into, a psychopath. 
   3. This is a phase of insecurity. That’s painful to watch when someone thinks that everything everyone does is all about them. They see danger in every text message, every glance, Every word. 
      
      
7. Desperate Controller
   1. 1 Samuel 28:6–7 (NLT) — 6 He asked the LORD what he should do, but the LORD refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets. 7 Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.” His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.”
   2. When you have to control everything, it’s not a sign of strength, it’s a sign of weakness and insecurity. You have so much fear, that you feel like you have to manually control each outcome. 

Here is the ROOT verse right here:

1 Samuel 15:17 (NLT) — 17 And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The LORD has anointed you king of Israel.

Let me paint a picture of security: 
Strong footing, deeply rooted, at peace, unbothered, confident, able to take risks, brave. 

You can become this way, here’s how… 

Saul’s solution:

1. Believe God's word about me
2. Confidently know that God is with me
3. Aim to please God only