Give It All Up

When I was in my quiet time today, I asked the Father to reveal a story to me out of the Bible that would bring about a greater understanding of His Word and help me fix anything in my own life that wasn't working correctly. He took me to the book of 1 Samuel and to a section of the story of King Saul. If you don't know the whole background of Saul, I encourage you to read 1 Samuel chapters 9-31 (I use New King James Version). I know that sounds like a lot to read, but it really goes into depth about the subject I am addressing today, as well as much more of Saul's life.
During Saul's reign, the Lord came to him and instructed him to attack a city called Amalek and kill all men, women, children, and livestock. He wanted to Saul to spare nothing, for this was His judgement upon this land for the wrongdoings they had done to Israel (Chapter 15). Saul went in and attacked, but took the best of the livestock, the king (Agag), and all that he considered good. He refused to utterly distroy everything, thus disobeying the Lord. The prophet Samuel came to Saul the next day and asked him why he didn't destroy everything as he had been instructed to do. In Saul's mind, he had done nothing wrong. He had gone on the mission that the Lord had sent him on, and he killed the people. From the text, it seems that Saul doesn't see his mistakes and disobedience. He thought that by allowing his people to take the best of the livestock for sacrifices, as well as bringing home King Agag as a prisoner, he had done an honorable thing. Samuel had this to say:
"Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams."
1 Samuel 15:22
The Lord was so displeased with Saul that he rejected him from being king from this point on. As you read further, you will see that this is how the stage was set for David to become king. Throughout the rest of the book of 1 Samuel, you see Saul struggling to maintain his position as king, even though the Lord had left him and was now with David.
I was being shown through this story that if I continue to hold anything---anything at all back from my Father, His plans for me will be stunted. If I want to stay in the full blessing, I must give it ALL up. Since Saul was stubborn and refused to completely obey what God had told him to do, he paid dearly. Who knows how great of a king Saul could have been? The difference between he and David was this: David was a man after God's own heart. Whatever God asked of him, he did. He was not perfect and made many mistakes. In the end, he wanted for his life what the Father wanted. Saul, on the other hand, thought that he knew better than God. He thought that by being rebellious and trying to work things out for his own good, he would prosper. Unfortunately, that didn't happen and it went the complete opposite direction.
What I am saying is this: I want to be like David, not Saul. I'm not in the running to be the next king, but I do want God's favor upon my life. I must sit down and be completely honest about everything. I must be willing to go in and destroy all bad things within myself--allow God to "clean house." If I hold just one area of my life back from him (picture a little kid with a toy hidden behind his back that he doesn't want his momma to see), then I am in big trouble. The sad part is that I will have brought about my own distruction by doing so. Giving it all up is a great thing. It's the most freeing thing I can do, and it shows who I put my trust in.