1 Samuel 16:6. “So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”

I see the choice of God super-imposing the choice of men, see how power will be taken from the hands of structures, groups and associations who have been existing for years. I hear God speaking to genuine prophets concerning this nation and I hear God giving recommendations and instructions in the secret. The manifestations you will see in Nigeria, and how that she will be turned upside down for the good of all is a function of their secret anointing.  Let the nation rejoice because salvation is coming to her people. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 16 from verse 1; “How long will you mourn Saul, this is God speaking to Prophet Samuel, seeing that I have rejected him from reigning over Israel- from reigning over Nigeria?”  

The focus of this article is to try to answer the question; who has the Lord anointed to deliver Nigeria? And to also show us from the pages of the Scripture and by the Spirit of revelation how the finest of leaders are chosen, anointed and enthroned. This is not to specifically point or mention any name of a political party or certain candidates vying for different political offices, instead it is to make certain indices or criterial obvious and visible for every well-meaning citizen of this country, so as to align their choice with the choice of God for we know in part and we prophesy in part.  

Going back to the verse we just read, Saul haven been rejected as king or just as the administration of this government comes to a close, my primary responsibility and the responsibility of every leader is to make sure that the baton is successfully handed over to the right people, Gods choice, team or party who will move this nation to the point it ought to have been.

Now we are beginning to see who wasn’t Gods choice. Then He instructed prophet Samuel to go to the house of Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I God have provided for Myself a king, a leader among his sons. Note that God didn’t send the prophet to the political parties, he sent the prophet to a particular tribe that is rare and perhaps have never thought to become king or the chances for them to become king is very slim yet the anointed leader is in that place amongst those people. But the problem here is that Jesse had many sons, just as the candidates are many and we are finding it difficult to know the right one, this was the peculiar problem prophet Samuel also encountered.

So, Samuel obeyed God as he had been instructed. Verse 6 then showed us a scenario that looks like what is happening presently in this nation. The Bible says when they came, (talking about the sons of Jesse); he looked at Eliab the eldest and exclaimed, “surely this is the Lords anointed.” This mistake prophet Samuel was about to make is the same mistake Nigeria’s are about to make if not careful. What was the mistake? Verse 7 spelt it out. It says; “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have ^[c]refused him.”

There is something worthy of attention here, it says “but the Lord said to Samuel.” Meaning that Samuel heard the voice of God. I don’t know the voice the delegates heard, and I also don’t know the voice that the voters will hear when it is time to select a new leader. Will they hear the voice of the president, or the voice of the chairman, or the voice of their pastors, bishop and priests, a political godfather or the voice of their favorite celebrity. If the wrong choice will not be made, then we must hear the voice of God. because outside of the voice of God we will be looking at the outward appearance. The Scripture says do not look at his physical appearance or his stature because I have refused him. The reason is simple; the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” So, while men were busy looking at physical appearances, and how much money the candidates have to throw around, using it as a basis or yardstick for selecting leaders God was looking at the heart.

The question is what did God see in the leader he refused and the leader he selected as his choice? We will find out. Verse 10 says; Thus, Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” Please follow patiently and discern the message the Holy Spirit is trying to pass across. It says the Lord has not chosen these. I noticed something in this verse; The sons of Jesse were not seven, they were more than that number. The aspirants are not seven they are more. But it seems as if the seven that was brought before the prophet, before the screening panel were the most qualified. That is the way men see. They had all the certifications, they have all the experience, they are the most connected and influential. But the Lord has not chosen these. The qualified is not even talked about, he was relegated to the background, he may not even have the prospects to win. Because all projections and predictions does not favor him. He may have no money to throw around.  But there was one who does not look like he is qualified to lead. He was only brought in before the prophet because those who have been qualified by men have been disqualified by God yet they are the qualified in the eyes of men. So, Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”

This is where the first criteria is hidden. The Spirit of Servanthood. He was right in the act of service when his attention was needed. It said “he is keeping the sheep.” How many sheep have you kept and how have you kept the ones given to you. This talks about credibility. He kept the sheep so much so that when he came to the battle front his elder brother asked him; with who have you left those few sheep. So, it seems as if he was called the keeper of few sheep. So, while others were at home, he was in the wilderness serving His father who was at home. And he was diligently doing it. If he was to be at home, there won’t have been need for him to be sent for.

So, in order to consider a candidate based on Gods criteria, the heart of service must be checked. How does he serve? How has he served? I began to think was it because he was the youngest? Maybe he didn’t have any other option but even at that I realized that he was faithful and diligent in it. how did I know that? David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, ³⁵ I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both lion and bear. So, every life of the sheep matter to him. If he can value sheep to risk his life for them, what will happen when he begins to lead humans? What I am trying to say is this; faithfulness in the little is a pointer to faithfulness in the much.

When you look at the candidates and aspirants and you are in the position to anoint who would you choose? When you go to cast your vote what candidate would you go for? The one with physical appearance, the one with so much money or the one with a servant heart. And there can’t be a heart of service without the heart of love. This reminds of me of a quote by Simon Sinek. It says; Leadership is not a rank, leadership is not a position, leadership is a decision, leadership is a choice. If you decide to look after the person to the left of you and look after the person to the right of you, you have become a leader. This talks about love, who loves the people, who is giving to the people because he wants it televised and displayed all over social media? Who is giving his or her heart to the service of this nation? That is the anointed of the Lord, it is time to see as God sees. Jesus gave love as a criterion for leadership when He asked Peter do you love me more than these? A people you don’t love you can’t serve. Peter answered Lord, I love you and the response was simple, if you love me feed my sheep, that was the heart David had.

The second criteria to watch out for is the spirit of leadership. What is the measure and nature of Spirit that each leader or candidate carries? Do they carry the Spirit of God to a certain measure or they do not have the Spirit? In verse 13 of the same chapter we have been considering, the Bible says; “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.” The Bible says How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power. The anointing of the Spirit is inevitable as far as the matter of leadership is concerned. And this is what is going on secretly all across the nation. Just as men are anointing and endorsing their candidate, God is also endorsing and anointing His servants. In the end the endorsement of God will stand. The reason why this process is taking place at the moment is because;

The nation will be led by the Spirit that anoints her leaders. If the leader is led or anointed by God, the nation will be filled with the will of God, if the leader fears God, it is because the Spirit of God is upon that leader and the nation will have the fear of God. If a leader is given to the worship of Baal, the nation will be given to idol worship, if the leader is filled with a violent spirit, then violence will be the order of the day. The disciples of Jesus wanted to call down fire at a point and Jesus rebuked them and said you do not know the manner of spirit that you are of. When you look at these candidates what manner of spirit do you see in them? That is how God sees. He first checks the heart, secondly, He checks if the Spirit of leadership is in such a man. The nation must consider these criteria.

Going back to the verse we began with in 1 Samuel 16:1. “Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have ^[a]provided Myself a king among his sons.” I want us to note this word; “I am sending you to Jesse” if the Lord is stirring you to go anoint a leader this is the direction which you should go. When you get there, Jesse may have many sons who also have the desire to become the king but this is how you will know the one that has the Spirit of leadership; He will carry the expressions of God and of His Spirit.

Isiah 11:2 says; “There shall come forth a ^[a]Rod from the ^[b]stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall ^[c]grow out of his roots. So, what God said to Samuel concerning who is qualified or who is the chosen one was the same criteria repeated in Isaiah. So, does it mean that the stem is Jesse, but the rod is David and the branch is Christ? So, Isaiah captured the past and the future in his prophesy. But the point is this; The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”

God’s criteria for leadership is that these seven dimension of the Spirit must be evident in every leader. The Peter made a statement in Acts 6:3, when they were to choose a leader from amongst the people, he said; “Therefore, brethren, which we could also say my fellow country men and women, those who wish for change, those who want to be governed by the righteous, those who are eligible to vote and those who wish to be voted for; seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; ⁴ but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

So, Gods choice is always those who are filled with the Spirit, not those who are drunk with wine, not those who will lord it over the people, not those who will use scorpion sting to maltreat the people, not those who will malnourish the people but those full of the Spirit. It is time to make the right choice. I want us to keep this at the back of our minds; no matter how Saul or the systems of election tries to ostracize the anointed king for this nation, it won’t be able to annule what heaven has preordained. At the fullness of time God’s counsel shall stand for this nation. 

Thanks for the gift of your time, Apeh Francis Abah!
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