If left unchecked, lies we believe, insecurity, and stress can
lead us down the dangerous path of Saul.
Here are ten signs from Saul’s life that point to what it looks like when a leader is “losing it!”
1. The ministry he leads moves from being about the name of God to the name of the leader
(compare 1 Samuel 14:35 with 1 Samuel 15:12).
2. He gets impatient with the process that God is taking him through and thereby tries to
“make something happen” rather than waiting on God’s timing (1 Samuel 15:5-10).
3. He makes self-centered leadership decisions that slow down the people he works with
rather than empowering them (1 Samuel 15:24—notice the references to himself in this verse).
4. He refuses to completely obey God because it places him in uncomfortable situation (1
Samuel 15:1-9).
5. He allows fear of man to trump his fear of God (1 Samuel 15:24).
6. He refuses to take action and deal with the obvious issue in front of him...and if anyone
attempts to do so he is quick to tell them they cannot (1 Samuel 17:32-33)!
7. He cannot celebrate the success of others (1 Samuel 18:8-9).
8. He tries to discredit/destroy anyone or anything that looks like it is successful apart from
him—Saul actually became more obsessed with destroying David than he did leading the
kingdom (1 Samuel 18:10-11)!
9. He resorts to trying to see the spectacular apart from the presence of God (1 Samuel 28).
10. He refuses to deal with the fact that his jealousy, insecurity, disobedience, and self-
reliance is not only going to cost him...but cost others as well (1 Samuel 31:1-3)!