David the Fallen
King David was a great shepherd, a great warrior, a great worshipper but he was also a great sinner. His life was forever marred with a single act of adultery that led to a chain of problems personally and with his family. Tonight I want to look at his failures not to point fingers at him but to learn from him and hopefully help each one of us overcome the temptations we face.
David had risen to the top. He was in a position of power and had many wives at least 10 at the time of his affair, who bore him children. Everything seemed to be going well for him, God had blessed his life beyond his dreams and it appeared that David had everything a man in midlife (estimated to be 50-60 years old) could ever want. But David like all of us have a chink in our armor. We have a weak spot that can easily be attacked if we are not careful to guard it. David’s weakness was exposed when he put himself in a vulnerable situation that we read about in 2 Samuel 11.
For some reason not explained, David did not go out to war with his troops. He had placed Abner in charge of the military and when the Spring of the new year rolled around, David made a decision to stay back at the palace. It could be argued that had he gone out with his military he would not have been in the situation that he found himself but I think David would have been confronted with a similar situation in the future that would have tested his heart and moral character. We all will face similar situations perhaps not with the same type of sin but nonetheless we will be attacked with temptations. David seems to have been bored. He had gotten up from a nap in the late afternoon and then went up on his rooftop to look around. This often is a time when all of us are exposed to temptation. We are perhaps bored or are not doing what we need to be doing. It is easy for us to be confronted with temptation when we find ourselves looking for something to do instead of doing what we know we should be doing.
While David was on his rooftop one evening he noticed a beautiful woman, Bathsheba, bathing. We do not know how discriminate Bathsheba was but she most likely did not think anyone would see her and especially David since he normally was out with his troops. David was not on the roof top trying to be a peeping Tom, it was not as though David was looking for trouble. He saw Bathsheba and made a decision at this point to pursue her rather than turn away and go back inside his home. We all have those moments when things are presented to us that we are not looking for and we have a choice to make and we must make it quickly or we can be drawn into sin. Rather than turn away David decided to make an inquiry about the women. He had plans that were not moral. His sexual desires had been aroused and he was determined to act upon them. David’s downfall began when he allowed his eyes to look upon Bathsheba and then began to let his imagination run toward evil. David lusted after Bathsheba and his next step was to make inquiry and invite her to his home. David had no business pursuing Bathsheba. He had several wives to meet his needs yet he allowed the image to incite his imagination that led to the inquiry and the invitation. David was plotting his own demise and was making decisions that would destroy his life. We are all like David in that we can easily allow our imaginations to run wild and lead us down a pathway that will destroy our lives. We read of many great men and women of God who make decisions that destroy their lives. I read some statistics on adultery from a couple of sources and discovered that 22% of married men and 14% of married women have had an affair (womensavers.com). The accuracy of the statistics are hard to determine and they are probably higher than stated, some have quoted 55-65%.
David was not forced to do what he did, he wanted it and was willing to set aside his character, reputation and relationship with God to fulfill his lust. Bathsheba was the wife of one of his most trusted and courageous soldiers. She was also related to Ahithophel, David’s most trusted counselor. None of these relational ties mattered to him. He obviously did not consider the ramifications of what he was about to do, he was only concerned for the moment and the pleasure that he would experience. Just last week I read of two ministers who had to step down from their positions of leadership in the church because of moral failures that were exposed. I am sure that when they committed them they did not think that it would lead to them losing their positions and being subject to humiliation in public when it was announced in the media what they did. 90% of churches that have pastor’s fall into adultery go through problems of division and church splitting.
David did not consider how this would play out in his life and was set on fulfilling his lust and took actions to bring it to pass. David could have stopped even after Bathsheba came to his home. He had opportunity to change his plans and avoid his sin yet he continued and slept with her. At times it seems that sin tries to sabotage us, blind side us and surprise us. We can be exposed to things quickly but we still have opportunity to respond in a way that will keep us from falling into sin and disgrace. Yet too often we like David, entertain thoughts and take actions in the wrong direction that lead to moral failure. Bathsheba was not completely innocent in this affair. As a subject of the king she really had no choice in accepting his invitation. Certainly David was the initiator and the aggressor yet Bathsheba did not resist. David was in a position of power and he misused it to take advantage of Bathsheba. We do not know what was going through the mind of Bathsheba at this time. Perhaps she was afraid, perhaps she was lonely, perhaps she also willing to violate her marriage vows. Nevertheless, David carried the blame for what he did and had he responded properly, none of what followed would have been a part of his life.
We see the progress of David’s fall which began with an image that led to imagination that led to inquiry and then to invitation and finally to immorality. It all happened very quickly but the damage had been done and now the consequences of his actions would be revealed. Bathsheba’s news of testing positive to the pregnancy test a month or two later propelled David to take his next step which I call insanity. Now he had to cover up his sin and try to make himself look innocent. His plan to get Uriah to sleep with his wife totally backfired. Uriah was too loyal a soldier to even consider having a privilege that none of the other soldiers would have. Uriah had more self control and honor than David. David must have been beside himself when he found out that Uriah did not go back home to be with his wife. Even in a drunken state Uriah had more dignity that David did when he was sober.
When I was in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany our company would spend a couple of months during the year practicing war maneuvers in an area far from our base. A few people would be left back at the base to keep things going. Many of the soldier’s wives were staying in the base family housing and they were not able to go to the field. It was a trying time for them and unfortunately many of them began affairs with the men who were at the base. These men were not like Uriah but were more like David, looking for an opportunity to enjoy themselves while destroying someone’s wife as well as their own lives. Many marriages failed because of the men who lacked moral character to show honor and respect for these women and their husbands.
Percentage of cheating men who get caught▪ 80%
Percentage of couple who preserve their marriage after an affair▪ 64%
Of those couples who remain married despite an affair, what percentage later describe the marriage as unhappy or empty?▪ 78%
From Divorcpeers.com
David got desperate and desperate times call for desperate measures. His plan failed, he could not hide the fact that Uriah was not the father of this child so this led to another insane action on his part. David was not going to be held guilty by Uriah for sleeping with his wife. In the law this was a sin punishable by death and so in David’s mind the answer was to kill Uriah so he could not press charges. David could simply lie about sleeping with her and accuse Bathsheba of sleeping with another man who got her pregnant. Uriah returns to the military with his death notice in his hand, instructions to Abner regarding what he should do to make it look like Uriah was a victim of war and not one who was intentionally murdered. David’s plan worked, Uriah along with several other men were killed in battle and when he receive the report from the messenger set by Abner, David must have thought his troubles were over. Dean Sherman, a teacher with YWAM, has stated that sin is insanity and it is easy to see in David’s situation how insane his sin had been and how insane his actions to cover it up had been. God was fully aware of everything that had happened, nothing is hidden from His eyes and He will bring about justice in every situation. We can try to hide our sin from people but it is never hidden from God and eventually we will pay a price for what we have done. David managed to keep it hidden for perhaps 9-11 months but the day of reckoning came when God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David with his sin. Though David had hid his sin, the scriptures (Psalms 32 &51) tell us that he was suffering physically and mentally. David had refused to admit his error (99.9 percent deny they are having an affair and hide the truth! The exception is when they confess without being forced into it.), confess his sin and seek forgiveness. He thought it would eventually go away but it was not working. God in his mercy sent Nathan to confront David. David needed to stop hiding his sin, he needed to be held accountable and responsible for his adultery, murder and lies. God sent Nathan with a story that he knew would be a direct hit on David’s heart. David had spent years caring for his father’s sheep. He knew the attachment the little lambs could have with the shepherd. He knew how vulnerable they were to attack and how much special care and protection they needed to survive. Nathan tells the story of a man who only had one lamb, not a whole flock of them in which if you lose one you can survive. His story was one of the attachment of the man with his only lamb and how much he cared for it almost as though it was one of his children contrasted with a man of wealth and power who could use his power to take whatever he wanted even though he did not need it. When David heard how the man of power misused his power and stole the prized lamb of the needy man it outraged David. David had not lost his sense of justice and he immediately wanted to respond to bring justice to the man who had been robbed as well as to the man who did the robbing. David totally understood the story and he responded appropriately in demanding the man be found and brought to justice. Nathan then turned the tables on David when he said, “You are the man!” I think David felt a sword go through his heart when he heard these words. The true application of the parable hit home and it hit hard. The mighty David had been exposed and he saw himself as he really was in the eyes of God, guilty and deserving of death.
7Then Nathan said to David, “You are that rich man! The Lord God of Israel says, ‘I made you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8I gave you his palace and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah; and if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 9Why, then, have you despised the laws of God and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah and stolen his wife. 10Therefore murder shall be a constant threat in your family from this time on because you have insulted me by taking Uriah’s wife. 11I vow that because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man, and he will go to bed with them in public view.a 12You did it secretly, but I will do this to you openly, in the sight of all Israel.’ As you read Nathan’s response notice how many times God says “I”
I made you king…
I gave you his palace..
I would have…
Then the focus is directly on David:
You despised my law
You have murdered Uriah
You have insulted me
David did not make excuses for his sin, he did not try to bargain with God, he simply acknowledged that he had sinned against God. This was what God was looking for in David, a heart of repentance, a contrite and broken heart. Nathan quickly responded that God had forgiven David. Penance was not required nor was a period of mourning or feeling really guilty. God was quick to forgive a heart that was truly repentance. God was waiting for David to humble himself so he could be restored. It seems that David from this point on in his life developed a greater intimacy with God. David though forgiven still suffered the consequences of his moral failures. His kingdom reign would go downhill from this point. His newborn son would die to spare God from being mocked by the story that would go out among Israel’s enemy. God will not be mocked by our behavior. The death of David’s son would be for the benefit of everyone even though it would be hard for both David and Bathsheba to live with the memory of the death of their child. God was being merciful to them. The other consequence of David’s sin can been seen in the effects that it had on his family. Though David had sinned against God the ripple effect of his actions would be seen among his children culminating in Absalom’s coup and violation of all of David’s concubines in view of everyone. David’s daughter Tamar was raped by her half brother Ammon, Solomon fulfilled the saying, “What parent’s do in moderation, their children do in excess.” We see this in his multitude of wives and concubines that led his heart from God. The ramifications of David’s sins were severe and I am sure that David lived with the pain of his poor choices.
Sin is deceitful and our hearts are easily deceived by the power of sin. Ravi Zacharias said there are three severe test for authentic ministry that every minister and by extension every believer must face. The first is thinking that God does not see. In David’s failure this was obvious that he thought what he was doing was not seen by God. The second test is thinking that God does not care, that God let’s us get away with sin because he knows we are sinners and cannot stop sinning. Sin does effect God, he grieves over sin and its effects on our lives as well as how it has affected the world. Sin breaks God’s heart because it is a rejection of his holiness. God confronted David with his sin, he held him accountable for his actions. If it did not matter to God he would never have sent the prophet Nathan to confront him. The third test is thinking that God will not bring justice. God lets people off the hook and they will never receive or experience the consequences of their sin. David definitely reaped the consequences of his sin. God brought justice to David and he suffered the consequences of his actions. God may delay his justice but he is just and every man will give an account for his life and be sentence justly. God sees all, he knows the intentions of our hearts and the lives that we have ruined because of our sin. His judgment will be based on the cold hard facts and no one will be able to say anything in their defense.
David’s fall has been repeated many times by people who are leaders in the church. Leadership does not get an exemption but seems to have a bigger target placed on them. Paul warned that any one who thinks he can stand better take heed lest he fall. God told Cain after he killed his brother Abel that sin was crouching at the door, waiting for him but that he must master it. When we think we are at our strongest is the time the enemy doubles his efforts to get us to fall. We must always be sober and alert and make sure that we have protection over our weaknesses. Each of us has areas that are easier targets for the enemy to attack and do damage. We have to identify these areas and take precautions that we do not deliberately place ourselves in situations where we will be tempted to fall and get sucked into sinful behavior. We need to guard our hearts and minds with the truth of God’s word so we can effectively use it to counter the lies of the enemy. We need the support of others, their prayers to act as a shield for us and their encouragement when we share our struggles. We need to stay busy in the work God has given us and not idle our time away giving the devil opportunity to take advantage of us. David did not put any of these things into practice in his life when he was tempted and he fell quickly and he fall hard. We will not do any better and we are deceived if we think we will.
David learned from his fall and we do not read of another episode like this in his life. When we truly repent we do not return to our sin. We may be remorseful because of what we have suffered but true repentance means we have turned away and gone the opposite direction. If we continue in our sin then we have not truly repented, there is still something within us that wants to experience the sin and we have not come to the point where we truly hate it. God is merciful and patient with us when we continue to fall into the same sins but his grace is extended in order for us to learn to get the victory over it and develop a true hatred of the sin so we do not return to it. I believe we all want to live holy lives and the way to live a holy life is not be keeping a list of do’s and don’ts and making our best effort to keep the list clear of violations. Holiness comes by having Jesus and the Spirit of holiness take control of our lives. The more we have of Jesus operating in our lives the less sin will have control. The more Christ dominates our lives the less we will find ourselves falling to sinful ways. It is all about surrendering control to him and letting him live his life in us. God by his nature is holy and His nature in us will make us holy like him. He will give us the grace, his ability, to stand against temptation and be victorious over each attack.
Perhaps you are here tonight and you have failed and continue to fail in certain areas of your life. There is a big gap in your armor and the enemy has been ruthless in his attacks on your weakness. No matter how many times you have fallen, God is ready to bring restoration to your life if you are willing to do what David did, humble yourself, admit your sin, truly repent from it, seek forgiveness and receive God’s grace to overcome as you allow Christ to be formed in you. I want to end the service tonight by reading Psalms 51 and let this be the cry of our heart tonight.
O loving and kind God, have mercy. Have pity upon me and take away the awful stain of my transgressions. 2Oh, wash me, cleanse me from this guilt. Let me be pure again. 3For I admit my shameful deed—it haunts me day and night. 4It is against you and you alone I sinned and did this terrible thing. You saw it all, and your sentence against me is just. 5But I was born a sinner, yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6You deserve honesty from the heart; yes, utter sincerity and truthfulness. Oh, give me this wisdom.
7Sprinkle me with the cleansing blooda and I shall be clean again. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. 8And after you have punished me, give me back my joy again. 9Don’t keep looking at my sins—erase them from your sight. 10Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires. 11Don’t toss me aside, banished forever from your presence. Don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. 12Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 13Then I will teach your ways to other sinners, and they—guilty like me—will repent and return to you. 14-15Don’t sentence me to death. O my God, you alone can rescue me. Then I will sing of your forgiveness,b for my lips will be unsealed—oh, how I will praise you.
16You don’t want penance;c if you did, how gladly I would do it! You aren’t interested in offerings burned before you on the altar. 17It is a broken spirit you want—remorse and penitence. A broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not ignore.
18And Lord, don’t punish Israel for my sins—help your people and protect Jerusalem.d
19And when my heart is right,e then you will rejoice in the good that I do and in the bullocks I bring to sacrifice upon your altar.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
David the Worshipper
David the Worshipper
We have been looking at the life of David the past two weeks and have seen him as a shepherd and a warrior. Tonight I want to look at another very important aspect of David’s life as a worshipper of God. David initiated worship like Israel had never worshipped before.
Worship flows from a heart of intimacy with God
Worship for David was first and foremost an expression of his heart for the Lord. David had developed an intimate relationship with the Lord and his desire to express himself in worship flowed from his relationship. Early in his life he learned how to play instruments skillfully and when Saul was being tormented by evil spirits David was called up to play music to sooth Saul’s soul and drive the evil spirits away from him. God had given David a skill in playing instruments and he must have practiced a lot when he was in the fields shepherding the sheep. David used this talent to worship God. David’s heart was filled with praise to God and it was natural for him to express himself to the Lord by composing songs of praise to him. Worship must begin with our hearts filled with love and a sense of awe of God. When we worship God we are giving God the honor and praise He alone desires and deserves. We are acknowledging who He is and recounting what He has done for us because of His great love. David’s heart was filled with praise to the God he loved and knew intimately. I know for me personally I never understood worship and praise while growing up. I simply sang the songs and hymns of the church service but never really entered into true worship because my relationship with God was not one of intimacy. When I began to really seek God and live for him worship and praise took on a whole new dimension for me. From a position of intimacy the songs I sang came from a heart that had been drawn to God, a heart that understood more clearly God’s love for me and what He had done for me, a heart that desired to praise Him through song and physical actions. I believe today that the level of worship people are willing to enter into depends greatly on the level of intimacy they have with God. The other aspect of worship is being taught what is involved in true worship of God. Our spirit must be born again to truly enter into the worship that God desires and as Jesus said we worship in spirit and in truth. Our hearts must be first transformed so we can truly worship in spirit and truth. David’s heart was transformed by God. He was one who pursued the heart of God, one who desired intimacy with God. As you read through the Psalms he wrote it is obvious that David had an intimate relationship with the Lord.
Psalms 18:1-3 is a good example of David’s relationship with God.
Lord, how I love you! For you have done such tremendous things for me.2The Lord is my fort where I can enter and be safe; no one can follow me in and slay me. He is a rugged mountain where I hide; he is my Savior, a rock where none can reach me, and a tower of safety. He is my shield. He is like the strong horn of a mighty fighting bull. 3All I need to do is cry to him—oh, praise the Lord—and I am saved from all my enemies!
Psalms 27:4 4The one thing I want from God, the thing I seek most of all, is the privilege of meditating in his Temple, living in his presence every day of my life, delighting in his incomparable perfections and glory.
Psalms 63:1-67 O God, my God! How I search for you! How I thirst for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. How I long to find you! 2How I wish I could go into your sanctuary to see your strength and glory, 3for your love and kindness are better to me than life itself. How I praise you! 4I will bless you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. 5At last I shall be fully satisfied; I will praise you with great joy.
6I lie awake at night thinking of you—7of how much you have helped me—and how I rejoice through the night beneath the protecting shadow of your wings.
Worship is expressed in many forms
David’s worship sprang from intimacy and was demonstrated in many ways. I think the story found in 2 Samuel 6, that most of us remember about David’s worship was when the ark of the covenant was attempted to be returned from the house of Abinadad. The ark had been captured by the Philistines and then sent on to the house of Abinadad. David took 30.000 of his best soldiers with him to bring it back. He wanted to make sure it returned to Jerusalem. David determined to bring it back to Jerusalem where it belonged. This was a festive time for Israel and the people were “…joyously waving branches of juniper trees and playing every sort of musical instrument before the Lord—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.(2 Sam 6:5) It was a joyous celebration but the party came to a sudden halt when tragedy happened.
In his zeal to bring it back, David thought it would be a good idea to build a new cart to transport it. At one point during the move the oxen pulling the cart stumbled and the ark began to sway and one of the men close by named Uzzah thought it would fall so he placed his hand upon it to steady it only to be struck dead. This was a real bummer for David as well as all the people who were involved. The great celebration was over and David was anger with God. David dashed his plans to return the ark to Jerusalem and instead left it with Obed-Edom for three months. The mistake David made in his first attempt to bring it back was the ark was not to be carried by a cart but was to be carried by the priests using the poles and carrying it on their shoulders. David was not following God’s instructions for carrying the Ark of the Covenant that played an important role in the life of Israel and especially in the tabernacle and future temple. David did what he thought was right but did not consult the Lord and the instruction He had given for carrying the Ark. After three months David heard how the house of Obed-Edom was blessed by God and he decided it was time to bring it to Jerusalem. This time David did it as he was supposed to and again it was a joyous celebration. David was jubilant in his worship of God. He was whirling and twirling and shouting praise because the ark was being returned. This was not a private worship session but was done in public in front of God and everyone else. David was not inhibited in his praise to God. I wish I could say that about myself that my praise was not inhibited by what I thought about myself or what others were thinking about me. David did not care because he was not worshipping to be seen by people but was expressing himself only to God. Our true audience is an audience of one and that is God. David’s worship was marked by freedom of expression in dance which included leaping, twirling, and spinning. David was caught up in his worship to God, his focus was on God alone and he was able to block out what others may have thought or said to focus on the only one who was worthy of his worship. He wore priestly clothing which was designed to not cause one to sweat. It was pretty light clothing and perhaps a little risqué for the time but David did not seem to mind as it gave him freedom to dance before the Lord. What hinders us from dancing like David danced? Is it our culture, our insecurity, our fear of man, our status, or just the fact that we have never felt like we have been given permission to express ourselves in this way? David’s wife thought he made a big fool of himself in front of all the women but David saw things differently. He knew his true motivation and he was willing to make himself look even more undignified in his worship of God. His wife should have been dancing with him but she could only find disgust for her husband’s behavior. God help us from becoming critical of how people worship!!! If their heart is like David’s we should not judge but be willing to join in! You don’t have to dance and twirl or shout to worship God but I think you will find it liberating if you can do it. Maybe that is too emotional for you at this point but I would encourage you to do it in private if you are not able to do it in public. There is something satisfying when you can worship God with body, soul and spirit and not feel intimidated or self conscious. David’s worship was marked by freedom. Is your worship the same?
Worship must come from our heart that is transformed by God’s Spirit. Our worship finds expression in many forms. David organized the worship in the tabernacle and made use of many different instruments. He formed groups of worshippers to provide 24 hour praise to the Lord. God was worthy of receiving praise every minute of every day. Worship was not restricted to an hour per week as we commonly see in many churches today. It was in David’s heart to create instruments of praise, write songs of praise and constantly worship God. David understood the greatness of God, the grandeur of God, the majesty of God, and the holiness of God that caused him to respond in heartfelt worship. When you read the book of Revelations you will notice that worship is an ongoing, integral part of the activity of heaven. There are at least 15 different scenes marked by worship in the book of Revelations. Praise is constant, worship is continually happening. We were created by God to be worshippers. God inhabits the praises of his people. David understood that worship was part of the DNA of the believer. He made provision for it to happen and organized the priesthood to ensure that praise would always be offered in the tabernacle and temple. We are witnessing a resurgence of 24 hour praise, worship and prayer being offered to the Lord in several areas in the world. The International House of Prayer in Kansas City has been doing it for years. They have 12 groups leading worship and prayer for 2 hour segments throughout the day and night. This is in part a fulfillment of Acts 15:16-17; 16 ‘After pthis I will return. And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; 17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD WHO DOES ALL THESE THINGS.
David established worship and placed the Levites in charge of conducting the worship. It was a very detailed plan with specific tasks given to specific groups and it involved a variety of expressions. As you read through 1 Chronicles 15, 16, 25-28 you will discover how important it was to David and how he structured the worship services. Here are some of the ways worship was conducted.
• Singers and singing (1 Chronicles 15:16-27 & 25:1-7)
• Musicians and instruments (1 Chronicles 23:5, 5 Another 4,000 will work as gatekeepers, and 4,000 will praise the Lord with the musical instruments I have made.
(1 Chron. 25:1-7)
• Ministry of Levites before the Ark (1 Chronicles 16:66 The priests, Benaiah and Jahaziel, played the trumpets regularly before the Ark of God’s Covenant.
1 Chron. 6:37)
• Recording (1 Chronicles 16:4 (4 David appointed the following Levites to lead the people in worship before the Ark of the LORD—to invoke his blessings, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel.)
28:12, 19 12 David also gave Solomon all the plans he had in mind* for the courtyards of the LORD’s Temple, the outside rooms, the treasuries, and the rooms for the gifts dedicated to the LORD.)
• Thanking the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:4, 8, 41) 41 David also appointed Heman, Jeduthun, and the others chosen by name to give thanks to the LORD, for “his faithful love endures forever.” 42 They used their trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments to accompany their songs of praise to God.* And the sons of Jeduthun were appointed as gatekeepers}
• Praise (1 Chronicles 16:4, 36) [36 Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting! And all the people shouted “Amen!” and praised the LORD.]
• Rejoicing and joy (1 Chronicles 16:10, 16, 25, 31)
• Clapping hands (Psalm 47:1, 98:8, Isaiah 55:12) Ps 47:1 Come, everyone, and clap for joy! Shout triumphant praises to the Lord!
• Shouting (1 Chronicles 15:28, Psalms 47:1, 5; Isaiah 12:6) 28So the leaders of Israel took the Ark to Jerusalem with shouts of joy, the blowing of horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on the harps and zithers.
• Dancing (1 Chronicles 15:29; 2 Samuel 6:14, Psalms 149:3; Psalms 150:4)
• Lifting up hands (Psalms 134: Oh, bless the Lord, you who serve him as watchmen in the Temple every night. 2Lift your hands in holiness and bless the Lord.) (Ps141:2) (Lamentations 3:41)
• Worship (1 Chronicles 16:29, Psalms 29:1-2, 95:6)
• Seeking the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:10-11, 2 Chronicles 7:14)
• Spiritual sacrifices (Psalms 27:4-6 4The one thing I want from God, the thing I seek most of all, is the privilege of meditating in his Temple, living in his presence every day of my life, delighting in his incomparable perfections and glory. 5There I’ll be when troubles come. He will hide me. He will set me on a high rock 6out of reach of all my enemies. Then I will bring him sacrifices and sing his praises with much joy. 1 Peter 2:3-5, Hebrews 13:15,16)
• Saying Amen (1 Chronicles 16:36 36Blessed be Jehovah, God of Israel, Forever and forevermore.”And all the people shouted “Amen!” and praised the Lord.
The restoration of the tabernacle of David includes the restoration of worship. God is birthing in the hearts of His people a desire to worship Him like never before. He is worthy of our worship and He delights in our worship. John Piper in his book, “Let the Nations be glad..” stated “Missions is not God’s ultimate goal, worship is. Missions is the means to achieve the goal. “ God is seeking people who will worship him in spirit and in truth. God is doing something in Guatemala today to bring the reality of 24 hour worship. There will be a center established and God will raise up the people to bring in the worshippers to offer 24 hours praise to Him.
Worship is warfare
David saw the power of worship at an early age when he ministered to King Saul when he was attacked by evil spirits. Worship strikes at the heart of Lucifer who was the worship leader of heaven before he fell and was cast out. When we worship the Lord we are doing more than glorifying His Name and giving Him the honor He alone deserves. Our praises are destroying the work of the enemy. The Mardi Gras celebration of human debauchery will end next week on Ash Wednesday. I have been there three times with a ministry called, “Answering the Cries”. Hundreds of Christians are there ministering to the lost during this time. It is as though the devil turns loose all the demonic forces on the city of New Orleans to incite people to rebel openly against God. One of the ways the enemy is pushed back is through praise that is offered by visiting groups from churches and other organizations. Bob Mason in his book, “The Praise of His Glory” writes about an experience he had while ministering at Mardi Gras.
“When I was at Mardi Gras recently, “Living Praise” ministered at Jackson Square. We had diligently sought the Lord, fasting and praying for weeks. The brass section of our group was very good, and I thought in my natural mind that we should do all the songs with brass to draw the people. We had great crowds of people literally two or three thousand, on the corner of Jackson Square listening to us. But the moment those songs were over, the people would scatter. We would start to share the gospel with them, and they were gone. I said, “God , we have to get through to these people. We are wasting our time here.” The Lord answered, “Just worship Me. Don’t sing about Me , sing to Me.” To be honest, I felt a little bit foolish. I closed my eyes tightly so I could not see anyone. I lifted my hands and began to worship with all my might. We began singing warfare songs about leaping walls and tearing down strongholds. When I opened my eyes, I saw that the people were stunned. They were hooked. They could not leave. They were wondering what in the world these guys were going to do next. We were just, worshipping God. We started dancing around the stage letting go of our control and letting the Holy Spirit take control. As we did that, many people started receiving the Lord. Approximately 1,850 people were born again in the five day period as we ministered with others from Christ For the Nations.
A few months later, a dear pastor friend told me this story. He had a man come into his church who as absolutely filled with demons. He went through a glorious deliverance. Several weeks after at a backyard picnic, some tapes were playing. The man perked up and he went over and asked who was singing. When told that it was “Living Praise “he answered, “They were at Mardi Gras, weren’t they. I knew; I recognized that spirit.” He had been in the Satanist church for ten years traveling all around the country and sitting in churches sending “fiery darts” at the pastors. He would either plant lewd thoughts in their minds, or cause confusion so they became lost in their sermons.
He said that when he went to Mardi Gras with his coven, a demon stopped them as they started getting close to Jackson Square, where our group was singing . It spoke very clearly and said, “Do not dare go near them. If you see one of them coming down the street, you turn and run the other direction. Don’t even get close to those people. Run as fast as you can. Don’t have any contact with them, and don’t’ get within earshot of their music,” He had thought that the devil was the ultimate power, be he realize there’s was something that the demons feared, when he went into a church in New Orleans and could not disrupt the pastor, he knew something had happened to him when he heard the praise and worship. Consequently, he was saved and delivered. Beloved there is awesome power in our worship.
When we worship God from our heart we are also entering into warfare against the devil and we are driving him away. Worship is important as it prepares the way for the Holy Spirit to minister to people. Unfortunately it has become a formality in many churches or just a feel good time for people and they do not understand its true importance and power when done with a heart that seeks after God. David understood the power of praise and that is why he instituted 24 hour worship. I pray that you will look at worship in a new perspective and take advantage of opportunities to join in with other worshippers at organized or spontaneous events. We invite you to join us each week at our regularly scheduled times of worship on Monday night at 630 p.m.; Tuesday morning 930-1130 a.m. and Thursday morning from 7-9 a.m.
Each of us is now a part of the royal priesthood and we like the Levites have access to the holy place where we can experience the presence of God. We can do it individually in our secret place with God or corporately with other believers. Worship is vital to our relationship with God and it is important that we spend time daily in adoration of God. Worship must become a lifestyle not an event. All of our life is to be to the praise of God’s glory. So often we come asking God to do things for us and seldom to we simply offer praise and worship to him. David saw the importance of worship and developed a very organized structure to make it a reality. No matter what hour of the day it was you could hear praise coming from the tabernacle. Being in an atmosphere of praise lifts our spirits and draws us to the Lord. It is my prayer that each of us will make worship and praise a greater part of our life and ministry unto the Lord.
Friday, February 13, 2009
David the Warrior
David the Warrior
Have you ever been in a situation that seemed impossible? The odds of success were slim to none and fear gripped your heart? Adventure movies love these scenarios where you are sitting on the edge of your seat anticipating tragedy or a miracle. The battle of David and Goliath was one of high drama and was a major turning point in the life of David as he was transformed from a Shepherd to a Soldier and a Warrior for the Lord. Tonight I want to examine the life of David the Warrior and draw applications for our lives today.
David became a mighty warrior for the Lord and led Israel in victory over their enemies for many years. He learned how to fight his enemies from an early age as he shepherded his father’s flock of sheep and had to defend them against the attack of a lion and a bear. It takes courage to put yourself into a situation like this with a wild animal with sharp claws and teeth that can cut and crunch your body in a single bite. Yet David was able to tear the sheep from the jaws of both of these dangerous animals and lived to tell about it. I believe the key to David’s success against these animals is found in 1 Samuel 16:13 So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the olive oil he had brought and poured it upon David’s head; and the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him and gave him great power from that day onward. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.
David had been anointed as the next King of Israel and the Holy Spirit of God came upon him. I believe that when David was faced with these animals that same Spirit came upon him to empower him to overcome the enemy.
David was also a skilled musician and when Saul was being tormented by evil spirits his advisors suggested a musician come and play music that would sooth is soul. David was then called upon to join Saul’s staff to play music and be his personal body guard and armor bearer. God was training David in spiritual warfare as well as learning how to physically protect the King. When the evil spirits would attack Saul, David’s music drove them away. David’s eyes were being opened to the realm of the spirit as well as the power of praise. All of this was in preparation for the battle that would set David apart from everyone else in Israel.
God was preparing David for a greater battle with the army of the Philistines. We are all familiar with the story of David and Goliath yet it is a story that continues to inspire us in the battles we face.
David was not full time staff with Saul, he still was tending to his father’s sheep and when needed was sent to Saul. While he was tending the sheep his father, Jesse sent him on a mission to deliver food to his three brothers who were engaged in the battle against the Philistines and he was to check up on them to see how they were doing and report back to his father.
The battle between the armies had come to a standstill and it was determined that one soldier from the Israelite army would go to battle against one soldier from the Philistine army who happened to be a mammoth of a man. Goliath would have been great person to have as your tag team partner in a WWF wrestling match. He was very intimidating and none of the Israelite soldiers were volunteering to go one on one with him. The odds were not good and preservation of life seemed to dominate their thinking. So for 40 days, twice each day, the challenge to battle against Goliath was issued and for 40 days no one accepted. The number 40 represents a fulfillment of a time of testing or temptation and the time of testing of the Philistine Goliath was soon to come to an end. Goliath was going down.
When David comes on the scene he again demonstrates responsibility by leaving his luggage with someone who would faithfully guard it. He proceeds to investigate what is happening and finds out that Saul has issued a huge tax benefit plus one of his daughters to the person who could take on Goliath. Perhaps he issued the challenge because he knew that no one would really be successful so the tax write off and losing one of his daughters may not have ever had to be fulfilled. Up to this point no one had the courage to take him up on the offer as everyone viewed the one on one battle against Goliath as instant death and Israel would become the servants of the Philistines. The future of the entire nation was at stake and nobody was prepared to risk it all. David inquired three times what the challenge and reward would be for the person who was victorious over Goliath. Perhaps he wanted to make sure he was hearing correctly but I think more than that he wanted to take up the offer and was looking for someone to bring him to the contest. His oldest brother when he found out what David was doing immediately came against him and accused him of abandoning his job as a shepherd to come to see the battle. His brother did not have the facts and judged David by his own opinions and that will always get you into trouble. David knew why he had come, his father had given him a mission to bring food to his brothers so David did not have to defend himself. The true mission God had given David was being revealed to David and he was ready to take on Goliath, the loud mouthed heathen who was defying the armies of the Living God. David saw a spiritual battle, a cause that was worth putting his life on the line. It was his God versus the Philistine gods and he knew that his God was more powerful and would give him victory just as he had done with the lion and the bear. I believe the battles against the evil spirits that attacked Saul prepared David to see beyond a physical battle between a giant of a man and the army of Israel. The anointing of God’s Spirit upon David would give him victory in the battle. It was not David’s abilities but God working in David as he had demonstrated in the past that would give him victory again. David had great confidence in God’s ability to bring victory. He knew God’s power and thought nothing of Goliath’s ability or size. David was ready for the challenge and when the other men finally understood what David’s questions were really saying they took him to Saul. David was no stranger to Saul yet it seems from the text that Saul did not recognize or remember him. Maybe David had changed physically or Saul was having a senor moment and did not remember him. Saul tried to dissuade him from going to battle against a man who had been raised as a soldier since he was a boy. David’s persistence that he could do the job finally won favor with Saul and he was given permission to go to battle. When Saul offered David his armor it was more than just an act to give David protection.
“Is the armor too big, or the crown.” 1 Sam. 17:38-40
There is more to Saul’s offer of the royal armor and sword to David than meets the eye. Positions of authority in the ancient world were marked by formal insignia, or by special clothing. Even more important, the ruler’s weapon, usually a sword, was seen as a gift of the deities and a mark of their favor toward the bearer as the legitimate ruler. So when Saul offered David his armor, he would have been understood by Israelite culture as offering David his own position as King of Israel. The transfer of clothing signified a transfer of status…Saul’s sword was the mark of his position as defender of Israel; when the sword was given to David, Saul’s kingship went with it. But David could not wear the armor or the sword; he was not ready to rule, even though he already had the favor of God and the courage to defend Israel. By returning the military gear, David showed that he did not intend to replace Saul as king. (Chronological Study Bible p. 314)
Saul wanted to protect David by giving him his armor but it was too big and awkward for him. Saul had good intentions but David knew it would not serve him and would be a hindrance to him. David would rely upon God to protect him and not man so he went to battle with his normal shepherd clothing. Saul sent him off with the words, “God be with you.” He may as well have added, “Because none of us is going with you!” David was going against all odds in the eyes of Saul and all of Israelite army yet David knew who was calling the shots in this situation and he boldly stood in front of Goliath. Goliath was in his full armor; definitely an intimidating sight and he roared insults against David. To Goliath this whole scene was a joke, a young kid with a shepherd’s rod and a sling shot was no match for him. David did not fear or back down from the battle. He boldly proclaimed that Goliath was going down! David’s God was going to give him victory and Goliath’s head would be chopped off to be displayed to the entire world that God was real and that that He did not need weapons to give victory. The battle was not about two armies fighting against each other but God fighting against the gods of the Philistines. The stage had been set for the winner take all battle. Goliath must have thought it was a big joke while David was pumped and took his sling shot and 5 rocks and ran toward Goliath. David slung the rock toward Goliath’s head and it struck him in an unprotected part of his forehead causing him to fall probably unconscious. David wasted no time when Goliath was down, he ran over to him and used Goliath’s own sword to cut off his head. Panic set in among the Philistines while courage was infused in the Israelites who pursued and slaughtered their enemy and took great spoil. King Saul knew that he needed David at his side and made sure that Jesse was notified that his son had been promoted and was called into full-time service of the King.
David was given responsibilities and assignments by Saul to fight battles against their enemies. God was with David and gave him success and he became a person of great renown among all of Israel. God was preparing David to become the King of Israel and to be a successful King David had to learn how to engage in warfare and defeat the enemies. Throughout David’s life he learned how to depend upon God to give him the strategy to gain victory over the enemy. David sought the counsel of God before he engaged in warfare and he learned that obedience to God would ensure victory.
We can learn several things from David’s life as a warrior that we can apply to the battles we face as believers.
First we must recognize the nature of the battle we face is spiritual and not physical. This is the cause that propelled David into battle. Goliath was defying David’s God and that was all the motivation David needed to engage in battle. Today we are faced with attacks from the new atheists who defy the existence of God and publicly have ridiculed those who believe in His existence. An atheistic campaign in England is currently making the news.
The campaign was designed to respond to various claims from various religions that people who do not believe in God are doomed to an eternity in hell. They sought to raise money for a campaign that says, “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” Within two days of launching the fundraising portion of the campaign they had all the money they needed, and the money has continued to come in. The organizers of the campaign are now looking at how they can expand it. (Alonzo Fyfe blog, “Atheistic Ethicist”)
Christianity is under greater attack than at any time in history. Persecution of the church and martyrdom are greater than at any time in history.
God is being mocked, denied, denigrated and his image is being destroyed through the lies of the enemy. We have to understand that we are not battling personalities but principalities and the ideas that they are positing against belief and faith in God. Paul understood this when he said in Ephesians 6:12, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
We live in a spiritual world that has real forces of darkness that are waging war against us each day. The enemy uses people to carry out his plans and we have to realize that behind each attack by a person is an evil influence that is motivating the attack either directly or indirectly. There is enough evil nature in fallen man to motivate many horrific acts of violence. Without the presence, power and submission of our lives to the Holy Spirit each of us is capable of doing great evil. I was watching World Christian News from CBN last week as they gave a report about persecution of Christians by radical Muslims. I want to show this segment of the broadcast as it typifies what man is capable of doing when his life is not controlled by the Holy Spirit of God but rather the demonic influence that drive evil behavior.
Second, we have to have complete confidence in the power of God to overcome the enemy. David had no doubt in his mind that Goliath was no competition for the Lord. The enemy has power but it is limited and it is as nothing in comparison to the power of God. Dean Sherman used the illustration of comparing God’s power with the enemies power by stating that if you filled a large room with sand and called that the amount of power of God, and then picked up on grain of sand, that grain would represent the power of Satan. We don’t have to be intimidated by the power of Satan when we have the power of God at our disposal. “If God be for us who can stand against us?” (Rom. 8:31). We can boldly go into the battlefields because we are well equipped to overcome. One of the problems that police face whether they are in Guatemala or any other country is that the people they are often going to face have weapons that are more powerful than the ones they have. This is cause for great fear and often hinders the police from assaulting the enemy. We never have to face this fear, God’s power is infinite. No weapon formed against us will prosper.
Third, we have to fight against the true enemy by inquiring of the Lord and then with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we use the spiritual weapons God has given us. In the confrontation with Goliath, there is no mention of David seeking guidance about whether he should take on Goliath. It was obvious to David that action was required. Many times it will be obvious that we must take action against the enemy and this is one example. There were several other battle situations that David confronted in which he first inquired of the Lord as to whether he should pursue the enemy.
In 1 Samuel 23:1-5 we read of David inquiring of the Lord as to whether he should go to battle.
Then they told David, saying, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are robbing the threshing floors.” 2Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” 4 Then David inquired of the Lord once again.
And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.” 5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, struck them with a mighty blow, and took away their livestock. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
When the city of Ziklag was invaded by the Philistines who burned it and took captive all the women and children, David again inquired of the Lord as to what he should do.
1 Samuel 30:7-8; Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”
After David was anointed King he was faced with an attack by the Philistines and again he sought God for guidance and strategy. 1 Chronicles 14:8-17 records the events.
8 Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. 9 Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”
The LORD said to him, “Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.”
11 So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 12 And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.
13 Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. 14 Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 15 And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. 17 Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.
David was a mighty warrior but he knew that he would only win the victory as he sought God for guidance and then obeyed what the Lord spoke to him. When we are led and directed by the Holy Spirit the weapons that we use will do exactly what needs to be done to defeat the enemy. David’s rock, rocked Goliath and brought him down, it was I believe a Spirit guided rock, like the smart bombs that are used in warfare today. The weapons God has given us are powerful (2 Cor. 10:4), they can defeat the enemy when they are used properly and under God’s direction. We will not discuss how to use each of these weapons tonight but I want to list the weapons that are at our disposal to overcome the enemy.
1. Word of our testimony (Rev 12:11)
2. The blood of the Lamb (Rev 12:11)
3. Love not your life unto death (Rev 12:11)
4. Prayer in different forms and fasting (Eph. 6:18)
5. The Name of Jesus (Acts 3:6)
6. Doing good works (Rom. 12:21)
7. Binding and loosing (Matt. 16:19)
8. Living a holy life (Rom. 12:1,2)
9. Preaching the gospel (Rom. 10:17)
10. Praise and worship (Psalms 149:6-9)
11. Repentance and Exercising Faith (Matt. 3:2)
12. Giving (1 Tim. 6:10)
Fourth, your example of victory over the enemy will be a motivator for others to pursue the enemy and win the battle. Our faith and confidence in the Lord increase through the testimonies of the victories of other believers. Just as David’s victory propelled the Israelites into battle so too will our victories be an encouragement to others who are facing difficult situations. Your testimony is powerful, make sure you share your stories of victory over the enemy.
As believers in Christ we are all called to be warriors and engage in the battle on a daily basis. As we apply the principles and lessons we learn from David’s life we will learn how to be victorious over our enemy.
1. The real battle is spiritual not physical.
2. Our confidence is in God’s power not our own.
3. Seek God’s guidance and strategy to wage warfare using the weapons He has made available.
4. Share your testimonies of victory to encourage others in the battle.
Have you ever been in a situation that seemed impossible? The odds of success were slim to none and fear gripped your heart? Adventure movies love these scenarios where you are sitting on the edge of your seat anticipating tragedy or a miracle. The battle of David and Goliath was one of high drama and was a major turning point in the life of David as he was transformed from a Shepherd to a Soldier and a Warrior for the Lord. Tonight I want to examine the life of David the Warrior and draw applications for our lives today.
David became a mighty warrior for the Lord and led Israel in victory over their enemies for many years. He learned how to fight his enemies from an early age as he shepherded his father’s flock of sheep and had to defend them against the attack of a lion and a bear. It takes courage to put yourself into a situation like this with a wild animal with sharp claws and teeth that can cut and crunch your body in a single bite. Yet David was able to tear the sheep from the jaws of both of these dangerous animals and lived to tell about it. I believe the key to David’s success against these animals is found in 1 Samuel 16:13 So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the olive oil he had brought and poured it upon David’s head; and the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him and gave him great power from that day onward. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.
David had been anointed as the next King of Israel and the Holy Spirit of God came upon him. I believe that when David was faced with these animals that same Spirit came upon him to empower him to overcome the enemy.
David was also a skilled musician and when Saul was being tormented by evil spirits his advisors suggested a musician come and play music that would sooth is soul. David was then called upon to join Saul’s staff to play music and be his personal body guard and armor bearer. God was training David in spiritual warfare as well as learning how to physically protect the King. When the evil spirits would attack Saul, David’s music drove them away. David’s eyes were being opened to the realm of the spirit as well as the power of praise. All of this was in preparation for the battle that would set David apart from everyone else in Israel.
God was preparing David for a greater battle with the army of the Philistines. We are all familiar with the story of David and Goliath yet it is a story that continues to inspire us in the battles we face.
David was not full time staff with Saul, he still was tending to his father’s sheep and when needed was sent to Saul. While he was tending the sheep his father, Jesse sent him on a mission to deliver food to his three brothers who were engaged in the battle against the Philistines and he was to check up on them to see how they were doing and report back to his father.
The battle between the armies had come to a standstill and it was determined that one soldier from the Israelite army would go to battle against one soldier from the Philistine army who happened to be a mammoth of a man. Goliath would have been great person to have as your tag team partner in a WWF wrestling match. He was very intimidating and none of the Israelite soldiers were volunteering to go one on one with him. The odds were not good and preservation of life seemed to dominate their thinking. So for 40 days, twice each day, the challenge to battle against Goliath was issued and for 40 days no one accepted. The number 40 represents a fulfillment of a time of testing or temptation and the time of testing of the Philistine Goliath was soon to come to an end. Goliath was going down.
When David comes on the scene he again demonstrates responsibility by leaving his luggage with someone who would faithfully guard it. He proceeds to investigate what is happening and finds out that Saul has issued a huge tax benefit plus one of his daughters to the person who could take on Goliath. Perhaps he issued the challenge because he knew that no one would really be successful so the tax write off and losing one of his daughters may not have ever had to be fulfilled. Up to this point no one had the courage to take him up on the offer as everyone viewed the one on one battle against Goliath as instant death and Israel would become the servants of the Philistines. The future of the entire nation was at stake and nobody was prepared to risk it all. David inquired three times what the challenge and reward would be for the person who was victorious over Goliath. Perhaps he wanted to make sure he was hearing correctly but I think more than that he wanted to take up the offer and was looking for someone to bring him to the contest. His oldest brother when he found out what David was doing immediately came against him and accused him of abandoning his job as a shepherd to come to see the battle. His brother did not have the facts and judged David by his own opinions and that will always get you into trouble. David knew why he had come, his father had given him a mission to bring food to his brothers so David did not have to defend himself. The true mission God had given David was being revealed to David and he was ready to take on Goliath, the loud mouthed heathen who was defying the armies of the Living God. David saw a spiritual battle, a cause that was worth putting his life on the line. It was his God versus the Philistine gods and he knew that his God was more powerful and would give him victory just as he had done with the lion and the bear. I believe the battles against the evil spirits that attacked Saul prepared David to see beyond a physical battle between a giant of a man and the army of Israel. The anointing of God’s Spirit upon David would give him victory in the battle. It was not David’s abilities but God working in David as he had demonstrated in the past that would give him victory again. David had great confidence in God’s ability to bring victory. He knew God’s power and thought nothing of Goliath’s ability or size. David was ready for the challenge and when the other men finally understood what David’s questions were really saying they took him to Saul. David was no stranger to Saul yet it seems from the text that Saul did not recognize or remember him. Maybe David had changed physically or Saul was having a senor moment and did not remember him. Saul tried to dissuade him from going to battle against a man who had been raised as a soldier since he was a boy. David’s persistence that he could do the job finally won favor with Saul and he was given permission to go to battle. When Saul offered David his armor it was more than just an act to give David protection.
“Is the armor too big, or the crown.” 1 Sam. 17:38-40
There is more to Saul’s offer of the royal armor and sword to David than meets the eye. Positions of authority in the ancient world were marked by formal insignia, or by special clothing. Even more important, the ruler’s weapon, usually a sword, was seen as a gift of the deities and a mark of their favor toward the bearer as the legitimate ruler. So when Saul offered David his armor, he would have been understood by Israelite culture as offering David his own position as King of Israel. The transfer of clothing signified a transfer of status…Saul’s sword was the mark of his position as defender of Israel; when the sword was given to David, Saul’s kingship went with it. But David could not wear the armor or the sword; he was not ready to rule, even though he already had the favor of God and the courage to defend Israel. By returning the military gear, David showed that he did not intend to replace Saul as king. (Chronological Study Bible p. 314)
Saul wanted to protect David by giving him his armor but it was too big and awkward for him. Saul had good intentions but David knew it would not serve him and would be a hindrance to him. David would rely upon God to protect him and not man so he went to battle with his normal shepherd clothing. Saul sent him off with the words, “God be with you.” He may as well have added, “Because none of us is going with you!” David was going against all odds in the eyes of Saul and all of Israelite army yet David knew who was calling the shots in this situation and he boldly stood in front of Goliath. Goliath was in his full armor; definitely an intimidating sight and he roared insults against David. To Goliath this whole scene was a joke, a young kid with a shepherd’s rod and a sling shot was no match for him. David did not fear or back down from the battle. He boldly proclaimed that Goliath was going down! David’s God was going to give him victory and Goliath’s head would be chopped off to be displayed to the entire world that God was real and that that He did not need weapons to give victory. The battle was not about two armies fighting against each other but God fighting against the gods of the Philistines. The stage had been set for the winner take all battle. Goliath must have thought it was a big joke while David was pumped and took his sling shot and 5 rocks and ran toward Goliath. David slung the rock toward Goliath’s head and it struck him in an unprotected part of his forehead causing him to fall probably unconscious. David wasted no time when Goliath was down, he ran over to him and used Goliath’s own sword to cut off his head. Panic set in among the Philistines while courage was infused in the Israelites who pursued and slaughtered their enemy and took great spoil. King Saul knew that he needed David at his side and made sure that Jesse was notified that his son had been promoted and was called into full-time service of the King.
David was given responsibilities and assignments by Saul to fight battles against their enemies. God was with David and gave him success and he became a person of great renown among all of Israel. God was preparing David to become the King of Israel and to be a successful King David had to learn how to engage in warfare and defeat the enemies. Throughout David’s life he learned how to depend upon God to give him the strategy to gain victory over the enemy. David sought the counsel of God before he engaged in warfare and he learned that obedience to God would ensure victory.
We can learn several things from David’s life as a warrior that we can apply to the battles we face as believers.
First we must recognize the nature of the battle we face is spiritual and not physical. This is the cause that propelled David into battle. Goliath was defying David’s God and that was all the motivation David needed to engage in battle. Today we are faced with attacks from the new atheists who defy the existence of God and publicly have ridiculed those who believe in His existence. An atheistic campaign in England is currently making the news.
The campaign was designed to respond to various claims from various religions that people who do not believe in God are doomed to an eternity in hell. They sought to raise money for a campaign that says, “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” Within two days of launching the fundraising portion of the campaign they had all the money they needed, and the money has continued to come in. The organizers of the campaign are now looking at how they can expand it. (Alonzo Fyfe blog, “Atheistic Ethicist”)
Christianity is under greater attack than at any time in history. Persecution of the church and martyrdom are greater than at any time in history.
God is being mocked, denied, denigrated and his image is being destroyed through the lies of the enemy. We have to understand that we are not battling personalities but principalities and the ideas that they are positing against belief and faith in God. Paul understood this when he said in Ephesians 6:12, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
We live in a spiritual world that has real forces of darkness that are waging war against us each day. The enemy uses people to carry out his plans and we have to realize that behind each attack by a person is an evil influence that is motivating the attack either directly or indirectly. There is enough evil nature in fallen man to motivate many horrific acts of violence. Without the presence, power and submission of our lives to the Holy Spirit each of us is capable of doing great evil. I was watching World Christian News from CBN last week as they gave a report about persecution of Christians by radical Muslims. I want to show this segment of the broadcast as it typifies what man is capable of doing when his life is not controlled by the Holy Spirit of God but rather the demonic influence that drive evil behavior.
Second, we have to have complete confidence in the power of God to overcome the enemy. David had no doubt in his mind that Goliath was no competition for the Lord. The enemy has power but it is limited and it is as nothing in comparison to the power of God. Dean Sherman used the illustration of comparing God’s power with the enemies power by stating that if you filled a large room with sand and called that the amount of power of God, and then picked up on grain of sand, that grain would represent the power of Satan. We don’t have to be intimidated by the power of Satan when we have the power of God at our disposal. “If God be for us who can stand against us?” (Rom. 8:31). We can boldly go into the battlefields because we are well equipped to overcome. One of the problems that police face whether they are in Guatemala or any other country is that the people they are often going to face have weapons that are more powerful than the ones they have. This is cause for great fear and often hinders the police from assaulting the enemy. We never have to face this fear, God’s power is infinite. No weapon formed against us will prosper.
Third, we have to fight against the true enemy by inquiring of the Lord and then with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we use the spiritual weapons God has given us. In the confrontation with Goliath, there is no mention of David seeking guidance about whether he should take on Goliath. It was obvious to David that action was required. Many times it will be obvious that we must take action against the enemy and this is one example. There were several other battle situations that David confronted in which he first inquired of the Lord as to whether he should pursue the enemy.
In 1 Samuel 23:1-5 we read of David inquiring of the Lord as to whether he should go to battle.
Then they told David, saying, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are robbing the threshing floors.” 2Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” 4 Then David inquired of the Lord once again.
And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.” 5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, struck them with a mighty blow, and took away their livestock. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
When the city of Ziklag was invaded by the Philistines who burned it and took captive all the women and children, David again inquired of the Lord as to what he should do.
1 Samuel 30:7-8; Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”
After David was anointed King he was faced with an attack by the Philistines and again he sought God for guidance and strategy. 1 Chronicles 14:8-17 records the events.
8 Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. 9 Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”
The LORD said to him, “Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.”
11 So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 12 And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.
13 Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. 14 Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 15 And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. 17 Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.
David was a mighty warrior but he knew that he would only win the victory as he sought God for guidance and then obeyed what the Lord spoke to him. When we are led and directed by the Holy Spirit the weapons that we use will do exactly what needs to be done to defeat the enemy. David’s rock, rocked Goliath and brought him down, it was I believe a Spirit guided rock, like the smart bombs that are used in warfare today. The weapons God has given us are powerful (2 Cor. 10:4), they can defeat the enemy when they are used properly and under God’s direction. We will not discuss how to use each of these weapons tonight but I want to list the weapons that are at our disposal to overcome the enemy.
1. Word of our testimony (Rev 12:11)
2. The blood of the Lamb (Rev 12:11)
3. Love not your life unto death (Rev 12:11)
4. Prayer in different forms and fasting (Eph. 6:18)
5. The Name of Jesus (Acts 3:6)
6. Doing good works (Rom. 12:21)
7. Binding and loosing (Matt. 16:19)
8. Living a holy life (Rom. 12:1,2)
9. Preaching the gospel (Rom. 10:17)
10. Praise and worship (Psalms 149:6-9)
11. Repentance and Exercising Faith (Matt. 3:2)
12. Giving (1 Tim. 6:10)
Fourth, your example of victory over the enemy will be a motivator for others to pursue the enemy and win the battle. Our faith and confidence in the Lord increase through the testimonies of the victories of other believers. Just as David’s victory propelled the Israelites into battle so too will our victories be an encouragement to others who are facing difficult situations. Your testimony is powerful, make sure you share your stories of victory over the enemy.
As believers in Christ we are all called to be warriors and engage in the battle on a daily basis. As we apply the principles and lessons we learn from David’s life we will learn how to be victorious over our enemy.
1. The real battle is spiritual not physical.
2. Our confidence is in God’s power not our own.
3. Seek God’s guidance and strategy to wage warfare using the weapons He has made available.
4. Share your testimonies of victory to encourage others in the battle.
David the Shepherd King
David: The Shepherd King
One of my favorite characters in the Bible is David. He was a man of great accomplishments but also remembered for his failures. God looked upon David’s life and said he was a man who was after His heart. In spite of his failures and success David sought after the heart of God. Tonight I want to look at his life and how God formed him into the man he became. God chose David to be the king of Israel after Saul. God fashioned the heart of David and the character of David before he released him to be the king. As we look at his life we will understand how God works in our lives and prepares us for what he has planned. We will look at different stages in the life of David over the next weeks as we examine these epochs of his life:
David the shepherd, David the warrior, David the worshipper, David the leader, David the failure, David the builder.
Tonight we will focus our attention on David the shepherd. David was the youngest male in his family and if you know some of the facts of birth order, the youngest is often looked upon with great affection by the mother and father. Usually by this time in their lives the parents have learned a lot about raising children and have really mellowed and are not as strict and worried as they were with the first born. Often times the parents rely upon the older siblings to take care of the youngest one and that can be good or bad depending on how responsible and caring the siblings are. I know my youngest brother was very much a part of almost everything we did. We looked out for him and brought him with us almost everywhere we went. The youngest member of the family is often the most carefree perhaps because of the security they feel because they are cared for by so many people. The Child Development Institute notes these traits regarding the youngest of the family
• Behaves like only child. (self-centered, pampered, spoiled, center of attention, relies on service from others rather own efforts, feels incompetent because adults are more capable)
• Feels every one is bigger and more capable.
• Expects others to do things, make decisions, take responsibility.
• Feels smallest and weakest. May not be taken seriously.
• Becomes boss of family in getting service and own way.
• Develops feelings of inferiority or becomes "speeder" and overtakes older siblings.
• Remains "The Baby." Places others in service.
• If youngest of three, often allies with oldest child against middle child.
Dr. Kevin Leman states the following about last-borns:
Last-Borns
Positives: Last-borns are the world's cheerleaders. You have strong people skills and love to entertain and talk to others. You make friends easily and immediately make others feel at home. You're an extrovert, energized by the presence of other people and you're probably not afraid to take risks.
Negatives: Last-borns tend to get bored quickly. They have a strong fear of rejection and a short attention span. When the fun stops, they've had enough and want to check out. To some extent they're self-centered. They may harbor unrealistic expectations of finding a relationship that is always fun - and of course, such relationships simply do not last.
From The Birth Order Connection (Revell, September 2001)
As we look at David’s life many of these characteristics were true of him. David was not taken seriously especially when Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be king and David was completely overlooked by the family. David was strong in his people skills and as king he was loved by the people.
As the youngest of the family David was given the job of shepherding the family sheep. This was not a glamorous job for anyone and I am sure his brothers were very glad to one day give him the job so they could be a part of Saul’s army. What would you rather be a shepherd or a soldier? Given the choice most men would rather be a soldier. David’s training ground for becoming king was in the field caring for sheep. The lessons David learned about caring for sheep were going to be applied to the people David served and lead as their king. God taught David a lot about himself as well through the care of the sheep. David would later in his life write Psalm 23, one of the most well known and loved Psalms in the Bible.
As a shepherd David learned responsibility. His father entrusted him with the safety and well being of the sheep. Shepherds who were hired by the owner of the sheep had to account for all the sheep and if one was missing they had to pay for it or show proof that it had been killed by an animal by presenting its carcass to the owner. I don’t know how many sheep were in the flock of David’s father but I am sure it was a sizeable flock. David was given great responsibility but it came as a result of the preparation his father had given him to be able to do it. Parents have to prepare their children to take responsibility and often times the youngest of the family is not given much responsibility or they expect someone else to do it for them. Jesse must have used a different approach with David because as a young man he was given a lot of responsibility to care for the sheep. I am sure David went with his brothers at times to learn how to care for the sheep and the day came when he could be given the responsibility. As parents and leaders we all look forward to the day when we can entrust our children or people working with us with greater responsibilities. David had proven faithful to do the tasks given to him by his father and was now ready to take on this new responsibility. His faithfulness to do what was asked of him prepared him for greater responsibility that God would give him as the future king of Israel. As we like David show ourselves to be responsible to do small things or things that may not be very glamorous we prepare ourselves to be entrusted with greater responsibilities for the future. Never despise the trivial or maybe dirty work you are given because you never know where it will lead you if you prove faithful and responsible to do it well. Caring for sheep was a good training ground in learning how to be a leader. God chose Moses and David, two of the greatest leaders of Israel who spend years tending sheep. Sheep are unique animals that have special needs and characteristics. To be a good shepherd, one has to know what to expect from sheep, how they behave so one can properly care for them.
Sheep are not considered to be very intelligent. They do things that get them into trouble and then need to be rescued by the shepherd. Sheep left on their own easily wander off the pathway in search of greener pastures.
You have heard how the sheep in the Highlands of Scotland are rescued when they wander off and become stranded? The vegetation on those high places is pretty spare. And yet, down on maybe a little cliff down below on a ledge down about ten or twelve feet is a little ledge that is grassy. It hasn't been eaten because sheep don't go down there. And some of them will smell that lush grass and they will go down on that ledge, jumping ten, twelve feet, landing on all fours like a cat and they will eat that lush grass. Well now, there's no way they're going to get back up by themselves. Soon their bleating is heard as they try unsuccessfully to return to higher ground.
The shepherd does not rush right over to rescue them. He just lets that sheep stay down there on that ledge below. There's no way he can relieve it until all the grass is eaten and until the sheep begins to get hungry and thirsty. There's no water there. Finally the sheep gets so weak that he can't even stand up. At that point, when he's at the bottom of the barrel, the shepherd will come and will lower himself down over that ledge and rescue that sheep. And he knows that if he comes any sooner that stupid sheep, of which we are sheep, will jump over the ledge to its death. (Donald G. Gettys sermon 1999)
As a shepherd David learned the importance of leading the sheep to green pastures where they could eat good food and not get sick or be placed in danger. A good shepherd was always watching out for his sheep to make sure they did not wander off and eat something that could kill them.
Phillip Keller was a sheep rancher and in his book, “A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm,” he says that sheep require more attention than any other livestock… They just can’t take care of themselves…
For example, unless their shepherd makes them move on, sheep will actually ruin a pasture… they’ll eat every blade of grass, until a fertile pasture is nothing but barren soil…
Sheep are near-sighted & very stubborn, but easily frightened… They have little means of defense… They’re timid, feeble creatures… Sheep have no homing instincts… a dog, horse, cat, or a bird can find its way home, but a lost sheep is a lost sheep…
Sheep are afraid of running water. If a sheep is beside clear running water and a pool of stagnant dirty water, the sheep will choose the still water even though it is filthy. The shepherd has to take great care that the sheep don’t eat or drink things that will harm them. They require constant care and attention.
Sheep are not very good at defending themselves. They do not have sharp teeth; they cannot roar like a lion just give a pathetic sounding bleating noise, they cannot run fast to escape and often when danger is present they stand by and watch. One afternoon a shepherd came upon two coyotes that had stealthfully crept right into the midst of the flock. There they had killed a lamb and were eating it. The other sheep just stood around watching them. They didn't know the danger and even if they did they have no way of defending themselves. Sometimes a sheep will use its head to butt against its opponent but for an opponent with sharp teeth or claws it is of little use.
In summary here are some of the characteristics of sheep:
They are not the brightest bulb in the room.
They are easily distracted and can wander off the path and cannot find their way back.
They don’t consider the consequences of their actions.
They are near sighted and stubborn.
They frighten easily and are timid.
They have no effective way to defend themselves.
They need someone to care for them constantly.
When God wanted to train up a leader, he chose a young man who was the shepherd of his father’s flock. God knew what it took to be a good shepherd and these same traits would be necessary to be the kind of king God wanted for his people who all too often act very much like the sheep David had to care for. Being a shepherd was a demanding task because of the needs of the sheep. David learned how to care for the sheep and I believe he used the knowledge and experience he gained to care for the people God entrusted him to lead as the king of Israel. The Scriptures make several references to the believers as sheep. Psalms 100:3 states “Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”
Jesus referred to his own people as sheep. 36 He felt great pity for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn’t know where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd. John 9:36
Jesus said he was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. Matthew 10:6
Jesus referred to his disciples as his sheep. John 10:14
Jesus saw himself as the Good shepherd. John 10:14
Peter reminded the church leaders to feed the flock. 1 Peter 5:2
Whether we like it or not, God has made the analogy of his people to sheep and has likened himself and those who are in positions of authority and care to a shepherd.
All of us are sheep and each of us needs a shepherd. God wants each one of us to be in the role of being a shepherd to the people He places under our care. As we look at the responsibilities of the shepherd we can better understand how we are to function as we shepherd the flock of God.
As the shepherd of the sheep David had to protect them, provide food that was nourishing, communicate with them and provide care for the injured sheep. .
The shepherds during the times of David had only a rod, a staff and a slingshot to defend the sheep. David was called upon several times to come to the aid of the sheep. He confronted both a lion and a bear and rescued the sheep from their jaws. That takes courage and commitment to do something like that. But a responsible shepherd protects his sheep because they cannot defend themselves. As shepherds of God’s people we need to always be on the lookout for the enemy of our soul, the devil who goes about as a roaring lion seeking someone to devour who is caught off guard. We need to be able to recognize when those under us are being attacked by the enemy physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We need to be assertive as David was and rescue them by rebuking the enemy, taking authority over him and speaking the truth to the person who is under attack. We cannot sit by and watch the enemy ravage a brother or sister, we must respond immediately before the damage is done. When we see someone falling in sin we need to come to their aid. They may not see things as you do but as one placed in charge of another you have to take action.
A good shepherd knows that the wolves will always attack the lambs. They will leave the older sheep alone if they can get at the lambs. The youngest are the most vulnerable and the ones the enemy will attack. A good shepherd will always take care of the young; he will carry them to safety if necessary. As king of Israel David would be called upon to care for the young and the old. As shepherds of God’s people we have to have a special place for children. I pity the person who has no heart for children, no concern or compassion for them or desire to be with them. In God’s eyes they are precious and what a tremendous privilege we have as believers to help shape their lives, protect them from evil influences, train them in God’s ways and encourage them in their faith. Children today are so vulnerable to attacks of the enemy. Many are killed before they are born, in the USA there have been 45 million murdered babies that never made it out of the mother’s womb alive. Those who are brought to birth are faced with a world that is so much more dangerous than when I grew up. The influences of evil grab the hearts of young children and if they are not reached with the gospel when they are young the statistics show that the older they get the less likely they are to give their lives to him. We must do all we can to reach the children while they are young. Once they come to Christ them must be given special care, they must be trained in the ways of God and have people serve as models and mentors to them.
The shepherd also had to protect the sheep at night. He would place his body at the gate or entrance to the pen. No one could get into the fold unless they came through the gate which he guarded with his life. This is the dedication that we need as shepherds of God’s people. Being vigilant to protect at all times and being willing to lay our lives on the line for each other.
The shepherd was responsible for providing the food for the sheep. His job was to lead the sheep to green pastures where there were no plants that could poison the flock. The sheep were not very discerning between good and bad food, green was green to them whether it was grass or a poisonous weed. The shepherd had to continually lead them to new areas to feed so they would not destroy the fields. He not only thought about their present needs but also the needs of the future. As shepherds of God’s people we have to take care of their spiritual needs and provide them with solid teaching that will make them strong in their faith. There are a host of preachers and teachers floating around the Body of Christ that appeal to itching ears and preach what people like to hear rather than the truth of God’s word. As a new believer I ran into the Moonies and Children of God while I was in Sweden. A lot of young people got caught up into these cults and it seemed that few people were making an attempt to rescue them from false doctrines. Today we have the Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, and other Christian cults that are reaching out to capture the youth. As shepherds of the young we are responsible to always provide spiritual food that will help them stand against the false teachings of the cults and sects of Christianity that do not line up with the Word of God. There are a lot of resources available to us that we can put into the hands and minds of believers we are caring for. Share these with them, encourage them to read or listen to good solid teaching, invite them to join you as you go to seminars and conferences that will bless them.
A shepherd has to communicate with his sheep so they will recognize his voice. Some shepherds had names for each of their sheep. They could distinguish them from the other sheep by the markings on their body, how they walked or any other feature that made them identifiable to the shepherd. The shepherd gave names to them and they would respond when their name was called. Knowing the voice of the shepherd helped guide the sheep and this was especially needed when danger was present and the sheep needed to go to the shepherd. David must have spent time talking or singing to the sheep so they could recognize his voice. Communication is a key to spiritual growth. We need to become very familiar with the people God has placed in our care. Too often we assume all is well because we think people will let us know when things are not going well. Open and honest communication on a regular basis is needed to foster healthy relationships and bring growth. The shepherd’s voice had both a calming effect and a warning effect. Both were needed to care for the sheep.
The shepherd was also responsible to cared for the wounds of the sheep. He inspected them at night when they were placed in the protective pen. If they had a cut or scratch, he placed oil on it to heal it and keep the flies from attacking it and infecting it. As shepherds of God’s people we need to be aware of the difficulties they are experiencing and be available to bring healing and comfort to them. All of us to a degree are the walking wounded. We face battles daily and at times we take a beating because of thoughtless words or actions of another person that inflict pain. We are often disappointed in people and we are also discouraged by our own failures and setbacks. We need a shepherd who has the right medicine to apply to our wounds and we need to be the shepherd who draws from our past experiences to be able to help those in need. Fixing wounds is not easy and at times it can be very painful but the results when it is done right will make it all worthwhile. At times we do not want to minister to their wounds out of fear, lack of knowledge of what to do.
A friend of mine was dying of cancer and I went to see him just before he died. He had a large cancerous growth on his back about the size of a football. When I was in his room I asked if there was anything I could do for him. He was not able to talk much as it was hard for him to breath but he asked me to apply lotion to his back as his skin was dry and itchy. I was happy to do it but I avoided touching the cancerous growth because I thought it would cause him pain. I rub the lotion on his back and he was aware that I was not getting his whole back covered so he asked me to apply the lotion to his whole back. It was an eerie feeling as I applied the lotion to the growth on his back. I had never seen a cancerous growth like this and I was afraid but after I touched it and saw that it did not bring him pain I quickly overcame my fear. Sometimes in life we are afraid to touch people at their deepest point of pain. We may want to go around it and avoid it but we have to be willing to address it so that we can truly bring comfort to the person.
David was a successful king of Israel and loved by the people. He cared for the people in the same fashion he cared for the sheep of his father’s flock. He learned responsibility as a youth and this carried over into his adult life as God entrusted him with greater responsibilities. David understood the uniqueness of the people God placed in his care. He understood the needs they had as well as the weaknesses they faced. He protected the people, he provided for their physical, emotional and spiritual needs, he communicated effectively with his people and he cared for those who were in need.
As shepherds of God’s people we need to likewise follow David’s example. Have you proven to be faithful with the responsibilities God has given you in being a shepherd to the people He has placed in your life? Are you protecting them, providing for their needs, communicating effectively with them on a regular basis and ministering to the wounds they have suffered?
It is a challenge for each of us to think about how we are shepherding the people God has placed in our care. If we truly were being the shepherds God wants us to be I know that the flock of God would be a lot healthier and would be functioning more like the Body of Believers that God intends. I pray tonight that each of us will endeavor to become Good Shepherds and truly make a difference in the lives of people we serve.
One of my favorite characters in the Bible is David. He was a man of great accomplishments but also remembered for his failures. God looked upon David’s life and said he was a man who was after His heart. In spite of his failures and success David sought after the heart of God. Tonight I want to look at his life and how God formed him into the man he became. God chose David to be the king of Israel after Saul. God fashioned the heart of David and the character of David before he released him to be the king. As we look at his life we will understand how God works in our lives and prepares us for what he has planned. We will look at different stages in the life of David over the next weeks as we examine these epochs of his life:
David the shepherd, David the warrior, David the worshipper, David the leader, David the failure, David the builder.
Tonight we will focus our attention on David the shepherd. David was the youngest male in his family and if you know some of the facts of birth order, the youngest is often looked upon with great affection by the mother and father. Usually by this time in their lives the parents have learned a lot about raising children and have really mellowed and are not as strict and worried as they were with the first born. Often times the parents rely upon the older siblings to take care of the youngest one and that can be good or bad depending on how responsible and caring the siblings are. I know my youngest brother was very much a part of almost everything we did. We looked out for him and brought him with us almost everywhere we went. The youngest member of the family is often the most carefree perhaps because of the security they feel because they are cared for by so many people. The Child Development Institute notes these traits regarding the youngest of the family
• Behaves like only child. (self-centered, pampered, spoiled, center of attention, relies on service from others rather own efforts, feels incompetent because adults are more capable)
• Feels every one is bigger and more capable.
• Expects others to do things, make decisions, take responsibility.
• Feels smallest and weakest. May not be taken seriously.
• Becomes boss of family in getting service and own way.
• Develops feelings of inferiority or becomes "speeder" and overtakes older siblings.
• Remains "The Baby." Places others in service.
• If youngest of three, often allies with oldest child against middle child.
Dr. Kevin Leman states the following about last-borns:
Last-Borns
Positives: Last-borns are the world's cheerleaders. You have strong people skills and love to entertain and talk to others. You make friends easily and immediately make others feel at home. You're an extrovert, energized by the presence of other people and you're probably not afraid to take risks.
Negatives: Last-borns tend to get bored quickly. They have a strong fear of rejection and a short attention span. When the fun stops, they've had enough and want to check out. To some extent they're self-centered. They may harbor unrealistic expectations of finding a relationship that is always fun - and of course, such relationships simply do not last.
From The Birth Order Connection (Revell, September 2001)
As we look at David’s life many of these characteristics were true of him. David was not taken seriously especially when Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be king and David was completely overlooked by the family. David was strong in his people skills and as king he was loved by the people.
As the youngest of the family David was given the job of shepherding the family sheep. This was not a glamorous job for anyone and I am sure his brothers were very glad to one day give him the job so they could be a part of Saul’s army. What would you rather be a shepherd or a soldier? Given the choice most men would rather be a soldier. David’s training ground for becoming king was in the field caring for sheep. The lessons David learned about caring for sheep were going to be applied to the people David served and lead as their king. God taught David a lot about himself as well through the care of the sheep. David would later in his life write Psalm 23, one of the most well known and loved Psalms in the Bible.
As a shepherd David learned responsibility. His father entrusted him with the safety and well being of the sheep. Shepherds who were hired by the owner of the sheep had to account for all the sheep and if one was missing they had to pay for it or show proof that it had been killed by an animal by presenting its carcass to the owner. I don’t know how many sheep were in the flock of David’s father but I am sure it was a sizeable flock. David was given great responsibility but it came as a result of the preparation his father had given him to be able to do it. Parents have to prepare their children to take responsibility and often times the youngest of the family is not given much responsibility or they expect someone else to do it for them. Jesse must have used a different approach with David because as a young man he was given a lot of responsibility to care for the sheep. I am sure David went with his brothers at times to learn how to care for the sheep and the day came when he could be given the responsibility. As parents and leaders we all look forward to the day when we can entrust our children or people working with us with greater responsibilities. David had proven faithful to do the tasks given to him by his father and was now ready to take on this new responsibility. His faithfulness to do what was asked of him prepared him for greater responsibility that God would give him as the future king of Israel. As we like David show ourselves to be responsible to do small things or things that may not be very glamorous we prepare ourselves to be entrusted with greater responsibilities for the future. Never despise the trivial or maybe dirty work you are given because you never know where it will lead you if you prove faithful and responsible to do it well. Caring for sheep was a good training ground in learning how to be a leader. God chose Moses and David, two of the greatest leaders of Israel who spend years tending sheep. Sheep are unique animals that have special needs and characteristics. To be a good shepherd, one has to know what to expect from sheep, how they behave so one can properly care for them.
Sheep are not considered to be very intelligent. They do things that get them into trouble and then need to be rescued by the shepherd. Sheep left on their own easily wander off the pathway in search of greener pastures.
You have heard how the sheep in the Highlands of Scotland are rescued when they wander off and become stranded? The vegetation on those high places is pretty spare. And yet, down on maybe a little cliff down below on a ledge down about ten or twelve feet is a little ledge that is grassy. It hasn't been eaten because sheep don't go down there. And some of them will smell that lush grass and they will go down on that ledge, jumping ten, twelve feet, landing on all fours like a cat and they will eat that lush grass. Well now, there's no way they're going to get back up by themselves. Soon their bleating is heard as they try unsuccessfully to return to higher ground.
The shepherd does not rush right over to rescue them. He just lets that sheep stay down there on that ledge below. There's no way he can relieve it until all the grass is eaten and until the sheep begins to get hungry and thirsty. There's no water there. Finally the sheep gets so weak that he can't even stand up. At that point, when he's at the bottom of the barrel, the shepherd will come and will lower himself down over that ledge and rescue that sheep. And he knows that if he comes any sooner that stupid sheep, of which we are sheep, will jump over the ledge to its death. (Donald G. Gettys sermon 1999)
As a shepherd David learned the importance of leading the sheep to green pastures where they could eat good food and not get sick or be placed in danger. A good shepherd was always watching out for his sheep to make sure they did not wander off and eat something that could kill them.
Phillip Keller was a sheep rancher and in his book, “A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm,” he says that sheep require more attention than any other livestock… They just can’t take care of themselves…
For example, unless their shepherd makes them move on, sheep will actually ruin a pasture… they’ll eat every blade of grass, until a fertile pasture is nothing but barren soil…
Sheep are near-sighted & very stubborn, but easily frightened… They have little means of defense… They’re timid, feeble creatures… Sheep have no homing instincts… a dog, horse, cat, or a bird can find its way home, but a lost sheep is a lost sheep…
Sheep are afraid of running water. If a sheep is beside clear running water and a pool of stagnant dirty water, the sheep will choose the still water even though it is filthy. The shepherd has to take great care that the sheep don’t eat or drink things that will harm them. They require constant care and attention.
Sheep are not very good at defending themselves. They do not have sharp teeth; they cannot roar like a lion just give a pathetic sounding bleating noise, they cannot run fast to escape and often when danger is present they stand by and watch. One afternoon a shepherd came upon two coyotes that had stealthfully crept right into the midst of the flock. There they had killed a lamb and were eating it. The other sheep just stood around watching them. They didn't know the danger and even if they did they have no way of defending themselves. Sometimes a sheep will use its head to butt against its opponent but for an opponent with sharp teeth or claws it is of little use.
In summary here are some of the characteristics of sheep:
They are not the brightest bulb in the room.
They are easily distracted and can wander off the path and cannot find their way back.
They don’t consider the consequences of their actions.
They are near sighted and stubborn.
They frighten easily and are timid.
They have no effective way to defend themselves.
They need someone to care for them constantly.
When God wanted to train up a leader, he chose a young man who was the shepherd of his father’s flock. God knew what it took to be a good shepherd and these same traits would be necessary to be the kind of king God wanted for his people who all too often act very much like the sheep David had to care for. Being a shepherd was a demanding task because of the needs of the sheep. David learned how to care for the sheep and I believe he used the knowledge and experience he gained to care for the people God entrusted him to lead as the king of Israel. The Scriptures make several references to the believers as sheep. Psalms 100:3 states “Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”
Jesus referred to his own people as sheep. 36 He felt great pity for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn’t know where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd. John 9:36
Jesus said he was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. Matthew 10:6
Jesus referred to his disciples as his sheep. John 10:14
Jesus saw himself as the Good shepherd. John 10:14
Peter reminded the church leaders to feed the flock. 1 Peter 5:2
Whether we like it or not, God has made the analogy of his people to sheep and has likened himself and those who are in positions of authority and care to a shepherd.
All of us are sheep and each of us needs a shepherd. God wants each one of us to be in the role of being a shepherd to the people He places under our care. As we look at the responsibilities of the shepherd we can better understand how we are to function as we shepherd the flock of God.
As the shepherd of the sheep David had to protect them, provide food that was nourishing, communicate with them and provide care for the injured sheep. .
The shepherds during the times of David had only a rod, a staff and a slingshot to defend the sheep. David was called upon several times to come to the aid of the sheep. He confronted both a lion and a bear and rescued the sheep from their jaws. That takes courage and commitment to do something like that. But a responsible shepherd protects his sheep because they cannot defend themselves. As shepherds of God’s people we need to always be on the lookout for the enemy of our soul, the devil who goes about as a roaring lion seeking someone to devour who is caught off guard. We need to be able to recognize when those under us are being attacked by the enemy physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We need to be assertive as David was and rescue them by rebuking the enemy, taking authority over him and speaking the truth to the person who is under attack. We cannot sit by and watch the enemy ravage a brother or sister, we must respond immediately before the damage is done. When we see someone falling in sin we need to come to their aid. They may not see things as you do but as one placed in charge of another you have to take action.
A good shepherd knows that the wolves will always attack the lambs. They will leave the older sheep alone if they can get at the lambs. The youngest are the most vulnerable and the ones the enemy will attack. A good shepherd will always take care of the young; he will carry them to safety if necessary. As king of Israel David would be called upon to care for the young and the old. As shepherds of God’s people we have to have a special place for children. I pity the person who has no heart for children, no concern or compassion for them or desire to be with them. In God’s eyes they are precious and what a tremendous privilege we have as believers to help shape their lives, protect them from evil influences, train them in God’s ways and encourage them in their faith. Children today are so vulnerable to attacks of the enemy. Many are killed before they are born, in the USA there have been 45 million murdered babies that never made it out of the mother’s womb alive. Those who are brought to birth are faced with a world that is so much more dangerous than when I grew up. The influences of evil grab the hearts of young children and if they are not reached with the gospel when they are young the statistics show that the older they get the less likely they are to give their lives to him. We must do all we can to reach the children while they are young. Once they come to Christ them must be given special care, they must be trained in the ways of God and have people serve as models and mentors to them.
The shepherd also had to protect the sheep at night. He would place his body at the gate or entrance to the pen. No one could get into the fold unless they came through the gate which he guarded with his life. This is the dedication that we need as shepherds of God’s people. Being vigilant to protect at all times and being willing to lay our lives on the line for each other.
The shepherd was responsible for providing the food for the sheep. His job was to lead the sheep to green pastures where there were no plants that could poison the flock. The sheep were not very discerning between good and bad food, green was green to them whether it was grass or a poisonous weed. The shepherd had to continually lead them to new areas to feed so they would not destroy the fields. He not only thought about their present needs but also the needs of the future. As shepherds of God’s people we have to take care of their spiritual needs and provide them with solid teaching that will make them strong in their faith. There are a host of preachers and teachers floating around the Body of Christ that appeal to itching ears and preach what people like to hear rather than the truth of God’s word. As a new believer I ran into the Moonies and Children of God while I was in Sweden. A lot of young people got caught up into these cults and it seemed that few people were making an attempt to rescue them from false doctrines. Today we have the Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, and other Christian cults that are reaching out to capture the youth. As shepherds of the young we are responsible to always provide spiritual food that will help them stand against the false teachings of the cults and sects of Christianity that do not line up with the Word of God. There are a lot of resources available to us that we can put into the hands and minds of believers we are caring for. Share these with them, encourage them to read or listen to good solid teaching, invite them to join you as you go to seminars and conferences that will bless them.
A shepherd has to communicate with his sheep so they will recognize his voice. Some shepherds had names for each of their sheep. They could distinguish them from the other sheep by the markings on their body, how they walked or any other feature that made them identifiable to the shepherd. The shepherd gave names to them and they would respond when their name was called. Knowing the voice of the shepherd helped guide the sheep and this was especially needed when danger was present and the sheep needed to go to the shepherd. David must have spent time talking or singing to the sheep so they could recognize his voice. Communication is a key to spiritual growth. We need to become very familiar with the people God has placed in our care. Too often we assume all is well because we think people will let us know when things are not going well. Open and honest communication on a regular basis is needed to foster healthy relationships and bring growth. The shepherd’s voice had both a calming effect and a warning effect. Both were needed to care for the sheep.
The shepherd was also responsible to cared for the wounds of the sheep. He inspected them at night when they were placed in the protective pen. If they had a cut or scratch, he placed oil on it to heal it and keep the flies from attacking it and infecting it. As shepherds of God’s people we need to be aware of the difficulties they are experiencing and be available to bring healing and comfort to them. All of us to a degree are the walking wounded. We face battles daily and at times we take a beating because of thoughtless words or actions of another person that inflict pain. We are often disappointed in people and we are also discouraged by our own failures and setbacks. We need a shepherd who has the right medicine to apply to our wounds and we need to be the shepherd who draws from our past experiences to be able to help those in need. Fixing wounds is not easy and at times it can be very painful but the results when it is done right will make it all worthwhile. At times we do not want to minister to their wounds out of fear, lack of knowledge of what to do.
A friend of mine was dying of cancer and I went to see him just before he died. He had a large cancerous growth on his back about the size of a football. When I was in his room I asked if there was anything I could do for him. He was not able to talk much as it was hard for him to breath but he asked me to apply lotion to his back as his skin was dry and itchy. I was happy to do it but I avoided touching the cancerous growth because I thought it would cause him pain. I rub the lotion on his back and he was aware that I was not getting his whole back covered so he asked me to apply the lotion to his whole back. It was an eerie feeling as I applied the lotion to the growth on his back. I had never seen a cancerous growth like this and I was afraid but after I touched it and saw that it did not bring him pain I quickly overcame my fear. Sometimes in life we are afraid to touch people at their deepest point of pain. We may want to go around it and avoid it but we have to be willing to address it so that we can truly bring comfort to the person.
David was a successful king of Israel and loved by the people. He cared for the people in the same fashion he cared for the sheep of his father’s flock. He learned responsibility as a youth and this carried over into his adult life as God entrusted him with greater responsibilities. David understood the uniqueness of the people God placed in his care. He understood the needs they had as well as the weaknesses they faced. He protected the people, he provided for their physical, emotional and spiritual needs, he communicated effectively with his people and he cared for those who were in need.
As shepherds of God’s people we need to likewise follow David’s example. Have you proven to be faithful with the responsibilities God has given you in being a shepherd to the people He has placed in your life? Are you protecting them, providing for their needs, communicating effectively with them on a regular basis and ministering to the wounds they have suffered?
It is a challenge for each of us to think about how we are shepherding the people God has placed in our care. If we truly were being the shepherds God wants us to be I know that the flock of God would be a lot healthier and would be functioning more like the Body of Believers that God intends. I pray tonight that each of us will endeavor to become Good Shepherds and truly make a difference in the lives of people we serve.
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