1 Sam 30 1-8 Strengthen Yourself
David Goes down to Ziklag, which achish had given to him back in chp 27. The Amalekites had invaded it, burned it with fire, and took all the women and children captive. David and the men show up and they begin to cry and weep over what had happened. David is distressed because the people were talking of stoning him, all his people were grieved. But David strengthens himself in the Lord. And then he goes to inquire of God of what he should- should he go and attack?
- You will reap what you sow
- 6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters.
- David is the Author of this destruction. Back in Chapter 27 he had aligned himself with the enemy (philistines) and made nice with Achish
- 1 sam 27:8-12 READ
- Just a short time ago- David is raiding the Amalekites, submitting to the enemy, being less than honorable.
- Amalekites come back with a vengeance. They come back harder- I think the people are mad at David for what he had done previously-
- Remember- He went with the enemy- had had taken up residence with the enemies of Israel
- David is reaping what he has sown
- Job 4:8 Even as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity And sow trouble reap the same.
- You can’t expect that David takes it upon himself to align with the enemy, go and attack and they are just going to sit there and do nothing. David is sowing destruction he will reap it
- Proverbs 22:8 He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.
- But this is like many people- They go with the enemy- They support the enemy- they do evil and expect that its been a minute, so nothing is going to happen
- V 2-3 and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. (This was the Amalekites returning the favor- David reaping what he sowed
- Speak to Israel but still applies- Hosea 10:13 You have plowed wickedness; You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, Because you trusted in your own way, In the multitude of your mighty men.
- What does it mean to you?
- Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
- Don’t pretend to yourself that you can continually sow sin and reap righteousness. wont work
- If you see that you are reaping destruction in your life, you have to ask yourself what you are sowing- I know a man whos pastor was asking for sin on his death bed-
- I have seen people who are living in constant unrepentant sin be sick, lose jobs, die, lose marriages, live in anger, frustration, depression, cant get traction in their life
- Why? They’ve been sowing destruction! Planting seeds of sin and destruction in their life
- Romans 2:1-10 READ
- You can’t sow thorns and expect fruit. Doesn’t work
- And the worst part? We reap what we sow based on our actions and then find ourselves in a pit of despair, wondering how we can get out of it?
- Often times we’re unwilling to admit the contribution to our own destruction, but sometimes our actions affect others, and then they turn on us. You end up in the place like…now what?
- So all these guys are coming to destroy David, his wife is taken captive, so what does he do?
- Strengthens himself in the Lord
- 6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
- This is Biblical- Eph 6:10 my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
- It says everyone else is distressed and fixing to stone him- but David “strengthened himself in the Lord” Its powerful to think “Strengthened HIMSELF”
- Sometimes- No one else is around- No one else is on your side. No one else is coming to help.
- You have to do it yourself- strengthen Yourself. No one else is going to do it for you
- Sounds great- of course- Find strength in the most high. But How do we do that?
- See- the beginning of David’s crying out to God was crying over the destruction
- His wives have been taken captive, his people are destroyed, the city is destroyed.
- 4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
- Some don’t know that kind of weeping. The empty cries that come from bottom of your soul
- tears don’t even exist. The crying doesn’t produce a sound. A deep guttural cry from your soul
- But here’s what I hope- I hope that these tears were more than frustration- I hope they were tears of remorse for how david had contributed to his own destruction
- 2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
- David is at that place. An empty place. He’s cried his last cry- sorrow for what he has done
- Principle one of Strength in the Lord- Godly Sorrow- admit you’ve failed
- Also- He’s not holding onto his own strength. He’s not ‘pulling himself up’ he’s emptying
- You can’t strengthen yourself in the Lord if you’re still holding onto your own strength
- If you’re going to strengthen yourself in the Lord you need to empty of “yourself”
- Principle two- Let go of your own plans- say “I’ve tried my way and failed”
- You cannot strengthen yourself in the Lord if you are still holding on to your own plans and purposes and living in constant unrepentant sin. It doesn’t work
- What does it mean to you?
- Sometimes you have to strengthen yourself in the Lord- No one else is going to do it for you
- Often times its because of your own doing, sometimes its not, but you find yourself alone
- But Really- there’s no one sitting around trying to make your life better- its on YOU
- Psa31:24 Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the Lord.
- Psalm 32 gives us a road map of Davids heart and how to strengthen past sorrow and empty
- This is a man who knows sorrow- Read the psalms and learn how to grow-
- Talk to God– 3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long.
- Acknowledge sin– 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
- Pray 6 For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters They shall not come near him.
- Worship– 7 You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah 11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
- Trust God-10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
- Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.
- Here’s the last part
- Once you’ve been strengthened- Keep depending on God
- David didn’t go back to his old ways- He went straight to God for his next step
- Read V 7-8
- When he had gone from sorrow, to empty finding strength he continued by depending on God
- He went to the Ephod which was the means from Hearing from God- and wanted whats next?
- What David figured out was that being filled by God wasn’t to go live for yourself.
- READ Psalm 27 This was the heart of David depending on God
- And David’s plan? I’m not going to walk in Fear. I’m going to focus on your promises
- How? Keep praising you in the Temple. I’m going to where the people are and I’m going to worship
- ALL THESE VERSES ARE FROM PSALM 27
- No Fear- I have been saved Why should I fear? Verse 1-3. No fear of the wicked. I am rescued
- Continual seeking of God v4
- Continual Temple Attendance- READ V4-5
- Continual life of Sacrifices v6
- Continual life of WORSHIP and PRAISE v6-7
- Continual seeking of God- v 8-9
- Continual dependence V 10
- Continual Learning of the statutes of God v11
- Continual asking of protection v12
- Continual belief- v13
- Continual Waiting on God v14
- What does it mean to you?
- The way you stay dependent on God is that you live depending on God!
- You don’t go back to your own strength and your own ways- You live in total dependence
- The cycle of Strength and sorrow is painful- like working out- You don’t finish it. You do it
- Strengthen yourself in the Lord
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