David, a Man After God's Own Heart

2 Samuel 3:1

Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

There comes a time we come against many things in life, just like David, who seemed to be fighting many battles all through his life. According to our opening verse, even though war kept facing David, we see him growing stronger and stronger. How can we get stronger and stronger, regardless of the many battles that keep facing us? Let's pick a few lessons from the story of David.

1. David was a praise and worshiper. He used to praise God in the spirit, spontaneously, which is why we see many of his songs in the book of Psalms. This is the key to us getting stronger and stronger. There are many things that may be facing you; choose to worship and praise God, even in your situation. Don't focus on how you look or what people may think about you; praise Him anyhow, and this is what will cause you to grow stronger and stronger. Choose to glorify God and praise His name. Praise and worship causes you to focus on God 

Psalms 121:1-2

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? ² My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Jehoshaphat won his battle by praising God throughout the battle (2 Chr. 20). We should be  worshipers and praisers that even praise and worship while feeling sick, praise that causes the sickness to flee from our bodies. We ought to worship and praise God, acknowledging His power in our lives, knowing that without Him we can't do anything. It's only you who knows what's going on in your life, so only you can worship and praise God for what He has done for you and has revealed Himself to you to be. People may look at you weirdly, and talk about you, but you'll keep growing stronger and stronger, as you praise and worship God. David knew how to acknowledge the power of God in his life.

Psalm 150:1-6

Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! ² Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! ³ Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! ⁴ Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! ⁵ Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals! ⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Don't just wait for Sunday to praise God. Worship and praise God at your home, on the road, at work, etc. You can praise God from anywhere, at any time. Open your heart and allow God to make it a heart of worship.

2. David never forgot the deeds of God.

Forgetfulness caused the children of Israel to roam in the wilderness for 40 years. David, on the other hand, never forgot the deeds of God, all though. This is why he kept growing stronger and stronger. Don't forget what God has done for you. The same God who delivered you then, is the one who will deliver you now. David remembered how God delivered him from the lion and the bear.

1 Samuel 17:34-37

 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, ³⁵ I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” ³⁷ Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

Remembering the deeds of God will stir up your faith, and you'll be stronger and stronger, to believe God for greater and greater things. Never forget the doings of the Lord.

3. Choose not to fight for yourself

It might not be easy, but choose not to fight for yourself. Don't defend yourself. God will defend you, and fight for you. David had many opportunities to revenge for himself and lay his hands on Saul, but he always chose not to.

1 Samuel 24:1-12

Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, “Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.” ² Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats. ³ So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.) ⁴ Then the men of David said to him, “This is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.’” And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. ⁵ Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. ⁶ And he said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.” ⁷ So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way.

 

⁸ David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down. ⁹ And David said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’? ¹⁰ Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ ¹¹ Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. ¹² Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.

In another instance, Saul was asleep with his men, and David could have easily killed him; yet he chose not to (1 Sam. 26:1-25). He let God fight for him. In the same manner, let's choose to allow God to fight for us. No matter what people have done to you, maybe even talking evil against you, don't try to fight for yourself and attack the person. God wants us to be like David, better yet like Jesus, who no matter what Saul did to him, even felt guilty when he cut off the hem of his robe, as he'd resolved in his heart that it is God Who would fight for him.

Later on, when Saul and Jonathan had died, we see David weeping and mourning, even killing the person who alleged to killing Saul (2 Sam. 1:1-16). David did not spare the one who alleged to killing his 'enemy'. David had God's heart for sure. I'm sure not many people would have cried when people who used to try to kill them died. Let's be a people with God's heart, of loving our enemies and wishing them good, always allowing God to fight for us.

4. David was a man of contrite and broken heart

He knew how to humble himself before God, and maintain a contrite and broken heart. When he sinned, he knew how to break himself before God and repent. David knew how to cry before the Lord. Many of us brush off sin, when we sin against of God, dismissing it as small. David saw sin how God saw it, and broke himself before God in repentance. Let humility and brokenness come from our heart, knowing that God really knows our hearts. He sees the depths of our hearts. Let's have sincere brokenness before the Lord, allowing Him to mold in us a broken and contrite heart.

Psalm 34:18

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Psalms 51:17 

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.

It is my prayer that all of us will embrace the heart that was in David, choosing to walk in humility, always allowing God to fight for us.

5. Choose to seek from the Lord always

Don't lean on your own understanding. Sometimes men's help may come in handy, but the Lord's help is always the best. David, even when it seemed obvious to do something, always sought the Lord. When it seemed obvious to pursue his enemies, he still sought from the Lord whether to do it. Even if you're in a fix, hold on and ask from the Lord. Ask Him what to do in the situation.

Sometimes we wake up and want to do what our minds tells us to do, yet the Lord's ways are the best. He knew what was best for Elijah, and sent him to the Zarephath widow, who had the small dough and oil left for him and his son, and though this doesn't seem like much help, it was still God's best for Elijah and the family of the widow (1 Ki. 17). God may give you a solution that doesn't seem much in the physical eye, but in God's eyes it's the best.

1 Samuel 23:1-4

Then they told David, saying, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are robbing the threshing floors.” ² Therefore 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.”

David inquired of the Lord, then heard a contrary word from his men, then inquired of the Lord again, who reassured him to pursue. When you've sought the Lord, and hear a contrary voice, seek Him again, and He'll reassure you. Always go with what God tells you, regardless of what people are telling you.

1 Samuel 30:1-8

Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, ² 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. ⁴ Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. ⁵ And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive. 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.

 

⁷ 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.”

David had gone to help the Philistines, and when he'd come back found that the Amalekites had attached his home town, and taken captive his and his men's wives, sons and daughters. It seemed obvious that he should pursue the men who did this; yet he still asked God whether to pursue them or not, as at the end to Him God's Word is what mattered.

Even when it seems obvious on what to do, still seek from the Lord what He wants you to do, then move at His Word.

It's my prayer that God will work on our hearts, getting us to a place of waiting on Him, trusting in Him, being true worshipers and praisers, always remembering His deeds and blessings (thus not being murmurers and complainers), and always hold on to know what God wants for our lives. 

You are blessed!

-- Sister Beverline Andati

Sunday Morning Exhortation, Teaching Transformation Ministry. 

Sister Beverline is a member of the Praise and Worship Team, at Teaching Transformation Ministry. We are located along the Thika-Ruai Flyover Junction (at the Thika Rd./ Bypass intersection), Next to Eastgate Restaurant.