By Zethu Zwane
David is such an amazing character in the Bible and someone you can draw inspiration. That’s because there are several things that separate him from Saul’s actions. David’s actions mirror what God seeks in you, and there’s power in learning how to do the same. God seeks you to love Him with all your heart and all your mind.
When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” [10] David said, “Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. [11] Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will.”
1 Samuel 23:9-11 NIV
God is seeking someone who’ll revere Him, fear and love Him and Love and obey Him. It’s astonishing that in fear God places love showing you that fearing Him comes from a deep place of love where you want to do something for God above your own needs. Even in adversity and disunity, you’ll seek to do what God commands. This is what it means to love and fear God.
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And David was not perfect because the devil tempted him and David fell in that snare. Yet upon realising that David was misled, David takes full responsibility for his actions and asks God to punish only him. How commendable. Now before you read this chapter, take a look at 1st Samuel 30 where David defeats the Amalekites. David always brings the ephod and asks God for God’s permission before setting out to fight.
David replied, “Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever I set out. The men’s bodies are holy even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!” [6] So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the Lord and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.
1 Samuel 21:5-6 NIV
Keeping yourself righteousness by doing the smallest tasks
Not only this but in the previous chapters, David’s men and himself kept themselves pure from women, so they could be presented holy before God. What a remarkable act. What captured me this morning was 1st Samuel 30:18. The Philistines had raided David’s camp and taken all the women, children and animals. At first the men were devastated, but David found courage in God and brought the ephod to pray.
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.” Abiathar brought it to him, [8] and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.
1 Samuel 30:7-8 NIV
Here’s the best growth opportunity; before making plans always pray to God for direction. And recently I’ve been learning this life lesson. I prayed a few prayers 3 years ago, 2 years ago, 15+ years ago, and a year ago that I’m only seeing today. I especially love this one prayer where God answered. He didn’t give me what I wanted, but He showed me how to do it. God won’t answer prayers that will become a snare. I’m so grateful for this truth. Yet before I go deeper into it here, let’s turn back to David.
David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
1 Samuel 17:45 NIV
David never moved without God’s blessing. What a commendable growth opportunity you can take today; to live your life according to God’s will and timing. And look everything God said He would do, He did for David to completion. Remember in Deuteronomy 28, God said He would bless you in the city and bless you in the country. God’s blessings are long, and you see them unfold in David’s life.
This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.
1 Samuel 17:46 NIV
David’s testimony says God is a Savior who’ll do it Twice
I especially love 1st Samuel 30:18 because it says that David recovered everything that the Amakelites had taken. Not a woman was harmed along the way. Not an animal missing. I loved this moment because it mirrored the fulfilment of God’s promise. In Joshua 21:43-45 God fulfilled every promise to the Israelite without missing anything. He did it all to completion, and you see this again with David.
So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. [44] The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. [45] Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
Joshua 21:43-45 NIV
This season I’ve loved seeing that Elohim is a God who’ll do it twice. He’s a God who never fails; there’s no 1 like Him. I enjoyed seeing the parallel moments because in 1 season it’s God who delivers to completion and in the next season it’s David’s commitment to God that leads to complete deliverance. Yet God is the blessing that gives you victory in each season.
Waiting on God helps you see that God’s the source to all your provision
Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. [20] But the herders of Gerar quarreled with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him.
Genesis 26:19-20 NIV
You see that God is the source of your blessing in Isaac’s story. Isaac found land with a well, and each time God blessed that well. It overflowed and people became jealous. They stole Isaac’s land 3 times until he settled in the 4th land. That must have been tiring, but look; the blessing is God! Praise God for being the blessing in your life. I know I didn’t write about Ruth, but even Ruth shows you the gift of having God in your life.
He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.
Genesis 26:22 NIV
Although I’ll write Ruth’s story here, I want to cherish David’s commitment to God by just going back a couple of chapters to see what God wants in you. Here’s a summary of loving God with all Your heart , body and mind. From their time in the wilderness, the Isrealites have received many commandments from God about loving, fearing, obeying and trusting God.
Numbers 9: When the Lord becomes the Pillar of Coud in your life
Recall this morning Bible study where I learned the power of the wilderness. God is like the pillar of cloud during the day and the pillar of fire at night that moves with you. This pillar is there to direct your steps and make your way clear. It parts the Red sea for you to cross. It delivers manna to you, so you’ll never grow hungry. All of this is purposeful because God as the pillar is weaning you off the idols and pleasures of this world.
Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord’s command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. [21] Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. [22] Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. [23] At the Lord’s command they encamped, and at the Lord’s command they set out. They obeyed the Lord’s order, in accordance with his command through Moses.
Numbers 9:20-23 NIV
Take the moment to remember that by following the cloud, you’ll no longer thirst for the things of this world. Instead you’ll gain strength by relying on God. Unlike the world that’s cursed under the banner of buy and sell, God has redeemed you with the highest price. You’re no longer chained and condemned to the things of this world, but you’re set free by the Lord God. In the story of Ruth, a Boaz had to free Noami by marriage, but God frees you with just His name.
I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” “I will redeem it,” he said.
Ruth 4:4 NIV
Yahweh’s name is the well that overflows without end. Jehovah’s power is the source where you’ll find redemption and restoration that’s not limited to human power or authorities. This is the glory of God. He’s worthy of praise because He chose you before you even thought about Him.
But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. [16] Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; [17] for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them. [18] Though while they live they count themselves blessed— and people praise you when you prosper—
Psalms 49:15-18 NIV
Obedience Commanded
When I think about obeying God, I recently learned that it’s far more important than sacrifice. I learned this lesson during my morning Bible reading. What’s more this verse is also closely related to another bible verse. There’s a Bible verse that says do not turn to your right and to your left or go back.
So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. [33] Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.
Deuteronomy 5:32-33 NIV
Another verse continues to say press forward without looking back, and this verse is relevant now. Today, there’s so many people following new age religious practices like the law of attraction and affirmations.
Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,
Hebrews 6:1 NIV
Like the Isrealites, God has delivered you from countless issues, but these false idols dangle in front of you. I’ve mentioned this before that false idols dangle in front of you due to a pervasive message. Celebrities, politicians and successful people are all declaring that affirmations work. People have built entire businesses teaching you how to draw this power within, and all have forsaken God.
And you see this when Saul consults a medium to retrieve Samuel from the dead. At this point of the Bible, I’m guessing God has allowed Samuel’s spirit to come up to reveal that God has left Saul to the devil. You can assume you because there’s a Bible verse in the New Testament saying God has left you to your evil devices because you refuse to follow His commands.
David is an example to prays and searches God with all your heart and strength before acting
Contrast this to David who prays to God asking for permission before setting out to fight. When you look at these 2 verses together, the Old Testament serves to show you the fall of man. Then the New Testament continues this by declaring once more what God seeks in you. And it’s all the same; that you’ll obey Him, and that obedience is better than sacrifice.
Again obedience is a command that continues regardless of whether it’s in the Old testament. That’s because obedience is submitting to God’s authority and instruction. Yet forsaking God leads to consequences like those you saw when the Isrealites didn’t remove all roots of wickedness.
Similarly as Christians, you’ll live among pagans who accept all things that God will punish in Revelations. Consequently, it’s your command to move away from all wickedness and cling to God.
Love the Lord your God
This is a command that will never fade regardless of Christ dying on the cross for you. That’s because you’ve seen in my other blog posts that we all subscribe to something. If you’re not intentional about your life, you’ll end up subscribing to life values that have forsaken God. Just like those writers in Nineveh who ignored that these saved people were chosen by God. By ignoring that God chose Noah, they disregard God’s power and authority.
This kind of arrogant foolishness is leading many to judgement. Yet while we’re on this earth, it’s a Christian’s duty to call out these beliefs, so you save someone from the shackles of hell. It’s my hope today that you’ll read David’s story as 1 depiction of someone who loved the Lord with all his heart, soul and strength. That’s because when David’s men were hopeless, David found courage in God.
Likewise, you’ll face countless obstacles in your journey, and God’s hope is that you’ll unsubscribe from worldly beliefs that say “hustle harder,” or grind yourself to illness. Instead God is your eternal Rock where you can find rest. In Christ, you’ll subscribe to a Word that says the battle belongs to God. I love those seasons when you overcome hardship through prayer.
That’s because your simple act of bannering around Jehovah Nissi leads to bountiful leaps and gains. Unlike man, God’s foolishness is even above the wisest person. As a result, if God is for you, who can be against you. And David’s story demonstrates this through his strength in God. God is the source of your blessing and strength.
Allow God to use the Wildness to strengthen your faith in Him
God is the One who pours out wisdom like He did for the tailors in Exodus, allowing you to do great and mighty things in the Lord. That’s why my hope for you today is to find strength in God no matter your circumstances. My biggest testimony is clinging to God whether in lack or abundance because no matter the season He is faithful. In lack, God truly demonstrates that He provides for those who are poor, and that He’ll bless your food and water preventing illness.
Why wouldn’t you love the Most High God? This is why you don’t only want to subscribe to God’s Kingdom. No, I dare you to submit all your plans, desires and goals to God. Tie these bible verses onto your heart, and do not turn to the right or or the left. No matter who’s ahead of you in life, seek His kingdom first. My biggest growth opportunities come from countless human failures. In those failures, I learned many people have made plans, but countless don’t include Him.
You can take a different turn today. Seek the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength. Yes we all sin, but never allow your sin to be falsehoods. Hate falsehoods as much as God hates them. Stay with God by finding a Godly community that will give you His Word, which is living waters. Do bible studies on topics you don’t understand, so you’re like David. David was quick to ask for forgiveness, and that’s a heart that’s after God.
Do not forget the Lord
The wilderness is the best season to be exposed and molded. I encourage you to never shy away when your idols are exposed. Whenever this occurs, take a moment to reflect. If you need to remain silent do so, but remember there’s no condemnation in Christ Jesus. Follow this silence with asking for forgiveness or surrendering whatever exposed idol.
God uses the wilderness to expose your heart and to purge you of your idols and desires. God has predestined your life; all billions of people across the world are under God’s dominion. That means there’s a plan for each and every one of us. Not only this, but God knew that there would be poor people in this world, so He made provisions and commands about sharing His inheritance.
Consequently, part of not forgetting God is walking in obedience with God. I believe you can see what that looks like in Romans. That’s because it’s the foundation to how a Christian should live. Place these 2 together and you’ll understand why God took you through the wilderness. While I was praying, I came across many people who declared God when they succeeded.
God uses the Wildness to teach you and prevent you from forsaking Him
Very soon people who’ve succeeded forget those days when they had nothing just like the Isrealites. Their success has multiplied to the point that they treat their business like the well that overflows. Yet God is the source of multiplying your provisions. Knowing this and keeping a circle of friends who keep you humble will help you cling onto God. Reading the bible and attending church will deepen your wisdom.
Lately I’ve been thinking about my friend’s job. They work in customer service, and my friend alway comes back with the wildest stories. Although I’m very sarcastic about her stories, it still frightens me to hear the following. There was a successful customer who enjoyed throwing food at the waitresses. Even when nothing went wrong, they always kicked and threw food or drinks.
The successful customer reasons with their actions saying everyone must stop what they’re doing when they enter the restaurant. Two things shock and concern me about this moment. I’ve met someone who had this kind of arrogance whereby whenever they entered a church, the pastor must stop and greet them. Not only this, but the pastor’s wife must escort them that day. Before you ask, yes it’s the person’s first day at this church. And yes this person is a bus boy.
Arrogance doesn’t need you to be successful to be a snare in your life
Now the last thing that concerned me from my friends’ stories. While watching this overbearing customer, a young 23 year old woman said she can’t wait to be like this customer. And you can tell in her eyes she meant she can’t wait to be successful, so she can throw food at people. I say this because she used to do this to my friend. This 23 year old couldn’t wait for success, so she started to do it now.
“My power and strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me,” is a statement you’ll expect from the wealthy, yet Look at the examples above. A bus boy demands to be escorted by the church’s first Lady. He demands the priest stop a sermon when he enters the room. Now I’ll be honest when I was listening to this bus boy, and how he moved to 7 different churches because they refused to comply, the human in me reacted.
I responded very superficially; Lord don’t make me like him when I’m promoted,” which is in itself arrogant. That’s because you don’t know the depths of your heart. All of us have shortcomings and the wilderness is the best place to expose these limitations. Some of you will stop attending a particular church because God has stripped you of all your worldly possessions.
God will use the wilderness to expose certain actions are done out of arrogance
You stopped attending that church because you’re now wearing humble clothes and can no longer wear your favourite makeup. And what an unfortunate thing if you don’t go back to that church. It’s very possible that by going back, you’ll learn your first growth opportunity; that your strength is not in your possessions but in God. Secondly God stripped you of those earthly possessions to expose that you only go to church when you can adorn yourself with these possessions.
Do not forget the Lord your God is what this Wilderness season will teach you. At first your arrogance will fight you because you’re accustomed to glaring at people. Yet the power of the wilderness will purge you of all arrogance. All you need to do is return to that church you left due to humiliation. Past your humiliation is reconsecrating your life to God. Remove all sources of arrogance that led you to glare and belittle people.
God gives to the poor and wealthy. Yet now you worship your home. You worship your car and you worship your clothes. It was a good thing the Lord God stripped you of all these things, so you’ll humble yourself and learn to sit with people. Remove this spirit of comparisons and grandiose behaviour, so that God will deliver you from the wildness.
Don’t miss the chance to grow by demolishing all your idols and desires
Yet if you stay away from that church, and begin following false prophets, you’ve lost the chance to see the glory of God. Ask yourself, how many Christians are leaving the church because they can’t flex their expensive dresses? Why run when you can learn from King Nebuchadnezzar.
Don’t limit your time to the wilderness by moving to new churches that never knew you for your expensive dresses. Don’t you know God searches and knows your heart. That means you can’t hide your true intentions from God. Even if God exposes your true actions a year from now, thank God and give back to that church you left.
I take these moments like when a child breaks their mom’s favourite dish. Sooner or later mom will ask about it, so you might as well get it over and done with by confusing. By admitting you broke it, you’ll immediately return to good standing with your mom. How much more your Creator, who doesn’t have to search long to get the reason. He watched your reasoning unfold long before that morning when you left for another church.
Whenever you’re exposed, thank God that you’re saved by Grace to admit your guilt and turn to God
What now? Aren’t you and I like children to God? Don’t be like Adam and Eve and hide your idols and desires. Lay them at the cross. Thank God they’re exposed and demolish all idols. Then go back and sit in that church that once knew your expensive clothes. Sit in the church and do like Deuteronomy 8 says; after you’ve eaten and you’re satisfied, thank The Lord God.
Thank God that all you possess is from Him. That He’s the Lord who gives and takes. And it’s not up to you when He gives. Even if you’re not like the above examples and you’re blameless like Job, continue to praise God.
These examples are many in the Bible to ensure us God holds all dominion in the heavenly and on this earth. In the wilderness you’ll see just how much God has saved you from things known and unknown. God will be your guiding light in uncertainty and He’s your healer when you’re sick. That’s why it’s important not to forget God after the wilderness. He has purified you from your idols and desires, saving you from forsaking Him.
Loving those who were or are against you
There’s so much to gain from this one small act, but that’s a followup blog. Now I want to leave you with a precious reminder. In this chapter it says David had men who were afraid. David went with 600 men, but 200 were afraid and didn’t go fight with him. Not only were they afraid, but they became evil and unkind in their hearts. It’s such a big thing when the bible describes someone as evil. Anyway when David won, he didn’t withhold the Lord’s plunder from those who were wicked toward him.
What a beautiful testimony and reminder. It’s so heartwarming to see reflections of Jesus in David’s actions because David remembered that this plunder belongs to the Lord. As a result David shared with those who were for him and against him. What a beautiful reminder to love your enemies and to show goodness to those who curse you. That’s because as always victory and judgement belong to God.
Profound moments are always found in subtle actions. While rereading this verse I realised just how arrogant Saul was. In early chapters every time Saul’s men went for battle, Saul always threatened people and if you go back to those chapters, the threats are me-centred. And I say this because saying; “In Lord’s name,”doesn’t mean you really committed this fight to God. A very subtle difference between these men had led to profound differences.
The little actions you take matter to the bigger picture
I’m reminded of the time when Saul prohibited everyone from eating until they defeated the enemy. Look how this instruction became a snare for Jonathan who’s Saul’s son. And I remember reading those moments being like where’s God here? Only to be reminded when you read David’s story that people can make plans and slapstick God on it.
Saul said let the Lord be with you, but every plan was Saul-centred. Will you turn your plans to God and move only when He’s commanded it? I know this is a moment to grieve, but I love God because He perfectly weaves these stories side by side, showing you one king who claims he has God and turns out all his plans are Saul-centre;. Contrast this with David who seeks God using the ephod before fighting
Not only this, David is actually humble. He didn’t threaten his men before going out to war, but kept himself holy even before war. If reading this moment doesn’t make you stop for a moment to be like; “Lord I want to be like David! Lord teach me,” I’ll see you in 5 years! Okay jokes aside but how beautiful a testimony.
Will you take today, make yourself holy to banner around God
And you didn’t need God to say Saul was arrogant. Just read the Bible and highlight that Saul used threats before war, and David made himself holy and bannered before God before war. There’s just so much to take in from this little verse. Now I understand what God was saying when He removed all my speed, so I can pay attention to the little things. The little actions matter to the bigger picture.
Let me leave you with this wonderful ending today in hopes that even after facing adversity and hardships, that you’ll share with those you didn’t share with you. The bible tells you never treat people how they treated you, and this moment is what God was declaring when He commanded the Isrealites to share in His inheritance. You’re given subtle reminders through David’s actions.
Finally David shows you what it means to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and strength because his love and fear of God leads him to share with everyone. This is your command today and every season. I know it can be difficult to share with those who’ve slandered you, but keep doing it. Very soon you’ll have a heart like Christ Jesus because you committed to even the impossible things like forgiveness.
What a beautiful moment it will be when you’ve overcome feelings of resentment because you chose the Lord God during the impossible. Even when fear surrounded you and everything looked bleak, you waited on God and kept praying. David teaches us a valuable lesson that’s still relevant today even as we live under the power of Grace. This is a life of Breakthroughs.
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