1Samuel 30:1-30, “…And David encouraged himself in the Lord”
There are people who may be present but not present to encourage you. That is why we always have to know who we turn to for encouragement and for strength to encourage ourselves in Him.
Psalm 27:13, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” Believe me very few people will encourage you to the level you need to be encouraged. When you know what you are going through, encourage yourself in the Lord, bring back to memory the good things the Lord has done in your life before, let them be a stepping stone for what you are trusting God for. Remember someone would wish to be in your situation since theirs may be worse than yours. Don’t sit and have a pity party, speak like Paul who said, “…for I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day”, 2Timothy 1:12. I’m not talking about positive thinking or positive outlook; I’m talking about speaking God’s word that is able to defeat the enemy of our souls. Jesus defeated the enemy in the desert by the word.
After David encouraged himself, was sober and had clear mind, the bible says, vs. 7, “Then David said to Abithar the priest, Abimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me”. And Biathar brought the ephod to David. Vs. 8 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “shall I pursue after my enemies?” It all comes back to seeking God for a new direction. Psalm 37:23 tells us, “The good steps of a righteous man are ordered of the Lord”. “Order” is to give directions, to command; that is what we need. Seek God’s direction in what you are dealing with, it’s through seeking Him that you are led as you become obedient, wise, and have faith as you realize that without Him, you can do nothing.
David needed to know from the Lord if he could go after his enemies and if victory would accompany them. Vs. 8, “And He answered Him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all”, Amen. When God gives us an okay to go after our enemies, regardless of how the battle may look or sound one thing we need to keep in the back of our minds, we have won. It’s like you already have an “A” for an exam you are about to sit for. It may be so difficult, you may not have the answers and time may be running out. We need to remember in the back of our minds the victory is already won.
David and his men left to pursue after their enemies. Out of the 600 men, 200 men became feeble and tired on the way and couldn’t move anymore after their enemies. Don’t be discouraged when some people who were to help you fight became feeble and stopped pursuing, the battle is not ours but the Lords. In Vs. 16-19, they finally caught up with the enemy, David and his now 400 men fought the battle and won. Vs 18, “So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. 19 and nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons and daughter, spoil or anything which they had taken from them, David recovered all”. What a great recovery to everything from the smallest to the greatest. I could stop at the restoration however God did much more than that, He also gave them ”DOUBLE FOR TROUBLE” Vs. 15, the Amalekites did not only invade Ziklag, they invaded Philistine and Judah and they took their goods and besides that, the enemy was already rich for this was a strong army. David and his men recovered what belonged to them and took all that the enemy had gathered from Philistine and Judah and also what belonged to the enemy.
I now know that God does give us double for our trouble, more than what we have lost. They had so much that they ended up giving some to friends and relatives. How it is a blessing to be used by God to reach others after you have gone through so much. What they went through humbled them and brought them closer to one another. Though the four hundred men did not want to share what they had gathered with the two hundred left behind, David once again steps in and encourages them to share. After this episode, I would say their faith increased, they saw how their leader handles things under pressure when he turned disappointments into appointments. Some of us would not be where we are if we never had major setbacks in our lives and how God turned our disappointments into appointments. He continues to use situations to build us and bless us that we may in turn advance His kingdom for His glory. Blessings Ev
He Has Magnified His Word 