Perception Of Preparation, Part 3of3, Pastor Phil Sessa

1Samuel 17:45 – 46, “Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

Have you ever looked back at your life and saw that God’s divine handprint was upon the battles that you faced? As we mature in the Lord we begin to discover that God is truly the One that is winning and bringing the victory. Even though you look back and see victory in your life, did you see victory when you were in the midst of battle? I’ve heard it said that hindsight is 20/20, meaning that we seem to see so clearly when looking back but not as clearly when we are going through something, because we are in the midst of a situation. Are you able to use the situations that God has brought you through as a springboard to propel you on to future victories?

Perception Of Preparation, Part 2of3, Pastor Phil Sessa

1Samuel 17:38-40, “38 So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand”

My wife and I went to a marriage retreat one year where the speaker shared a story from his marriage about how he cut carrots verses how his wife cut carrots. Whenever he would see his wife cutting carrots he would correct her, and instruct her to cut the carrots his way. She would do it for a time although feeling uncomfortable doing it his way. When he left the room, she usually returned to the way that she initially was cutting the carrots.

Perception Of Preparation, Part 1of3, Pastor Phil Sessa

1Samuel 17:36-37, “36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee”

Growing up, I lived about fifteen minutes away from a Seeing Eye dog training center called Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Now certain dogs are being trained to one day be prepared to serve as “eyes” for a blind person. Of course the dog doesn’t know this while it is going through the training, but one day it will walk in its purpose. Have you ever experienced a season of difficult times, unknown times, unsure times, whereby you truly did not realize at the time why you were going through the situation that you found yourself in?