King David was recognized and honored by the Lord as a man after His own heart. Practicing repentance on an ongoing basis. Allowing the Lord’s truth to guide and encourage him. Enabling David to do great feats for the Lord’s glory.
As a teenager, King David confronted, defeated and beheaded the Philistine, Goliath. Nearly ten feet tall, Goliath taunted King Saul’s army for forty days.
Every morning and evening Goliath would shout.
Why are you all coming out to fight? I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me! 1 Samuel 17:8-10
For forty days no one had the courage to accept Goliath’s challenge. Not a single man, including King Saul stepped forward. One day while delivering provisions to his three brothers and the captain of King Saul’s army. David heard Goliath shout his obscene challenge.
David was indignant. How dare a heathen speak such words to God’s chosen people!
With boldness David approached King Saul and announced.
“Don’t let anyone be discouraged by him. Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!”
But Saul replied, “You can’t go fight this Philistine. You’re just a youth, and he’s been a warrior since he was young.”
David answered Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock. I went after it, struck it down and rescued the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur. Strike it down and kill it.
Your servant has killed lions and bears. This uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them for he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” 1 Samuel 17:32-37
David, unlike his fellow Hebrews believed the stories of old.
Believing the Lord is my Strength and my Song, and He has become my Salvation. Exodus 15:2
Believing He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Do not fear nor be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8
Believing you must decide once and for all to worship Him with all your heart and soul. And to obey everything in The Book of God’s Law. Deuteronomy 30:10
David’s years of solitude shepherding his father’s flock of sheep had trained him well. The lack of human interactions freed him to interact with his heavenly Father at will. Dependence on others was replaced with absolute trust in the Lord. By loving and caring for the sheep, he learned to set aside his own personal wants and needs.
You too can have David’s courage. Doing great exploits for God’s glory.
Believe God desires to help you.
But the Lord will not compete for your attention. He must be the focal point of you life. Taking precedence over everyone and everything.
You must
- learn to silence the desires of your flesh so you can say yes to the Lord’s purposes and plan for your life.
- adopt a worldview based on God’s righteousness— His Truth.
- throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life. Which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature. Created to be like God— truly righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:22-24
Believe you can hear the Lord’s voice.
Spend quality time with the Lord in that place called solitude. It is here where the Lord will teach you how to quiet your mind and emotions. So you hear only His voice.
A voice that is never silent because the heavens are telling of the glory of God. Their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night-to-night reveals knowledge. Psalm 19:1-2
The law of the Lord is perfect. Restoring the soul.
The testimony of the Lord is sure. Making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right. Rejoicing the heart.
The commandment of the Lord is pure. Enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean. Enduring forever.
The judgments of the Lord are true. They are righteous altogether. Psalm 19:7-9
Many fail to hear God’s voice because of their lifestyles. They believe the lie that solitude is something to be avoided, pitied or condemned. Instead they choose to
- fill their environments with noise because the quiet makes them uneasy.
- settle for relationships devoid of affection and respect. So you are never alone.
- treat illnesses with medication instead of rest.
You are daily assaulted by a multitude of voices. Clamoring for your attention.
Until you learn to hear the voice of the Lord and ignore the voices of this sinful world. You will be vulnerable to the devil’s schemes. Led astray from your Kingdom destiny.
Jesus understood the importance of solitude in spiritual transformation. Before beginning His ministry. The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. Where water, food and people were absent from His daily existence for forty days and nights.
During this time Jesus learned how to deny the wants and needs of His flesh. Totally depending upon God’s grace.
Yes, even Jesus had to learn how to overcome the desires of the flesh so that His Spirit could grow.
But if Jesus was the Son of God, this should have been automatic, effortless.
Not true! Like us, His flesh had a mind of its own. Jesus knew firsthand that the Spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak. Well acquainted with the pressures and problems that still plague man today.
If Jesus the Son of God had to continually keep His eyes focused on His Father.
Rely upon His Father’s grace and not His own willpower.
Re-energize His spirit by soaking in His Father’s presence so He would not grow weary or yield to sin.
Then believers must also do this.
It is in the place of solitude— separation from the world. Where you learn the art of surrender. Joyfully posting the “Please Disturb” sign on your heart. Inviting the Lord into every facet of your life.
As you draw nearer to the Lord. His majesty, divine power and truth transform you. Repentance becomes not only an act of spiritual maturity but intellectual enlightenment.
Be a VOICE shouting into the wilderness.
“CHRIST is returning!”
letsloveothers 