What do you do when you’re going along in life and things are going fine, you’re being blessed, your family is healthy and your company is prospering—when all of a sudden the bottom drops out?
(Your spouse tells you they want a divorce; or you find out one of your children is very sick; or maybe that your company is laying you off)
What do you do when the road you’re on suddenly takes an unexpected turn and you find yourself in a place you never thought you’d be in, facing a situation you’re not prepared to deal with?
Well that’s exactly what happened to David, the son of Jesse—
1 Samuel 30:1-4 (NKJV)
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, 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. 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. Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
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, 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. 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. Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
Ziklag means “winding road”—life is like that at times.
You’re going along fine, where everything seems like smooth sailing—when all of a sudden, the road you’re on takes a turn you didn’t see coming. Suddenly the things in life that matter most to you—your marriage and family, your health, or your security is suddenly gone—or at least is in danger of being taken from you.
So—how do you handle that? What do you do? To whom or to what do you turn for help and strength?
1 Samuel 30:6 (NKJV)
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.
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.
How did David strengthen himself in God? The same way we are to.
1. Remember that God is still on the throne (sovereign)
The first thing I believe David did, even if it’s not mentioned here but is standard operating procedure for all Spirit-filled believers, was to remind himself that—God is in control of every situation.
Psalms 42:5 (NKJV)
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.
When I’m facing a terrible problem, I can go on being depressed, discouraged and defeated or I can say to myself:
Psalms 40:1-3 (NKJV)
What’s wrong with you? God is still on the throne. He is with me in this circumstance. He will see me through this. I’m going to hope in Him and He will deliver me and put a new song of praise in my heart.
2. Take some time to quiet your heart in God’s presence.
The world takes refuge in pills and the bottle—but we in the Lord our God.
Psalms 27:14 (NKJV)
Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Isaiah 30:15 (NKJV)
“…In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”
“…In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”
When you’re facing terrible news don’t panic or rely on your own strength—spend some time in His presence and let Him calm and strengthen you.
3. Take refuge in His word and cling to His promises.
Joshua 1:8-9 (NKJV)
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Psalm 34:17-19 (NKJV)
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
4. Spend some time worshipping the Lord.
It doesn’t say in this passage that David praised the Lord in this trial—but if you know anything about David he had a heart of worship and praise. And so, I believe he spent a little time offering up praise to God in the midst of this horrible circumstance—praise for what God was going to do!
“But what if I don’t feel like praising God when I’m in the midst of a terrible circumstance?”—that’s why the Bible calls it a “sacrifice of praise”.
I have been encouraged and strengthened many times when facing difficult circumstances by taking time to get alone with God and putting on some worship music and praising Him.
Praising God for what He’s going to do—even before He does anything is a manifestation of faith which is essential if God’s power is going the flow into our lives and help us in our time of need.
5. Pray to God for guidance
1 Samuel 30:7-8 (NKJV)
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 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.”
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 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.”
So often when things take a turn for the worse in our lives—we spend most of the time trying to figure out how we’re going to fix the problem and we pray last, when prayer should be one of the first things we do.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.
6. Obey God completely and with all your heart in all He tells you to do (that’s what David did and look at the results)
1 Samuel 30:18-19 (NKJV)
So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all.
So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all.
David recovered all that the Amalekites carried away—not some, not most—but all. This is the Lord’s will for all of His children—He wants us to recover all that has been ripped off by sin and the devil. (stolen love, peace, joy etc.)
Now, I can’t guarantee that it will all be restored in this life but if not—it will be multiplied back to you in heaven someday. Until then—no matter how badly the enemy attacks you—keep on fighting until you gain the victory—don’t give up, but strengthen yourself daily in the Lord your God!
Pastor Phil
