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| Velocity |
Scripture speaks! It has the life of God in it and it delivers wisdom to us! Going back to previous readings of David and Goliath, I was held on that which was for a “cause”.
Now in 1
Samuel 17 we find the Philistines armies are gathered for conflict! What
represented the zeal of that army was held in one man, the giant Goliath. He,
no doubt, took his stand seriously just because of his own size! David appears
when instructed is bringing from his father, some food to those fighting on the
front-line.
In 1 Samuel
17 and verse 29 David speaks, “ Is there not a cause?” David was willing to
fight for the “cause” and that which meant he stood against that which profaned
the name of his God! 1 Samuel 17 and verse 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. And he drew near to the Philistine.
41 So the Philistine came and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore
the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him;
for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. 43 So the Philistine said to
David, “am I a god, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed
David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will
give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” 45 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 there is
a God in Israel."
1 Samuel
17:47 Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword
and spear; for the battle is the LORD’S, and He will give you into our hands.”
48 So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David,
that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 Then
David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck
the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank in his forehead, and he
fell on his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a
sling and a stone and struck the Philistine and killed him. but there was no
sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran and stood over the
Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut
off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was
dead, they fled.
The “cause”
done in the Lord’s name for His cause.
Where did
the sword end up? Well David did not keep it with him to broadcast about the
event! The sword was kept with the priests in Nob.
1 Samuel
21: 6 so the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the
showbread which had been taken from before the LORD in order to put hot bread
in its place on the day when it was taken away. 7 Now a certain man of the
servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD. And his name was
Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul 8 And David
said to Ahimelech, “Is there not here on hand a spear or sword? For I have
brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me because the king’s business
required haste.” 9 So the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine,
whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, there it is wrapped in a cloth behind
the ephod. If you will take that, take it. For there is no other except that
one here. And David said, “ There is none like it; give it to me.”
That sword
had been the property of Goliath and was used against him because of his
arrogance and his hardened heart toward God. David had left his place in
serving next to the king Saul as the king was always about killing David. Yes,
the king the people chose was out to get David because he did not like David
getting all the praise and the attention of the people.
1 Sam.
18:6-9 ,10-11 Now it had happened as they were coming home when David was
returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of
all the cities of Israel, singing & dancing to meet King Saul, with
tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments. 7 So the women sang as they
danced, and said: Saul has slain his thousands & David his ten thousands.”
8 Then Saul was very angry & the saying displeased him; & he said,
“they have ascribed to David ten thousands & to me they have ascribed only
thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul eyes (was suspicious about
him) David from that day forward.
1 Sam. 18:10-11 And it happened on the next day that the distressing
spirit from God came upon Saul and he prophesied inside the house. So David
played music with his hand, as at others times; but there was a spear in Saul’s
hand. 11 And Saul cast the spear for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!”
But David escaped his presence twice .
In 1 Samuel
21:1-9 it is a distressed David who goes into the tabernacle of God that was at
Nob. Because of the fury of Saul, he knew the prophet Samuel could not help
him, nor Saul’s son Jonathan. So David went to the priest for bread and a
sword. He seeks safety and the direction in a difficult and dangerous situation
with king Saul. Oppression had appeared to David!
An example
that reveals that comfort can come to us in a day of trouble, the giant
slayer, David accomplished with God’s
help and it was God's will that David sought in his moment of dire straits. Though he was known
for his great faith and courage, yet now he was a man in fear revealing his
faith was weak. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 Therefore let him who thinks he stands
take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is
common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond
what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape,
that you may be able to bear it.
God allows
or permits testing to see where our faith and character reside. God desires us
to be strengthened in Him. But the adversary, the devil desires this testing to
bring destruction to man. Certainly today we are seeing the righteous man
tested. And with the oppression, the wise can do foolishly. We require that
closeness with God as David had.
David
begged two things: bread and a sword.
Leaving his
home and the work before him, David left without a weapon. And true the sword
of Goliath was here hidden behind an ephod of the priests. You and I are
furnished with the sword of the Spirit and the shield of faith. We have Holy Spirit power operating within us but do we release it?
Ephesians
6:10-18 NKJV 10 Finally, my brethren, be
strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of
God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do
not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand. 14 Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on
the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the gospel
of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able
to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of
salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this
end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints---19 and for me,
that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make
known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains;
that in it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.
David had
to grow in faith and so do we! He got the sword and he did so when the time of proof or proving was seen
that he had strength and stature as the mature man to wield a sword because God
had taught his hands to war, so he could do wonders: Psalm 18: 34 he teaches my
hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. Psalm 144: 1-2 Blessed be the LORD my rock, Who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for
battle-----2 My loving-kindness and my fortress, my high tower and my
deliverer, my shield and the One in whom I take refuge.
You and I
are to be those singing soldiers in terms of those spiritual realities, that we
are enlightened by the word of God and by prayer. We take our place in that
which has chosen the Lord and His ways. It is in our Conduct and our Character
where we will either shine for Him or something else: Philippians 1: 27-30 ..
27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I
come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast
in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28
and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of
perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has
been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to
suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me &
heard is in me.
The matured will not be terrified by what is appearing on the street!
Embracing Jesus the manifested Word of God is embracing this life now in His truth that involves a walk of faith for Jesus’ sake. We are to know with confidence that He is present with us amid suffering, persecutions or tribulations. Our conduct should describe our citizenship that is located within the kingdom of God.
Let
us be those who submit to Him, to rely on the Holy Spirit by depending on the
very promises of God daily. Let us act in accordance to what has been given us from heaven. You and I are not Wonder Woman nor are we Ironman. You
and I cannot deflect bullets off the bracelets that may be on our wrist but we
can wield the word of God and pray by the Spirit of God and see His kingdom
come today in our lives. You and I are Christians whose hearts are set for
courage and great faith for God reveals the evidence of the spiritual ruin of
any adversaries and of their future without God in it.
Like David,
we too must mature and become what God purposed for us to do for His glory. David
had to grow up to carry a big sword. For us, we must know what is within us and
how to activate. It is that of God that should be holding our hearts!
It will be
a faith activated action, a strength that is tangible that cannot moved from
God’s hand and it is of a velocity wonder woman cannot employ nor can iron man apprehend. For this is done in God that moves at the speed of the sound
of my voice and yours speaking God’s promises. It moves in the direction of God
that is of life and is seen in a magnitude of moving mountains. We move in the
swiftness of the Holy Spirit to see that kingdom of God that is done with peace
and prayer. It is enveloped in His love and His grace and we shine……….to the
full light of day in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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