David Grows Stronger While Saul Grows Weaker

How do we prevail in war? We do not go out to war because it suits us or appears good to us, but the path to victory lies in going forth boldly with the Word of God, regardless of how things may appear. When we forsake our thoughts like David did, know God’s Will and go forth boldly, God works through us and fulfills His Will.

Victory in War Lies with God Long ago, war broke out between the house of David and the house of Saul. But as the war carried on, David grew stronger while Saul grew weaker. Why was that? It was not because Saul lacked strategy or strength.

In Israeli’s war history, despite their strength in numbers, the Israelites lost battles if God was not with them. Conversely, despite their small numbers, they prevailed when God was with them. Victory in war lies with God, not man.

David Fought Placing His Faith in God When David fought in war, he always relied upon God, rather than on his own strategy, weapons or bows. He did so when he fought against bears and lions, and even more so when he fought Goliath. Goliath was very tall and strong and David was just a boy. But David had God in himself, and he believed in that God. David had the heart “Seeing that Goliath brings shame to God’s nation, God will surely deliver him into my hand!”, and ran out to what appeared to be a hopeless match and slew Goliath.

Saul Feared and Avoided the Philistine Army Saul was different. He relied not only upon God, but also on many human methods. God chose and anointed Saul, was with him and gave him the Holy Spirit. From then on, Saul was with God. But he did not believe God. The book of 2 Samuel chapter 13 talks about Saul waging war with the Philistines, and it says that the Philistines numbered “thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude.” But no matter how many chariots or soldiers they might have had, if God had fought for them, they would have prevailed. Saul could have won if he had gone out placing his faith in God, but he feared and avoided the Philistine army instead.

People of God Who Go Forth Relying upon God If David were fighting somebody similar to himself, he would not have had to rely upon God. However, he had no choice but to rely upon God when fighting against Goliath. David’s victory over Goliath was not due to his own strength, but through God’s strength. In this way, God permits great, formidable things to happen to us in order to make us rely upon Him. When such things befall us, we are afraid and tremble but we can prevail if we rely upon God. Only those who go forth relying upon God can be called the people of God.

Immediately after healing the lame man at the temple gate called Beautiful, Peter preached the gospel. The priests and those in charge of the temple who opposed the preaching of the gospel laid their hands on him and put him in custody. Then they threatened him to not speak nor teach in the name of Jesus. If Peter’s heart cowers in fear at this point, he can no longer preach the gospel. But he spoke in an even louder voice.

“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

In the past, Peter feared even the high priest’s servant girl, but now he is emboldened with faith in God. So then those who had laid their hands on him had nothing they could do, so they just let him go.

If You Continue Avoiding Burdens The people of God who are saved are not those who do things that are humanly doable. God desires to make us into the people of faith who can do things that are humanly undoable through faith in Him. The important thing is to know precisely how God works within us. Not knowing this precisely will lead us to live like Saul, avoiding and running from performing works of faith out of fear rather than striving forth towards faith. Such people consider the life of striving forth towards faith burdensome and cannot help but to become entrapped in difficult circumstances.

What is the path to victory in a fight? It is not the path that you take because it suits you or appears good to you, but the path that you take going forth boldly, having received the Word of God, regardless of how it appears to you. The people of God are those who forsake their thoughts and go forth boldly after having precisely discovered the will of God in the Word. God works through such people and fulfills His Will.

Let Us Go Forth Boldly like David Those who are saved have become whole through the blood of Jesus. All conditions have been provided so that they lack nothing for God to work through them. That is why we must not think “I am weak and lacking, so God will not work through me.” Now, like David, we only need to say, “God works! I just have to go forth with faith in God!” It is my hope that like David, we may glorify God by leading many souls to salvation.

#David #Saul #SermonforChildren