IS THERE A SOLDIER IN THE HOUSE
Text: 1 Samuel 22:1-5
A new day. A new start. Decision time for some. I had reached a point of unlimited potential in ministry – had a beautiful family, a good church, all was well and the I was awakened by a naysayer at a conference. I remember 2 years ago as I was sitting at a church last fall and someone overheard me state that I was pastoring at E. Gadsden COG. To my surprise the gentleman said, “that’s the last place that I would want to pastor – you won’t like it” Bad news for them – I not only like it, but I have no plans of leaving any time soon – we are setting anchors to be here for a while”. God delivered the vision and we have tried to adhere to it. All I can say is:
God Is Faithful!
vs. 1a, “David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam.”
David had strangled a lion, slain a giant, and has overcome 200 Philistines, but now he is overcome by fear. He has escaped here as an outlaw, a rebel.
He is running –
It seems that in today’s society there are many people who are running away from the troubles they face.
1. Children run away from home because their parents mistreat them.
2. Employees leave their jobs because they are not respected or paid what they are worth.
3. People walk away from friendships because some need is not being met. Marriages break up for many reasons.
4. Pastors leave churches running from problems and members do the same.
5. In many cases there is good reason to dissolve such a relationship.
6. There are people in the world that are abusive and unfaithful.
7. However, there are times we run for the wrong reasons. We are selfish and run because we want to find a place where things work more for our favor.
David is running and has escaped to a place of safety and seclusion. He needed some rest and quiet – he was exhausted physically and no doubt mentally. The cave became a place of earnest supplication.
Let’s look at Psalms 142
1) He sought for forgiveness.
2) He sought protection from his enemies.
3) He sought deliverance from his prison – we all have prisons – doubts, sickness, persecution, loneliness,
It was a place to learn to respond to his PROBLEMS.
The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you, depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring. Here are five ways God wants to use the problems in your life:
1. God uses problems to DIRECT you. Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention? Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways (Proverbs 20:30).
2. God uses problems to INSPECT you. People are like tea bags...if you want to know what’s inside them, just drop them into hot water! Has God ever tested your faith with a problem? What do problems reveal about you? When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience (James 1:2-3).
3. God uses problems to CORRECT you. Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It’s likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something... health, money, a relationship ... by losing it. The loss may have been the best thing that could have happened, for it teaches us to pay attention to God’s laws (Psalm 119:71-72).
4. God uses problems to PROTECT you. A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. (Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem – but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management’s actions were eventually discovered. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good (Genesis 50:20).
5. God uses problems to PERFECT you. Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you’re going to take with you into eternity. We can rejoice when we run in to problems... they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady (Romans 5:3-4).
HERE’S THE POINT: God is at work in your life – even when you do not recognize it or understand it. But it’s much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him!
Faint not, you are neither neglected nor forgotten. You feel you have the same problems as the unbelievers around you do, but remember, in you it will produce the image of Christ unto eternal life. God said, and He can not lie:
Phil. 1:6, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”
Remember: The same rain that waters the garden waters the weeds too. You are a garden! His rain will produce the sweet fruits of the Holy Spirit to grow in you. Don’t struggle with your rain, just respond sweetly. Don’t take things into your own hands, wait on Him to bring a change. He is in charge, and He is a good God!
This period of persecution in David’s life was a part of his preparation for the throne. He was a great soldier but he needed to suffer in the wilderness to learn not to trust men and how to trust the Lord. All of us need wilderness testings to bring us closer to the Lord and to make us better equipped to serve Him. Saul’s persecution of David is an illustration of the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit. It also pictures Satan’s persecution of the Church today: Saul was not the king, yet he was reigning; David was the king, but he was not yet on the throne. Satan appears to be ‘reigning’ today, but Christ is the King and one day He will take His rightful throne!
Here we see David as a type of Christ:
David was concealed in a cave / Christ was laid in a manger.
David was an outlaw / Christ was despised and rejected of men.
David was sustained by men in distress / Christ chose for His disciple’s men who were poor and unknown.
David was made a captain over 400 / Christ is the captain and Savior of all those who are in distress.
vv. 1b – 2, “So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.”
What a CREW!!!
The last thing that David needs now is a group of negative people: Negative people will drag you down!
1) Negative thinking will create clouds at critical decision times.
2) Negative thinking is contagious.
3) Negative thinking blows everything out of perspective.
4) Negative thinking makes our faith flicker.
5) Negative thinking limits God. Negative thinkers don’t build churches. In fact they don’t believe that great churches can be built.
6) Negative thinking limits our potential. It will never work. We’ve never done it that way before. We can’t afford it. We are doing fine without it. We are not ready for it. It’s not our responsibility.
7) Negative thinking keeps us from enjoying life. These people are seasick the whole journey of life. I was better but I got over it.
Negative people will try to drag you down to their mindset! Been there – Done that
There have been times that I have had to put a hedge over my ears because if I believed everything that had been said, then I would be depressed. How often some have said they know the answer – it’s in getting the ‘right’ people in the church and everything will be alright – an accusation that we have all the ‘wrong’ people here now!
But, when I can’t look in the WOG w/o finding ‘quality’ people described.
1) In DISTRESS: anguish, disabled, agony, under pressure. Prov 13:12, “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick.” Jer 8:15, “We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!” Gloom, Despair, Agony on ME!
2) In DEBT: in obligation or liability to pay or return something – If debts were not paid on time we have accounts referring to taking the widows oxen even taking the widows sons.
3) DISCONTENTED: Angry, Bitter, wanting something more – Phil 2:14, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: Phil 4:11, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” Heb 13:5, “be content with what you have.”
FAMILY
Who is our greatest source of help at times? Who is our greatest hindrance at times? Family is the first to build us up and can be the first to tear us down. Look at part of David’s family in 2 Samuel 13:
David’s son Amnon falls in love with his sister Tamar and devises a scheme to rape her. Absalom later kills his brother Amnon and flees. Later he conspires against his father to take the throne from him. 2 Samuel 18:9 describes the untimely death of Absalom.
Then there is Michal, wife of David: 2 Sam 6:16 & 20 tell us of the account:
(16) “And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.” (20) “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”
We are created to worship. We are created as emotional beings. The Lord has given us release valves thru :
1) crying – how long has it been since you wept before the Lord?
2) laughter – and how about Holy Laughter?
3) shouting – screaming – yelling – Yes, it’s an expression of praise.
The question is not are you going to worship, the question is, WHAT are you going to worship? Home, Spouse, Children, Job, Ball Team, Recreational Activities ?
David laid aside his kingly robe and garments and danced before the Lord with all of his might.
Then he returned home to Bless His House! Michal, daughter of Saul, (wife of David) – had the Spirit of Saul.
You HAVE THE SPIRIT OF YOUR FATHER!
We need to ask ourselves: Who Is Your Father? Give me the Spirit of David!
Doubters always stand by to question a move of God! Michal, says “David, you made a fool of yourself today!” David says, “No, you don’t understand!”
Michal became BARREN because she despised the worship!
Our churches become barren when we despise WORSHIP!
“I’ve heard their gripes, their complaints, their accusations, But I haven’t heard their prayers and I haven’t heard their praise!”
v. 5, “Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.”
Judah PRAISE
Move on out to Judah / Move on out to Praise!
Praise is our opportunity to become intimate with God. That is the point of conceiving and bearing children. HE will birth something in you!
What made a difference in the FAMILY, the DISTRESSED, the DEBTORS, & the DISCONTENT ?
I believe they learned to worship!
CLOSING:
Look at David’s followers:
1) It was an affectionate association. In times of trouble God will raise up somebody to comfort His Children.
2) It was a mixed association.
3) It was a faithful association. These men proved their courage and constancy. When David longed for water from Bethlehem they risked their lives to gratify his desire.
Something changed!!!
2 Sam 21:15 the same men that came to David have turned into giant killers , killing Goliath’s brothers.
We know the story of David getting 5 smooth stones. He wasn’t afraid he would miss. He told Goliath, “You come to me with a spear and sword, but I come to you in the name of the Lord!”.
He knew there were four brothers they may come out immediately to avenge the death of their brother.
vs. 15 David waxed faint . He is in his 60’s now and no longer has the vitality and endurance of his youth.
vv. 15-17 A giant is ready to slay him, one of David’s men kills the giant. vs. 18 Another battle, another giant slain. (Awe-Bee-Shae)
vs. 19 Another battle, another giant slain.
vv. 20-22 the last of the four battles when Jonathon, David’s nephew, a FAMILY member slays the last giant.
Maybe you are distressed, debtor, or discontent, or even a part of the family who has seen defeat in your past – But today is a New Day in the Lord – I wonder if we there’s anybody here today ready to kill some giants? Is there a Soldier in the House? A Soldier In The Army of The Lord
