Summary: SHOWS THE ESSENTIALS OF LEADERSIP AND HOW IT IS THAT EVEN THE LEADER NEEDS A BREAK FROM FIGHTING BATTLES THAT BELONG TO HIS SECOND IN COMMAND.

CAN’T FIGHT THIS FIGHT ALONE

2 Samuel 21: 15-17

15) Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the philistines and David waxed faint

16) And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.

17) But Abishai the son of Zeruriah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of israel.

INTRODUCTION

DAVID IN HIS YOUTH KILLS GOLIATH - WHO COMES AFTER THE CHURCH

ABISHAI KILLS ISHBI-BENOB - WHO COMES AFTER THE LEADER

IN THIS TEXT WE DISCOVERED THAT AT THIS PRESENT TIME DAVID THE KING WAS OLD IN AGE AND OFF TO BATTLE WITH HIS MEN AND IN THE MIDST OF THIS BATTLE HE GROWS FAINT AND NOW HIS LIFE WAS IN GREAT DANGER FROM THE GIANT NAMED ISHBI-BENOB (Dweller on the mount), WHO WAS OF THE SAME TRIBE OF GOLIATH.

THOUGH THE LIFE OF KING DAVID WAS IN DANGER HE COULD NOT WAIT FOR HELP NOR COULD HE FLEE. THEREFORE, GOD HAD TO RAISE UP SOMEONE WHO COULD PROTECT THE ONE AFTER HIS HEART, AND HE IS RESCUED BY ABISHAI (SOURCE OF WEALTH), THE OLDEST SON OF ZERUIAH, DAVID’S SISTER AND THE BROTHER OF JOAB. ABISHAI WAS THE CAPTAIN OF DAVID’S ARMY AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SLAYING ISHBI-BENOB, BECAUSE ABISHAI UNDERSTOOD THAT AS A SERVANT THERE WERE SPIRITUAL, MENTAL AND PHYSICAL BATTLES THAT WERE NOT NECESSARY FOR HIS KING TO FIGHT, HE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT IF DAVID WERE TO LOSE HIS LIFE IN BATTLE HE WOULD "QUENCH THE LIGHT OF ISRAEL". IF THE LIGHT OF ISRAEL WAS QUENCHED THE REMAINDER OF THOSE THAT SERVED UNDER HIM WOULD BE IN GREAT PERIL BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE WITH OUT THEIR LEAD SERVANT; THE MAN IN WHICH GOD HAD ORDAINED TO LEAD THEM.

IF THE LIGHT OF ISRAEL WAS QUENCHED; THEY WOULD :

1) NOT KNOW WHERE TO GO OR HOW TO GET THERE

2) NOT KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY TRANSITION

3) OPERATE WITH A DEFEATED MINDSET

4) BE LEFT TO THEIR OWN UNDERSTANDING

IF THE LIGHT OF ISRAEL WAS QUENCHED THEY WOULD KILL DAVID AS A:

1) FATHER - WATCHMAN OF THEIR SOUL

2) SHEPHERD - PROTECTOR AND PROVIDER

3) LEADER - VISIONARY - ONE WHO SEES WHAT THEY CAN NOT SEE.

"AGAIN" - SUGGESTS THAT THE WARS WERE:

1) CONSTANT

2) NEVER ENDING

3) PERPETUAL

THEREFORE IT WOULD BE WITH OUT QUESTION TO SAY THAT CONFLICTS COME WHEN YOU ARE WEARY, NOT FIT, OR NOT IN POSITION TO TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FIGHTING YOURSELF.

IT IS APPARENT THAT ISHBI-BENOB AND THOSE OF HIS FAMILY HAD AN IDEA THAT DAVID WAS IN THIS POSITION AND TOOK ASSERTIVE ACTIONS.

THEY WERE VERY CONSISTENT AND WOULD NOT BE SILENT, FURTHERMORE, TOOK EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DISTURB THE PEACE OF ISRAEL (CHURCH), TO CHALLENGE THEM OR TO INVADE THEIR TERRITORY.

ISHBI-BENOB CAME TO THIS WAR WITH A NEW SWORD,

BECAUSE HE UNDERSTOOD THAT IF HE KILLED THE HEAD, THE BODY (CHURCH BODY) WOULD AVAIL NOTHING.

NOT ONLY DOES HE COME WITH HIS SWORD HE COMES WITH HIS BOYS.

FOUR GIANTS W/ FOUR DISTINCT CHARACTERS AND THREE ARE THE PREDECESSORS.

1) ISHBI-BENOB - TAKING CAPTIVE

2) SAPH - RUSHES

3) LAHMI - THE BROTHER OF GOLIATH - NAME MEANS MY WAR

4) THE GIANT KNOWN BY HIS ISSUES - THE GIANT W/ 6 FINGERS ON EACH HAND AND 6 TOES ON EACH FEET 24 IN NUMBER.

CLOSE

DAVID’S NAME MEANS WELL BELOVED AND THE BIBLE THUS DECLARES THAT HE IS A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART; AND IF THAT BE SO THEN GOD WOULD HAVE TO RAISE UP HELP FOR DAVID; A JUNIOR WELTER WEIGHT CONTENDER.

THEY WILL NOT HAVE:

A THREE PIECE ON

A FINE CAR

WILL NOT KNOW THE CHURCH BI-LAWS OR CHURCH ETIQUETTE

BUT A MAN THAT WILL STAY IN THE THICK OF THINGS WHEN IT’S GOOD AND MORE SO WHEN IT IS BAD.

THOUGH INFERIOR TO EVERYTHING WE BELIEVE TO BE, HE WILL BE THE ONE TO HELP IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE.

HE WILL BE THE ONE TO WATCH, WORK AND PRAY

THERE HAS TO BE A GROUP OF PEOPLE RAISED UP THAT ARE NOT TRYING TO BE SEEN BUT RATHER ARE TRYING TO PROTECT THEIR LEADER WHO PROTECTS THEIR SOUL.

THAT ARE HERE WITH THE INTENT OF KEEPING THEIR COVERING FROM FAINTING.

TO KEEP THEIR LEADER FROM FIGHTING BATTLES THAT ARE NOT TO BE FOUGHT MENTALLY,PHYSICALLY OR SPIRITUALLY .

CAN’T FIGHT THIS FIGHT ALONE