Never Leave Home Without Him
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
By Pastor Jim May
Have you ever met worry wart? I’ve seen a lot of people who worried about everything under the sun. No matter what you do, what you eat or what you drink, somebody is always trying to share their fears of what might happen. If you go around listening to every warning that everybody gives you, you’ll never do anything. Fear will invade your spirit and fill your heart and you’ll feel paranoid about everything. Fear destroys faith, because we start to focus on what every negative thing that could happen, instead of focusing on God and letting Him worry about what lies ahead.
Some people say that cancer is caused by potato chips. Of course the lab rats that developed cancer were fed nothing but potato chips and they were fed chips until they would nearly burst. It would probably be the equivalent of eating 50 bags a day to you and I, and yes, I guess if you ate that many chips and nothing else that the chances are you’d probably develop some kind of disease, especially the one that makes you overly weight challenged.
Some people say that sunshine, cell phones, and electric shavers can cause cancer. Some people say that if we keep saving all of the junk that we save, sooner or later we are going to cause the continent to sink and we will all drown. People are so consumed by the fear that some unseen danger is about to destroy them that they can’t enjoy life while they have it.
The headlines of the Medical Section of the newspaper read something like this: Pickles; a Grave Danger”! The article went on to say that, in the opinion of those who had completed a study on the danger of pickles in American society, there was an absolute link proving that pickles are a terrible danger because they can cause cancer, indirectly cause airline crashes and that they are a major contributor the rise in crime across America. How did they figure that one out? Well, they tell us that about 99.9% of cancer victims had eaten pickles sometime in their lives. So have 99.7% of those who are involved in car wrecks and airplane crashes. Not only that but, in people who were born prior to 1889 who ate pickles, there is a 100% mortality rate. Pickles are terrible things. You can’t eat one and live past 130 years of age so stay away from them. This is according a report by Mr. Barry Siegel of the Los Angeles Times. (Another prime example of America’s wonderful world of journalism and news reporting.)
Now there are some things that could be legitimate reasons to worry.
When you’ve been given a medical diagnosis that is life threatening – you have good reason to worry. When the pilot opens the door of the plane and jumps with the only parachute – you have a legitimate reason for worry. When you’re on a downhill run on the side of Pike’s Peak and your brakes go out – you have a legitimate reason for rry. When you look out of your bedroom window and you see a shark swimming above eye level – you have a legitimate reason for worry.
There are times when it seems that there is a very legitimate reason to worry. In the passage of scripture that we will read tonight, we can see that King David had a true concern.
1 Chronicles 14:8 And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David. And David heard of it, and went out against them.
If you remember, it was David who had killed Goliath when the giant was the champion of the Philistine Army many years before. David had humiliated the Philistines and they weren’t going to forget it. They had come with blood in their eye and they were out for revenge.
They had managed to defeat Saul, but now that David was king, they were worried. Would David build a kingdom that was much stronger than Saul’s? Would David invade the Philistines homeland to conquer them? They decided to do a preemptive strike to take down David’s kingdom before he had a chance to settle in and create a powerful army.
1 Chronicles 14:9 And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. The Philistine Army, many thousands strong, covered the valley. The sight of such a large army struck fear into the heart of Israel and the cry went forth for King David to do something about it.
The Valley of Rephaim meant, “the valley of the giants”. Even in those days the people around Israel desired the land that God had promised the Children of Israel as an inheritance. In the beginning, before Joshua had led Israel across the Jordan and began to conquer the land under God’s direction, the Philistines had inhabited the Valley of Rephaim and now they wanted it back. That’s one reason that Goliath and the “giants” had been with the Philistines.
1 Chronicles 14:10 And David enquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand.
What the Philistines just couldn’t seem to figure out is that David had a secret weapon. The weapon that David could claim was a weapon of mass destruction and a weapon that was unequaled by another other nation on the earth. His secret weapon was his God, the Lord God Jehovah, Lord of Hosts, Creator of the Universe; and nothing could withstand the power of God when He fought for David and Israel.
David did what we all should do when we are confronted with fear brought on by the invasion of the forces of darkness. He went to God in prayer, seeking the will and blessings of God before he went into battle. David knew well that he was incapable of battling this massive army with his small band of soldiers. He knew that he was outclassed in numbers, in experience and in the weapons of war. The Philistines were a world power and the little nation of Israel was no match for them on their own. David knew he needed God’s help.
We all know that we need God’s help too, but when do we seek that help? Too many people go out to battle on their own then, when things are going their way, they turn to God and cry out for help. Why wait until then? Why not get God involved in your circumstances from the beginning. Don’t wait until you are under the circumstances that threaten to destroy you. Get on top of the circumstances before they get on top of you by calling on God to fight your battles for you.
1 Chronicles 14:11 So they came up to Baalperazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place Baalperazim.
The name “Baalperazim” meant that they have torn Baal to pieces, broken him asunder and destroyed him completely. The Philistines had marched into battle with their idol god, Baal, in their midst. Armies in those day always went to war with their gods beside them. The Children of Israel went to war with the Ark of the Covenant in their midst. In that manner, the battle isn’t just a battle between the forces of men, but a battle of the gods as well.
On one occasion, the Philistines overcame Israel because of sin in the camp of the Jews, and captured the Ark of the Covenant. It didn’t take them long to figure out that they didn’t want the Ark there because the people began to have terrible hemorroids and boils. They were quick to put the Ark on a cart and send it back to Israel with two milk cows pulling it behind them. The cows were mooing all the way, to let Israel know that they were coming.
The Lord God Jehovah wasn’t about to allow an idol god by the name of Baal to be the victor in this battle. The Philistines were beaten, running from the battlefield, leaving their weapons behind.
1 Chronicles 14:12 And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.
The gods of the Philistines were completely destroyed in the hopes that the Philistines would take this as a sign to never invade again. It was good gesture but we know that the devil doesn’t give up so easily.
We must understand that our battles in life are never over. You can overcome him today, but tomorrow he’ll come again. You can will a great victory in the Spirit today and by tomorrow, you may be down in the valley again. Life has plenty of ups and downs. The devil doesn’t like to lose. If he loses one way, he’ll try another, never giving up on trying to destroy your faith in God. If he can’t bring fear into your heart one way, he’ll try another. If Satan can get you into a place where you are bound with fear, then he knows he has you beaten. Fear is nothing more than an absence of faith in God.
There’s an old hymn that says, “What have I to fear? What Have I to dread, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.” That’s true as long as you lean on Him. But when we begin to lean upon our own understanding; to trust in our own powers of reasoning; in our own ability to overcome the devil; then we get into trouble. We must lean upon Jesus. There is no other way to overcome fear. When hurricanes and storms threaten, the world is driven by fear; but what about Christians? We can watch the storm come with the calm assurance that Jesus has it all in His hands. Whether we live or die is God’s business so we put our trust in Him, lean upon Him, make our foundation sure and then just hunker down and weather the storm. Nothing is too hard to overcome with Jesus on your side.
1 Chronicles 14:13 And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley.
Once again the attacks of the enemy have come. The underlying power behind the Philistines is the power of Satan trying to destroy the Kingdom of David before the Children of Israel can inhabit the land and receive the promises of God. His tactics haven’t changed. He still doesn’t want the Child of God to gain the inheritance that God has promised to all them that love and serve Him.
1 Chronicles 14:14 Therefore David enquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
Sometimes it seems that we have figured it out. Devil, if I whipped you the last time, I know I can do it again. So many times we make quick judgments and rash decisions. Well, it worked last time, why won’t it work this time. What we fail to realize is that Satan has many tricks up his sleeves that we have not yet encountered.
David understood this. He knew better than to presume upon God’s presence or to presume that he had the Mind of Christ. Presumptions can get you into trouble really fast. David went to the Lord in prayer again, to seek God’s direction in facing the enemy.
What do you think would have happened if David had not sought the will of God first? The army of the Philistines was much larger than before. They were more angry as a result of the preceding defeat. What David faced now was an enemy with a whole different attitude than before. They had a greater resolve to win; a greater revenge to exact; and a far greater number to fight with. On top of that, their gods had been violated and if they were to ever be blessed by their idols again, they had to defeat Israel as proof of their faith and faithfulness to Baal.
If David had went out without seeking the will of God, he most likely would have faced defeat, but thank God he prayed about it first. We cannot expect victory without God’s help. Since we have the greatest Commander in Chief that exists, why not enlist His help in every battle we face.
1 Chronicles 14:15 And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.
God had a plan – He always has a plan. He saw the Philistines coming long before the first soldier ever appeared on the hills of Israel. In the mind of God the victory was already won. It was a matter of formality that the battle had to be faced at all.
First of all, don’t attack the Philistines from the front. The enemy is too strong for you to hit him head on, but if you will follow God’s plan, you can’t lose. Go around them, come in from behind. There’s nothing so shocking as a surprise attack; an attack that comes when you least expect it, from a direction that you couldn’t see it coming. Our God is full of surprises.
God’s instructions were to wait for God’s signal. What was that signal going to be? It would be sound of horses’ hooves in the wind as it blew across the tops of the trees. ‘
What this means is that God’s armies were riding into the battle first. God’s instructions are: As soon as you hear the sounds of the hosts of Heaven riding into battle upon the wind, then attack!
The army of the Philistines would be defeated before David’s army ever reached the battlefield. All that David’s army had to do was chase the enemy across the border, back to where they come from.
When God is on your side, what do you have to fear? God will fight your battles for you.
Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
The next time you go out to face the enemy on the battlefield of life, make sure that you have God’s battle plan in your heart. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords is on your side. NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT HIM!
When King Jehoshaphat of Judah was faced with the greatest threat of his kingdom, God had a word for him, and I believe God is still saying the same thing today.
2 Chronicles 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
Don’t let the enemy put fear into your heart. Why be a worry wart? Have faith in God to fight your battle. The battle is the Lord’s and He has never lost a single one. Keep Jesus on your side; keep Him in your heart; have faith in God and Never Leave Home without Him!
