SERIES: DAVID - A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART:
Part 9: The Power Of Discouragement
1 Samuel 27:1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. 2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. 4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. 5 And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? 6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. 7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
INTRO: David - A Man After God's Own Heart Pt. 9 The Power Of Discouragement
Illustration: Once upon a time the devil decided to have a garage sale. He did it because he wanted to clear out some of his old tools to make room for new ones. After he set up his items, a man dropped by to see what he had. Arranged on a long table were all the tricks of his hellish trade. Each tool had a price tag. In one corner was a shiny tool labeled “Anger - $250,” next to it a curved tool labeled “Sloth - $380. “Criticism - $500”. “Jealousy - $630.” Out of the corner of his eye, the man spotted a beaten-up tool with a price tag of $12,000. Curious, the man asked the devil why he would offer a worn-out piece of junk for such an exorbitant price. The devil said it was expensive because he used it so much. “What is it?” the man asked. The answer came back, “It is discouragement. It always works when nothing else will.”
There Is A Plague Sweeping Churches, Individuals, Governments & Nations Today? It’s not Ebola, Zika Virus, West Nile Virus, cancer, or even the flu. It’s called the Epidemic of Discouragement. This outbreak is universal, deadly as the most dreaded disease known to man. Being discouraged once does not give you an immunity to the disease. You can be discouraged over and over again. Discouragement is highly contagious and spreads by casual contact. People can become disheartened because you are discouraged. Believe it or not – elections are run on the heels of profiting on the discouragement of people. This coming election earns a high mark in that area. How Many Of You Have Ever Been Discouraged? Welcome to the camp. As long as you are alive, you will get discouraged – at times. Bible characters: Jesus: Mk 9:2-29 Epileptic, who will be great, Job, Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Joshua(7), Samuel, Elijah, Jeremiah, Mary, David, etc.
TWO MAIN CAUSES OF DISCOURAGEMENT – NEHEMIAH’S CASE SCENARIO
1. External Causes Of Discouragement: Set of problems comes at us from the outside. Look at the story of Nehemiah and builder of the walls of Jerusalem. The wall workers began the work with great anticipation and joy. It says of them in Nehemiah 4:6 that the “people worked with all their heart.” Things were going well. Then where God is at work, the enemy is also at work. Satan stirs up agitators to block the work of God. These enemies used 3 types of external forces. 1. Ridicule. Nehemiah 4:1-2: “When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews…” Ridicule is the “language of the devil.” Those who can stand bravely when shot at will collapse when they are laughed at. The enemy often insults the servants of God. Goliath ridiculed David. The soldiers mocked Jesus during his trial and the crowd taunted Him while He was on the cross. They called the workers “feeble” - meaning “withered and miserable.” Next they ridiculed the job they were doing by asking 4 taunting questions: “Will they restore their wall?” “Will they offer sacrifices?” “Will they finish in a day?” “Can they bring these stones back to life?” “What they are building ¬ if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!” 2. Repression: (V. 7-8). They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 3. Lies: They falsely accused them of trying to overthrow the king.
2. Internal Causes Of Discouragement: Opposition outside the ranks can lead to depression on the inside. It wasn’t the voice of the enemy that was the most pervasive; it was the voice of God’s own people. Neh. 4:10: “Meanwhile the people in Judah said…” Discouragement started first within the royal tribe of Judah. 1. Fatigue. Verse 10: “Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, ‘The strength of the laborers is giving out…” Simply put, the workers were tired. 2. Frustration. Verse 10 continues by saying that there is “so much rubble” that they cannot rebuild the wall. They became discouraged because they were so aggravated with the situation. 3. Fear. The enemies had struck fear in God’s people and they felt like giving up: 10: “We cannot rebuild the wall.”
WHAT CAUSED DAVID TO BECOME SO DISCOURAGED AND MAKE WRONG CHOICES?
From The Moment David Was Anointed, The Troubles Started. Despite David’s victory over Goliath, Saul & Nabal, life was not all tranquility and Joy. Saul’s sought to kill David persistently. Yet God defied all odds and delivered the vastly outnumbered David. Yet instead of all that deliverance confirming David’s faith, he was gradually coming to the limits of his endurance. He was getting exhausted and faithless. Unending demands. Constant tensions. Increasing danger. How long was David to be on the run? We can see him slipping into despair. Psalm 13:1-3 1 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? forever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death. Clouds & Darkness Came. There is nothing ethically, morally or spiritually wrong with those feelings of despair that chill us like an unexpected downpour. It is when we take matter in our hands and flee to a cover of our own choosing that disobedience begins. That is what David did.
LOOK AT THE PASSAGE AND DAVID
1. Talking To Yourself – Humanistic Thinking (27:1). “But David kept thinking to himself...” That is usually the problem. We talk to ourselves but we don’t talk to God. Or, we deceive ourselves into thinking that since we’re talking to ourselves we are actually praying. But that isn’t the case. It is not wrong to talk to ourselves. However it is important that when we talk to ourselves we are telling ourselves the right things. And this is just what David didn’t do. He looked at what was going on around him and took his advice horizontally instead of vertically. You won’t find David praying even once 1 Samuel 27. He didn’t seek God until chapter 30. But he had sought God in the past. Now He is talking to himself and not to God or his servant.
2. Engage In Negative Reasoning – Pessimistic Reasoning (27:1). David started out talking to himself and what he said was quite negative: “Someday Saul is going to get me.” How does David know what tomorrow will bring? Matthew 6:34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” No one knows about the future. And to go negative about something you really can’t predict is a simple way of lowering yourself into a pit of despair.
3. We Forget God’s Promises Because Of Negative Thinking. We forget His promises that are renewed every morning (Lam. 3:22-23). David seems to have forgotten that Samuel anointed him to be king. He seems to have forgotten that Abigail said that the Lord would make David the leader of all Israel (1 Samuel 25:30). God spoke through Jonathan who told David he would be the next king. Even Saul said, “I realize I am looking at my replacement.” (1 Samuel 24:20). But David begins talking to himself and says, “I’m going to perish. Saul will kill me. I have to save myself.” We become negative and pessimistic when we keep our eyes only on our current situation and forget what God has promised. Even when bad things happen God reminds us that He can work everything out for our good according to His love for us (Romans 8:28).
4. Wrong Thinking Leads To Irrational Choice (27:1). David’s conclusion after having a good talk with himself is rather stupid: “The best thing I can do is escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for me in Israelite territory, and I will finally be safe.” Dumb & Stupid. True. Saul isn’t going to Philistine territory - the enemy’s territory. Gath is the home of Goliath! David is a perfect example of today’s Christian who believes in God on the inside but who chooses to live like the world on the outside. And you know what is really frightening? God lets him. If someone wants to forget about all the good things God has done for them and all the promises He has placed in their future and run and live in the world and not consult God, then God lets them. So off David runs to Philistine territory.
5. Choices We Make Also Affect Others: Then we invite others to join us and it isn’t too hard to find people who will help us. Nobody’s choices affect them alone. We always end up dragging people with us. 1 Samuel 27:2-3 “So David took his 600 men and went over and joined Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath. David and his men and their families settled there with Achish at Gath.” You are never alone when you decide to choose wrong. Others are affected.
NOW THAT OTHERS HAVE JOINED OUR PITY PARTY, IT PRODUCES:
1. False Security (27:3). David says to himself that when he leaves Israel he will “finally be safe.” Feeling that relief from the pressure Saul had constantly placed upon David, he starts to feel safe. For some people, living in the enemy’s territory without pressure feels more secure than living where God has placed you. Satan: “Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.” Let’s admit that there is intense pressure in the life of a Christian and the Church. Saul and David were from the same country, the same religious history, the same group of people led from Egypt by Moses. But the pressure Saul put on David drove David from his home and into the wilderness. David’s problems did not drive him to Philistine territory – He chose to go there.
2. Wrong Allegiances (27:5). When we choose a disobedient lifestyle, we choose to live for everything that is the opposite of God. We end up submitting to the enemy and contributing to his cause. We all have an allegiance to whatever place we choose to live in. David has aligned himself with the Philistines, becoming part of that nation. He “joined Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath” (1 Samuel 27:2). When you join with someone more powerful than you are, you become their servant. You may say in your heart you are still a servant of Christ, but your actions say you are serving the enemy. David will begin to call himself a “servant to Achish.”
3. Months Of Compromise (27:6-7). David lived in Ziklag for 16 months. A visit to the enemy’s territory is rarely a one-night stand. It is sad to see how often a person who has been so involved in the local church will one day decide they have better things to do than obey Jesus’ directives to be committed. What is interesting is that here we have David, a man after God’s own heart, the man who wrote half the book of Psalms, a man 2 Samuel 23:1 calls “the sweet psalmist of Israel,” never writing a Psalm during the time he spent in Philistine territory. This is because our victory songs to God are silent while we spend time in the enemy’s camp. We cannot sing to the Lord while we’re in a foreign land governed by a foreign king. Perhaps this describes many people in church today who don’t like to worship: their bodies are in the pew but their hearts are in Philistine territory. They are in a compromising position and they know it.
4. Life Of Duplicity (27:8-9). Duplicity is when you pretend to be one thing or operate by one set of feelings while really doing something else. Deep inside himself David was an Israelite, but he tried to make the Philistines think he was on their side. This is what happens when people claim to be Christians but they don’t want to look too different from their non-Christian friends. There is a lack of total allegiance. They aren’t fully committed to Christ, but they aren’t completely in the world either. This can make a person very miserable. David spent his time attacking the enemies of Israel, but they were neither the friends nor the enemies of the Philistines. David wasn’t in Israel, but he wasn’t really fighting for the Philistines, either. He was living a life of duplicity. Now, when Achish asks him what he’s been up to, David can’t really tell him the truth.
5. Vagueness In His Speech And Dealings (27:10-12). The south of Judah is not very specific. Lots of things are south of Judah. Furthermore, he was implying he was fighting against Israel, which he was not. He was killing Amalekites and Geshurites and Girzites. So now David complicates his vagueness with lies, telling Achish he was killing Jerahmeelites and Kenites. He didn’t kill those people, which is why he had to completely destroy the people he did fight against, because he couldn’t leave any witnesses who might tell Achish the truth. When you are in enemy territory you get vague, try to cover your bases, live in secrecy, and run from being accountable. You cover up just like Adam & Eve. You can’t be exposed so you deflect the question.
6. All These Lead To Depression (30:1-5). In 1 Samuel 29 the Philistine army is getting ready to fight Israel and David is supporting King Achish in the rear with his men. But the Philistine commanders didn’t trust David, thinking he would try to get back in Saul’s favor by handing them all over to Israel. Achish says, “As far as I’m concerned, you’re as perfect as an angel of God. But the Philistine commanders are afraid to have you with them in the battle” (1 Samuel 29:9). So David heads back to his home city of Ziklag, only to find their city has been invaded by the Amalekites, who burned it to the ground and took all their families. Now all they can do is weep and weep. 1 Samuel 30:6: “David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they talked of stoning him.” David was feeling lower than dung. He is living in enemy territory, telling lies and compromising his faith. His prayer life zero and he’s not even trying to write songs to God. To top it all off, his family has been taken captive and his men are talking about stoning him. David is depressed. Why is it that some people have to hit the absolute bottom before they finally do the right thing? This is the place where some people consider suicide. But there is a choice. You can end it all yourself or you can do what you should have done in the first place. 1 Samuel 30:6: “But David found strength in the Lord.”
STEPS OUT OF DISCOURAGEMENT.
1. Admit You’re Discouraged & Distant. "David was greatly distressed" (30:6a)
2. Stop & Rest From The Activities: “David went into the house of the Lord”. (30:6b).
3. Reorganize Your life: “Maybe you are doing some right things the wrong way.” (30:7-8)
4. Give God Control of Your Desires. "David strengthened himself in the Lord his God" (30:6b)
5. Seek Advice From God And His People. "Please bring the ephod to me..." (30:7)
6. Get Up & Take Personal Action To Resist The Discouragement. "So David went..." (30:9)
7. Get Out & Serve Others With God’s Gifts In You. "Here is a present for you" (30:26)
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS: Prayer For Discouraged People. Please Come Up.
