Sermon Central
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The Success Of King David - Part 1 Series
Contributed by Dag Heward-Mills on Oct 23, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: A step by step study of the life of David, and what made him one of the most successful men of all times.
THE SUCCESS OF DAVID PART 1
Was David Successful?
David was one of the most respected kings of all time. He was also a great psalmist and prophet. Above all, he was a man after God's own heart. Surely, that is a description of success. I believe that David achieved great success in his lifetime. You can read the Scriptures for yourself.
And he died in a GOOD OLD AGE, FULL OF DAYS, RICHES, and HONOUR: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.
David had a long and eventful life. At the end of his life, he was rich, he was respected and he even had a successor-his own son, Solomon.
What an interesting description: full of age, full of riches, full of honor, and with a successor! David, however, did not get to this point easily. He suffered and struggled through many situations. David often came to crossroads and had to take important decisions. Many of the things he did as a young man contributed to his eventual outcome as a successful person.
The holy Scriptures teach us to learn from the examples of those who have gone ahead of us.
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
So I want to share some principles that I believe David lived by which made him successful. If we choose to live by them we will be successful too.
Principle # 1: The Principle of Small Beginnings
And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness?…
Do not be afraid of small beginnings; God will lift you up. You will benefit from all the experiences you have had in your small beginnings. It was when David was looking after the few sheep that he had a fight with a bear and a lion. It is because he was used to fighting impossible situations that he was able to take on Goliath.
When you have preached a thousand times to a hundred people, you will not wet your pants in fright when God lifts you up to minister to a crowd of one thousand.
Don't Rush Success. Why are you in a hurry to be successful? If you make a mistake with a hundred dollars, it will be easier for you to recover than if you make that same mistake with a hundred thousand dollars.
Any businessman who is able to succeed with a small amount of money can succeed with a larger amount of money. Smallness is a necessary stage in the kingdom of God. It is a necessary stage for every business executive. It humbles you and makes you trust in God.
Jesus taught us three principles of progress:
• The principle of being faithful with small things (Luke 16:10).
• The principle of being faithful with another man's things.(Luke 16:12).
• The principle of being faithful with money (Luke 16:11).
You cannot circumvent any one of these laws. Start small and harden your forehead. Avoid people who would laugh at you and despise you. Stay with those who believe in you. Do not tell people what you are doing if they do not respect you. You can make it! God is on your side! God is with you! The Greater One is with you and in you!
Do not run away from small beginnings. They are God's training ground for you. That is how King David got his education- in the school of small beginnings!
Principle # 2: The Principle of Doing Menial Jobs with Joy
And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his ARMOURBEARER.
When studying the life of David, you learn that though he became king, he first performed many menial jobs. In his father's house, he was a shepherd. Whilst at the king's palace, he did the work of a musician, servant, errand boy and armor-bearer. He wasn't even a soldier! There are so many Christians who want to start out on top! But the only job that begins at the top is grave digging!
If you study the background of many great people, you will discover that they once served at the lowest level in their profession. Do not shy away from menial jobs.
The best leader is someone who has been a follower for many years. Because you have done menial jobs, you are more reasonable with your subordinates. You understand what they are going through and do not give impossible commands. Some leaders do not know the implications of their instructions. They just say, "Get this done!" You must understand that getting certain things done may have far-reaching implications.
