Morning by Morning, April 28 - Strengthened in the Lord for the Battle
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lift me up into the embrace of Your Presence -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God -- as I begin me day in deep communion with You. ...
“Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negeb and on Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag, burned it down, and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great; they killed none of them, but carried them off, and went their way. When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned down, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept, until they had no more strength to weep. David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David was in great danger; for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in spirit for their sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:1-6).
David was already weary from the battles. Then he was shocked and dismayed at the loss of all he held dear and all that was entrusted to his care. Everyone with him wept and cried out in aguish and grief, nearing hopeless despair for all that their enemies had done to them. Then, in great danger of betrayal and blame, David was nearly stoned to death as everyone’s rage and pain was turned against him.
More than a bad day, it was maybe David’s worse day. But “David strengthened himself in the Lord his God” (v.6).
He turned to You. In the humility of desperate dependence upon You alone, He “inquired of the Lord” (v. 8). He waited on You for Your answer, Your wisdom, Your guidance. And then he obeyed everything he heard, as best as he could and all by Your grace. You called him to get up from his grief and be girded up with faith to “pursue” his enemies until he had taken back all that was stolen from him and from all entrusted to his care (v. 9).
Some were too weary to go with him. Maybe some were too mad at him to go with him. But he gathered those who were of one heart with his to trust God and obey, and “went on with the pursuit” (v. 10).
By the power and the grace of God, David found his enemies, still gloating over their plunder (v. 16). And with unrelenting faith in the word of the Lord and the power of Your might, he and his men engaged their enemies in the fierce courage that only You can supply, until “not one of them escaped” (v. 17). He took back all that was taken. “Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been take. David brought back everything” (v. 19).
Your Word says that all that happened to those under the Old Covenant in former times and all that happened in the battles and struggles against their enemies of flesh and blood speak to us of the spiritual principles in our battles against our spiritual enemies today. Their struggles and battles, their failures and successes, “serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).
So come, Holy Spirit. Teach me Your ways. Teach me how to “strengthen myself in the Lord” like David did.
No matter how desperate the times, how disappointing and devastating the failures I face or the battles I’m in, You’re always drawing me to a deeper place of humility in You -- desperately depending upon You alone. And You will give me the courage of conviction, with all the strength of faith I need to get up and go in pursuit all You have for me and those entrusted to me. It will never be by my might or my power, but always by Your Spirit, when I’m strengthened in the Lord (Zechariah 4:6). In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, may you be strengthened in the Lord for every battle you face -- desperately depending upon Him alone, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy & Rocio Hays
Messiah Ministries
17503 La Cantera Parkway, Suite 104407
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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