2 Samuel 15:30-37; 17:1-14

Introduction

Absalom has staged a coup. His father, David, is on the run with his supporters. David gets word that Ahithophel (possibly Bathsheeba’s father, David’s father-in-law) is counseling Absalom. Things just went from bad to worse.

Let’s read in 2 Samuel 15:30-31…

Major Ideas

When faced with a trial our first step is to pray (2 Samuel 15:30-31).

2 Samuel 15:30–31 NASB95

30 And David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and his head was covered and he walked barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went. 31 Now someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray, make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness.”

[APP] When all face situations that require prayer.

Perhaps someone is out to get us like Ahithophel was out to get David.

Perhaps a trial has taken hold of us like this whole situation took hold of David.

Our first step should always be to pray.

There is always time to pray.

It is always right to pray.

Why wouldn’t we pray?

We are commanded to pray.

Ephesians 6:18 NASB95

18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

1 Peter 5:7 NASB95

7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

We are taught to pray.

Jesus taught us to pray with His model prayer beginning, “Our Father who is heaven…”

Jesus taught us to pray by His example; our Lord was continuously in prayer.

We are enabled to pray.

Hebrews 10:19–22 NASB95

19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

When presented with an opportunity after prayer, our next step is to take it (2 Samuel 15:32-37).

2 Samuel 15:32–37 NASB95

32 It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his coat torn and dust on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you pass over with me, then you will be a burden to me. 34 “But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant,’ then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me. 35 “Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So it shall be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 “Behold their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything that you hear.” 37 So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

[APP] When we pray about those things we’re facing and the Lord provides an opportunity to do something about those things, we need to take hold of those opportunities.

Why do some people refuse to take hold of those opportunities?

A few are practically lazy.

They say, “I’ve prayed about it, so I’m not doing anything about it.”

More are overly-spiritual.

They say, “I’ve prayed about it, so I’m not going to rob God of His miracle by doing something myself.” These want to see the miracle instead of do the practical. But while God does work through miracles, He more often works through the practical.

And some are genuinely scared.

They say, “I’ve prayed about it, but if I take hold of this opportunity God has brought my way, I’ll have to take on more responsibility, and I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”

All of this leads to inaction and will prevent us from taking part in the answer to our own prayers.

David prayed that Ahithophel’s counsel would be counted as foolishness, then he seized the opportunity to ensure that it would be counted as foolishness.

He wasn’t lazy, overly-spiritual, or scared.

He took the first step by praying.

He took the next step by acting when God brought along an opportunity.

[ILLUS] Let’s say you have a friend who goes to another church. She’s in debt up to her eyeballs, and has asked you to pray for her. You faithfully pray for her and keep us with how she’s doing. In one conversation she mentions that her church is hosting a class on finances. You ask her if she’s going, and she says, “Well, I’ve prayed about it, so I don’t think so.”

How would you respond?

We would recognize the answer to our friend’s prayer request in that finance class at the church!

But if she is going to really have her prayer answered, she will have to take the next step and go to the class.

In our praying, we often don’t see the answer until we take the next step and take hold of the opportunity God has brought to us.

When the Lord provides the answer to our prayer, our last step is praise Him (2 Samuel 17:1-14; Psalm 3:7-8).

2 Samuel 17:1–14 NASB95

1 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight. 2 “I will come upon him while he is weary and exhausted and terrify him, so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king alone, 3 and I will bring back all the people to you. The return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at peace.” 4 So the plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel. 5 Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say.” 6 When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to him, “Ahithophel has spoken thus. Shall we carry out his plan? If not, you speak.” 7 So Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the advice that Ahithophel has given is not good.” 8 Moreover, Hushai said, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and they are fierce, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is an expert in warfare, and will not spend the night with the people. 9 “Behold, he has now hidden himself in one of the caves or in another place; and it will be when he falls on them at the first attack, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 “And even the one who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will completely lose heart; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are valiant men. 11 “But I counsel that all Israel be surely gathered to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea in abundance, and that you personally go into battle. 12 “So we shall come to him in one of the places where he can be found, and we will fall on him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him, not even one will be left. 13 “If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the valley until not even a small stone is found there.” 14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring calamity on Absalom.

[APP] We go to the Lord because we know that He’s the only one who can help. When He provides the opportunity, we step into it. When the answer to prayer comes, we praise the Lord for His goodness toward us.

Ahithophel counseled Absalom, but Hushai counseled differently.

Absalom listened to Hushai, and Hushai warned David.

David and all those with him were saved, and Ahithophel went home to kill himself.

Before David even knew of this salvation, he wrote in Psalm 3:7-8…

Psalm 3:7–8 NASB95

7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.

A trial comes, so we pray.

The Lord provides the opportunity to act, so we act.

Our action results in the answer to our prayer, so we praise the Lord.

It was the Lord who provided us the opportunity to act, so it is the Lord who gets the praise.

Conclusion

[PRAYER]