How Did David Pick Himself Up

1 Sam. 30:6 EBC 1/06/08

I am encouraged when I read that some of God’s mighty men also had their struggles. Men like Peter – who denied the Lord then was used mightly of him. Men like David – who made mistakes and not just mistakes but BIG mistakes. Though these men went astray they were recovered by God’s grace- isn’t his grace something. 1 Cor. 15:10- “I am what I am by the grace of God”

Each one of us may finds something in David’s life or Peter’s life that keeps him going. Someone has said- “if there’s faith, there’s sure to be a trial”.

I. David’s Distress (1 Sam. 30:6a)

Imagine what David saw, the city burned, his wives gone and the families of his comrades were gone.

Little Ziklag lay in blackened ruin. Those men who had so faithfully followed David now spake of stoning him. David must have been at a very low point in life. Can you imagine anything worse? Things had been going so good – what had happened?

A. David had stopped consulting God

1. David had led a life of waiting for the Lord, but now all that had changed.

a. 1 Sam. 27:1-

1. Charles Spurgeon- commenting on this verse “This was a dangerous mood. Always be afraid of being afraid. Failing faith means failing strength. He who does not comfortably trust God will soon seek after comfort somewhere else, and David did so: without asking divine direction he fled to the court of the Philistine chieftain Achish, hoping to be quiet there”.

B. David sided with the enemy of God

1. 1 Sam. 27:2-3-

a. Just think David was ordained to be King of Israel but now he was on the side of the enemy of Israel, how horrible.

2. In spite of his low character, God was still involved in David’s life

a. 1 Sam. 29:1-9-

1. Picture what God had just done for David. Sometimes God intervenes in our lives in a mighty way and we don’t even realize it. God had stopped David from going to battle against his own people.

2. 29:3- look at the question that had been asked – What are these Hebrews doing here with us? Sometimes the lost make the same statement – Those Christians act just like us – they listen to the music we do.

II. David’s Encouragement (1 Sam. 30:6d)

David knew where to start, he knew he could not encourage anyone else until he had been encouraged.

A. The things he remembered

1. David remembered all those times God had blessed him and those times God had protected him from Harm

a. Psa. 18:2-3,6-

b. Psa. 40:2-3-

c. He would remember all those wonderful days of communion he had with God while watching sheep.

d. David remembered how God had used him – to kill Goliath.

2. David probably remembered that God had ordained him to be king over Israel.

III. David’s Restoration (1 Sam. 30:8)

David restores all – now he wants to know how to proceed. David knew his strength was in God

IV. David’s Reward (1 Sam. 30:18)