The Life of David: 1 Samuel 19-20

What do you think when you hear the phrase, “Sold-Out Christian?”

How do we become truly dedicated to the Lord?

How can we find the good in the bad?

Life is made of important decisions. Where will I live? What will I do with my life? Where will I work? Who will I marry? Will I have children? How will I spend my money? But the single greatest decision anyone can make is to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

How does we get saved?

After repenting of our sins and accepting the Lord into our lives, there is more God has for us. Being saved does not make us perfect. Being saved does not mean we are walking in fullness of all God has for us.

Once we have invited Jesus to forgive our sins and erase our past, we must then ask the Lord help us fulfill His plan for our lives. It is the greatest feeling knowing we are in the center of God’s will. There is great peace knowing that we are doing what God wants us to do and what we are called to do.

However,

However, there is a paradox. When we draw closer to God and become more like Him the things we hold valuable in our lives can often be removed.

In his book, David, A Man of Passion and Destiny, describes this process of God removing the crutches from our lives. David experienced this in .

Background

David was anointed King. David was going to succeed Saul. David had a position of trust. David was a mighty warrior. David had a loyal best friend. David had a wife. But in a matter of a few days, these crutches were removed from him and he had to learn to depend and lean upon God.

David already killed Goliath and he was becoming a household name in Israel. While people celebrated what David did, not everyone was happy. Saul’s jealousy continued, but David remained humble and faithful.

Saul told his family, including Jonathan, that he had one goal to kill David. Imagine Saul being so insecure that he wanted to kill David. Jonathan, being the loyal friend, defended David. While this was a help, it also began the process of God removing key crutches in David’s life. From here on out, he would only depend on God.

What are some crutches people lean on in life?

What are some crutches people have?

What are some crutches people have?

Story

First Crutch: A Good Position

Even though Saul promised Jonathan that he would not harm David, Saul lied. David returned home from battle and returned to his place in the palace, playing music whenever Saul was tormented.

David continued to have front row access to how to run a Kingdom. He observed Saul, learning what to do and what not to do. David was not a threat to Saul. David was a man of integrity, he had zero desire to manipulate and steal the throne from Saul.

Nevertheless, Saul could not hide his hatred. He threw the spear at David and David narrowly escaped. From that point forward, David did not return to the palace to work with Saul.

The first crutch God removed was a good position. Through this David learned that his identity was not in his position, but in who he was in God.

Why is it unwise to trust in our positions (employment, finances, or popularity)?

Second Crutch: David’s Wife

Remember, Michal was a manipulative person. She was not the wife Saul promised David. Instead, Saul gave her to David to set a trap for him. Michal heard that Saul was going to kill David so she protected him and snuck him out of the house. She then took an idol, hid it in the bed and lied to Saul’s men.

She then took an idol, hid it in the bed and lied to Saul’s men.

What does having an idol say about Michal?

Her motive seemed pure, she seemed to be genuinely interested in David. But under pressure, her true nature was revealed. Saul questioned her as to why she protected David.

She answered with a lie, claiming David threatened to kill her if she didn’t help him. Her lie furthered Saul’s hatred for David. From this point forward, David did not have a good relationship with Michal.

Third Crutch: His Closest Friendship

David ran from his home, leaving behind a good position, his wife, and now his closest friendship, Jonathan. He did not part on bad terms with Jonathan. Their friendship waned because of Saul. Jonathan was still under the impression that Saul would not harm David.

Evidently, Jonathan did not know about the event with Michal. David spoke to Jonathan and explained the situation. He trusted David and they devised a plan. It was nearing time to celebrate a three-day-weekend.

David was supposed to be in the palace to celebrate. He decided to skip the festivities. Should Saul ask Jonathan where David was, he was to answer, he went home to celebrate with his father. If Saul was upset then David needed to stay away, if he was calm, everything was find.

David stayed away and did not show up to work the following day. Saul questioned Jonathan and he exploded with anger.

Jonathan felt the anger from his father. He accused Jonathan of giving up so that David could become king. Then he tried to kill Jonathan, further proving that the anointing of God left Saul.

Jonathan and David created a plan. He would shoot three arrows and sent a servant to collect the arrows. He shouted to run fast because there were more arrows coming. David knew what this meant.

He fled the area and met Jonathan. They wept knowing David needed to depart and everything would different from this point forward.

Application

David lost three crutches in life he depended on greatly. He lost his job, his love life, and his friendships.

How do you think David felt at this point in his life?

Thankfully this story is in scripture. As we draw closer to the Lord, the crutches we depend on can quickly disappear.

What crutches have to leave if we are to fully depend on God?

Why would God allow the crutches of life to be moved?

Proverbs 3:5–6 NKJV

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

When we choose to trust in other things besides God, they become crutches in our lives. When we trust our jobs/finances more than God, we have a problem. If our trust is in our position, our position can quickly be changed. Our money can quickly leave.

While we need a Godly spouse, our identity is not in who we marry. Our trust needs to be in the Lord as both husband and wife mutually draw closer to God.

Friendships and relationships are vital. But if our trust is in our relationships then we will be disappointed because people have a tendency to fail us because by nature we are flawed.

Therefore, our aim is to be sure trust God in every area. We must lean on Him and Him alone. However, we do need to use what we have to further our Spiritual development?

How can we have a proper perspective position/finances to make sure our trust is in God and not in the position/finances?

How can spouses support and help each other depend on God?

What do our relationships and friendships need to help is draw nearer to the Lord?

Challenge

Ask the Lord for help in leaning on Him.

If God is in the process of removing any crutches, ask for the proper perspective in the process.

Ask the Lord to make you more like Him, humbling ourselves before Him.

Look for ways to be faithful to God in every area and every season of life.

Read 1 Samuel 21