No More
Notes
Transcript
Welcome
Welcome
Welcome to Celebration. We are so glad that you are here. My wife, Maegan and I are honored to serve as the Lead Pastors and if there is anything that we can do to better serve you and your family, please don’t hesitate to let us know. If you are joining for the first time welcome, or digitally, we welcome you as well and want to invite you to join us if you are ever in the Orlando area.
Introduction
Introduction
Today we continue in our Awakening series, Taking Ground. Each year, we have 21 days of prayer and fasting, called Awakening. It is a great time to getting things in order by putting God first. I believe this will be your best year ever, if it is your best your spiritually.
ESV33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
When order is restored, blessing is released. Throughout this season, we want to look at some key elements in the life of David. If there has ever been a person that we can look to in regards to taking ground, it is David. To take ground means to advance, the move forward. Last week we looked at the calling and anointing of David and landed with this thought, we take ground when we take our place, we take ground when we face our giants. It is hard to move forward if we don’t know who we are and what we are called to do. This week I want to continue our journey.
Passage Context
Passage Context
After David defeats Goliath, he is the rising star in Jerusalem. He becomes a commander in Saul’s army, marry Saul’s daughter. He establishes a deep friendship with Saul’s son, Jonathan, but things quickly go south. Because of the anointing on his life, everyone is drawn to him and Saul doesn’t like it. In fact, Saul decides he wants to kill David. His jealousy drove him mad. David escapes and is now a fugitive. It is in this season, David begins to wrote some of his most powerful Psalms. Seasons of suffering can produce fruit. David was poring his heart out in his darkest moments. David isn’t alone. He ends up collecting some devout followers. These men are called Men of Valor. They quickly became David’s soldiers. It was roughly 600 of them, and their numbers were growing. David’s influence is growing. He is winning battles, favor, you name it, David was doing it. He and his men went out and raided a few territories and as they are coming home, on cloud 9 from the victory and...
Scripture
Scripture
Scripture
1 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire
2 and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way.
3 And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.
4 Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep.
5 David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
Today, I want to talk to continue our conversation on the topic of how to handle and respond when we experience a loss. How to win after losing. I’ve entitled today’s message, No More.
Prayer
Prayer
Lord we are thankful for every opportunity to gather as a community to be in your presence. There’s a lot of other places we can be, but we are here today, with an expectation to hear from you. Give us open eyes, open ears, open hearts to receive everything you have for us. Encourage us, challenge us, change us. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Illustration
Illustration
As a grandfather, I am trying to establish traditions and rhythms. I’ve decided I want to buy and read Dr. Seuss to my granddaughters. It will be our thing. I decided to start with Oh, the Places You’ll Go! I didn’t really remember the details of the book but I remember the inspirational tone that focused on where you can go. What an encouraging message to 2 little girls. I got the book and began to read it and was blown away by this children’s book. It was so filled with revolutionary truth. I want to read a few sections to you. I know you didn’t come here for nursery rhymes, but bear with me for a moment...
Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy/girl who’ll decide where to go.
He goes on to talk about this journey where you can make decisions and avoid trouble. I love this line...
You’ll be on your way up! You’ll be seeing great sight! You’ll join the high flier who soar to high heights. You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don’t Because sometimes, you won’t. I’m sorry to say but, sadly it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.
He goes on to talk about friends abandoning you
Transition
Transition
Dr. Seuss goes on to present this tension of having dreams but also knowing that life isn’t a fairytale, we don’t always live happily ever after, but we must not give up in The Waiting Place. It occurs to me, our Biblical understanding and theological expectations can fall victim to whimsical thinking. We read and hear of stories of great triumph but can sometimes miss or overlook those Waiting Place seasons. Those seasons when we are in between blessings. In between breakthroughs. In between miracles. Not that the Bible is a self help book, but it is a book that can help you. The Bible is not a book that is filled with remedies on how to get rich but if we follow its instructions we can be blessed. The thing is, we have to mange the tension. The tension in the middle. Those moments when there is an overlap of success and failure.
17 no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”
However, weapons will form. Weapons can hurt. Weapons can set us back.
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
You can do all things, but you will have trouble.
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
john 16:33
How do you respond when you are winning and losing at the same time? You are healed, but now you are weighed down with debt. You got the job but it’s filled with so much stress its hard to reap the rewards from it. Marriage is strong, but the kids are driving you crazy. Kids are great but husband is unfaithful. Got a promotion at work, but you and your spouse are sleeping in separate rooms. You leave church inspired but by the time we get to work tomorrow, we face a reality that reminds us we are in the waiting place.
You ever feel like you are a passenger in your life?
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
It is so hard to feel like a conqueror when you are walking through defeat.
Observations
Observations
Defeat
Defeat
David was a winner. David has alway won. He won favor with God and with man. We sing songs like all I do is win, win, win, no matter what…until we don’t; because sometimes you won’t. David comes home after some incredible victories and finds his home in shambles. It feels like sometimes, we can experience wins in one place, but extremes setbacks in another.
Amalekites
I’ve learned that reality often tells you what you can’t do, faith tells you what God can do. You may be in managing some tensions right now, but God is with you.
The Amalekites were the culprits. They are descendants of Esau, the brother who sold his birthright so that he could feed his flesh. The name means, dweller in valleys. They represent the flesh, carnality. They strike when you least expect it. They attacked the Israelites in a season when they should have been able to rest. God instructs Saul to completely eradicate them, but he doesn’t, which is why they were able to attack David. Whatever we don’t deal with, will eventually deal with us. Remember, partial freedom is total bondage. We have to deal with our flesh. I am not talking about humanity. We all fall short of the glory of God. There’s a difference between humanity and carnality. We have to make sure we don’t use our humanity to justify carnality. When we don’t deal with our flesh, it will attack when we are the most vulnerable.
Ahinoam and Abigail
The text wants to ensure we know exactly who was taken from David. His wife Ahinoam, her name means delight. Abigail, her name means joy. Both were strong supporters of David. The enemy, carnality, the flesh, what wasn’t dealt with came and stole his happiness and joy.
No Strength
David arrives home looking defeat in the eyes. He and his mean took inventory of all they lost and the text says they wept until they had no more strength. No more hope. No more peace. No more joy. No more dreams. When the enemy sets an ambush against us, when the enemy steals, kills, destroys, his goal is to leave us with no more. I have seen people who have experienced heartbreak and now they have no more love to give. No more strength to fight.
David arrives home looking defeat in the eyes. He and his mean took inventory of all they lost and the text says they wept until they had no more strength. No more hope. No more peace. No more joy. No more dreams. When the enemy sets an ambush against us, when the enemy steals, kills, destroys, his goal is to leave us with no more. I have seen people who have experienced heartbreak and now they have no more love to give. No more strength to fight.
When a winner faces defeat, there are several things that occur
When a winner faces defeat, there are several things that occur
Division
Division
David is now in a tight spot. The men that he has been leading turn their pain on him. In their minds, they followed him, which left their homes vulnerable. Defeat always looks for someone to blame. All that David has done for them quickly begins to disappear from their minds. It was David’s fault. When the enemy attacks, we are so quick to point the finger, aren’t we? Adam pointed at Eve but she recognized the serpent.
Discouraged
Discouraged
David was truly discouraged. He was in distress. It is hard to move forward when you are marinating in the past. Disarmed of courage. Deflated. Depressed.
Be Encouraged
Be Encouraged
David knew he couldn’t stay discouraged. He knew he needed to move on. He couldn’t depend on external motivation. What’s in you comes out of you. Your input determines your outlook. I want to encourage some of you today, fill yourself with God’s truth so that when pressure comes on you, faith comes out of you.
Points
Points
TAKE Ground. In order to take ground, we have to fight back.
Talk to God
Talk to God
8 And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.”
1 Sam 30:
We can talk to a lot of people. We can get advice from many sources. Talk to God.
Approach with Confidence
Approach with Confidence
9 So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.
10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor.
1 sam 30:
David didn’t have all the details, but he moved with confidence. There will be times when God will tell you to go, but you don’t know where. Whatever you do, do it with confidence. Confidence knowing that He orders my steps.
Keep your eyes Open
Keep your eyes Open
11 They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink,
David and his men find a man just wandering all alone. They feed him, take care of him. They find out this man was with the Amalekites but when he got sick, they left him behind. They discarded him. David found him, took care of him and the man the Amalekites gave up on, was the same man that led David and his men to their doorsteps. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to help others. Keep your eyes open to recognize the blessing in disguise. God has a way of using the people that everyone else gave up on. God develops what others discard. God uses what others may deem as useless.
Engage Fully
Engage Fully
17 And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled.
1 sam 30:
David went all out. He wasn’t content with making a statement, he was ending a war. When God releases you, don’t look back. Fully engage.
Closing
Closing
18 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives.
19 Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all.
20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, “This is David’s spoil.”
18 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives.
19 Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all.
1 sam 30:18-
1 sam 30:18-
David was able to get everything he lost back. In order to take ground, you have to fight back. When we fight back, we allow God to fight through us. No more fear. No more depression. No more anxiety. No more sleepless nights...
In order to take ground, you have to fight back.
Your miracle is on the other side of your mess
No More fear
depression
anxiety
confusion
division
defeat
poverty
anger
guilt...
Your miracle is on the other side of your mess, but you have to fight back.
