Emerging Leaders Summit

Lessons Learned

God calls people from the strangest places. He wouldn’t assemble his team the same way that you and I might. He called the youngest, smallest, most overlooked member of his family. He was at heart a musician in a family of warriors. Who respects musicians? (16:1)

He has a way of “flushing” his leaders out into the open. He sometimes send people into our lives for that single purpose. (16:1-7)

There is a time in our lives when we have to do the things that other people don’t want to do. How we respond to these things will set the tone and direction for our lives. It will be a loud and clear signal to people and to God relative to our usefulness.

The biggest dreams that others have for us will fall far short of the plans that God has for us. Jesse did not see that his youngest son could possibly be a candidate for the kingship. Others may recognize this potential in us much more quickly than those who have lived closely to us. There is a tendency to be type cast by those who know us best.(16:11)

We need someone who ultimately vouch for us. Samuel anointed him in front of his brothers.(16:13)

Often God will use things that we never imagined to lead us to a place of advantage for the kingdom. (16:17)

It is crucial to remain balanced and well rounded in order to be best used. (16:18)

David remained in his place even after the anointing. (16:11, 19; 17:15,

He honored his father. He remained faithful in service to someone who failed to see his full potential. He was still his Dad’s errand boy even though he was armor bearer to the king. (16:17-22)

David’s ears were good. He heard things that perhaps passed the hearing of others. That’s because he was sensitive to God, the cries of the sheep and he recognized arrogance and was deeply offended by it. (17:23)

His priorities were good as well. He heard the arrogance of the Philistine but did not hear so well when it came to the promise of personal reward. He missed what the men were saying the first time because he was offended by Goliath. (17:25,26)

He was not intimidated by fools who dared to defy God. They are all over the place today and they strive to intimidate in many ways. (17:26)

He had sibling difficulty. (17:28-30)

The way that you speak, the where and when you speak – every time that you open your mouth you have the potential of influencing your future for good or bad. (17:31)

Our leaders often do not recognize our potential. Often this can be the worst pain. When people of profile and position tell us that we are not able to do this or that. (17:33)

He recognized his greatest credentials and his true teacher. (17:34) “our servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. . . “

He faced each challenge of life as it came. (17:34,35) He did what needed to be done. Goliath held no distinction in is mind. He was just another challenge.

He recognized that God had helped him in the past and understood that this would remain true as he stepped forward. (17:37)

He fought the battle as he had learned – not the way that he was being prodded. (17:38.39)

He was a man with a mission, deaf to tough talking. He approached Goliath when others had run away. (17:40-44)

David proclaimed his confidence. (17: 45-47)

Trained to be a godly leader by an ungodly leader who was out to destroy him.