Win's & Losses

Psalm 139:1–5 KJV 1900

1 O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, And art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, But, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, And laid thine hand upon me.

Intro:

years ago, I coached HS basketball - 17 seasons I think - over those years...

Bobby Bowden

Lou Holtz

… It’s not my job to hold down the score – that’s your job.

Psalm 139:2 KJV 1900

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.

Ups and down’s...

wins and losses...

David had a multitude of each...

1. Learn from your Wins

Psalm 139:2 KJV 1900

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.

my downsitting and mine uprising...

my ups and my downs...

my wins and my losses...

notice the thought - our wins and losses are tied to our thoughts...

…thou understandest my thought afar off.

David was a keeper of the Sheep - and he had many wins...

This past week when I came back from preaching my grandpa’s funeral - It was my spiritual birthday...

I came back to a front yard that had a flock of sheep on paint sticks… Miss Ingrid with her phone and a live FB feed - some of our staff were out front - and we were received so kindly… The paint sticks had little sheep w/ typed notes - all with wonderful notes from the flock that the Lord has so graciously allowed us to shepherd - Mrs. Brown and I smiled, laughed and cried as we rejoiced with each of you - God has been so good to us… I know that the flock that David shepherded did not treat him anywhere like the wonderful church family here treats us!!!

Adversarial Lion & a bear

1 Samuel 17:32–37 KJV 1900

32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

Adversarial Brother

1 Samuel 17:28 KJV 1900

28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

Adversarial Conditions

1 Samuel 17:29 KJV 1900

29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

Adversarial Enemy

1 Samuel 17:42–51 KJV 1900

42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. 43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. 45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands. 48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

Adversarial King

Adversarial Son

Adversarial Subject - Shimei

Adversarial Counselor and confident - Ahithophel

* Learn from your Wins

2. Learn from your losses

we are usually more apt to learn from our losses because we don’t want to repeat the failure...

David had some amazing wins - but he also had some difficult defeats:

Loss @ Ziklag...

1 Samuel 30:1–6 KJV 1900

1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

Loss of his Morals and Integrity

2 Samuel 11:1–6 KJV 1900

1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. 2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. 3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? 4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. 5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. 6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

Loss of his Joy

Psalm 51:10–12 KJV 1900

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit.

iv. Loss of His Testimony...

The epitaph could have been

* David and Goliath...

But just as often he is remembered as...

* David and Bathsheba...

Isn’t it amazing how 1 negative action can wipe out so many wonderful positives...

1 loss vs the amount of wins...

David’s losses add up and as great as his wins were, the losses were just as great...

Isn’t it wonderful that in our wins and in our losses, the Lord loves us in both...

Psalm 139:16–17 KJV 1900

16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; And in thy book all my members were written, Which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!

* Learn from your wins

* Learn from your losses

3. Don’t Lose for Eternity

Luke 12:16–21 KJV 1900

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.