Faith and Discouragement

Scripture Reading

1 Samuel 27:1–4 NKJV

1 And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.” 2 Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men who were with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 So David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s widow. 4 And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath; so he sought him no more.

Today I would like to talk about discouragement in the life of a believer.

I know it can sound like a contradiction.

We affirm the faith we have in our redeemer, and yet

It is a reality that many of us face today, or have faced or will face.

The events leading up to the passage we just read are very important.

There are firstly two incidents where David could have killed Saul and become King.

We have the death of Samual

David marries for the second time.

We find all that recorded in the previous chapters.

Waiting for the Lord’s Timing

It can be very difficult to wait for the Lord’s timing.

I speak from personal experience.

Often a vision is given, a call is received, but then God says wait.

A door may close that you thought was just the right one.

The Lord has to make us ready for the vision.

David would be King.

But David knew he had to wait for the Lord to bring it to pass.

Waiting is hard.

Especially, when it is within our power to act.

But many times God can say wait.

If we force it, we will regret it, eventually.

But if God says go, we dare not wait then.

Discouragement and Leadership

David was discouraged.

Discouragement led David into sin.

David was deceived by his own heart.

The role of scripture and its double edged sword.

Maintaining the Deception

16 months David was in the country of the Philistines.

16 months David took refuge at Gath, under the King of the Philistines.

16 months David basically lived a lie.

16 months David, his 600 men and their families lived a lie.

16 months David’s relationship with the Lord was broken!

1 Samuel 27:7–12 NKJV

7 Now the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months. 8 And David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. For those nations were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as you go to Shur, even as far as the land of Egypt. 9 Whenever David attacked the land, he left neither man nor woman alive, but took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the apparel, and returned and came to Achish. 10 Then Achish would say, “Where have you made a raid today?” And David would say, “Against the southern area of Judah, or against the southern area of the Jerahmeelites, or against the southern area of the Kenites.” 11 David would save neither man nor woman alive, to bring news to Gath, saying, “Lest they should inform on us, saying, ‘Thus David did.’ ” And thus was his behavior all the time he dwelt in the country of the Philistines. 12 So Achish believed David, saying, “He has made his people Israel utterly abhor him; therefore he will be my servant forever.”

God’s Restoration of David

Restoration through difficulties.

The Philistines send David away from the war with Israel. God’s divine intervention.

Return to the land of the Philistines

Amalekites raiding party take captives, including David two wives.

1 Samuel 30:6 NKJV

6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

In that phrase, “But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God” is so much.

There is no mention of David and the Lord during those 16 months in Gath.

How could there be, David was living a lie.

But what we have here is David returning to the Lord

And let’s be honest, he only returns because God in his mercy engineers his circumstances to make him face the reality of his backsliding.

We talk about repentance as if it is our work.

It is not.

It is finally listening to and agreeing as the Holy Spirit strives with us.

David, look it is all falling apart.

You need to come back to me

Though your sins...

What we have here is the Lord graciously accepting the wandering prodigal and then strengthening Him

What we have here is God treating David in the very opposite way.

what we have here is the gospel in full display.

And woe is us if we undermine that simple gospel message by adding to it.

It is the same message today as it was when David alive.

It is the same grace today

Present truth is God’s truth, and that is the same today, yesterday and for evermore

Woe is us if we build on any other foundation than Christ.