BEING A MAN
AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART
Acts
13:22, “After removing
Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found
David son of Jesse, a man after my own
heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’”
David, one of the key figures in the Old Testament –
First King from the tribe of Judah, whose descendants Jesus, the savoir of the
world was born (Mat 1:1). He has lot of positive natures however the Bible
records his negative lifestyle also,
· He was the medium for lot of bloodshed (1 Chr. 22:7-10)
· He committed adultery, a liar and a murderer (2 Sam. 11)
· He made wrong decisions which led thousands lose their loves. (2 Sam.
24)
Amidst of all God calls him as the man after His own
heart? Surprising? God’s favourites always people’s least favourite and vice
versa (1 Cor. 1; 18, 27)
He was least in his family – being the youngest but rejected by
all (David’s mother believed to be Jesse’s concubine so that the other brothers
hated him wildly). His father had no interest on him since by any way he will
not represent his lineage besides other sons. (His father almost forgot David
when Samuel came to anoint one of the sons of Jesse) 1 Sam 16:11 - So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons
you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the
sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
He received hatred from his brothers (1 Sam 17:28) in
the battlefield: 1 Samuel 17 we see about the battle of David and Goliath. The story
even kids would know – The world uses when simple people defeat the giants. We
learn some spiritual lessons from David’s approach that made him outstanding
with others. 1 Sam 17:23, David enters into the conversation with the soldiers
about Goliath.
Five things can be noted out from his conversation
with people in spiritual way.
“Is there not a cause?” or “Am I here without a
Purpose? – Don’t I have a purpose to come here? The spiritual preparation is
always expecting a chance to fight against the evil and the evil one. Goliath
despised God, the army of Israel and Saul (vv 8-10). The response of David was
courage instead of Fear. The armies hid themselves as they saw the philistine
(vv 11, 24). David responded “Who
is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living
God?” (v.26)
Our life has a God ordained purpose in it, we must
prepare ourselves to face at any time. God has sent you with a purpose to this
battleground. As it is certain battlegrounds are not entertaining, prepare
yourself to face it.
2. He had
Spiritual Realization (1 Sam 17:32) – “David said
to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant
will go and fight him.”
There are occasions we must understand where to battle
and where not – Identifying the above fact will make our battles easier. 1 Cor.
9:26, Paul says, “I do not run like
someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.”
Recognizing what is your battle and what is not makes
your time and energy in a useful manner. David identified that did his moment
to get in and fight with the uncircumcised Goliath. He proved his spiritual
realization.
Paul chose “Good
fight” (2 Tim. 4:7) which can award him the eternal reward.
Isaiah chose the battle and said, “Here I am.” (Isaiah 6:8)
Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant.” (Luke 1:38)
We should have spiritual realization like David – What
to do and what not to do?
3. He had
Spiritual Confidence (1 Sam 17:37) – “The Lord
who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this
Philistine.”
1 Sam 17:45-47, “David
said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin,
but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty,
the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my
hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will
give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals,
and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear
that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he
will give all of you into our hands.”
The phrase, “The
Lord will rescue me” proves that he had no confidence on himself but on the
Lord. There cannot be a physical comparison between these two – There is no way
you can compare them in worldly sense but spiritual confidence enabled him to
face the giant.
There are people afraid to face demons and demon
possessed people. I often get dreams of chasing demons – since I’m not getting
chances to face them in reality. The spiritual confidence enables us to confess
“The Lord will deliver me.” The scripture time and again prove that to be real.
Israelite while crossing the red sea – (Ex 14:14), “The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
Daniel in Lion’s Den – (Dan 6:22), “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions”
4. He had
Spiritual Zealous (1 Sam 17:45) – “I come
against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of
Israel, whom you have defied”
Earlier he said to Saul (v.39), “I can’t go with this outfit” – If you do the unfamiliar things
which will not help you rather make you uncomfortable. This is not a war of
David but Lord’s. V.47, “All those
gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for
the battle is the Lord’s,
and he will give all of you into our hands.”
David was so angry at the philistine because of his
words against the Lord and the army of Israel – This zeal made him to go for
any extend! I sometime surprise how Saul allowed David to fight against the
mighty Goliath – The challenge is defeating him will result defeat of their
army.
David said it later in Ps 69:9, “For zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who
insult you fall on me.” Later the same verse referred to Jesus as he was
cleansing the temple in John 2:17.
5. He had
Spiritual Humbleness (1 Sam 17:47) – “For the battle
is the Lord’s,
and he will give all of you into our hands.”
The terms “Lord’s – into OUR hands” proves
that David do not want to take credit of his victory over the enemy rather God
made him to be victorious. The victory belongs to everyone whom he represents.
Today the huge temptation for Christian leaders that
they take the glory for the victories that came through the Lord. On the
contrary David had victory but attributed to the Lord.
Preaching is our duty – the duty of Satan to divert
the heart of the people – the work of the Lord is to soften the heart of the
hearer to accept the gospel. The major role for all our success and victories
is the Lord – This is the battle of the Lord (Ex. 14:14).
Spiritual humbleness always exalts the Lord, put
ourselves down (John the Baptist John 1:27; John 3:30). John in his gospel
never revealed who he was – “This is he who testifies” (John 21:24)
RESULT:
The result of his spiritual preparation, realization,
confidence, zealous and humbleness – He defeated the mighty Goliath. It was an
Unexpected, Sure victory for David as he depended on the Lord. He took the head
of the giant Goliath – A complete conquest.
Later David said Ps. 144:1, “Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.”
Psalm 18:34, “He
trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”
The victory/success of David laid on the failures he
faced. The struggles, humiliations and oppositions should make you bolder and
give strong trust in the Lord.
David endured in all the negativity in Jesse’s home –
He improved the spiritual abilities that made him to be stronger in the Lord –
Ultimately he became King and ruled the nation. Above all God testified about
David, “He is man after my own heart”
(Act 13:22) what a great testimony. Let us aspire to get the same from the
Almighty God.
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