MEMORISE:
And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. 1 Samuel 30:8
READ: 2 Samuel 5:17-25
17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.
18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
20 And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.
21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
23 And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
MESSAGE:
Many times, there are things that make common sense to us and we just want to go ahead and do them without asking God if we should or not. Let us learn from David, a man who we find seeking God’s face for direction a lot of times in the Bible.
In 1 Samuel 30:1-8, David had just returned from battle to find out that his people had been attacked. All their belongings along with their wives and children had been taken by the enemy. His soldiers who had lost everything they lived for were considering stoning him to death, but in the middle of all these, David took time to ask God if he should pursue the attackers.
In 2 Samuel 5:17-25, David asked God how he should attack the Philistines in war and God gave him a strategy that worked. After that, he was to face them in battle again and everything looked exactly like the previous one. David still went back to ask God what to do. You must never assume that you know what to do at any point in time. Proverbs 3:5 says:
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
Still learning from David, there were also times when he failed to seek God’s guidance before taking decisions and the results were woeful. A classis example is the census of Israel the devil made him conduct (1 Chronicles 21) which brought God’s wrath upon the nation.
No matter how brilliant you are in your field of practice, always lean on God for what to do and what not to do. Many people have made great mistakes that are still hurting them because they thought they were making the right move based on their professional assessments.
When you get your salary at the end of the month, do you ask God what you should use the money for? When you are going out in the morning, do you ask Him what route to take? When you are about to have a business meeting or presentation, do you ask God for the right approach?
There is a lot to gain from always asking God for advice. If you want to win in every area of your life, ask God for what to do per time.
KEY POINT:
Never assume that you know what to do; always ask God for direction.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: James 1-5
PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD.
1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
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