Encouraged

While David was in exile, he had agreed to assist the Philistines in battle against Israel. He had taken his band of men and was following the Philistines toward the battle, but the Philistine princes thought that was a bad idea and requested they be sent away.

David and his men then returned to their homes in Ziklag only to find them burned to the ground and everything gone.  Wives, children, stock, and every possession taken.  The Bible tells us that David and his men wept until there was no more strength to weep.

1 Samuel 30:6 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.

David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
It doesn’t say that God encouraged him. He encouraged himself.

David was in exile, his first wife, Sauls daughter was taken from him and given to another.  His status was stripped away, and he was a fugitive. His wives, children and all his worldly possessions were gone with no evidence or hope that he’d get them back. And now his own men were threatening to stone him.  All God’s promises and annointing seemed to have vanished away.  He had every reason to give up and just walk away.
But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

What does that mean? I believe that he took his eyes off his problems and looked upon the Problem Solver.  He remembered the lion and the bear and Goliath and other victories that God had delivered into his hands. He began to sing psalms unto the Lord, of the greatness of God, he magnified the Lord. I don’t believe he was asking God for anything, only praising and worshiping and testifying to himself of the Greatness of God.

Psalms 22:3  But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

By praising God, he began to build a dwelling place for God, not of sticks and stones but of praise.  He wanted God to be near him, so he built a habitation.

If you want God to be near you, stop begging and start praising, build him a dwelling place. If God inhabits the praises of Israel and we are spiritual Israel then build him a habitation, build him a house of Praise.

I love when I can get into focused praise, my mind is not on my surroundings, not on lunch or work it’s just on Jesus and His Goodness, His Greatness. Then the presence of the Lord moves in to meet with me, and I feel the embrace of the Holy Ghost.  I can’t explain it any other way, I feel the sweet and comfortable enveloping of his presence, like being Hugged by God. Everything seems to fade away, and I am encouraged in Jesus.

David was encouraged, but his problems were still there, only now he was in a place to ask God the right questions the right way.  He was no longer focusing on the problems. The peace that passeth understanding brought calm and clarity and God directed his path.
God delivered all back to David and to his men.

I still believe that God has a special Thing waiting for us. A move like the Church today has never seen.
Encourage yourselves and one another in the Lord our God and see what happens.

 

 

 

 

God Bless You Richly,
Greg