WEBVTT 00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:10.800 Hey, I'm Steve Holt, the senior pastor of the Revit at Chapel Hills. 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:12.320 This is the Revit Podcast. 00:00:12.560 --> 00:00:13.759 Thanks for joining us. 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:16.960 My heart is to empower you to change the world. 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:19.280 I hope this message impacts you. 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:21.839 Here now is our guest speaker. 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:33.840 Well, it's my privilege this morning to share the word, and I really believe that God has given me something for you this morning. 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:40.000 And uh so I just want you to buckle your seatbelts um and we're going to talk a little bit. 00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:43.280 Um, all of you are expecting that we're gonna talk about worship, right? 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:49.679 Probably that won't come up, but uh no, I'm just kidding. 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:55.920 Um we are gonna talk a little bit about worship, but actually it's a whole different uh direction than I'm going. 00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:58.159 And we're gonna talk about the life of David. 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:00.880 And how many of you have heard the story of David and Goliath? 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:01.920 All right. 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:04.799 Well, we're just gonna basically just touch on that. 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:10.560 We're gonna talk about a actually the whole life of David and some of the things that he went through. 00:01:10.640 --> 00:01:16.640 But before I get into the life of David, I want to share an encouraging scripture with you. 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:27.599 Um, if you have your Bibles, your iPads, your iPhones, or your Androids, or whatever you look at the scriptures with, um, turn to Matthew chapter 5. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:32.000 We will also have the scriptures come up on the screen. 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:34.719 And um I want to share a promise with you. 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:37.200 How many like promises from God? 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:40.879 All right, these are this is stuff that you can take to the bank. 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:46.079 This is uh, you know, things from God's word that you can count on. 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:54.560 You know, the Bible uh you know speaks of the word being like a rock or a foundation, um a pillar, you know, things that don't move. 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:56.959 And this is one of those amazing scriptures. 00:01:57.120 --> 00:01:57.840 Are you ready? 00:01:58.000 --> 00:01:59.840 Um you're gonna be so encouraged. 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:09.439 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:10.719 In fact, can we say that together? 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:11.199 Ready? 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:12.240 One, two, three. 00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:20.960 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs of heaven. 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:42.000 Now I can tell you that this scripture is just as true and just as much a promise as the goodness of God, as he will provide for you according to his riches and glory, um, forgiveness, salvation. 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:44.159 This is a promise from God. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.919 So you're probably thinking, what does this have to do with David? 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:51.919 Actually, this has a lot to do with David. 00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:56.080 So I'm gonna make about six observations on David's life. 00:02:56.159 --> 00:03:01.280 Um, if you want to take notes, you can you know write these things down if you still have your journal. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:07.919 I think you might learn something, maybe even a little bit of a fresh uh approach of uh David's life. 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:09.680 But let's start with number one. 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:14.719 We're gonna go one through six, and then I'm leading somewhere going to um the end point. 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:17.840 So, number one, are you ready? 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:19.439 Everybody ready? 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:21.439 All right, are you awake? 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.039 Okay, all right, just making sure. 00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:29.759 Um number one, David the shepherd boy. 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:40.960 Can I uh just kind of lay it out there that God has been after you for a long, long time. 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:43.599 Some longer than others, the older you are. 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:46.639 But God has been after you. 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:56.400 There's an incredibly encouraging scripture that says this God first loved us. 00:03:56.879 --> 00:03:58.639 In fact, can we say that together? 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:02.159 God first loved us. 00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:23.680 Did you know that before David was a king, before David defeated Goliath, before David became the general in the armies of Israel, he was this little kid out in the shepherd field with a harp. 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:42.639 And he played, he played his chord, and he was like ring, and then all of a sudden he starts singing, I love you, Lord, and I lift my voice to worship you if you know it singing. 00:04:42.959 --> 00:05:06.000 Oh my soul rejoice, take joy, my king in what you let it be a sweet, sweet sound. 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:18.480 And something happened when he strummed his harp and he started singing. 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:30.639 A presence came into the shepherd field, into the pasture, and all of a sudden, he's like, God is here. 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:36.079 Now there was no promise from David that he was gonna be king at this point. 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:49.519 He literally was just playing his harp, watching some sheep, and right there in the midst of everyday life, he encounters God's presence. 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:51.199 How many of you would say this? 00:05:51.439 --> 00:05:54.560 See, I feel God's presence when I come into church. 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:55.120 Okay? 00:05:55.519 --> 00:06:00.639 I mean, hopefully when we start singing last week, we said, oh, hail the power. 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:02.800 It's like 500 voices in the choir, right? 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:06.160 It's like everybody's like, and crown him. 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:09.839 I mean, some of you guys were getting your opera voices on. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:11.120 I heard you. 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:15.040 I mean, you were singing, and it's like, oh man, I feel his presence. 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:17.920 But just as powerful, how many of you would say this? 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:28.399 I've been driving in my car or I've been in the nook of my house just listening or just reading, and that same presence comes and fills that space. 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:29.680 How many of you would say that? 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:39.199 Can I tell you that God wants to encounter and have encounters with you, not just on Sundays? 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:58.240 In fact, when we say God first loved us, most people admit I had a buddy of mine who was sitting at a bar, drinking a Budweiser, and God's presence came into the bar, and he just put the beer away and said, I need to get right with God. 00:06:58.480 --> 00:07:01.279 He said it wasn't church where I felt God's presence. 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:03.040 He said, God came to me. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:07.920 The Bible says that he leaves the 99 to go after the one. 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:12.720 How many are thankful that God wouldn't leave you alone? 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:35.199 He kept after you and kept after you, coming after you until you yielded your heart because he first left, before you even knew what sin was, before you were ever existing, came out of your mother's womb, he knew you and he had already made a decision and already chose to love you and to die for you. 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:37.519 Isn't that an encouraging thought? 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:47.920 God's been after you, just like he was after David before he was this world-famous, this incredibly talented and amazing leader. 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:51.439 God was encountering him in the pasture. 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:57.519 Number two, David, the anointed and rejected one. 00:07:57.680 --> 00:07:59.279 Everybody say anointed. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:05.680 All right, you're anointed by the Holy Spirit to go preach the gospel to the poor. 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:06.800 You're anointed. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:08.160 But guess what? 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:13.839 That anointing also comes with rejection. 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:16.480 How many of you have said this? 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:18.639 Or I mean you've you've encountered this. 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:26.399 When you took a stand for Jesus, when you made a decision to follow Jesus, not everybody around you was super happy about it. 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:27.759 How many admit that? 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:31.439 Some of you, some of you like your family's like, you go, you're nuts. 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:32.480 You're crazy. 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:34.480 What are you doing with that Jesus stuff? 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:42.639 No, no, here's the thing: when you become anointed, you also become rejected. 00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:48.320 Blessed are the persecuted, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:49.840 Persecuted for what? 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:53.120 Persecuted for righteousness. 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:55.759 Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:58.240 So here's how the story goes. 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:03.360 David is out in the pasture field playing his harp, watching the sheep. 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:07.840 He smells, there was no deodorant back then, just in case you were wondering. 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:09.840 He's out, he smells like sheep. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:23.120 He's he wasn't even invited to the party, but Samuel shows up to Bethlehem and he says to Jesse, Come and bring your sons, because the Lord has something that he wants to say. 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:26.639 So all of Jesse's sons line up. 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:30.240 You guys know the story if you've if you've heard about David. 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:33.679 There's seven sons, and he stands before the first one. 00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:36.559 He says, Oh, this must be the one. 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:44.480 He must have been something quite a quite an athlete or you know, something to look at, and he says, Surely this is the one that you've anointed. 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:45.759 And the Lord says, No. 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:48.399 Then he goes to the next one. 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:51.279 He says, Oh no, maybe it's this one. 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:53.360 And he the Lord says, no. 00:09:54.480 --> 00:10:02.080 He goes through all seven of Jesse's sons and says, He's not here. 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:07.519 And he says, he says to Jesse, he says, Is there not somebody else? 00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:09.600 Don't you have another son? 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:14.080 He said, Well, there's, you know, my youngest is out in the field. 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:20.320 Um, he's a little little different, you know, singer, songwriter. 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:22.879 You know, you know what I'm talking about. 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:33.120 He wears skinny jeans, and you know, I mean, he said, we're not gonna sit down until he comes in. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:36.559 Now he now here's the thought that I have, because we know what happens. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:46.000 David comes, he breaks the oil over David's uh head, comes down, he's anointed by God, he's anointed as the next king of Israel. 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:51.600 But I'm thinking, I'm thinking, you know, I just kind of like break down the story in my own way. 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:53.039 Like, why did that happen? 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:55.120 Why did it happen that way? 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:57.919 And I've asked myself this question. 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:13.279 If Samuel was this super powerful prophet, wouldn't you think that God could have spoken to him to go out to the pasture and just anoint him there? 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:16.799 I'm like, yeah, some all-knowing prophet, huh? 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:22.080 Why don't you just and you don't even know that that that the seven guys weren't gonna be chosen? 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:24.320 I'm thinking, why did God do that? 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:26.720 Because there must be a reason. 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:30.080 And I I finally figured it out. 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:31.279 Because he could have. 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:41.919 God could have spoken to Samuel to go out to the pasture, have this private encounter, and actually in detail tell him what's gonna happen to his life, but that's not what happened. 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:54.080 David comes in, and in the presence of his father and all seven of his brothers, Samuel anoints him. 00:11:55.279 --> 00:12:07.600 As if saying this that you are chosen, and you, you, you, you, you, you, and you are not chosen. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:21.360 Now I don't know how many of you have brothers, but can you imagine how his brothers treated him after that? 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:25.840 Here comes the next king, my liege. 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:29.200 Go clean the stable. 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:34.960 Oh, you think you're oh, you think you're king over us. 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:38.879 I mean, can you imagine the ridicule and the rejection? 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:42.480 In fact, we see it on the battlefield when he went to fight Goliath. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:46.799 His his brother looks at him and he says, What are you even doing here? 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:48.799 Well, why are you here? 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:51.679 Why did you leave those few sheep to come over here? 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:53.120 You just want to watch the battle. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:56.639 He said, I know how prideful and I know how arrogant you are. 00:12:56.879 --> 00:12:59.360 And David, the Bible says that David didn't even listen. 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:02.720 He just turned and said, Now what will be done for the guy who defeats this guy? 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:07.840 Which, by the way, let me just say this: David's motives were not all pure. 00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:15.440 He knew he was supposed to be the next king, and he was asking the question to kind of size it up. 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:16.799 Is it worth it? 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:19.679 Oh, I can become the king's son-in-law. 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:22.879 Is this my end to become you know close to the king? 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:28.639 How many knows that God that God will also use your wrong motive sometimes, too? 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:34.799 He will make sure to get you where you need to go and on the battlefield. 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:38.399 So, number two, David was anointed, but he was also rejected. 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:41.279 And we'll get more uh into the rejection piece. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:48.639 But then number three, David goes from zero to hero in a single day. 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:56.399 David steps on the battlefield and he's like, How dare you defy the armies of the living God? 00:13:56.559 --> 00:14:01.440 And here's the amazing thing is um let me back up for a minute. 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:02.960 Is this okay? 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:04.399 You guys learning? 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:05.360 Okay, all right, all right. 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:08.240 I'm hoping I'm giving you a different spin on the life of David. 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:08.799 Okay. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:26.559 I'm thinking to myself, what would David, this 16-year-old kid, have to say to convince Saul that to let him go fight on behalf of the nation? 00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:34.080 I'm just thinking to myself, as he's walking to Saul's tent, I mean, somebody overhears David talking about, you know, I'll go fight him. 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:37.440 And somebody's like, oh, okay, well, let me take you to the king. 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:44.559 He's walking and he's thinking, what am I going to tell him to convince him to let me fight? 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:56.399 And he stands before Saul and all the officials who are probably, you know, older, wiser, you know, uh commanders of the armies, and the 16-year-old kid standing there, and he said, I'll fight him. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:59.039 And you can just hear it in the crowd. 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:01.919 Really? 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:06.399 And they're like, You're just a boy. 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:15.919 And David says, and he looks them right in the eyes, and he says, How many of you have defeated a lion with your bare hands? 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:21.600 Hey, you, have you defeated a bear on your own? 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:25.519 And they're all like, um, no? 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:37.440 He said, Because when a bear and a lion attacked my family's sheep, I stepped in between them and I fought and defeated both lion and bear. 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:39.600 And then Saul's like, good enough for me. 00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:40.559 All right. 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:43.600 Give him some armor, guys. 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:45.039 Let him go. 00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:54.879 But here's the thing David had been victorious in private when nobody was watching. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:55.279 Yeah. 00:15:56.559 --> 00:16:04.480 And so now he was ready to go in public and face the giant when everybody was watching. 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:06.559 And so David goes out. 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:15.919 And let me let me ask you this question: how brave and how courageous and full of faith and a risk taker would you have to be to come up to Saul? 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:21.279 I mean, I'm sorry, come up to Goliath and say, I'm gonna cut your head off. 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:25.360 And you don't even have a sword. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:28.080 David had a slingshot. 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:30.320 He's like, I'm gonna cut your head off. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:32.559 And he did not even have a sword. 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:36.159 But he knew, I think he was speaking prophetically. 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:37.840 I don't know if he saw it in the spirit. 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:46.879 By the way, let me just say this: um, it was magic oil that was put on David's head when they anointed him. 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:50.720 In the Old Testament, not everybody had the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:52.559 You recognize that, right? 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.320 We do, right? 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:58.320 The power of the day of Pentecost came, and all of us empowered. 00:16:58.399 --> 00:16:59.840 We're filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:08.720 We can be we can be empowered and have gifts of the Spirit and all these uh different accolades that we can do and all this stuff that we can do for the kingdom because we're all anointed. 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:15.359 But in those days, it was just three different types of people who had the the the spirit of God in them. 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:21.440 It was the king, the priest, and the prophet. 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:28.640 Well, when when Samuel came up and he anointed David, it was like magic oil. 00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:37.599 It went into and all of a sudden, uh because because when when Saul was anointed years earlier, this is what was said. 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:49.920 When they anointed him and said, You are um the king, the Bible says that whatever his hand found to do, the prophet said, Do it, because the Lord is with you. 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:54.079 How many of you would like to like to have that promise? 00:17:54.640 --> 00:18:00.400 Whatever you do, do it, and God will be with you and it will not fail. 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:03.039 How many of you would like to have that promise? 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:03.920 Guess what? 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:24.400 You do you do because that same magic oil that was anointed with that David was anointed with is the is the anointing oil, is the power of the Holy Spirit that lives within us to step in front of giants and say, I'm gonna cut your head off and not even have a sword in your possession. 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:30.880 He will give you what you need, he will empower you to do what you're called to do. 00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:36.400 And it's not your power, it's the power of the Holy Spirit in you working through you. 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:40.400 So all of a sudden, David knows. 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:43.279 I mean, everybody knows David. 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:50.240 In fact, Mattel Toy Company made the Giant Slayer 2000, and they were selling, they were falling off the shelves. 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:54.400 I mean, everybody had a slang, and everybody was, I want to be, I want to be David. 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:55.680 No, you're Goliath. 00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:57.200 No, I'm David. 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:01.200 And they're everybody's talking about David, everybody's retelling the story. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:07.119 Everybody's talking about the giant being slain by this little shepherd boy. 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:11.519 And Saul recruits him and says, You're gonna be my armor bearer. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:14.640 But herein is the problem. 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:21.279 Blessed are the persecuted, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:25.200 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:27.119 Everybody say righteousness. 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:39.200 Do you realize that from what I can tell in scripture, and I've written two books on David's life, I've studied his life extensively. 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:49.839 I don't ever see until his fall with Bathsheba, I don't ever see a time in Scripture that David ever lost a battle. 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:57.680 He was anointed, and everything he went to do, he was successful. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:00.000 He was doing things right. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:07.519 He was doing, he wasn't doing things wrong, he wasn't doing things bad, he was actually doing everything well. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:18.640 So some of you who who are saying, I don't understand why I feel so frustrated, because all through COVID, I've done nothing but but try to do the right thing. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:23.039 And it still seems like I can't get ahead. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:24.720 I don't understand. 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:32.480 I don't understand why I feel rejected and I feel confused and frustrated because all I've done is what's right. 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:55.839 Welcome to the world of David, a man after God's own heart who actually became rejected to the point that Saul was so jealous of David because everything he did, he did so well that he sent an assassin to his house to kill him. 00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:58.960 Now I know that you've had some bad times. 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:08.480 But I'm not sure that any of you have ever had an assassin show up at your door to kill you. 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:15.519 Is there anybody, actually, somebody in the first service raised their hand, and then told me they said, yeah, this guy's trying to kill me. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:18.079 Um, and there was a contract and everything. 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:24.640 But but this is this is how bad it was for David. 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:42.079 They show up, and David, who is the rightful king of Israel, anointed to be king and ruler over Israel, is doing nothing but going out into battle and winning and winning and winning. 00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:44.640 Every single time he wins. 00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:54.400 And he comes back, and Israel is advancing and advancing because they have this amazing commander who's commanding the army to go out and defeat their enemies. 00:21:54.799 --> 00:21:59.519 But Saul gets a jealous eye, not because of what David did wrong. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:01.839 But because of what he did right. 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:05.519 And maybe that explains some things for you. 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:11.119 Maybe you're like, man, why even try? 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:16.480 Why even do business the right way and not cheat? 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:18.400 Everybody else does. 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:23.599 Maybe I just need to, maybe I just need to, you know, be shrewd like a s. 00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:29.759 Isn't it amazing how we can we can use scripture to morph things to our advantage? 00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:32.079 Maybe I can be as shrewd as a snake, you know. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:33.039 That's what scripture says. 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:36.000 I gotta be shrewd like a snake. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:38.400 But but here's the thing. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:42.079 David was totally committed to his. 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:43.680 In fact, he said this in the Psalms. 00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:49.599 He said, God, according to the cleanness of my hands and the purity of my heart, judge me. 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:54.400 I don't know if anybody in this room would be bold enough to do that. 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:59.680 According to the cleanness of my hands and the purity of my heart, judge me, God. 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:01.759 Man, talk about he was committed. 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:06.480 He was doing what's right to the point that his life is being threatened. 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:07.759 He's running for his life. 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:13.440 He can't go home to Bethlehem because they'll find him there and probably kill him and his family. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:18.640 He can't go anywhere in Israel because everybody knows who David is. 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:23.599 They all recognize him and they'll tell, and eventually Saul will find him. 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:26.799 So where does David go when he has nowhere to go? 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:34.079 He goes to the land of Gath, which is where Goliath was from. 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:43.359 And he's wearing his, you know, his incognito outfit, trying to blend in. 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:53.279 And of course, even there, they recognize him, and one of the king's men say, Isn't that David? 00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:59.599 And they call him in to the king and said, Come with us. 00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:03.599 And so they take him before the king, and that magic oil kicks in. 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:23.039 And the Spirit of God comes upon David, and he gets down on all fours and goes, Oh! And he scurries over and scratches at the wall, and he foams at the beard, and he he's talking crazy. 00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:28.160 And the king is like this guy has lost it. 00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:37.279 Like, I mean, I know the pressure gets to everybody, but this guy really went off the deep end, and the spirit of God came on David to not fight. 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:42.160 He didn't grab a sword and cut everybody's throat and do the ninja thing and you know all the way around. 00:24:42.319 --> 00:24:43.039 No, no. 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:46.640 He gets down and acts insane. 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:49.359 Can I tell you this? 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:54.960 That sometimes the Spirit of God will cause you to do things that are very uncomfortable. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:03.200 And the Oscar goes to David, come receive your reward. 00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:19.920 How convincing, how good of a performance would David have to give to actually convince the king and all of his guards and his leaders that he really wasn't sane? 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:29.279 How many of you were forced to do some very uncomfortable things during the pandemic? 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:36.079 I'd say probably all of us were a little uncomfortable at some times. 00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:43.759 But can I tell you that the Spirit of God and how God works and operates and the things that he asks you to do? 00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:49.519 In fact, God won't even ask your permission to when he begins to show you what you're supposed to do. 00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:51.759 He'll just require it. 00:25:52.400 --> 00:26:00.480 He'll just require you to do things that, like, man, I never dreamed that I'd be working this job. 00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:08.799 Sometimes the provision, sometimes the answer, sometimes the things that God anoints us to do are very uncomfortable. 00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:17.839 But here's what you can know God is always good, and He will always anoint you and always help you if you do it His way. 00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:22.640 Number four, David is anointed to act insane. 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:33.359 By the way, after David's kicked out of the court, the king's like, get this guy out of here, and they kick him in the butt, and he's like, you know, come comes out of the court. 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:35.359 Now think about this. 00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:38.880 I can't go home. 00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:43.359 I can't go to Israel or to Judah. 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:47.440 I don't even belong in the land of my enemies. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:50.720 Let me ask you a question. 00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:56.559 Have you ever felt nobody gets me? 00:26:57.920 --> 00:27:00.079 And nobody understands. 00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:03.440 In fact, I don't fit in anywhere. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:06.960 I've tried every church in Colorado Springs. 00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:10.799 In the last five years, we visited every single one, and guess what? 00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:12.720 I don't fit in any of them. 00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:17.200 And you ended up here at the road, less traveled. 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:19.759 You think that's by accident? 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:20.799 In fact, we do this. 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:23.599 Have you heard of this thing called church shopping? 00:27:24.559 --> 00:27:26.400 We would never do that, right? 00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:32.079 I'm gonna go around and try a bunch of different churches and we get our notepad out. 00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:35.920 Worship from one to ten, uh seven. 00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:36.720 All right. 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:39.599 Preacher, Pastor Steve is great, we'll give him a ten. 00:27:40.160 --> 00:27:46.720 And the children's ministry was an eight, and the youth ministry was a nine, and and we grade everything. 00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:57.599 And and to the point, and then there's some people they're like, well, you know, that that church, you know, they they just do too much worship, and it's just all spirit, and it's it's crazy, and there's no order. 00:27:57.839 --> 00:28:03.759 And then there's the people that are like this, no, you know, church is about the Bible. 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:16.960 One hour at least in the Bible, and and we we all have our opinions of how the church should be run, too, right? 00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:24.799 Can you imagine if Pastor Steve listened to everybody in this room of how to run the church? 00:28:26.640 --> 00:28:29.920 It would be the most chaotic, crazy place in the whole world. 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:32.000 What is he doing right now in sabbatical? 00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:36.799 He is going away to get away from you guys. 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:42.640 No, I'm I'm dead serious. 00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:48.559 Because you all are so opinionated, and you want to run the church. 00:28:48.880 --> 00:29:04.160 And sometimes, as leaders, we have to get away and just listen and hear what God's saying, and what what the next phase is and what God is. 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:11.279 In fact, many, many many church leaders are kind of regrouping right now after COVID and rethinking church in general. 00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:13.599 And it's a good thing. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:17.440 Point four is this, I'm sorry, point five is this. 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:24.799 David learns the value of God's voice over man's voice. 00:29:25.680 --> 00:29:34.480 So there's this other instance where David basically leaves the king's court after being kicked out. 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:38.720 Oh, and by the way, let me just let me back up to that point real quick. 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:44.640 In that point in his life, which I believe was the lowest of lows, up until that point. 00:29:44.720 --> 00:29:46.559 There's gonna be some more lows. 00:29:47.359 --> 00:29:58.160 But David the rejected, the anointed, and the rejected, can't go to Philistine, the Philistines, can't go to Israel, can't go to Judah, he has nowhere to go. 00:29:58.480 --> 00:30:01.359 He pens these words, he grabs his harp. 00:30:02.880 --> 00:30:06.400 I will bless the Lord at all times. 00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:08.000 Psalm 34. 00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:11.519 His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 00:30:11.680 --> 00:30:15.119 Oh, the humble will hear of it and be glad. 00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:17.440 Oh, magnify the Lord with me. 00:30:17.599 --> 00:30:19.200 Let us exalt his name together. 00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:20.400 Who is he talking to? 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:21.920 He has nobody. 00:30:22.559 --> 00:30:26.799 Yet he is he is declaring the praises of God. 00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:30.240 How many songs have been written? 00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:36.079 Bless the Lord, oh my soul, oh my soul. 00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:39.359 Blessed be the name of the Lord. 00:30:39.599 --> 00:30:47.599 Blessed be, bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, blessed. 00:30:47.920 --> 00:30:50.160 How many songs have been written on those words? 00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:52.400 Bless the Lord, oh my soul. 00:30:52.640 --> 00:30:53.920 Where was it written from? 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:55.279 Why is it so powerful? 00:30:55.519 --> 00:31:01.680 It was because that was the moment that David literally had nobody except his God. 00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:05.519 And he began to praise and worship his God. 00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:07.759 And that's what came out of his heart. 00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:21.759 Can I tell you that some of the greatest worship that you have ever, ever encountered is during those seasons where you do not feel like saying the last thing you feel like doing is singing and lifting my hands or dancing and singing. 00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:27.119 That's the moment that you need to, because that's when it's so powerful. 00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:31.839 So David goes and lives in a cave. 00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:34.880 And he's in the cave of Adullah, and he's running for his life. 00:31:34.960 --> 00:31:46.880 He's literally sneaking around, and all these guys, like about 400 guys that were disillusioned, that hate church and were hurt by the church, and you know, uh, you know, just want nothing to do with church, and they come around him. 00:31:48.480 --> 00:32:01.279 And so they're in this cave, and it just so happens that Saul, who's seeking his life, comes into the cave to use the bathroom. 00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:16.000 And all of his men, all 400 of them, this must have been a really big cave, 400 of them are whispering in David's ear and saying, Look what God has done. 00:32:17.039 --> 00:32:21.119 Look, God has delivered your enemy to you. 00:32:22.240 --> 00:32:24.799 Kill him, and then you'll be king. 00:32:24.960 --> 00:32:28.559 And David's like, that makes a lot of sense. 00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:36.240 And his logic, you know, here's the thing: one of the worst things you can do is use your logic when it comes to the things of God. 00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:46.160 Because it seemed very logical, and it and it almost appeared like the Lord had delivered Saul into his hands. 00:32:47.119 --> 00:32:56.400 But David sneaks up and he grabs, he had disrobed himself and was doing his business a ways away, and he cuts the corner of David's robe. 00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:59.519 And the Bible says that he was smitten in his heart. 00:33:00.799 --> 00:33:04.640 And he goes back to his men and he's like, I can't do it. 00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:05.440 Like, what? 00:33:07.279 --> 00:33:09.839 400 against one. 00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:19.920 400 people trying to convince David to do something that was wrong but seemed right. 00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:22.799 Sound familiar about our culture today? 00:33:25.119 --> 00:33:35.039 If you're gonna be like David, if you're gonna be anointed, you're gonna be a man after God's own heart, if you're gonna be it, get ready for rejection, and get ready to be countercultural. 00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:36.720 Because you're gonna have to be. 00:33:36.880 --> 00:33:42.240 And you're gonna have to tune into the voice of God, and you're gonna have to listen with all your heart. 00:33:42.400 --> 00:33:50.319 I'm praying that Steve is hearing clearly the voice of God, and as he comes back, he's gonna say, here's where we're going, here's what we're gonna do. 00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:52.720 The next five years, God's leading us in. 00:33:52.799 --> 00:33:57.359 I told him when I first walked in here, um, before the church was even growing. 00:33:58.559 --> 00:34:07.200 I walked in two years ago, and I said, and I just had the sense in my spirit, this church will be a church of 5,000 in five years. 00:34:07.359 --> 00:34:08.400 That's what I told him. 00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:10.719 I said, There's no doubt in my mind. 00:34:11.360 --> 00:34:21.039 I heard his story, and I heard what he had walked through in at Mountain Springs and the rejection that he encountered, and all of what was this? 00:34:21.199 --> 00:34:22.719 It was all preparation. 00:34:22.960 --> 00:34:25.599 This rejection was not coming from man. 00:34:26.559 --> 00:34:29.599 Don't you realize this rejection was coming from God? 00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:51.679 God was leading David through a very meticulous uh pathway to prepare his heart to be a man of integrity so that he could handle more and he could lead the nation and literally be the line in which Jesus stemmed from, which is our salvation even today. 00:34:52.400 --> 00:35:02.719 God was, God, there was a bigger plan that was being established, and it came through rejection, it came through difficulty, it came through persecution. 00:35:02.880 --> 00:35:07.039 And some of you are wondering, why do I keep coming up against this wall? 00:35:07.119 --> 00:35:12.719 And it seems like I struggle and it's so hard, it seems so easy for everybody else. 00:35:12.880 --> 00:35:15.039 Everybody else is just like smooth sailing. 00:35:15.199 --> 00:35:17.519 Man, my Christian walk is just great. 00:35:18.800 --> 00:35:20.559 I'm gonna say something. 00:35:21.360 --> 00:35:36.000 If you are not encountering any opposition, any rejection or persecution or difficulty, you might want to take a step back and think about your relationship with the Lord. 00:35:36.800 --> 00:35:44.719 Because as I told you, the promise of God is we will encounter difficulty and persecution and trouble and trial. 00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:51.440 But the devil will leave us alone if we're not doing anything significant other than writing your tie check out. 00:35:52.000 --> 00:35:53.280 He doesn't care about that. 00:35:54.000 --> 00:35:58.880 You know, but if you're not actually doing anything, well why would he fight you? 00:35:59.280 --> 00:36:08.159 But for some of those that are sitting in this room and you're saying, It seems so easy for everybody else and so difficult for me, maybe you're actually doing things right. 00:36:08.639 --> 00:36:15.519 Maybe you're actually encountering those things because he's developing and preparing you. 00:36:15.679 --> 00:36:19.920