WHAT ARE YOU ENCOURAGING YOURSELF WITH?
SCRIPTURE: 2 Cor. 10:3-6
TEXT: 1 Samuel 30:6 “But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God ”
OPENING: WHAT ARE YOU ENCOURAGING YOURSELF IN THIS MORNING?
What do you think will make you happy? What do you run to when trouble comes?
The bottle, food, sex, money, anger, pills, imaginations, fantasy world, etc.?
The beauty of God’s Word si that He shows us the Good, Bad and Ugly about His people. We ALL encourage ourselves with one of 3 F’s.
FLESH – FEAR – FAITH
In the life of King David, we see all 3 F’s even though he was called “A man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22; 1 Sam. 13:14)
Today, let’s ask ourselves which “F” we are encouraging ourselves with?
1). FLESH – (PAMPERING THE FLESH): David life was “Interesting”. He had started as a shepherd boy. He killed a lion and a bear. Then, he killed the giant Goliath.
He was anointed King! But, he ran from King Saul and fled from his son, Absalom! After finally running and hiding for years, he took the throne.
He finally arrived! The King on the throne! BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS IS A JOURNEY NOT A DESTINATION.
The flesh will always have you looking at a destination! If I can “get there”, or “get that”, then everything will be fine. (IF ONLY….)
DAVID IS KING. 2 Sam 5:10-12
2 Samuel 11: 1-27: “It happened in the spring of the year”. David sent Joab instead of going himself.
DON’T SEND SOMEONE ELSE TO DO WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO!
For “THEN IT WILL HAPPEN” v 2
REMEMBER, “The flesh will take you further than you want to go and cost you more than you want to pay and keep you longer than you want to stay”.
2). FEAR (“AND DAVID SAID IN HIS HEART”): 1 Sam 27:1-12 says “Out of fear in his heart”.
David was CHOSEN, ANOINTED, and APPOINTED.
Yet, he said in HIS HEART after running for years, “NOW I SHALL PERISH SOMEDAY AT THE HAND OF SAUL”.
FEAR WILL CAUSE YOU TO DO THINGS THAT IN THE REALM OF FAITH YOU WOULD NEVER THINK OF DOING”. Fear always keeps you covering things up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“AND THUS WAS HIS BEHAVIOR ALL THE TIME HE DWELT IN THE COUNTRY OF THE PHILISTINES” 1 Sam. 27:11.
FEAR PARALYZES AND CAUSES US TO THINK THINGS, DO THINGS AND SAY THINGS WE WILL REGRET!!!!!
3) FAITH (“BUT DAVID ENCOURAGED HIMSELF IN THE LORD”):
DAVID’S WIVES AND CHILDREN AND POSSESSIONS WERE STOLEN, His men were ready to stone him, he had wept till he could weep no more.
V 6: “BUT DAVID ENCOURAGED HIMSELF IN THE LORD!” Take responsibility for yourself, STOP THE POOR ME!!!
“When he was at his worst, by God’s Grace, he was seen at his best”. (Charles Spurgeon)
The result of encouraging yourself in the Lord is that you will begin to praise Him for ALL HIS BLESSINGS!
David began remembering those times, the lion, the bear, Goliath and all the times Saul tried to kill him. And he said, “HE DID IT ONCE HE CAN DO IT AGAIN”.
Let’s begin to count our blessings and as we do, we will inquire “LORD, WHAT SHALLI DO?”
AND THE LORD WILL SHOW US.
CLOSING:
Take your Bible and turn to Psalms 103 and begin to PRAISE GOD FOR ALL HIS BLESSINGS!