FACT:  The God of David is the same God who is with us today!

So, the questions we must daily ask ourselves prayerfully and honestly are: 

• Do I really believe all that God say to be really real? 
• Do I truly believe that His Son, Jesus redeemed me from all my sins, now and forever? 
• Do I believe that God’s Holy Spirit lives in me to help me in all decisions I will face today?
• Will I seek God first to inquire of the Lord, like David, before doing anything of significance today?
• Do I truly believe God can do anything and nothing is impossible with God?
• When God answers with a command, will I trust and obey Him, no matter what?

Our response to God and others will reflect our true belief in God.  Our daily reactions to life will allow others to see God’s glory at work—or not.

1 Chronicles 14

David’s House and Family

Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons, and carpenters to build a palace for him. ² And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.

³ In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons and daughters. ⁴ These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, ⁶ Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, ⁷ Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

⁸ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. ⁹ Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim; ¹⁰ so David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, I will deliver them into your hands.”

¹¹ So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.” So that place was called Baal Perazim. ¹² The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn them in the fire.

¹³ Once more the Philistines raided the valley; ¹⁴ so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. ¹⁵ As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” ¹⁶ So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

¹⁷ So David’s fame spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear him.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

King David inquires of the Lord before going to battle.  Known for being “a man after the heart of God,” David’s habit is to ask God first before doing anything of significance in his work to protect the people of God as King of Israel. 

History tells us that (See 2 Samuel 5:11–16), from a practical point of view, the Phoenicians needed to be on good terms with the Israelites because Israel could easily block the trade route to Tyre, and the Phoenicians depended on Israelite farmers for their food. (See Acts 12:20.) David interpreted Hiram’s kindness as another indication that the Lord had indeed established him on the throne of Israel.

The House of David is not without sin. David’s character flaws of desiring and obtaining many wives and the consequences of his sin is not recorded in the chronicles of his life but are told in the book of Samuel. His first son with Bathsheba, the stolen wife of Urriah, one of David’s loyal soldiers, would die soon after he was born.  Some of his other sons would turn against him.  Solomon, his son who succeeded him was known to be the wisest king in the world but we wonder his wisdom in holding the record of the number of wives in his household! The sins of the father were the sins of the son. The Law (Deuteronomy 17:17) clearly stated that the king was not to multiply wives, but both David and Solomon ignored this law, and both paid dearly for their disobedience.

When David became king of the whole nation of Israel, the Philistines knew he was their enemy, and they attacked him—often! When it came to reoccurring wars with the Philistines; King David knew that the real battle to protect God’s People belonged to the Lord. That’s why it was David’s habit to “inquire of the Lord” before going to war with an enemy that only God could overcome. David knew his own weaknesses but he also knew his God and His mighty power over all and in all who believe God. (See 1 Samuel 5:17-25)

The same David who fought the giant, Goliath who defied the living God of Israel, fights only by God’s direction with help.

We have battles daily with forces we cannot see but must be ready to fight. 

Paul, the Apostle, taught that our real enemy is not the flesh and blood people who are face to face with us as we live each day. The “underlayer,” beneath the surface of our outer layer of what is seen by others, is a desire to satisfy self—a strong pull used by the Enemy of God whose desire is to cause division through distraction and deception with the goal to dismantle and destroy our faith in God!  Paul writes a warning to the church of believers in Jesus—

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

Paul warning explains how this inner desire to respond with hateful, conniving, unkind, and manipulative words cause real struggles within the Body of believers and with the outside world as well come from Satan and his demons. But with God’s Holy Spirit, inquiring how HE wants us to respond can overcome this evil that can enslave us if we allow him to take over our lives!

Satan is our real adversary today. If you think Satan is just myth; then you have already lost a major battle!  But there is hope!  Believe that Jesus came to overcome and defeat the Enemy.  These spiritual forces, such as rulers, authorities, and powers of darkness, are considered the real adversaries but they are no match for our Savior, King Jesus, who defeated him in the war for our very lives while removing all the sins of the world who believes in Jesus! 

Though the war has been won; Satan continues to invite us daily into unending skirmishes for our faith.  Paul also tells us how to be prepared for these skirmishes knowing the war has already been won by Jesus!

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:13-18

David knew his battles belonged to the Lord.  Our battles with evil also belong to God who sent His Son to defeat the Enemy of God once and for all. There is no one like our God!  That’s why our battles are first fought on our knees before God, inquiring of Him what to be and then do in the battle.

Believe, repent, be saved for eternity for the war has already been won. 

Live like redeemed people with expectant Hope whose God is the Lord forever!

Lord,

You have stirred our hearts once more by Your Word that challenges and corrects our thinking.  Thank you, Holy Spirit for guiding again this morning to Truth!  Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls and restore the joy of your salvation at work within us, making us fit for battle against the Enemy.  May your will be done today as always.

In Jesus Name, Amen