When all is well and doing life is not as hard to accomplish; it is easy at these times to be a bit proud of how our lives are going. We might think our small victories in life are a result of our best efforts and great abilities applied to our present troubles. We even call ourselves “blessed,” in a way “charmed,” when our lives are flowing without obstacles to get in our way. It is also easy in this season to think; “God is lucky to have me as one of His children because of how I’m handling life right now.” (Yikes!)
Then, without warning, skirmishes appear on our radar. People we thought of as friends betray us. The fires of anger rise within us as difficult and challenging decisions must be made and tasks accomplished or we might be swallowed up these expected life circumstances! Do we react or seek God. All too often, our first responses are; “Where are you, God?” “Why is this happening to me?” “What did I do to deserve this?” “Still blessed, you say, Lord? I’m just trying to survive!” “Help!”
We have all been there, said, and done that until we settle to be still before God and remember: In good times, God is with us. In bad times, God is with us. In the in-between times, God is with us.
In our daily battles with the Enemy who uses life’s unexpected challenges to distract, deceive, dismantle, destroy relationships, with hopes to defeat us; God is with us. The victory is ours if we trust God who steps in to provides real victory when our hearts are completely His.
David is one whose heart is completely committed to doing the will of God. David’s habit is to “inquire of the Lord” before going to battle. God responds with “giving him victory wherever he went.” Battles are bloody and difficult in all kinds of ways. Lives are lost or changed forever. Relationships are severed. As we read the words may we remember that victory comes at a great cost. Remain humble.
1 Chronicles 18
David’s Victories
In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its surrounding villages from the control of the Philistines.
2 David also defeated the Moabites, and they became subject to him and brought him tribute.
3 Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, in the vicinity of Hamath, when he went to set up his monument at the Euphrates River. 4 David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.
5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. 6 He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought him tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.
7 David took the gold shields carried by the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 From Tebah and Kun, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, David took a great quantity of bronze, which Solomon used to make the bronze Sea, the pillars and various bronze articles.
9 When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, 10 he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold, of silver and of bronze.
11 King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold he had taken from all these nations: Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek.
12 Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.
David’s Officials
14 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. 15 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was secretary; 17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief officials at the king’s side.
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
Life is not about us nor does the planet revolve around us. Real Life is about God and our relationship to God. Jesus changed everything concerning our relationship with God. It is Jesus who reconciled (reconnected) us to God by removing the sin from us that blocked our path to God. Jesus paid the high cost for our victory over sin and death while nailed to a cross! Don’t ever forget what He has done for us!
David was not a perfect husband, father, king, or child of God. He made mistakes when pride overwhelmed him in these victories. We will read about that this week! But David never forgot His God who is merciful and Who responds with forgiveness through humbled repentance. David might have had lapses of foolishness; but his heart came back to God for cleansing. His Psalms of worship include lament with repent, with victory and celebration of joy as he loves and relies on his living God as his enemies ran after him with intent to kill him. His life was not charmed but blessed by a God who surrounded him with His love, mercy, and grace.
Knowing, believing, realizing the depth of God’s love and faithfulness to us is victory! Humbly coming before Him to ask for His forgiveness through Jesus, His Son, opens the floodgates of heaven to rain down God’s blessings of relentless love, undeserved mercies, and unmerited grace. THIS is the victory given by God at the cost of His Son, Jesus, our Savior, and Lord— “while were yet sinners!” (Romans 5:8) God with us wherever we go and in whatever we do in His Name for His glory in all the days of our lives!
Paul said it best—anything less is “garbage!”
“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:7-14, NIV
LOSE all that stands in the way of gained victory!
Stop carrying around the trash of the past.
Live, really live a victorious life with Jesus who never leaves us in times of storms, picks us up when we fall, and loves to celebrate His victories in us.
Emmanuel—God with us.
Lord,
There is power building inside of me at just reading these words this morning! You are the God of David and you are our God. You never change in your love for us. You are faithful even when we are not. You are love and compassion and your mercies last a lifetime! Thank you, Jesus for paying the high cost for my salvation and the salvation for the world who would come to believe in you as Savior and live for you as Lord of our lives. What a demonstration of Love! And, You are Life Eternal! There is no one else but you who trust for victory of sin and death! You are the Overcomer who makes us overcomers with You.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
In Jesus Name, Amen
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 