1 Samuel 30:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; They did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way.'
So here David was, as he and his men returned to the city of Ziklag, they saw all their possessions had been plundered, and their wives and children had all been taken away captive by the Amalekites. Not only that, the city was also burned! It was indeed a crushing loss for David and his men, so much so they wept till there's no more strength to weep further! (1 Samuel 30:4)
Here are the 5 keys you can learn from David in 1 Samuel chapter 30:
1. Encourage yourself in the Lord
1 Samuel 30:6 (NKJV) says, 'And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord.'
The word 'strengthened' (or 'encouraged' in KJV) here is 'khawzak' in Hebrew. It means 'to find strength, to find courage'. At that time, not only David suffered losses (even the loss of his wives who were taken captive), he was blamed by the other men (whose wives and children were also taken captive) as well. How did David respond in such a time of crisis? David encouraged himself in the Lord! I believe David encouraged himself by remembering God's love for him, God's promises for him, and God's faithfulness toward him. David believed if the Lord had helped him before, the Lord would help him again this time.
2. Seek the Lord with all your heart
1 Samuel 30:7-8 (NKJV) says, 'Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, "Please bring the ephod here to me." And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. So David inquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?" And the Lord answered him, "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them, and without fail recover all."'
What is the significance of the 'ephod' here? By the way, it is a holy vest, a sleeveless garment worn by the Jewish priest. It is symbolic of the priest seeking and inquiring the Lord for an answer, coming before the Lord, and coming into the presence of the Lord. Therefore, just like David, seek Him with all your heart, and you will find the answer. The Holy Spirit inside you already has the solution to every situation of yours. Be still, and know that He is God. Take time to listen to Him. There is nothing that your God cannot solve.
3. Obey His voice and act on His instructions
1 Samuel 30:9-10 (NKJV) says, 'So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to Brook Besor... But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind...'
Upon receiving instructions from the Lord, David didn't sit there doing nothing. David acted on all that the Lord had spoken to him. So, whatever He has spoken for you to do, obey and do it. He will never lead you into trouble. He is the lamp unto your feet, the light unto your path. Trust in Him with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
4. Show love and kindness when there's opportunity
1 Samuel 30:11-12 (NKJV) says, 'Then they (David's men) found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David; and they gave him bread and he ate, and they let him drink water...'
David could have just kept going to pursue a 'bigger mission' to hunt the Amalekites down. But on their way, there was this Egyptian man, fallen and left behind in the wilderness. You know what? David stopped to help him. And for this kindness, David was greatly rewarded. This Egyptian man would then show him the exact location of the Amalekites who had plundered Ziklag. So, never underestimate any divine appointment set up by the Lord for you to show love and kindness to others. The Lord sees all your acts of love and kindness, and the Lord will know how to reward you!
5. Persevere till you see breakthrough or results
1 Samuel 30:16-17 (NKJV) says, 'And when he (the Egyptian) had brought him (David) down (to the location of the Amalekites), there they (the Amalekites) were, spread out over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. Then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day....'
Notice 'from twilight until the evening of the next day' here. David persevered through. David and his men did not give up halfway, even though it was a long fight. And David stood his ground, even against the odds. For some of you, the Lord is in the midst of training your perseverance, training your patience, and training your tenacity. But like David, your perseverance, patience, and tenacity will pay off. David and his men eventually won, and they recovered all that they have lost (1 Samuel 30:18-19).
People of God, maybe you too are in a situation when the enemy has stolen something from you. It may be your health, your finance, your business, your ministry, your career, or even your family relationships. Or it may be your peace and joy that the devil has stolen from you!
Whatever your situation may be at the moment, take heart, because just like David, you too will triumph and overcome! And you too will see yourself overtaking the enemy and recover all that has been stolen from you. Hallelujah!
