Holy Boldness!

(Read 1 Samuel 26)

This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.”  In chapter 26 David spares Saul’s life for a second time.  Saul decided, once again, to gather 3,000 of his most elite troops to track down and kill David.  You would think that after David spared his life that Saul would leave him alone, but that’s how people are sometimes.  Even after you show them kindness, they still try to stab you in the back.  Saul took his men into the wilderness, close to where David was hiding, and he set up camp.  David heard about it and decided to accompany a couple of his men on a recon mission.  While Saul and his men were sleeping David and his recon team slipped into their camp under the cover of darkness.  David found Saul sleeping in the middle of a circle of men, next to his commander Abner.  David asked Ahimelech and Abishai — the only two men with him inside of a camp of 3,000 armed guards — “Who will go with me inside the circle?”  Abishai replied, “I’ll go.”  So David and Abishai went right next to Saul while the king was fast asleep, with his royal spear stuck in the ground beside his head.  Abner and the other Soldiers were lying asleep around them.

Abishai whispered, “God has surely handed your enemy over to you this time! Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t need to strike twice!”  But once again, David would not do it.  David said, “No!  Don’t kill him.  For who can remain innocent after attacking the LORD’s anointed one?  Surely the LORD will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle.  The LORD forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed!  But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let’s get out of here!”  Then David and Abishai got away without anyone seeing them or even waking up, because the Bible says that “The LORD had put Saul’s men into a deep sleep.”  And when David and Abishai were at a safe distance, David started shouting to wake everyone up.  This was still a dangerous move, because it was 3 vs. 3,000, but David was confident in the protection of the Lord.  David then taunted Abner for not having protected his king, and he then made it clear to Saul that he had spared his life yet again, showing him the royal spear and jug of water that was by his head.

David said to Saul, “Let my lord the king listen to his servant.  If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then maybe my sacrifice will change His mind.  But if this is simply a human scheme, then may those involved be cursed by the LORD.”  Saul had to admit that the Lord was not behind his actions.  Saul confessed, “I have sinned.  Come back home, my son, and I will no longer try to harm you, for you valued my life today.  I have been a fool and very, very wrong.”  David sent the spear and jug back with one of the Soldiers and said, “The LORD gives his own reward for doing good and for being loyal, and I refused to kill you even when the LORD placed you in my power, for you are the LORD’s anointed one.  Now may the LORD value my life, even as I have valued yours today.  May he rescue me from all my troubles.”  Saul said to David, “Blessings on you, my son David.  You will do many heroic deeds, and you will surely succeed.”  Then David went away, and Saul returned home.

So what does this mean to you today?  A few things:
1.  When your full trust is in the Lord you operate with fearless confidence.  David and two scouts went into Saul’s camp.  It was 3 vs. 3,000, but since the 3 had God, then Saul’s men never stood a chance.  It does not matter what the odds are or how stacked the deck is against you, if the Lord is leading you to do something, then do it, trusting that He has your back.  You + God = VICTORY!

2.  The Lord honors integrity.  Twice now David had the chance to kill Saul, but he refused to do so, because he believed it was not his place.  Unless the Lord was involved in it, David did not want to be a part of it.  It takes integrity to withhold from doing things that will clearly benefit you (at least in the short term), but that you are not being led to do.  A person of integrity puts God first, even when it costs them to do so.  But fret not, whatever you sacrifice for the Lord turns into seed and He will see to it that you reap a harvest.

3.  This life is not for cowards.  David drew ‘a line in the sand’.  He made a public declaration that if the Lord was helping Saul track him down, then he would attempt to find grace and mercy with the Lord through his sacrifices, because he was on the wrong side of God.  But if what Saul was doing was merely a human scheme, then David pronounced a curse on all those involved.  It takes courage to both accept the wrath of God, if you are wrong, and to release the wrath of God on someone else, when they are wrong.  This is the side of God and Christianity that people don’t like to acknowledge.  The same God who is a loving, caring and sharing Heavenly Father, is also a Righteous Judge who judges sin and who comes against those who fight against His plans and purposes.

Closing Confession:  Father, I thank You for giving me holy boldness.  I am not a coward.  I do not faint at the sight of opposition.  I do not shrink when it is time to take a stand.  I seek to fulfill Your Kingdom plans and purposes for my life and I do so with fearless confidence.  Regardless of the odds against me, when You lead me to do something, I do it, with my full trust in You and Your divine protection.  You are my shield, my rock, my fortress, and since my confidence is in You, I have an internal peace that cannot be disturbed.  When I know I am in You, You are in me, and I am doing Your bidding, then no man can stop what has been divinely initiated.  I seek to do what is right in Your sight all the days of my life.  I do what’s right, because it’s right, and I also do it right.  And Father, if I ever stray from Your way, and I become the one who is on the wrong side of Your plans, then I also know that I will reap a negative harvest on negative seed.  But Father, to avoid that, I humble myself before You daily.  I give my heart over to You.  I submit to Your Kingdom plans and purposes every day, in every way.  My ears are attuned to Your Holy Spirit.  If I stray, You correct me, I receive Your correction, I receive Your forgiveness, I forgive myself, and I move forward by faith and grace.  But when I know I am in Your will, and others come up against me, then I have the boldness to march forward by faith, regardless of the opposition, with my full trust and confidence in You.  I even pray for my enemies, because I know that they are putting themselves in a position to be cursed.  I intercede for them in earnest, knowing that if they do not change their ways they will become recipients of Your wrath and while I don’t wish that on anyone, I also know that calamity awaits for those who fight against Your Kingdom plans and purposes in the earth.  So I enter this day with confidence and boldness, but also in love and with grace, seeking to fulfill all You would have me to do today.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

This is Today’s Word!  Apply it and Prosper.