This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”. We have been looking at a passage in 2 Corinthians 5 for over a month and focusing on the following statement for days: “When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new!” (2 Cor 5:17). It is true that the moment you give your life to Christ everything is new in the spirit-realm. But for you to experience that newness in the natural realm you must develop the focus and character required to handle the weight of the glory associated with your divine assignment. If you don’t have the focus, you will be easily distracted and possibly even derailed from your destiny. If you don’t have the character, you won’t be able to carry the spiritual weight associated with what God has called you to do.
Let’s use David as an example today. Although David is an Old Testament character, who was not Born-Again, his life does testify to what I am teaching this morning.
David was minding his own business in the field, tending to his father’s sheep like he had for years, when he was summoned into his father’s house to be anointed as the new King of Israel. After the supernatural moment, even though heaven had already declared him to be the King of Israel, David went back to tending sheep. He did not know it, but he was going to have to endure 13 years of opposition before he actually took the throne. During that time he had to remain focused, and in the process God was developing his character to be able to handle the weight of the assignment.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. David was called, but he was going to have to be tested before he was promoted into his calling. And Godly promotion does not look like promotion in the world. In God you must endure affliction and rejection before promotion. You must be able to carry the weight of the glory associated with the assignment.
2. David was promoted through affliction and rejection. You say you want to get promoted, but are you ready for it? Can you maintain your focus through the distractions? Are you willing to develop your character to the point where you are ready for the promotion?
3. A 17yr. old David was anointed to be king, but he did not take the throne immediately. It was a 30yr. old David that finally took possession of the promise. David endured a great deal in those 13 years.
a) David was rejected by his own family. First, he was not even considered to be in the lineup when the Prophet came to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be king. Later, he was rejected by his brothers when he was ready to fight the giant. Being rejected by others is one thing, but David had to get past the rejection of his own family.
b) David was rejected by Saul. When David first killed the giant, Saul loved him. He became friends with the King’s son and he was paired up to marry the King’s daughter. But soon after, when the people praised David more than they praised Saul, Saul turned on David. King Saul attempted to kill David many times. David even had chances to kill him, but he would not. He maintained his focus and his character.
c) David was rejected by the Philistines. Things got so bad with the Israelites that David had to join forces with the enemy. And when a key battle was about to take place, the enemy forces did not trust David. They refused to allow him and his men to fight alongside them. It was one thing for the Israelites to reject David, but the enemy did not want anything to do with him either. This was all part of David’s development and testing.
d) David was rejected by his own men. David took a rag-tag group of misfits and developed them into Mighty Men of Valor. However, when the men returned from the battle they were rejected from participating in, their town was burning, their families were gone, and it felt like their lives were ruined forever. At that moment, when the ‘chips were down’, these men — men who were “no-bodies” before they met David — turned on David and wanted to kill him.
e) David got to the point where he had no one but God. David cried ‘till he had no more tears. When his tears ran out, with his men ready to kill him, David encouraged himself in the Lord his God! God gave him a Word, he received the Word, and he and his men got their wives, children and all their stuff back! This was David’s final test. Shortly after this he was promoted to be king. He had been called for years, but he could not walk in the calling until he was proven.
We will talk more about this tomorrow.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016. Like David, I know I am called to greatness. You have anointed me to walk in my divine calling. However, that does not mean I am automatically ready to handle the weight of the assignment. There is a call, and there is a preparation phase. I declare that I am able to endure (by Your grace), everything I must endure to prepare me for my life’s assignment. I maintain my focus — I am not easily distracted. I develop Godly character in the process. I learn to handle rejection. I remain strong against opposition. I maintain my focus through every attack. I shall not be moved. I shall not be shaken. I will never give up, cave in, or quit. I will walk in the fulness of my calling. I will walk in my divine assignment. I will leave a mark in this world that is not easily erased. I won’t do this by my power. I will do this by Your grace. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
