Today, we continue our series entitled “Laser Focus,” emphasizing living with a Laser Focus on the Fixed Purpose God established for us before the world began.
Scriptures we have been looking at all year:
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
(James 1:2-4 TPT)
2 My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can!
3 For you know that when your faith is tested, it stirs up power within you to endure all things.
4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.
(Ecc 3:1 ERV)
There is a right time for everything, and everything on earth will happen at the right time.
Focus for today:
Setting the Stage. (From 1 Samuel 19)
Today, we will take somewhat of a difference approach. We have finally made it through 1st Samuel chapter 19 and we saw how God protected David from Saul’s continuous attacks. In this one chapter we saw God move through Jonathan and Michal, using the king’s own kids to take a stand against their father. And we then saw the Lord intervene directly, causing three waves of hardened Soldiers to prophesy, and then moving upon the king himself, causing him to prophesy uncontrollably as well. Saul even went to the extent of stripping his clothes. It must have been a ‘sight’ to see the king of Israel, booty-butt-naked, on the ground, prophesying uncontrollably. I share this quick recap because I want to take the focus off of Jonathan, Michal and Saul for today’s lesson. Let’s think about David and how his reliance must have been on God the entire time.
In chapter 16 the prophet Samuel made an unannounced visit to Jesse’s house in Bethlehem and by chapter 19 David’s life was as different as it could be. David went from an unknown son of a nobody, to national hero, to fairytale wedding, to Israel’s most wanted within a matter of months. To say that his life was a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows would be an understatement. The changes David was going through and the pressure he must have felt because of them was enormous. It was certainly enough to make even a strong man give up. But David kept going. Why? Because of his relationship with God.
While David was out tending sheep he learned how to rely on God directly. God was there for David whenever a wolf attempted to take one of his sheep. God was there when David, just a teenager at the time, had to fight a lion and a bear with his bare hands. God was there for David when no one else was and David learned to rely on His God for strength and peace.
David did not have a Pastor he could call on speed dial. David did not attend weekly Bible studies for great fellowship, encouragement or instruction. David was not surrounded with a strong men’s group where he could share his struggles and get brotherly support. No, while all these things are good, David had to learn to rely on God directly.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Cultivating a Direct Divine Connection.
In modern-day Christianity, especially in the United States, it’s all too common for believers to become overly reliant on spiritual leaders as intermediaries between themselves and God. Many Christians today depend heavily on their pastors, ministers, or church leaders to hear from God on their behalf, interpret His will, or provide spiritual guidance. While these spiritual mentors play a valuable role, this dependence can sometimes hinder the development of a personal, direct connection with God.
David’s story provides a solid contrast to this modern tendency. He didn’t have the luxury of a weekly sermon, a pastor’s hotline, or a church small group to lean on. Instead, his relationship with God was forged in the solitude of the pastures, facing real and present dangers like lions and bears. This direct, unmediated connection with God became the foundation of David’s strength and the secret to his resilience when facing Saul’s relentless persecution.
Today’s believers must learn to strike a balance. While benefiting from spiritual leadership and community (like The Grace Life family), we must also cultivate our direct line to God. Like David, we need to learn to hear God’s voice, seek His guidance, and experience His presence firsthand, not just through the filter of others’ experiences or interpretations.
How this applies to you:
— Recognize the potential overreliance on spiritual leaders and actively seek to develop your own direct connection with God.
— Prioritize developing a personal, intimate relationship with God through regular prayer and meditation outside of structured “church” activities. This means you must spend time with God at home and alone.
— Practice listening to God’s voice in your daily life, not just during church services or when guided by others.
— Seek God’s guidance directly when facing challenges, rather than always turning to your pastor or spiritual mentor first.
— Before you call your pastor or church family for prayer, make sure you prayed! You must develop confidence in your own prayer life.
— Cultivate an awareness of God’s presence in your everyday activities, learning to recognize His leading in all aspects of life.
— Learn to trust in God’s direct intervention in your life, just as David did, building your faith through personal experiences with God.
2. Experiencing God’s Protection Through Direct Connection.
The God who supernaturally protected David in the fields and from Saul’s attacks is the same God we serve today. He is still in the business of performing miracles and intervening in seemingly impossible situations. To experience this supernatural protection and intervention, we must create an atmosphere where God’s presence is welcomed and expected. This often happens through heartfelt worship. Moreover, we need to open ourselves to receive directly from God, not always waiting for human intermediaries.
How this applies to you:
— Cultivate an atmosphere of worship in your daily life to invite God’s supernatural presence.
— Open an altar of worship in your home. Make your home a sanctuary.
— Welcome God into your home as a place of His habitation, not just His visitation.
— Expect and be open to God’s direct intervention in your circumstances.
— Don’t limit God’s ability to work supernaturally in your life based on past experiences.
— Practice stepping out in faith, trusting in God’s supernatural protection.
— Share testimonies of God’s supernatural intervention to encourage others and build up your own faith. In other words, when you share what God is doing in your life, not only does it bless others, but it encourages YOU as well!
3. Strengthening Your Divine Connection in Times of Trial.
David’s life during this period (1 Sam 16-19) was marked by extreme highs and lows. Yet, he maintained his faith and trust in God throughout. This unwavering faith wasn’t born out of an easy life, but was forged through trials and testings. David’s ability to stay focused on God’s promises and his divine calling, even when his life was in danger, is a powerful example for us today. I have been telling you all year to avoid distractions!
How this applies to you:
— Keep your focus on God’s promises rather than your circumstances.
— Use adversity as an opportunity to deepen your trust in God.
— Maintain an attitude of worship and gratitude, even in difficult times.
— Seek God’s perspective on your trials, understanding that He can use them for your growth and His glory.
— Remind yourself constantly that God is able to make all things work together for your good.
— Develop the ability to look past your problems long enough to focus on the promises God made to you for this season.
— Remind yourself of God’s promises, over and over again, meditating on them to help you maintain your FOCUS in times of trouble.
4. Aligning with God’s Will Through a Personal Connection.
The events of 1 Samuel 19 demonstrate God’s sovereign power and how He can intervene for you when needed. From influencing the hearts of Jonathan and Michal (that’s favor) to causing hardened soldiers and even King Saul to prophesy (that’s divine protection), we see that God can override human plans to protect His chosen ones. This truth reminds us that when we’re aligned with God’s purpose, no human opposition can ultimately prevail against us.
How this applies to you:
— Trust in God’s ability to influence people and circumstances for your protection and His purposes.
— Build up an expectation for God’s favor in your life.
— Build up an expectation for divine protection.
— Recognize that God may be working behind the scenes, even when you can’t see it.
— Rest in the assurance that God’s plans for you cannot be stopped by human opposition.
— Pray for God’s intervention in situations that seem humanly impossible. Ask God to do what only He can do! Many times, we have not because we ask not!
— Maintain confidence in God’s sovereignty, even when facing powerful adversaries.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I trust in Your divine guidance, knowing You speak to me directly in my daily life.
I open my heart to receive Your supernatural protection, confident that You still perform miracles today.
In the face of adversity, I choose to maintain unwavering faith, focusing on Your promises rather than any problem.
I recognize Your sovereign power over all affairs, trusting that no human opposition can prevail against Your plans for me.
I cultivate an atmosphere of worship in my life, inviting Your glorious presence into my home and into every situation I face.
I open an altar in my home, making it a place of worship. You speak to me here intimately and directly.
Having heard from You, I step out in faith, expecting Your supernatural intervention in seemingly impossible situations.
I remain confident in Your ability to influence hearts and override human plans for my protection and Your purposes.
Your sovereignty gives me peace, knowing that You are working all things together for my good and Your glory.
GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!????????????????
