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 23:15-18)
When we last left David, he was still on the run from Saul, roaming the countryside with his 600 men, and God saw to it that Saul could not find him. One day near Horesh, David received word that Saul was on the way to Ziph to search for him and kill him. The Bible says, “Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God.” By visiting David, Jonathan was risking his life, but he thought it important enough to encourage his friend that he would risk personal injury to do it.
Jonathan reassured David, saying, “Don’t be afraid, my father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father, Saul, is well aware.” The Bible does not say what David’s mental, psychological, or spiritual state was at the time, but I am sure David appreciated what Jonathan had to say. We all need encouragement from time to time and we all enjoy a little reassurance that what we are planning is going to turn out the way we expect.
After David received encouragement from his friend, the two of them renewed their solemn pact before the LORD. David and Jonathan did not just have a friendship, but they had a covenant relationship between themselves and God to be there for one another. Having renewed their vow, Jonathan returned home, and David stayed at Horesh.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. We all need encouragement from time to time when we are waiting on something from God.
I want to be very clear about something. David was living a quiet and peaceable life the day that God sent a prophet to his home to anoint him to be the next king of Israel. From that day, David’s life was never the same. David didn’t ask for it. David didn’t pray for it. And honestly, David probably wouldn’t have ever imagined in 1,000 years that somebody like him, being the son of Jesse, growing up in Bethlehem, could wind up as the king of Israel. But God spoke that over his life, nonetheless, and ever since God spoke, his life went haywire.
So while he’s out there in the fields, on the run, dealing with all of the challenges associated with his new life, knowing that King Saul is trying to kill him, I can guarantee you that the devil was doing all he could to get David to question whether or not he really heard from God. The devil is a master manipulator, especially when it comes to sowing seeds of doubt. So, I can only imagine how the devil was sowing these seeds in David’s heart. The devil would say things like, “Are you sure you’re going to be the next king of Israel?” Or, “What if the prophet was wrong? What if you’re not supposed to be the king? What if you’re going through all of this for nothing? What if you spend all this time out here, doing all of this investment, and you still die without becoming the king?“
Now, to be clear, the Bible doesn’t say that this happened, and this is my speculation, but based on my understanding of the walk of faith and how Satan works, I certainly believe this happened. This also makes what happened in this passage more important.
In seasons of waiting, our faith can be tested, and our resolve can waver. This is when encouragement becomes crucial. David, despite his anointing and previous victories, needed reassurance during his time of hiding. Likewise, we, too, require encouragement to persevere in our faith journey, especially when God’s promises seem delayed.
How this applies to you:
— Recognize that needing encouragement is not a sign of weakness but a normal part of faith because when the promise is significant, the wait will be extended.
— Be open to receiving encouragement from unexpected sources.
— Create a support system of fellow believers who can encourage you in your faith.
— Regularly revisit God’s promises and past faithfulness for self-encouragement.
— Use times of waiting as opportunities to deepen your trust in God’s timing.
2. The power of an external word of confirmation (where someone other than us is used by God to confirm what God is saying to us) cannot be overstated.
When Jonathan said, “Don’t be afraid, my father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel…,” it was a game-changer.
I love the fact that Jonathan SAID OUT LOUD what David was thinking in his heart and in his prayer closet. It’s good to know that people have your back and that they are praying for you. But I believe it is even stronger when they say to you, OUT LOUD, in public, what God is saying to you in private.
Jonathan’s words to David were more than friendly support; they were a divine confirmation of God’s promise. When others speak into our lives, confirming what God has already whispered to our hearts, it can be a powerful motivation for renewed faith and perseverance.
How this applies to you:
— Be attentive to words of encouragement that align with what God has been speaking to you.
— Seek wisdom from mature believers who can provide godly counsel and confirmation.
— Journal significant words of confirmation you receive to revisit in times of doubt.
— Pray for discernment to distinguish between human opinion and divine confirmation.
— Be willing to be used by God to provide confirmation to others in their journey.
3. God knows how to provide you with the right encouragement at just the right time.
God’s timing in sending Jonathan to David showcases His intimate knowledge of our needs. He orchestrates encounters and words of encouragement with precision, demonstrating His care for every detail of our lives. This divine timing reminds us that God is actively involved in our journey, providing support exactly when we need it most.
How this applies to you:
— Cultivate awareness of God’s hand in the “coincidences” of your life.
— Express gratitude for timely encouragements, recognizing them as God’s provision.
— Be attentive to promptings to encourage others, as you may be God’s answer to their need.
— Keep a journal of times when God has provided timely encouragement.
— Pray for sensitivity to God’s timing in your own life and in ministering to others.
4. It takes faith to walk with God.
Jonathan’s first words to David were to “stay strong in his faith in God.” This reminder underscores the importance of grounding our faith not in circumstances, other people, or even our own abilities, but in the unchanging character and promises of God.
How this applies to you:
— Regularly meditate and medicate on God’s promises to reinforce your faith.
— Remind yourself of God’s faithfulness in past trials.
— Remind yourself of what God said about your current situation, and preach to yourself if you need to!
— Seek God’s perspective in every situation, and do all you can to align your thoughts with it.
— You will enter into God’s rest when you finally believe what God believes about you and the situation.
— Make declarations of faith based on God’s Word daily. When you speak words of faith from a believing heart, and your soul hears your words come out of your mouth, and they come back through your ears and get down into your heart, it ministers to you in a powerful way.
5. Walking with God successfully (by faith) requires overcoming fear.
Jonathan’s exhortation to David, “Don’t be afraid,” highlights the ongoing battle between fear and faith. Jesus made this statement over and over as well. Fear can paralyze us, preventing us from stepping into God’s purposes. Courage, fueled by faith, propels us forward even in the face of daunting circumstances.
How this applies to you:
— Identify and confront your fears with God’s truth.
— Practice speaking faith-filled words in the face of fear.
— Take small steps of faith daily to build up divine courage. Divine courage is based on God and not you!
— Meditate on scriptures that address fear and courage.
— Open your heart to God’s promises to the point where you ALLOW God to CONVINCE you. Faith is not about you convincing God. Faith is about God convincing you!
— When you get FULLY PERSUADED that what God promised, HE is going to perform in your life, no matter how long it takes, then fear will no longer be an issue for you.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I embrace Your divine encouragement, knowing it strengthens me in seasons of waiting.
I receive Your confirmations through others, aligning my heart with Your whispered promises.
Your perfect timing for encouragement reveals Your intimate involvement in my life.
My faith is unshakeable, grounded in Your unchanging character and not my circumstances.
I boldly confront fear with faith, stepping courageously into Your divine purposes for me.
Your Word is my daily medicine, reinforcing my faith and shaping my perspective.
I stand fully persuaded that what You have promised, You will surely perform in my life.
I am Your vessel of encouragement, ready to speak Your truth to others in their time of need.
Your faithfulness in my past propels me forward, even when Your promises seem delayed.
GREATER IS COMING FOR ME as I walk in unwavering faith, embracing Your perfect will.
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!????????????????
