THE AUTHORITY OF THE BELIEVERS: HAVE YOU GOT IT?
A MAN OF DISTINCTION
I Samuel 16:14-23 (18)
What Is Authority? What Is Power? Woe Is Me, Who Gave You The Power? Just Speak The Word, Jesus Could Do Nothing? A Look At The Miracles, Who Is Jesus? Is He The Christ? A Look At The Miracles, Saved But Bound, Knowing Your Weapons, Knowing The Enemy, etc.
Illustration: Bury My Cat - You Should Have Told Me It Was A Baptist Cat
Illustration: Christian Bear & Hunter
There Are Four Basic Categories Of Saved People In The Church
ƒá Those Who Think They Are Saved, But Aren't. Matt 7:21-3 (Not Everyone¡K)
ƒá Those We Think Are Saved, But Aren't. 1 John 2:18-19 (They Went From¡K)
ƒá Those Who Are Saved, But Don't Act Like It: James 3:11 (Fountain Cannot¡K)
ƒá Those Who Are Saved, And They Act Like It. (Matthew 25:3: Well Done¡K)
Illustration: A girl confessed to her pastor that she was guilty of the sin of pride. "When I look in the mirror, I think I am beautiful." The priest said, "That's not a sin, that's a mistake."
Before You Get Saved, There Are No Qualifications (Isaiah 1:18) Other Than Realizing You Are A Sinner, Confessing & Accepting Christ. Come as you are ¡V you don¡¦t have to clean yourself, Christ will clean you. But when you become a Christian, the rules change ¡V you must develop certain qualities and habits that will resemble God. How can two walk together unless they agree? Something of God must rub: Courage, Honesty, Reliability, Discipline, Responsibility, Tolerance, Vision, Integrity, Respect, Endurance, Generosity, Perseverance, Compassion, Commitment, Enthusiasm, Self-Sacrifice, Humility, Patience, Loyalty, Forgiving, Passion, etc.
We Cannot Move To The Next Level But With A Special Attitude. When you accept Christ, you have the foundation. When you are in Christ, you must build upon that foundation ¡V David did. A Character Of Distinction means something sets you apart from everyone. Thus the cock is different from the rooster. Stallion v/s horse. Noble v/s peasant. Mansion v/s cottage. Christian v/s unbelievers. Original v/s copyright.
DAVID AND GOD
God Had David On A Path That Would Lead To Greatness - But it wasn¡¦t an overnight journey. If you want intimacy with God it will cost you something. It may be years of obscurity & pain, trials & tests, joys & sorrows as God moves you from A to B and breaks and molds your life and character until it resembles that of His Son.
Illustration: David - I Sam 22:1-3 / Jacob - Gen 32:22-31 Alone & Crippled
God Is Doing Some Scouting Of His Own Today. 2 Chron 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him¡K¡¨ God is looking for people that He can make champions on His team. What kind of person is God looking for? One of the clearest pictures you will find of the kind of person is in 1 Samuel 16. The Command From Saul Was To Seek A Man. A Player & Partner. Then God Provided a Complete Man willing to be shaped by God. He was flesh and blood. Not superman. He came with a character few in the church seek and few in the church have. He prayed and worked ¡V skill.
Illustration: For This Child I Prayed (I Samuel 1:26-28)
WHAT DID DAVID HAVE? HAVE YOU GOT IT?
1. CUNNING ON THE HARP (NOT HEAD KNOWLEDGE ONLY) - DAVID WAS A HARD WORKER (18)- There are people who know about sports, but are not players. Some know about leadership but are not leaders. Some know about God but are not godly. It is not enough to know, you must possess.
2. CUNNING ON THE HARP (HAND KNOWLEDGE) (18)- Showing with ingenuity, artfully subtle or shrewd; crafty; sly. We live in a Society that wants something for nothing. Many parents have rejected the concept of hard work and give children anything they want. If you expect to be something for God it takes hard work, Sweat, Tears, Rejection, Sleepless nights, Pain and agony.
Illustration: Majority say government should not interfere ¡V they are joking.
Illustration: What if David had feared the harp or the computer or serving or singing
ć Ps 127:5: If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning (skill).
ć Mat 10:16: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
ć 2 Cor 11:3 But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Keen Observer As He Plays (Plays With His Eyes, Mind & Heart) - You can be the best accountant, the best teacher the best counselor, the best friend, but do you carry out your duties with observation? Some are zombies in the exercise of their duties. David played well, but played with observation.
Illustration: Amen Pharaoh, Let My People Go (Preach forever)
Illustration: She Died While You Were In Peru (Preach all over the place ¡V no focus)
Illustration: Dying Man¡¦s Letter ¡V You¡¦re Standing On My Oxygen Tank (Observe)
3. MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR (18)- Boldness/determination in facing great danger in battle; heroic courage; bravery. David was brave. He took initiatives. He was a performer, not a rapper; a doer, not a talker. Fought bear & lion & giants.
When We Read About King David Of Israel's Mighty Men Of Valor In The Bible We Find That They Were Highly Skilled Warriors. They were eager to do exploits against incredible foes such as giants and immense armies. Yet they stood up for what was right. They fought for God, for king, and for country. They also loved God. So When We Talk About Valor As A Quality, We're Talking About 3 Things. ¡§Valor¡¨ speaks of skill employed courageously to accomplish something noble. These men faces were like lions, least fought 100, greatest a 1000 men.
4. A MAN OF WAR ¡V HE SERVED. HE BELIEVED IN TEAMWORK. (18) He was humble, teachable. Notice where David was when Samuel came to anoint. David was with the sheep. Being the servant. Staying behind while others get the glory. The First Thing Most Pastors Ask Is What The Salary Is. The attitude is, ¡§What¡¦s in it for me.¡¨ In order to be a leader you must first ask how you can make it better. There¡¦s not a position in the church I have not held, besides Women¡¦s Ministry President. We¡¦ve scrubbed toilets, cleaned the church, mowed the grass, drove the church van, ministered to kids and youth, went to the nursing homes, taught Sunday School, sang in choirs, been in drama¡¦s. David was already anointed to be the next King of Israel. He knew he was destined for the Palace, yet he humbly knelt before the king and reverently played his harp.
"The LORD Is A Man Of War: The LORD Is His Name." (Exodus 15:3). Many men have been known as great men of war, brilliant strategists, military geniuses, etc. There has never been a military mind like that of our God. Jehovah's war strategies may not look good to a West Point graduate, but they always work: 1) He wins them with as few men - Gideon (See Judges 7:1-7). 2) He wins them with pitchers and lanterns and trumpets (Judges 7). 3) He wins wars by marching and shouting (Joshua 6) 4) He wins them using teenage boys with slingshots (1Samuel 17). 5) He's also used other means such as: hornets, locusts, angels, one strong man and a jawbone, and also just old fashioned hand to hand combat. The strange thing about the Lord's wars is that most of the time He first sends word to the enemy, of what He's going to do, and then He does it. He does the same today.
5. A PRUDENT MAN (18) - Wise or judicious in practical affairs; sagacious; discreet or circumspect; sober, careful in providing for the future; a wise man. One who knows when to speak and when to keep quiet. Prudence & Discretion go together. Friends, you cannot work with crooks and stay clean unless you are discrete and prudent. Crooks are everywhere wanting to pollute and scathe you.
ć Proverbs 22:3: The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naive go on, and are punished for it.
ƒá Proverbs 2:11:11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. 12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, 13 who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, 14 who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, 15 whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways. 16 It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words. The Moffatt translation: ¡§A cautious man sees danger and takes cover: the simpleton strolls on and pays for it.¡¨
6. A COMELY MAN (18)¡V ¡§Comely¡¨ does not necessarily mean handsome, It means ¡§Fine Looking of clean-looking. It means neat and well dressed with, not expensive materials, but common ones, pleasing in appearance; attractive; fair: proper, etc. Comely behavior. Take Care Of What You Have - Godly Trait.
ć Heb 11:23: By faith Moses, having been born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw the child comely, and were not afraid of the decree of the king.
ć Gen 39:6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not aught 'that was' with him, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was comely, and well-favored.
ć 1 Sam 9:2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, choice and comely; and there was not among the children of Israel a comelier person than he; from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
7. DAVID WAS CONTENT WITH BEING HIMSELF (I Sam 17:38-44) Read. Saul gave David all the armor and gear but David said, ¡§This isn¡¦t me. Just give me my staff and sling.¡¨ Peer pressure today has changed the face of our children. God knows who you are. You don¡¦t need the fancy dress to prove yourself. God judges your heart. Others may dress finer or have more money but none of that can compare to the anointing of God.
ć Philip 4:6-7: 1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
ć Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
ć 1 Tim 6:7 We have brought nothing into the world and neither can we carry anything out. 8. So having sustenance and covering, we shall be content with these things. 9. However, those determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires, which plunge men into destruction and ruin.
8. THE LORD IS WITH HIM - YOU CAN¡¦T JUST LOOK ANOINTED, YOU MUST BE ANOINTED (18)- There are many who have the appearance of being anointed but are no more anointed then the cockroach. Many are called but few are chosen. You may say, God called me. That¡¦s great but an anointed person is not only called but they are chosen. The fruits are evidenced. ¡¥Christ¡¦ means Anointed - Greek translation of the Hebrew word rendered ¡§Messiah¡¨
ć 1 John 2:27: But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie - just as it has taught you, abide in him.
ć Isaiah 61:1: The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.
ć Isaiah 10:27: And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
BECAUSE OF THESE, DAVID¡K
ć He Took The Harp (He did not act lazy and send others for it). Forget titles.
ć He Played With His Hands (He played with his own hands, not a choir)
ƒá He Found Favor In Saul¡¦s Sight (Saul observed him, he did not under-mind the King)
ć He Brought Refreshening To People (Do you make the best come out of people?)
ƒá He Made Saul Well (He was not standing on someone else¡¦s shoulder.
ć He Became An Armor Bearer. (He could be trusted)
ć He apparently became king (He knew how to dance & bow & give the glory to God. God said I can trust you with the throne. You will be easy to discipline.
CONCLUSION: DO YOU HAVE IT? THAT SPIRIT OF DISTINCTION?
Advice For God¡¦s Followers:
ć Hear The Word: Absorb And Accept Information.
ć Learn The Word: Understand Its Meanings And Implications
ć Follow The Word: Put Into Action What You Hear, Learn And Understand.
You Want To Be Used By God, make some conscious effort to develop come qualities. Stop the laziness, stop the fear, break some grounds, pray for something tangible that you can use as proof that you have been with God, Refuse to be ordinary, refuse to be dependent.
