David Went Down Into The Hold
PPT 1 Title
PPT 2-6 text
2 Samuel 5:17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.
2 Samuel 5:18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
2 Samuel 5:19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
2 Samuel 5:20 And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.
2 Samuel 5:21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
2 Samuel 5:22 Now the Philistines came up once again and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim.
2 Samuel 5:23 And when David inquired of the LORD, He said, "You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees.
2 Samuel 5:24 "And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall act promptly, for then the LORD will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines."
2 Samuel 5:25 Then David did so, just as the LORD had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.
This text gives us insight into how David responded when major assaults were launched against him.
We have been talking about the power of hedges of protection, and have discussed how much hurt can happen if your spiritual hedge of protection is removed, and I planned on finishing that series this week discussing how hedges were used by God to bring people into alignment with His plans, but felt God deal strongly with me about how we should respond when we are under attack.
We begin by noting the timing and the location of the attack.
The timing is the long civil war between the house of Saul and the house of David has finally concluded and David is anointing King for the 3rd time in his life. (1st by Samuel, snd by the tribe of Judah, this time by all Israel).
With the end of the civil war the enemy knew that would not be good for there continued control over the house of Israel. While Saul and David had won some significant victories up to this time the truth is the Philistines and the Moabites and the other enemies of Israel were still the dominate military parties in the area. At one point we even learn the enemy was so in control they didn't even allow blacksmiths to operate in Israel and very few had swords. That is domination by the enemy! (1 Sam 13:19)
The enemy has always known that a house divided against itself cannot stand, and full realization of the power of unity will not be understood until the story of Acts 2 unfolds for us. When they were all in one accord. ... The Holy Spirit was released in power on the church. The devil likes disunity, and fears the power of a family, a nation, or a church that is freed from that distraction. As terrible as Pearl Harbor was, it united this nation and we roared to life. There is power in unity, that is what the devil fears.
That is the timing - the devil wanted to stop a unified nation from presenting a threat.
The location is the valley of Rephaim. The valley of the giants.
In this passage of scripture you will read of two strongholds. The first is the valley of Rephaim, this is where David would face his first giant - Goliath, and where he would face them over and over again in his life. Some enemies come back again and again after you, but that is only so that you can destroy them from the root to the roof.
The second stronghold is mentioned in the first verse we read, David went down into the hold. This also was a place of fortification in the valley of Rephaim, but not for the enemy, for the man of God. In the place of the enemies stronghold God gave David a place of refuge. Illustrating for us that God can keep you safe in the very depths of hell itself, were you to find yourself there.
Turn to your neighbor and say the hold will hold you.
So that's timing and location, now let's dig in a little and see how David dealt with this whole situation.
Previously when the Philistines spread themselves in this valley we had the story of 1 Samuel 17 where David fights Goliath, and you will notice he shuns Saul's armor and charges full bore at him with his sling and 5 stones and says who is this uncircumcised Philistine to taunt the army of the living God.
But he doesn't do that this time, which is very important thing to note. We learn that yesterdays' solution may not be today's solution.
Here is a summary of the sequence of David's actions:
He went down into the hold
He waited for a word
He acted decisively.
1. He went down into the hold.
This was not a time for a quick attack. David sensed this was a time for a quick retreat. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Fatique Tue, Faites une Pause (Fatigue kills take a break)
He recognized he wasn't it a fit state to deal with this and took a pause to spend time with God before acting.
He realized he needed to fall on his face before the Lord. He realized he needed a fresh anointing. (I shall be anointed with fresh oil Psalm 92:10)
Psalms 92:7 That when the wicked sprouted up like grass, And all who did iniquity flourished, It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.
Psalms 92:8 But Thou, O LORD, art on high forever.
Psalms 92:9 For, behold, Thine enemies, O LORD, For, behold, Thine enemies will perish; All who do iniquity will be scattered.
Psalms 92:10 But Thou hast exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil.
Turn to your neighbor and say, "Do you need some fresh oil?"
He looked around and realized that his eagle wings were molting, and he needed to let them grow again before he could face this enemy. He needed to put some fasting in his prayer bank, he needed to replenish his tears of prevailing prayer, he needed to talk in tongues and get the fire flowing again in his life.
There is a going down, and a going backwards that is actually a going up and a going forward. It is called going down into the hold and weeping and wailing before God. You don't always have to rush to make a decision. Sometimes you need to build yourself up before you launch into a major battle, even though it may be right at your door. David sensed it was not a time to attack, but to regroup, refocus, and get strengthened in the Lord.
PPT 7 text
Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit;
Here is something interesting, it is very likely the enemy knew something about David, perhaps even better than David knew it.
PPT 8 text
2 Samuel 5:17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David....
The text doesn't say they came to destroy Israel, it says they came to destroy the anointed man/woman of God. In other words the attack was about one thing and one thing alone, stopping someone from fulfilling the purpose that God had for their life. The battle may look like it's about one thing, but in reality it is always about this one thing - stopping the purposes of God. Stop the anointed purpose, you defeat everything God intends.
Once you realize that truth, then you realize the real danger is not that you protect your property or your person, though important, the important thing is that you protect God's purpose or anointing in your life. Because you can get so busy fighting that you become as vile as the person's you are fighting against. Fighting is nasty business, David realized he didn't want to lose his head in the war, that he wasn't in a fit state to fight, so he went to the hold, to let God get a hold of Him one more time in a fresh new way, so that he could mount up with wings as eagles, and even though he may be in an earthly battle he will fight from and eternal perspective, with grace and mercy in his heart. He would fight, but the right way, and He would win because God would prosper Him because of his humility and desire to do things God's way.
David had just recently watched another anointed man of God die in battle. Saul was his name, Saul had the form David had the substance. Saul had the appearance David had the real thing. But that doesn't mean that David didn't think it wise to check himself. Saul was anointed and yet died in battle, David going down into the hold was a way of making sure of himself and his spiritual standing before God. Are my motives right, am I doing this in the right spirit, what is the best way to deal with this? Let me pray and make sure I am in a fit state of mind and spirit for what is ahead for me.
Going down into the hold is also putting on brakes when everything is telling you to charge full steam ahead.
Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.
The 2nd thing David did was he enquired of the Lord. He waited for a word.
PPT 9 text
2 Samuel 5:19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
I am going to stay in the hold, until God gets a hold of me.
I don't need a word, I need the word.
I don't need sound advice and I need God's advice.
I don't need a good idea I need a God idea.
I don't need a battle plan, I need God's battle plan.
I don't simply need a word of advise, but a word that lifts up, empowers, puts air under my wings, secures my resolve, under girds my feet, energizes my soul, strengthens my hearts, lifts the oppression, breaks the yoke, calms my mind, clears my eyes, fills my quiver with arrows and steadies my aim. When I come out of this cave I am coming out on fire. I am going to win in the stronghold first, then I will be assured I will win on the battle field.
3rdly he acted decisively.
Strengthened by prayer, guided by the counsel of God he acted decisively.
He faces his enemy and calls the place the God of the breakthrough.
PPT 10 text
2 Samuel 5:20 So David came to Baal-perazim, and defeated them there; and he said, "The LORD has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters." Therefore he named that place Baal-perazim.
God added a little more to this story
PPT 10,11 text
2 Samuel 5:22 Now the Philistines came up once again and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim.
2 Samuel 5:23 And when David inquired of the LORD, He said, "You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees.
2 Samuel 5:24 "And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall act promptly, for then the LORD will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines."
2 Samuel 5:25 Then David did so, just as the LORD had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.
Once again, this wasn't a one and done battle, though not directly stated David appears to follow the same strategy He enquires of the Lord (He went down into the hold), He gets a word, and he is told to act decisively.
He is told to act promptly KJV = bestir yourself.
It means to act with passion and urgency. When you get your word don't hesitate with the battle plan he gives you. What I whisper in you ear...
Don't move till God moves and when God moves, move with God.
If you move with God, you won't make a mistake you will defeat the devil if you wait on God.
Close: I have some enemies spreading out before me. I need to be anointed with fresh oil, I need a word, I need a recharge.
