Sermon: Rock bottom Is Not A Final Destination
Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:1-8 “Three days later, when David and his men arrived home at their town of Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev and Ziklag; they had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground. They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone. When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, they wept until they could weep no more. David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel, were among those captured. David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God. Then he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring me the ephod!” So Abiathar brought it. Then David asked the Lord, “Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?” And the Lord told him, “Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!”.
Introduction – After a long disappointing journey, without victory or spoils for their trouble, David and his mighty men hit Rock bottom. Hitting rock bottom is an overwhelming experience characterized by deep despair and hopelessness. Individuals often feel trapped in a dark pit, unable to escape despite their efforts. In 1 Samuel 30, David found himself in extreme distress when his city Ziklag was burned, his family kidnapped by Amalekites, and his own men spoke of stoning him. Despite losing everything and facing mutiny, David "strengthened himself in the Lord his God" by turning towards His God and turning away from despair. This act involved remembering God’s past faithfulness, focusing on His promises, and engaging in faith-filled self-talk, which led to his recovery of all that was lost. "Rock bottom" is not a final destination, but rather a solid foundation for rebuilding life with greater strength, purpose, and resilience. It represents a turning point where, after everything has fallen apart, you have the opportunity to create a new, more authentic life.
When you hit rock bottom you must avoid the temptation of pointing fingers. Since David was the leader, his men gave in to pointing an accusing finger towards David. They fail to consider that David himself was in pain and overwhelmed by adversity. David returned to find Ziklag burned and their family’s taken into captivity. The distress was so severe that his own men, in their grief, threatened to stone him. The act of strengthening for David began by slowing down enough to think. How did I get into this mess? What did I do the last time things fell apart? David inquired of the Lord. Instead of sinking into despair or retaliating, David turned to God for strength. This was an active, internal process of trusting God’s power to know the next step and to give direction. Focusing on God caused David to remember God's promises, to remember his calling as king, and to remember his past deliverances. His memories gave him confidence despite the dire circumstances. The Bible emphasizes remembering as a crucial spiritual discipline, calling believers to recall God’s covenant, commandments, and mighty acts to foster faith, gratitude, and obedience. David started remembering God's mighty acts, God’s past deliverance and God's unfailing provisions. (Deut. 8:2, 11). Then he remembered position as a covenant child and a keeper of God’s commandments. Rock bottom is a good place to turn to God and turn away from your crisis. Since death and life in the power of the tongue, David started talking to himself and speaking life.
David famously talked to himself (specifically his soul) in the Psalms to encourage himself, rebuke himself, or remind himself of God's faithfulness.
Psalm 42:11 “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”
Psalm 103:1-2 "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits".
David told himself to get up and look up, then he commands his soul to bless the Lord and not forget His benefits. While in Ziklag, his men lost hope and threatened to stone him, David encouraged himself in the Lord. David speaks to himself about praising the Lord because God is still worthy to be praised. David encouraged himself by speaking words of faith to himself, rather than listening to the negative talk of others or his own fear. Faith filled words contain power to strengthen the soul. This spiritual strengthening enabled David to inquire of the Lord, pursue the Amalekites, and recover everything when he was at rock bottom. This passage highlights that, even in total isolation and loss, one can find divine strength to move forward. David finds the secret to encouragement when he was tired, hungry, homeless, family was gone and he did not know where they were or which way to go.
All of us have our times of crises when everything seems to fall apart. Days when it looks as if we have come to the end of the road and that God has let us down or turned against us! In this chapter, we see David experiencing such a crisis! He had just returned from a disappointing journey, a three-day hard march, only to discover that the enemy had attacked his camp. They had taken all their goods and worse yet, kidnapped all the wives and children. It was a miracle that no bodies were found in the ashes. The situation was so serious that David’s own men who loved and served him talked about stoning him to death. David understood that his men were speaking from their pain and suffering, not from their heart. Look how David faced this crisis: He turned to God for his next move. David started remembering God's mighty acts, God’s past deliverance and God's unfailing provisions. Then He encouraged himself in the Lord his God! David encouraged himself by speaking words of faith to himself, rather than listening to the negative talk of others or his own fear. Faith filled words contain power to strengthen the soul. This spiritual strengthening enabled David to inquire of the Lord, pursue the Amalekites, and recover everything when he was at rock bottom.
It has been said, “A crisis does not make a man, it reveals what the man is made of!” What we really are is revealed for everyone to see when a crisis comes our way. It’s interesting to see how David’s men reacted when they discovered their terrible loss. Some sat and wept until they had no more tears to shed. Others complained and blamed David. Some even suggested that they stone their leader. Yet stoning the leader in crisis is crazy, you wonder how they thought that would’ve solved the problem, yet people do the same thing today! How easy it is in a crisis to blame somebody else or to look for a scapegoat! David had lost more than they all. David shed tears like the rest of the soldiers because he loved them and felt their pain. But after that, David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
How can you and I today get the encouragement we need in the crisis hours of our life? We too must turn to the Lord. Certainly, the Lord is able to carry us through; nothing is impossible with God! There is no problem of life too difficult for Him to solve! God’s answer to David dilemma was "Pursue and recover all" in 1 Samuel 30:8. God understood David’s loss, the weakness of his men yet God said "Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all". This biblical passage is a powerful promise of complete restoration, encouraging believers to pursue God's direction to reclaim what the enemy has stolen, leading to total recovery, not just of possessions but also health, family, and purpose.
David only recourse was to surrender to God’s will. David asked the priest to bring him the ephod which was a priestly device for determining the will of God. David asked the Lord if he should pursue the enemy and God told him yes. Then David asked if he and his men would recover their loved ones and their possessions and again, God told him yes! Before David made any more move, he first determined the will of God in the matter. God knows the end from the beginning, and He knew long ago that we would need His help. So when a crisis comes, the 1st thing we should do is surrender to the will of the Lord! God has a purpose to fulfill and if we surrender to Him, it’ll work out for our good and His glory! David encouraged himself in the Lord his God by surrendering to God’s will. Then David ask God for strength. He needed strength to do what needed to be done. David and his men were tired from the journey and emotionally drained but, in obedience to the Lord, all that could mounted up and rode off in pursuit of the enemy. Where did they get strength? Where did they get a second wind? God gave it to them! When God tells us to do something, He always gives us the strength we need to obey. God gave them strength they needed, and God will give you the strength that you need in your hours of crisis! He who walks with God, prays and reads God’s word, will discover unusual strength from the Lord in the hours of darkness in his life! Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
Finally, David trusted God to do the rest. David did not know where his enemy was hiding? Or How strong the enemy was. And if he did find them, suppose they were stronger than his army? He did not know how much time was left or if there enough time to rescue them before they were killed. So many questions must have went through David’s mind. But then, he just turned it all over to the Lord and trusted God to do the work. God did work in a wonderful way, for he led David right to the enemy camp! They caught the enemy by surprise and recovered all: their wealth, their loved ones, the plunder enemy was carried and even the throne of Israel. It was a great faith victory. The just shall live by faith! So when a crisis comes in our lives, there are some things we can do, turn to God in faithful obedience, encourage yourself with faith filled words, and leave the rest to God.
Psalm 37:5 "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."
Like David, we must do what God tells us to do, but also like David, we must trust God to do those things we cannot do ourselves. Faith controls the actions of our lives. What we believe determines how we behave. David set out in pursuit of the enemy, trusting that God would direct him and give him the victory and God honored his faith. This text should encourage believers who may not see how your problem is going to be solved, but God sees and know and that’s what really matters. If you look at your troubles, yourself, you may be tempted to get discouraged! If you look at circumstances or the size of your problems around you, you may get discouraged too! If you consider your strength and how tired you are, you may want to quit or give up. But if by faith you look to Jesus, then like David, you will encourage yourself in the Lord. In these difficult days, learn and practice David’s secret of encouraging himself in the Lord your God. Surrender to God’s will, Depend on God’s strength and Rest on God’s promises by faith! As you do, your discouragement will eventually fade and you shall pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all". "Rock bottom" is not a final destination, but rather a solid foundation for rebuilding life with greater strength, purpose, and resilience. It represents a turning point where, after everything has fallen apart, you have the opportunity to create a new, more authentic life. This perspective emphasizes that the only way to go from the lowest point is up. Amen.
