Finding Victory
1 Chronicles 14:8-17
May 2, 2004
Some years ago a young man approached the foreman of a logging crew and asked for a job. "That depends," replied the foreman. "Let’s see you fell this tree." The young man stepped forward and skillfully felled a great tree. Impressed, the foreman exclaimed, "Start Monday!"
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday rolled by, and Thursday afternoon the foreman approached the young man and said, "You can pick up your paycheck on the way out today."
Startled, he replied, "I thought you paid on Friday." "Normally we do," answered the foreman, "but we’re letting you go today because you’ve fallen behind. Our daily felling charts show that you’ve dropped from first place on Monday to last on Wednesday."
"But I’m a hard worker," the young man objected. "I arrive first, leave last, and even have worked through my coffee breaks!"
The foreman, sensing the boy’s integrity thought for a minute and then asked, "Have you been sharpening your ax?"
The young man replied, "I’ve been working too hard to take the time."
When we go through life with seeking God’s direction and His plan for our lives we are a lot like that young man. Our efforts become powerless and fruitless but when we seek God’s direction, follow His plan and let Him reveal His power, nothing can stop us.
This morning I want to look at a wonderful example of how seeking and following God can and will bring victory into your life.
8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim; 10 so David inquired of God: "Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD answered him, "Go, I will hand them over to you." 11 So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand." So that place was called Baal Perazim. 12 The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn them in the fire. 13 Once more the Philistines raided the valley; 14 so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, "Do not go straight up, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. 15 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army." 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. 17 So David’s fame spread throughout every land, and the LORD made all the nations fear him.
I. When problems arise seek God’s direction
Problems are just part of being alive
The problem that David was facing was very real and very old. The Philistines chose to attack Israel just after David had been anointed as king of Israel. They came when David may not have had the complete strength of the country at his disposal. The goal of the Philistines was to find David and to defeat him. David had shamed the Philistines in battle and now they were determined to attack him.
David did not sit and wait for the problem to just go away. He took quick action to deal with the situation. David approached the crisis with courage, confidence and clarity. He knew what needed to be done and how he would get it done
We face great difficulties
Since we are a spiritual people we will always face spiritual attacks because the one thing that Satan fears most is a Christian who is effective for the Kingdom of God. Life can just get to us from time to time as we face the grind of daily living. Daily living can be enough to rob us of spiritual strength and effectiveness
We need to face down our problems
The difficulties we have will not just simply vanish. We need to identify the problems we have and take positive action to find powerful solutions. As we face our difficulties, we need to have courage, confidence and clarity. All of these things are provided for us by the Holy Spirit.
Problems require us to seek God’s direction
David understood that he needed God’s direction before he went into battle.
David had won his fair share of battles including his great victory over Goliath. David could have easily relied on his own personal military experience, confidence and skill as a warrior to handle the situation
Before David attacked the Philistines he stopped and asked for God’s direction and was seeking guidance in two critical areas.
· Shall I attack?
· Will you hand them to me?
David waited for God’s answer before he attacked
David depended on God so greatly that when the Philistines attacked a second time, he sought God again before he attacked
We need to continually seek God’s direction
We have just as many reasons to be confident like David. We have seen God work in mighty ways. We have experienced His presence in ways that we may not be able to describe. We have been saved by the grace of Jesus. Just because we have experienced God’s power, grace and presence in the past does not guarantee that we will continue to experience it in the future
The only way to experience God’s power in fresh ways is to seek Him and the only way to know His direction is to ask for it
We should approach life the same way that David approached that battle and we need to be asking similar questions.
· Should we take this course of action?
· Will you be with me in a powerful way if I obey?
I think that far too often we just do what we think is right and what we think is best without really seeking the direction of God. One of the greatest problems in the lives of Christians today is that we fail to seek God’s guidance and wait for His direction
II. When God gives His direction, follow it
The simple truth is that where God leads He is also present, so if we follow His leading we will always be in His presence. It is important to notice that David was concerned about two key areas: God’s direction and God’s presence. Why were these two things so important?
David did not want to step out of God’s will and so he needed God’s direction because without direction from God it becomes far too easy to choose our own path and go the wrong way
David understood how vitally important it was for God’s presence to be with him in battle because without God’s presence there would be no assurance of God’s protection, provision or power.
Don’t you think that we need to be deeply concerned with these areas as well
When we look at life and the many choices that we are faced with on a daily basis, we are in need of god’s direction. Without God’s direction, we can never go the right way or complete His plan for our lives. When we go out and try to serve God without His direction we will never be as successful or effective as we can be following His plan and His direction. Without God’s direction we are merely going through the motions
There is no experience on earth that can ever compare to personally experiencing the divine presence of God. When God is not present; His power, provision, peace and protection are absent
When God directs the plan never fails
David had been successful during the first attack with his battle plan and God’s power. However, God made a change with the second attack and gave David specific instructions on how he should attack the Philistines
Q – What would have happened if David had done things his way during the second attack?
We don’t know exactly what would have happened but we can be sure that he would not have been as successful, he might have even been defeated
To be in tune with God’s plans, David had to change his own plans
God may ask you to change directions
With any type of change there is always a cost. It could be giving more of your time or more of your money. It could be doing something that you have never done before. It could be giving up some of the traditions that you’ve always had.
Could your current circumstances be a direct result of not seeking or not following God’s direction in the past?
If we are faced with the choice of changing direction or being out of step with God; we must always choose to change direction. There will be times when God calls us to totally change the direction we are going in to be in step with Him
III. When God’s power breaks out we gain victory
David saw God’s power break out
David gives a vivid description of the events that day. When the Philistines are defeated, he says: As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.”
David is describing the natural power of flooding. When waters break out of their banks great power is displayed and he describes the power of God in a similar way because when God unleashed His power there was nothing that could stop it. David revealed his deep reliance on God and his need for God to unleash his power on his behalf.
David testifies that the power of God won the day and gave him the victory that he so desperately needed. These same principles can work today in your life as well because life really hasn’t changed that much from then until now and God has never changed.
If you’re honest with yourself, you have some deep needs in your life today. I don’t know what they are but you do and so does God.
· You have a child who has strayed from the Lord
· You have a spouse that wants nothing to do with church
· You a marriage that is coming apart at the seams
· You have a problem that seems impossible to solve
· You have an illness that is stronger than your ability to cope
· You have an addiction that you cannot break
I know that all of the self help, self-improvement and self sufficient plans that this world has to offer will never be enough.
If you want to see God’s power flow into your life, you need to follow David’s foolproof plan for victory.
1. When a problem comes up seek God first
2. When God gives you definite direction, follow it
3. When God breaks out give Him credit
What about you today what areas of your life do you need God to unleash His power into? How much different would your life be if God unleashed His power on your behalf?
