The Success Of King David - Part 4 Series

I have learnt that a person who is loyal to someone else is likely to be loyal to me. Years ago, a pastor joined me from another ministry. He had faithfully served another minister in London for about ten years. Due to certain circumstances, he was forced to leave London and settle in another country. That was when I met him. He made a decision to work under my ministry. The one thing that impressed me about this man was that he never spoke negatively about the church he had belonged to for the previous ten years.

Although he was greatly impressed with our ministry, there was no time when a sarcastic or disloyal statement came from his mouth about his former pastor. This is a very important sign indeed. It means this person is likely to behave in the same way towards a new "boss". Do not think that you are special. If a man throws his wife outside the gate and you happen to be the new mistress, do not think you will receive any better treatment.

Be careful of wicked, erratic, and disloyal people. What they did to another, they will do to you one day. David prevented his own assassination by immediately eliminating traitors and rebels. A person with traitorous tendencies can practise them on any new master. Move with loyal people. Stay with the few whom you can trust. It is better to have a few loyal people than many treacherous and dangerous people around you.

Principle #15: The Principle of Being Led by the Spirit

Therefore DAVID ENQUIRED OF THE LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go and smite the Philistines, and SAVE KEILAH. Then DAVID ENQUIRED OF THE LORD YET AGAIN. And the Lord answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

1 Samuel 23:2, 4

One of the common phrases in the books of First and Second Samuel, is; "David enquired of the Lord". The principle of David inquiring of the Lord for direction is one that is important for all of us today.

David defended the people of Keilah and delivered them from evil. When King Saul heard that David was in the city of the people of Keilah, he decided to attack. Naturally, you would have thought that the people of Keilah would protect David from Saul. David as a matter of routine inquired of the Lord.

THEN SAID DAVID, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up.

1 Samuel 23:12

To his surprise, the Lord told him that the people who he had just saved would betray him and hand him over to Saul. David must have been surprised when the Lord told him, "These people will be ungrateful to you. They will hand you over to Saul for your execution."

Do you realize that once again, David saved his life by this act of inquiring of the Lord? That is why I call these acts, principles of success. If David had not had these principles, his life would have been cut short. If David had not developed the habit of waiting on the Lord, he would have died as a young man. David's ministry would have ended years earlier if he had not used these important principles.