David is remembered for his great heart for God. He pursued a relationship with God for his own sake, even when no one else was around, and demonstrated his trust in God through his victories against the lion and the bear. His heart for God was consistent and reflected his integrity.
David’s heart was groomed through testing before he became king. In contrast, the previous king, Saul, did not undergo such testing and his untested heart allowed his successes to ultimately lead to his downfall. David’s ability to strengthen himself in God during a time of deep betrayal and rejection ultimately qualified him to become king.
After initially winning favor with the people and King Saul following a victory over the Philistines, David was rejected and chased by Saul for over a decade. He faced various tests of his faith and ability to believe and walk in God’s word, even when circumstances seemed to oppose his destiny. David gathered a group of rejects from society and spent time training them in both life and warfare.
David faced rejection from King Saul, the Israelites, and even the Philistines. After returning to find his city burned and possessions looted by the Amalekites, his own followers even considered killing him. This was a particularly deep betrayal as they owed their lives and success to David.
David was greatly distressed when his followers considered killing him, but he responded by strengthening himself in the Lord.
David faced the threat of being stoned by his followers, but he responded by calling them back to their purpose and rallying them to retrieve their stolen families and possessions. His ability to remain faithful to his purpose and lead his men to victory enabled him to eventually become king, even though it came through the “back door” of his darkest moment.
David’s legacy includes writing the Psalms, establishing a form of worship in Jerusalem, designing the Temple, and bringing Israel into its Golden Age. He was also named the forerunner of the Messiah and is significant in God’s plan for history. His life serves as a call to believers to fulfill their destiny and be like Christ, finishing His work on earth. Through Jesus, believers have received the destiny of being kings and priests, seated with Christ in heavenly places.
God is currently restoring the revelation that the blood of Jesus was shed to restore believers to a relationship with Him as kings and priests, partnering with Him to bring the earth under His rule and reign. The degree to which believers walk in this position is a matter of potential and requires their participation. God wants believers to become mature and use His favor for His purposes, rather than their own.
God’s favor is not the same as His love, and it is possible for people to grow in favor with God and man. Jesus grew in favor with God and man by being tested and passing the test, which enabled Him to fulfill His destiny and release the expression of the word over His life in a greater measure. God gives His favor to individuals in the measure their character can handle, helping them to grow from glory to glory and strength to strength.
David’s journey to becoming king of Israel involved enduring many difficulties and rejections. He learned to strengthen himself in God during these times and eventually was able to lead his men to victory. The ability to minister to ourselves is crucial in developing the character to fulfill our potential as leaders and serve others effectively in God’s kingdom. Initiative, or the ability to seek God and pursue His destiny for our lives, is an important characteristic of a leader. Those who can sustain this initiative and strengthen themselves during testing will experience personal breakthroughs that can bring blessings to those around them.
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