Transcription
We want to share on the second part of the teaching on vital lessons on King David. Vital lessons from the life of the man, King David. And we're taking our text this morning from First Samuel chapter 24. First Samuel chapter 24. And we are looking at verse 1 to 7.
Now, in our first, the first part of this message two weeks ago, we highlighted three lessons. Today, we'll look at just two more lessons. And so, lesson number four on our studies on David. The fourth thing we recognize or not about David is that David was a God-fearing man. David was a God-fearing man.
He was a very, very bold person. He had a lot of courage. He was brave, but he was God-fearing. His genuine fear of God was proven in so many ways. So many things happened along the way that confirmed that truly, David was indeed a God-fearing man. A long time ago, the Holy Spirit made me understand that two simple ways you can know a man or woman that fears God. Two principal rules. One, how they reverence the word of God. Two, how they reverence and relate with servants of God. So, these are two principal ways you can decode a man or woman that has the fear of God.
And one particular thing you observe with about David was that he was very, very sensitive to be very careful and careful when dealing with God's chosen vessels. He had special respect for God's anointed vessels. Even when he became king and was so successful, he continued to show great respect for God's chosen vessels, God's anointed vessels. Whether God's chosen king, such as Saul, the priests of God, not only those he related with closely or he had that general respect for the priests of God, or any other divinely chosen vessel. David had respect for them. He had great respect for the Lord's anointed.
And you will see that despite the fierce hostility of King Saul towards him, David never, never insulted King Saul. David never fought King Saul. And even when he had two very close opportunities to kill him instantly, David did not kill him. And he would not also permit any of the soldiers around him to kill him. David refused to harm Saul, even when he had the opportunity.
In First Samuel chapter 1, verse 24, from verse 1 through 19, you begin to see an incident that exposes how much David really, truly, sincerely from his heart, had great respect and reverence for God's anointed vessels. Verse three of First Samuel 24. He said that the place where the road passes some sheep food, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding further back in the very cave. And look at what his assistants told him. His men told him, he said, "Now is your opportunity." And please take note of that. You will observe that David was not someone that could be wrongly influenced to do something he was convinced was wrong. He was strong-willed. And even if people around him felt that things should be done in a particular way, if David has a conviction that that is not right, that is ungodly, that is unfair, he would not bow to the pressure of people around him. So his soldiers told him, "Now is your opportunity."
So that shows you that some of his close associates did not share this principle that David held strongly to, when it comes to not touching God's anointed vessels. So David's men whisper to him, "Today, the Lord is telling you." So sometimes you can also be wrongly advised in a way that the advice is even presented to appear to be God's will. So without doubt, I believe God is telling you to do this. But that wasn't God's will. Thank God that David was able to decide that that was not God's will. He said, "Today, the Lord is telling you, I will certainly put your enemy into your power to do it as you wish." Excuse me. So David crept forward and caught a piece of the hem of Saul's robe.
Now, but then in verse 5, he said, "But then David's conscience, David's conscience began bothering him." A God-fearing man has has a conscience that is alive. A God-fearing woman has a conscience. A God-fearing man has a conscience. There are many things you can do, but your conscience will tell you, this is wrong. This is unfair. This is not right. Even when you have all the means to do what needs to be done at that time, conscience, your conscience is telling you, giving you a contrary sickness. So, but then David's conscience began bothering him. There are men today that don't have a conscience. There are women today that don't have a conscience. But David was a man that had a conscience. His conscience wasn't seared. There's a point where someone's conscience becomes seared and then eventually becomes dead.
David's conscience began bothering him. Why? Because he had cut Saul's robe. He had not touched Saul physically. He didn't touch him physically. He didn't touch his body, but just that man act of cutting the piece of his robe, even his conscience will not give him peace over it. Listen to your conscience. Listen to your conscience. I have discovered that this life is deep and full of mysteries and diverse dynamics. And you know, the way people even sometimes generally may want certain things to be done may not be the way God wants it to be done.
And that is why it's so essential that on a consistent basis, we must consistently come before the Lord, studying the Bible, studying the Bible to know the mind of God, to know the ways of God. And when we do so, the Lord will be ministering certain truths to us, amplifying certain concepts from His word. Verse six, David said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord, the king. I shouldn't attack the Lord's anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him." Men that fear God, they restrain themselves from attacking God's anointing.
The fifth lesson we learn about the life of David, the person, character, and attributes of David, he respected and waited for God's time. One of those things, two major things, you know, put together. God's will. What God wants to be done. And this covers most of the details. What is it? What is God saying? What action is the Lord demanding? What response is the Lord demanding? How? Where? How much? Of it? This time. All those are part of the first dimension of God's will. The second dimension of God's will is the timing. Timing, timing, timing, timing. Very critical. Most of the time, we we interpret dreams correctly. We interpret our revelations correctly. The only thing we miss out is the timing. Because dreams and revelations will always come as if it is going to happen now.
And by the time that dream is eventually fulfilled, you mean looking at 20 years later, five years later, three years later, 15 years later, 30 years later. But when you had that dream, it appeared as if it was going to happen right at the time you had a dream. So if you are not careful, you could run ahead of God's time. Because one of the things God does is that the more important something is, the more weighty something is, the more valuable something is ahead of you, the earlier God will show it to you so you can prepare.
David was very patient about God's perfect time for him to ascend the throne of the king. Even though he was not aware of God's destiny for him to become the king, he never secretly did anything to hasten the fall of Saul, the exit of Saul, their displacement of Saul, the sack of Saul. This was this was one of those things that endeared David also to the heart of God. He never prayed for any obstacle to his timely entrainment to be removed by God. You know, you can begin to raise some dangerous prayer points that you cannot pray publicly, that you cannot pray publicly, because it's against the person that God has put ahead of you. He never encouraged anyone to forcefully remove or kill Saul. Being a man after God's own heart means living life open and submitted to God's will and timing. God's timing. God's timing. God's timing.
Young people of today spend too much time trying to force their way into opportunities, force their way into power, force their way into wealth, force their way into fame, force their way into influence, force their way into positions, offices, thrones. Promotion does not come from anywhere. Real promotion, real promotion does not come from anywhere else but from the Lord God. David had an opportunity to serve the king, and he did it well. Any opportunity God is giving you now, excel. Give it your best. Give it your best. Give it your best. Stop waiting for your own time to give your best. Because sometimes it's in the process of you giving your best that your real capacity and potential will be discovered. And that is what will now cause your name to be mentioned for a much higher and bigger platform of opportunity.