Warriors Arise: September 12, 2022
1 Samuel 18:8-11 (NKJV)Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward. 10 And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul's hand. 11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.
How many of you have felt you have been pinned to the wall? I never thought of where that statement may have originated, but it might have been right here in the Bible in 1 Samuel 18:11. Saul is jealous, because he is afraid. Jealousy and fear generally go hand in hand. We can be in fear and it lead to jealousy, or we can be jealous and then uncontrolled thoughts cause fear to creep in and take over.
I want to be very clear. I have yet to meet anyone who has not had to face the giant of jealousy or the army of fear. Fear is like an army, because our mind can be attacked from so many different directions with thoughts, mostly untrue. These thoughts generally do not begin with the truth. They begin, because of our own insecurities in which we try to hide behind, when we blame others. Saul tried to blame the women for singing songs that held truth. David had killed more than Saul. They didn't exclude Saul, but he was no longer going out to war. If he was at the battlefield, he wasn't the one in the battle. David didn't lead the men of war from his tent. David was in the battle next to the men of war. They fought and won together.
Jealousy cause one to fight by themselves, getting people around them to fight for them. Oddly, jealousy can then turn on the ones fighting for them, to question their loyalty and motives. Fear does the same thing. This is why it is so important to be honest with ourselves. If we can't be honest with ourselves, we need to position ourselves before God and allow Him to speak the truth. Understand that even though we may position ourselves in the presence of God, it doesn't mean we are hearing God or even agreeing with God. We may be so caught up in the lies fear and jealousy have conjured up that we can't identify the truth. When God speaks it gets twisted, by the time our ears hear it and our mind receives it.
Two things I would like to bring up. Jealousy and fear attack us all. They are giants to be reckoned with. Do not make the mistake of aligning yourself with either one. It is a tangled mess and takes divine intervention from the Holy Spirit to come out of the web and deception and see the truth. It is a pit of tar that takes prisoners to the death of their goals, purpose and destiny if they are not pulled out by the power of God's truth and our willingness to lay hold of his Hand and embrace the truth. It is a quicksand we walk right into when the wilderness around us is thick with underbrush, thistles, and creeping vines. We don't even see it, before we are already sinking into the depths of despair. We do not see a way out, because fear takes us as prisoners and fear does not play fair. Fear heaps one lie after another until our eyes only see judgement, accusation, and defending what is ours.
The only way to get out of the web is to cut through the the lies with God's Word. We must make ourselves remember the good and godly character in others.
Philippians 4:8 (NKJV) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
We must make ourselves seek the truth. We must make ourselves see what is noble in others. We must make ourselves seek just for others. We must make ourselves see clarity and purity in others. We must make ourselves see the lovely things God has done in others and the things others do. We must make ourselves spread good report of others. We must make ourselves see the virtue of Jesus Christ in others. We must give praise to the transformation of Jesus Christ in others and what they have accomplished with Him. We must not withhold these things or jealousy and fear are lurking to pull us back into a web of deception, the pit of death to our purpose and the quicksand of despair thinking all is lost, because of them.
We must force ourselves to get cleansed by the truth. Yes, I said force yourself, because the lies can seem so good that we will not put effort into pursuing the truth. The truth will lead to peace. Peace breaks the back of fear and jealousy. Peace unites while fear and jealousy cause great division, confusion, and isolation.
1 Peter 3:10-12 (NKJV) For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Yes, I said you must force yourself to be cleansed by the truth. You are the gatekeeper to your mind. You are the one who makes the decision on what you with dwell upon. You must take every thought captive that does not line up with the Word of God. You must seek peace and pursue it. You and I will never be walking in peace if we are overcome with jealousy and fear.
Therefore, you and I must make ourselves take captive every thought that is against God and focus on the truth of God in every situation and in everyone. Our thoughts must become obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (NKJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Are you pinned to the wall? Oddly, Saul was trying to pin David to the wall, but it was really Saul who was pinned. He couldn't move. His thoughts of jealousy and fear pinned him to the wall. He couldn't move. He couldn't think straight. He was stuck. He was pinned to the wall with jealousy and fear. Instead of remembering all David had done for him and to advance his kingdom, he chose to be jealous. He chose to remain in the quicksand of despair, the web of deception and the pit of death to his purpose.
The enemy tries this with all of us. How do I know? Because he doesn't have any new tricks. He uses the same ones over and over again just a different way. But God provides a way out if we will desire peace and make ourselves dwell on every aspect of an individual through the lens of Philippians 4:8.
Father I pursue peace. I will not remain in the quicksand of death. I make the choice today to see what is noble in others. I will not remain in the pit of despair. I will make myself focus on the purity in others through Christ Jesus. I will not remain in the web of lies. I will make myself see the good report of what others have accomplished with You. I will celebrate those You have placed around me. I will honor them for what they have accomplished through Your mighty hand. I will know the goodness of the Lord in them. I will give a good report of them. I am not perfect. No one is perfect. Forgive me for swallowing the poisonous lie that people have to be perfect. I certainly cannot live up to that. I fail on a regular basis. I ask forgiveness for expecting perfection out of others. I ask to be forgiven for thinking I was perfect. You are the only perfect one, You, my Savior Jesus Christ, and my Counselor Holy Spirit. I am Yours and I will seek peace and pursue it by the power of Christ in me amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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