Lessons from David: How to Be a Giant Killer
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Authors: Andrew Wommack
Lessons from David:
How to Be a Giant Killer
By
Andrew Wommack
Harrison House
Tulsa, OK
All scripture quotations are taken from the
King James Version
of the Bible.
Lessons from David: How to Be a Giant Killer
ISBN: 978-160683- 699-6
Copyright © 2014 by Andrew Wommack
P.O. Box 3333
Colorado Springs, CO 80934-333
Published by
Harrison House Publishers
Tulsa, OK 74145
Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved. This book or portions thereof may not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Accept Responsibility
Chapter 6 Seeing Through the Covenant
Chapter 7 Overcoming Criticism
Chapter 8 A Confident Testimony
Chapter 10 Encourage Yourself in the Lord
Chapter 11 Actions and the Heart
Chapter 14 A Purpose Bigger than Yourself
Chapter 16 The Danger of Prosperity
Chapter 18 The Root of All Sin
Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.1 Corinthians 10:11
The stories of people in the Old Testament were recorded as examples for us today. God’s Word plainly reveals both the good and the bad about such highly regarded individuals as Moses, Abraham, and Elijah. We’re not only told how the Lord was able to move mightily in their lives, but also how and why they failed. The purpose of these stories is to benefit you and me today.
Many people believe that the only way you can really learn something is through hard knocks. They think you have to experience your own hardships, situations, and circumstances. However, God wrote all of these things down in His Word so you and I wouldn’t have to learn that way. Instead, we can learn through the experience of Bible characters—their successes and mistakes. Personally, I’ve found this to be a much better way.
David’s life is full of lessons for us today. In this book, we’ll be exploring the differences between David, Saul, and Absalom. We’ll see the importance of David’s heart attitude and relationship with God. We’ll also reflect on the processes that led to his downfall and restoration.
It doesn’t matter if you’re succeeding in your calling, just starting out, or if you’ve failed miserably. David’s life will encourage and inspire you to avoid temptation, trust God (even after you’ve fallen), and keep your heart sensitive to Him. The giants in your life won’t stand a chance as these Lessons from David become your very own!
Chapter 1
Accept Responsibility
The early part of David’s life was closely woven together with Saul’s. Therefore, we can’t really look into the life of David without first understanding some things about Saul.
Saul was…
A choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.1 Samuel 9:2
The tallest man in Israel only came up to Saul’s shoulders. So for an Israelite, Saul was like a giant. However, he was also a very humble man. He started off being very little in his own eyes (1 Samuel 15:17), so the Lord chose him as king over the nation of Israel.
The people rallied to Saul and he was established as king. Saul sought the Lord during the first two or three years of his reign as king. God wrought some major deliverances through Saul and solidified the kingdom under him.
Strange Fire
In 1 Samuel 13, Saul assembled the troops in preparation for battle against the Philistines. Samuel the prophet instructed Saul to wait seven days until he came to offer a sacrifice. Then after Samuel offered the sacrifice, the army of Israel would go into battle with God’s blessing.
And he [Saul] tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
1 Samuel 13:8-10; brackets mine
Saul offered this sacrifice contrary to the instructions of God. The law prescribed that only priests could offer these sacrifices and petition the Lord like this. Saul stepped out of his position as king and attempted to assume the position of priest. He was a secular government official, not a priest. However, even a priest was required to offer sacrifices correctly according to God’s instructions.
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron [priests], took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
Leviticus 10:1-2; brackets mine
As priests, Nadab and Abihu were qualified to offer a sacrifice, but they did not follow the proper order. Since they didn’t do it the way the Lord had prescribed, fire came out, and God struck them dead. The Old Testament law was very strict in regard to these things. Even if you were a priest, you had to perform your priestly duties exactly the right way. Not only did Saul not know how to properly offer the sacrifice, but he was not even a priest. Obviously, he committed a major sin in God’s eyes.
Excuses, Excuses
As soon as Saul finished offering the sacrifice, Samuel showed up (1 Samuel 13:10).
And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.1 Samuel 13:11-12
Samuel reproved Saul for what he did and asked, “Why did you do it?” Instead of humbling himself and saying, “I was wrong. Please forgive me,” Saul immediately began to justify himself and make excuses by saying, “The people were beginning to leave me.”
Saul was a people pleaser. He was insecure and dependent on the approval of others. However, he tried to spiritualize it by saying, “I had to offer this sacrifice. I just couldn’t go into battle without offering my sacrifice!” That may have been the custom and to some degree it may have been valid, but Saul was just using this as an excuse. Saul was not seeking God with all his heart. We know this to be true, based on the Lord’s reaction.
If this had just been a mistake—a miscalculation—God wouldn’t have responded to Saul the way He did. The Lord knew Saul’s heart (1 Samuel 16:7), became very upset with him, and brought a severe punishment upon him. This shows that Saul knew exactly what he was doing. Yet, here he was, trying to explain himself away. This is a common practice. Instead of just admitting, “I blew it. Please forgive me,” most people try to excuse themselves and shift the blame.
“It’s My Fault, Lord”
David never blamed anyone else for his failures. He always took responsibility and admitted, “Lord, it’s my fault.” When David numbered the people, God became very angry (2 Samuel 24). After 70,000 Israelites died, the angel executing this judgment was about to enter Jerusalem. David fell on his face before the Lord and cried out:
“Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.”2 Samuel 24:17
David didn’t try to place the blame on others like Saul did by saying, “It’s their fault. They made me do it!” No, he took responsibility and shouldered the blame himself. This is one of the character traits that made David a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).
Victim or Victor?
David made some serious mistakes. When the Bible talks about having a pure heart—a perfect heart—it doesn’t mean that you never sin. It’s talking about how you respond when you do sin. When you make a mistake, do you blame other people? Are you someone who refuses to accept the truth that it’s your fault that you’re in a mess? Do you always blame things on the past, your dysfunctional family, your circumstances or other factors? Are you a victim or a victor?
This victim mentality or attitude is very popular in our society. It’s an attempt to dodge responsibility and blame others. This was Saul’s attitude. People with this attitude won’t survive, be blessed, or reach their full potential. If you want to be a person after God’s own heart, take a lesson from David and start accepting responsibility when you’re wrong. Stop making excuses and blaming others! Be a victor, not a victim!
I pray that the Holy Spirit will quicken this truth to you and help you apply it to your situation. If you haven’t accepted that the predicament your find yourself in is your fault and you’re still blaming everything and everyone else, you need to accept responsibility. Why is this so important? Because you have to accept responsibility in order to be in control and change things.
If other people and circumstances have made you the mess that you are, then you can never change. There are many things you cannot change. You cannot change the family you were born into, the color of your skin, where you grew up, other people, or a myriad of other outside factors. There are many circumstances and aspects of your environment that you have absolutely no control over. However, if you will accept responsibility and say, “Regardless of what’s been done to me, it’s the way I have responded to it that has made me the way I am. It’s my fault, Lord. Please forgive me,” then you can change.
You
are the only one
you
can change. In order to stop being a victim and start being a victor, you must accept responsibility for your own messes.
You’re Foolish!
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly.1 Samuel 13:13
Saul had disobeyed God. He tried to rationalize and explain away what he did by saying, “The people made me do it. I had to offer this sacrifice because I didn’t want to go to war without asking God’s favor.” Saul had a million excuses.
You can try to make it look good but if you disobey God, you’re foolish. It doesn’t matter what you say, how you justify it, or what the extenuating circumstances are, disobedience to God is wrong! There is no such thing as “situational ethics.” There is right and wrong. You need to quit blaming somebody else and accept the fact that if you disobey God, you’re foolish.
Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.1 Samuel 13:13
This statement conflicts with many people’s theology. Many folks think that since God knows the end from the beginning, He also controls everything that happens in between. Since God is all-knowing and all-powerful, they believe that only what He wills comes to pass on the earth. That kind of belief makes the Lord responsible for all the evil in the world. After all, it couldn’t happen unless He “willed” or “allowed” it. This kind of false teaching is popularly called, “the sovereignty of God.” I confront and refute this wrong doctrine head on in my teaching by the same name.