Trusting The God Process

-Trusting the God Process

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My Foreword I dedicate this eBook to mainly the Kingdom Believers in Christ Jesus from all walks of life. Only until we are Made, Mentored, Molded and Tested under God's process, we will never know the true meaning of fulfillment in life. I pray that as you read this at your pace your life will be ultimately transformed in Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen. Divine Exchange... Rev Ted Chipasha

Introduction There are times when God puts things in our hearts (dreams, aspirations, goals) and He gives them to us right away. There are other times, and this seems to be quite common, when God puts things in our hearts and then makes us wait. Often, we get to wonder what God is doing. We can begin to ask, “Did I really hear from God? Or is this really happening to me” Or perhaps the biggest question we may have is, “My God, why is this taking you so long to answer?” One way the enemy attempts to draw us away from trusting God is by perverting our perception (insight, awareness, discernment) of God‟s character. He did this in the garden with Eve when he asked her, “Has God indeed said, „You shall not eat of every tree of the garden‟?” (Gen. 3:1, emphasis added). He twisted God‟s commandment in order to attack and distort His character.  In essence the serpent was saying to Eve, “God is withholding everything good from you.”  The serpent was twisting how the woman saw God by saying, “God doesn’t really care for you.  Even in the midst of trouble your faith in God should say, “I trust you God even though I don’t understand.” Hebrews 11:35-39 The question of what happens during those times when we are waiting on God? He is preparing us for His promise. During our waiting:  He teaches (imparts communicates, demonstrates) us things.  He grows (nurtures, develops, produces) our character, our faith, and our ability to do what we feel called to do.  God takes us through (completes, finishes, over and done with, from side to side and from end to end) a process.

The question is, “Will you trust the process?” Definition, (Manner, course, development, progression, method, route and practice)  The God Process can be Painful (agonizing, unbearable, and intolerable)  The God Process can be Heavy (weighty, hefty and substantial) Matthew  16:24-26…You have to carry your own cross  The God Process can be Traumatic ( shocking, disturbing and dreadful) Mathew 11:28-30 Will You Trust the God Process? In 1 Samuel 16, God came to Samuel and told him, “I’ve rejected Saul as king. Go to the tribe of Jesse where I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” Samuel was a prophet, but it didn’t take a prophet to assume that anointing another king while Saul was on the throne might not go well. Samuel replied to God and told him that he would be killed if Saul found out. God then said, “Take a cow and put together a sacrifice to me and invite Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice.” When Samuel arrived in Bethlehem to speak with Jesse, the elders in the town were afraid. After all, when a prophet appeared in those days, it meant there was trouble. Samuel told them, “Don’t worry. I’ve come to make a sacrifice to God, and you are invited.” When it comes to making a choice trust the God Process God’s Choice is the Best (finest, optimal, and prime) Jesse, his sons, and the whole town showed up to watch the sacrifice. As Samuel watched Jesse’s sons arrive, he had a hunch (guess, intuition) about who God (Yahweh) had in mind for the new king: Eliab, the oldest son.

1 Samuel 16:6 says, “When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” Samuel probably had his reasons for considering Eliab for the throne. He was the oldest and would have been first in line to receive his father’s inheritance. He was also probably the tallest and most physically fit out of Jesse’s sons. Perhaps he had even starred as the wide receiver for Bethlehem High School football or made the All-Judean All-Star team. With all this to frame his thinking, Samuel thought Eliab was definitely the one God had in mind. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” So, one after the other, each of Jesse’s sons passed in front of Samuel. How about this one? No. Is it this one? Nope. Is it this one? Nope. Until, the all seven had passed in front of him. Finally, Samuel asked Jesse, “Are there any more?!” 1 Samuel 16:11b-12 says, “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” Already here you see the standing ovation of the new king in the making. So, Jesse sent for his youngest son, David, and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”

The God Process Brings (carries, conveys, delivers and passes) the Promise After reading about his anointing, one would assume David takes the throne immediately. If this story was a movie, Saul would be instantly kicked out of the throne, and David would be carried in on the shoulders of his people to begin ruling that day. But, that is not what happens. Samuel anoints David, and then the story stops. There’s a break in the story. You may ask, “What does that mean?” The God process had just begun. Note: People that are elevated to hierarchy or chain of positions think their appointment to those locations is arrival, no the process has just begun and they have to be tested for leadership. When this part of the story ends, the Bible tells us that David went back to what he was doing before: watching the sheep. There’s a part of us that wants to say, “Well, that doesn’t make any sense! Why would God anoint him and then send him back to where he had him before? What was the point of anointing David anyway? Why not wait until He was ready to make David king?” God anointed David so long before he became king because God wanted to take David through a process, and the anointing was a reminder of the promise that the process would bring. Things Have To Change Whenever a process is taking place positions have to change and things have to change. A process is a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.

God knew that some things needed to happen in David’s life before he could be king. Likewise, there are some things that need to happen in our lives before we can step into what God has for us. When I think about processes, I’m reminded of a story I heard about the Chinese Bamboo Tree. The tree begins as a nut planted in soil and must be watered and fertilized every single day for five years before it finally breaks through the ground. All that time, it spreads out its roots, and if at any time the watering or fertilizing process stops, the Chinese Bamboo Tree dies in the ground. But, in that fifth year, the Chinese Bamboo Tree finally breaks through the ground and grows to nearly ninety feet tall in just six weeks! The tree must take five long years of developing a strong, deep, wide root system so it doesn’t tumble over when it is grown. We tend to get frustrated when we don’t get five-year results immediately. The truth is, though, that the process is essential, and everyone must go through the process to get results. The question is, will you allow the waiting (the process) to develop you or embitter (Disillusion, poison, estrange and alienate) you? Get Better,(Heathier, Improved, Restored, Recovered )Not Bitter (Nasty, Vicious, Hostile, Harsh) David could have quickly become bitter in his waiting. But, David doesn’t become bitter. Why? David knew that God was using the process to bring about God’s promise for him to be king. Bitterness is unbelief in the promises of God.

So, here’s what happens: People say, “But, I had faith, and God didn’t do it.” And they’re frustrated because they thought God said it would happen and it didn’t. I had faith. This is a past-tense statement. This is not how faith works. If you think you can have faith in a moment, and have your faith go away when nothing happens in that moment, it’s not faith at all. Faith is what keeps you going until you see God do what He has promised. Faith causes you to say, “I may not have seen it yet, but if God promised it, I am sure I will!” If you settle in your mind that you will go through a process that God will use to bring about His promises, it will strengthen your faith. In result, you’ll get better instead of getting bitter. Anointed, Not Appointed One of the things that seem to hinder a lot of people when trying to trust God in the process is that they mistake the anointing (covering) of God for the appointing (assigning of God. David had the anointing to be king, but he didn’t yet have the appointment to be king. Sometimes, you can have an anointing on your life to do something, but not the appointing. You can be assigned to something but have no anointing (covering) for that assignment Think about this: David could see the anointing. Other people could see the anointing. When Samuel poured the oil over his head and anointed him as king, everyone was watching. The anointing moment is where things get complicated. You can see your anointing; you’re a better salesperson than anyone else, you’re a great singer, you have influence, you can counsel, you can lead! And other

People can see it, too. They tell you how talented you are, how great you are, and how far you will go! This can then cause you to think, “Well, I can see it, and others can see it, why can’t God see it? What is God waiting for?” And through all of this, we get what we call a Tunnel Vision. What’s tunnel vision? Tunnel vision happens when you are so focused on the light at the end of the tunnel that you can’t see what’s happening around you. Your eyes can’t adjust to your surroundings because all you can see is the light up ahead and so you miss things, or you find yourself tripping over things because you can’t see! If you can’t see what God is doing in and around you because you are focused on a future dream, you can miss out on a lot of learning experiences and opportunities along the way. Now the other question is; why did David have to wait seven whole years before sitting on the throne as king yet he had already received the anointing and not the appointment? That he had to wait as long as 7 years had been of the Lord’s making. (Created, manufactured, produced, and assembled) David had to undergo drilling and proof exercises to be fully trained and strategically fit for the position. He had to be approved of both God and men. To be anointed means God has seen the heart in you, but character is only acquired. David had the heart to be king, but he also had to acquire the character of the same. Jesus too underwent drilling and proof exercises after which He is crowned King, a King not only by appointment, but a King by proof as well. It actually took Jesus thirty years of preparation, and He executed the job in only three years. For David, it was seven years of intense preparation, full of temptations all of which David overcame. He was successful in his kingly rule because he had acquired the character of a king, moreover, a king of Judah and Israel. Saul on the other hand who had only received the anointing of appointment and not the anointing of acceptance, and never underwent intense drilling and proof exercises to become king, failed terribly in his kingly rule. Many people have been appointed by God, but they need a time to be trained to acquire the character.

You don’t just become what you have been appointed to be, you as well have to prove to be fit for the appointment in order to be accepted of God and men. After seven years, David was readily accepted by both Judah and Israel. But this also teaches us that our relationship is as important with God as it is with men. God values men and He loves to co-work with them. Nobody should ever disregard men. The appointment and the anointing are done by God; the proof is done by men like they had asked Saul for a King. Preparation (ground work, training, grounding and homework) is Key After his anointing, David’s appointment was to watch the sheep. Sometimes, we think that watching is just something we do to pass the time until we can do what we’re supposed to do, but that’s not the case. If you’re watching the sheep right now, you’re supposed to watch the sheep. That’s your appointment. Here’s a third lesson: Preparation must come before the opportunity. (Chance, the break, the opening, the occasion and the prospect) When God calls you he first prepares (makes, trains, grounds. fixes, arranges and organize) you. David had to get that fix. You have to be ready to be enrolled in God’s school Earlier in my walk of faith when I felt called into ministry, and after talking with my mentor, he told me I had to go to into Bible School if I wanted to be a pastor. When I made up my mind to go into Bible School, I lost my job and business opportunity in the process. Should I leave and go somewhere else? Why am I not getting the opportunity I feel I deserve? I feel like I can do more. I feel. I feel.

A Reminder (Aide) from God “God I’m frustrated because I don’t understand why nothing seems to be happening. God, I don’t know what I should do…” We often ask ourselves questions but God in his own time he will always put a reminder to let you know that he is on it. He is your buckler, your shield (defense, armor) and your aide (helper, counsel and supporter). “Where you are at right now is not where you will always be. “You were meant and designed for progress and movement “BE PATIENT.” and Wait on the Lord to do it for you My days during Bible school, waking up, went to lectures, and cleaned toilets. The day after that, I cleaned toilets. And the day after that, I’d attend lecture hall meetings for another 3 Years. When God is preparing (making, fixing) you it looks as yet nothing has changed on the outside, but something has changed on the inside. God was building my trust in Him, my character, my willingness to serve, and He was growing my gifting’s. He was perfecting (completing) me. Note: To be continued. You Can Trust the Process “God will always prepare you for the opportunity that would come.”

And this is what we see in David’s life. David goes back to tend the sheep, and what happens? So David was probably 10 to 15 years old when he was commissioned as king over Israel and 30 years old when he was anointed as king. But why did God decide to choose David to be the next king? The answer is that God did not choose him because of his age, but his heart was completed devoted to Him. This challenges us to be totally devoted to God in our hearts. But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7. (NASB) 3. Floyd Nolen Jones. The chronology of the Old Testament. Master Books. 2005. pp. 99. Note that the author estimates David’s commissioning at 1070 B.C. and cites Ussher’s’ chronology as 1063 B.C.). David had been a sheep keeper; he therefore had to undergo a process of training to be a king in many things; such as character and how to relate with the Lord when in a kingly position. David Plays the Lyre (a stringed instrument of the harp known for its use in Greek classical antiquity. A musical instrument of ancient Greece consisting of a sound box made) 1 Samuel 16:14-19 says, now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.” So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.” One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine- looking man. And the Lord is with him.” Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”

It was while David was tending the sheep that he developed his ability to play the lyre and write music. In fact, it was while David was tending the sheep that he wrote Psalm 19:1, Highlight .The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. The preparation had to come before the opportunity. “The God System Vs the World System” “The God (Process) System Vs the World (Process) System” There are two kingdoms in operation in the earth—the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. All ideas, beliefs, and methods of operation fall under one of these categories; there is no gray area. The kingdom of darkness operates through a system the Word refers to as “the World.” (Ecosphere or the Biosphere) It is a system (Scheme) that opposes the Word of God. The world system is based on the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16) (“For everything in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--comes not from the Father but from the world”) and is headed for destruction. God desires that Believers switch “systems” so they can get consistent results from the kingdom of God. The world system is governed by Satan. Everything, from the way relationships are conducted to finances, is based on principles that are designed to steal, kill, and destroy. We were all born into this corrupt system; however, as Christians we are now a part of a new kingdom and, consequently, a new system of operation. When we talk about kingdoms, there are a few key things to consider so that we can gain the concept of how things work. First, every kingdom has a king, and every king has dominion in his respective area of influence. Kingdoms have territories, as well as citizenship that are made up of people who are a part of that particular kingdom. Kingdoms have a constitution or set of rules that govern how the kingdom operates, as well as a government that involves hierarchy. Kingdoms (Realms, territories, monarchies or nations) also have armies that go to battle against other kingdoms when necessary. Believers are a part of God’s kingdom and should no longer govern their lives according to the world’s system. Our King is Jesus and our Constitution is the Bible, which contains the guidelines for how we are supposed to conduct ourselves in the kingdom of God. The territory that belongs to us is the entire earth. Though the enemy has taken a lot of ground for his purposes, our job is to reclaim what God originally intended for us to have by spreading the good news of the Gospel of our Jesus Christ. The gifts, callings, and abilities God has given us are designed to help establish and advance the kingdom. There are people in our immediate circle whom we have been called to minister to, and there are arenas God has called us to infiltrate for kingdom purposes. We are called to go out into the world to bring the reality of the kingdom to people so they can ultimately give their lives to the Lord.

Being effective for God’s kingdom will mean making some difficult decisions at times. The biblical account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego is a great example of how choosing the kingdom of God over the world system results in deliverance, protection, and preservation. These three Hebrew men refused to bow down to the god of Nebuchadnezzar, even in the face of execution. They were thrown into a fiery furnace because they wouldn’t worship a false god, but God showed up in the fire and delivered them. The Bible says that not one hair on their heads was scorched (Daniel 3:27). Choosing God’s kingdom (Process) will mean saying no to the seduction and enticement of the world and turning away from the temporary pleasure of sin. In choosing God’s (process) way of doing things, we will definitely face opposition and persecution. However, God will always deliver us and promote us when we trust Him. Definition of the word “System” Method, mode, manner, way, fashion, system mean the means taken or procedure followed in achieving an end. Method implies an orderly logical arrangement usually in steps. Effective teaching methods mode implies an order or course followed by custom, tradition, or personal preference. The God process is there first to:  Break you Psalm 51:17 “ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart, God will no despise”  Mould you. To give shape or form to something that has no shape by the use of a shaped cavity or container. A frame on which something is constructed Romans 12:2 “Mold me, shape me, until I think like you Lord.” Jeremiah 18:1-6.”Go to the potter’s wheel.”  Make you (produce, fashion, craft, brand, kind, style, build mark and sort) Psalm 51:10.”Create in me a clean heart” I. Secondly the Kingdom of God is the Sovereign rule of God manifested in Christ to defeat His enemies. The Kingdom of God is the system of God, the government of God, the rule of God, the dominion of God, the authority of God, and the reality of God. It is literally God’s system of operation or the way that God does things. A. If we want to live successfully in the world today then we must become efficient of working within system of God’s kingdom 1. There is no true success apart from God’s system (Process)

a. There’s not true success in your marriage, finances, material things, or your body apart from working God’s system in those areas 2. You can’t operate outside of this Kingdom & expect to receive God’s best a. Mark 5 – The woman with the issue of blood is trying to receive God’s best (healing), but at first she was trying to do it outside of the Kingdom of God 3. To live successfully you got to engage God’s way of doing things & work His system B. With no knowledge of how the Kingdom Of God operates, there will be no success-Hos 4:6 “My People are destroyed for lack of knowledge (of my word where I reveal my knowledge and my will) because you (the priestly nation) have rejected knowledge I will also reject you from being my priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children” 1. a lot times many people in the Body of Christ have been cut off from the provision and the protection that this process can produce because of what they do not know 2. A lot of times the Body of Christ has been cut off from the provision of God and the protection of God because we have lacked knowledge in how to bring it forth 3. We’re supposed to be the most blessed (Deuteronomy 7:14) “You will be blessed above all the Nations of the Earth. None of your men and women will be childless, and all your livestock will bear young.” C. The world has been wiser at working its system than the Body of Christ has been at working its system (Luke 16:1-8) 1. There system isn’t better than ours because the Kingdom rules over all (Psalm 103:19) “The Lord has made the heavens and his throne; from there he rules over everything.” 2. The world has been better at working their system, than we have at working ours D. Jesus is teaching the disciples to switch systems and do it the Kingdom of God way and that’s how they’ll add things to themselves (Matthew 6:33)

1. We are the ones determining whether or not things are added to us 2. Kingdom Principles a. You don’t add things to yourself by trying to serve God and money b. You don’t add things to yourself by worrying and operating in fear c. In the Kingdom of God you can increase with no struggle 1) The world’s is a struggling system 2) In the Kingdom you are going to get sweat less riches (Proverbs 10:22) “The Blessing of the Lord makes a person rich and he adds no sorrow.” d. In the Kingdom of God system you’re going to have to trust God 1) It’ requires faith – Faith requires the Word – The Body of Christ has been in there with that TV on 7 days a week and can’t get to church two days 2) We’re going to have to trust God; but when we’ve been asking God to do something that He’s already done is like asking him to do things that he told us to do (Mark 4:35) As evening came Jesus told his disciples ”Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 3. You can’t bring the world’s way of operating into the Kingdom of God and live successfully (Matthew 6:24) A. People have gotten born again, but are still operating (not living) like the world 1) We got a mission to bless the Earth, but we can’t accomplishing our assignment by working the world’s system 2) We got to work the Kingdom system and the Kingdom is going to enable you to complete your mission II. There are 2 systems in the world today; there is the world’s system & the Kingdom of God A. the Kingdom of God is a system that was designed by God to produce success in any realm of life, all of the time, no matter what amount of success is needed. 1. The Kingdom of God will affect all areas of life a. Any realm of life – Physically, financially, wisdom, family

b. All of the time – It works every time c. No matter what amount of success you need 2. The world’s system is a system that was created to fail. a. Satan set up every part of that system; the economic system, the religious system, the political system 1) He’s got an economical system set up that you work 50 years and at the end need social security; he’s got a religious system set up that we serve a God and see no results; he’s got a political system set that’s corrupt b. When you live in the world’s system you are destined to fall short of God’s best. B. 1) The Kingdom of God is a system that has no limitations. It was designed to accomplish tasks that are naturally, “impossible”. (Matthew 4:23-25) 1. The world’s system can’t heal them all because it’s limited; The Kingdom of God can heal them all because it has no limitations a. Matt 15:30 – He’s working a system and restoring body parts b. It doesn’t matter what you need, the Kingdom has no limits – Whatever you need the Kingdom can get it to you 2. The world’s system is limited in what it can do and accomplish. It is a system of limitations. In it there are some things you can’t do. a. It’s a system where only some can be healed, rich, victorious C. 2) The Kingdom of God is a system that will provide for you what you need in every situation. It’s a system of “always having more than enough no matter what the need is.” (2 Corinthians 9:8, Matthew14:15-20). 1. Desert – deserted, remote, solitary, uninhabited, forsaken A. In all things-Where you’re at and what you are going through won’t stop the Kingdom 2. When Jesus worked the KOG the desert place became a place of abundance a. The Kingdom can produce what you need, when you need it, and however much of it you need no matter what’s going on around you

3. It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re in, the Kingdom of God will produce for you (Jeremiah 17:7) D. 3) The Kingdom of God is higher than the world’s system and it will produce a result that the world’s system can’t produce (Luke 6:46-49) 1. We can win, when the world can’t win 2. We can win in the middle of a storm E.4) The Kingdom of God is a system guarantees success 1. James 1:25 – The PERFECT LAW of LIBERTY a. In the Kingdom of God system I have security b/c this system works every time 1) Perfect 10 out of 10 2) Law – You’ll get the results every time you apply the principles b. The world’s system is a, “you never know” system. 1) Romans 4:21 – I’m fully persuaded 2) 2 Timothy 1:12-13 – I know and I’m fully persuaded 2. The world’s system provides a false sense of security. It’s going to make your flesh or your carnal mind feel secure. a. A prisoner can feel secure because he has a bed to sleep on and 3 meals a day, but that isn’t secure, that’s bondage 1) The world’s system will make you feel secure, but when you’re working the world’s system you’re really in bondage 2) If you’re deceived bondage can feel secure 3) Social security – You ought to be so blessed, that you aren’t relying on society to secure you, you’re securing society (Bless the whole Earth) F. the Kingdom will produce where the world’s system can’t produce (Mark 5:22) 1. She was working the world’s system and did everything that she knew to do in that world’s system and nothing got better a. They tried 12 years and didn’t make any progress 2. She’s going to work the Kingdom of God a. She heard the Word b. She mediated the Word

c. That Word that was in her spoke back to her and she acted in faith 3. When she worked the Kingdom what couldn’t be done in twelve years was done in 12 seconds a. She worked the world for 12 years and got worse 1) She worked the Kingdom for 12 days and the whole thing was over b. The world is going to take you the long way around and you’ll never even reach your destination, but the Kingdom will bring about straightway G. We got to stop operating on the level of the world and start operating on the level of the Kingdom of God 1. He trained us to operate and reason in ways that keep us in bondage to his system Then, fast forward to the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. David Kills Goliath 1 Samuel 17:32-36 says, And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them.” Again, the preparation had to come before the opportunity. If You Shortcut the Process, You Short-Circuit the Product!

David had to prepare. If he had never mastered the lyre, he never would have been chosen to play for Saul, and Saul wouldn’t have been familiar with him. If he had never killed the lion and the bear, Saul would not have let him face Goliath, and the Israelites wouldn’t have accepted David as king. If David didn’t prepare, he would have squandered the opportunity. But he did, and it led to him becoming king! You may be in a season of waiting. Maybe you have been waiting for a long time, and you are starting to wonder if God will ever bring about His promise. The fact is: You can trust the God process. Let your faith be strengthened. Know that God is preparing you today for what He wants to do through you in the future. He’s teaching you to trust him, to be bold in your faith, He’s growing your character, and He’s fine- tuning your gifts! Trust Him – the process is bringing about the promise! David becomes King David’s Fame and Saul’s Fears 1 Samuel 18:7-14 NIRV As they danced, they sang, “Saul has killed thousands of men. David has killed tens of thousands.” That song made Saul very angry. It really upset him. He said to himself, “They are saying David has killed tens of thousands of men. But they are saying I’ve killed only thousands. The only thing left for him to get is the kingdom itself.” From that time on, Saul watched David closely. The next day an evil spirit sent by God came powerfully on Saul. Saul began to prophesy in his house. At that same time David began to play the harp, just as he usually did. Saul was holding a spear. He threw it at David. As he did, he said to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David got away from him twice. The LORD had left Saul and was with David. So Saul was afraid of David. He sent David away. He put him in

command of 1,000 men. David led the troops in battle. In everything he did, he was very successful. That’s because the LORD was with him. David’s victory over Saul propelled him into instant prominence. But as David gains more and more fame, Saul comes to fear him. David was greatly loved, both by Saul’s son Jonathan (1-4), and by his daughter Michal (18:20). Saul, still unwilling to lead the army of Israel in battle, put David in charge of his men of war. This was well received by warriors and also by Saul’s administrative staff. Finally, things came to a head when Saul overheard some women singing David’s praises after a victory in battle: God’s process is always perfectly set. No one can stand in between the process. When God does something he does it before time and after time. He is the Alpha and Omega. He knows how your story will start and end…And be assured that your ending is greater. David starts to use his anointing to access the appointment. David Becomes a Fugitive Knowing that Saul will once again seek to kill him, David flees to Naioth in Ramah. Here David secretly meets with Jonathan, who assures him that he will not allow his father to harm him. He promises David that he will seek to discover his father’s intentions so far as David is concerned. Saul becomes so angry with Jonathan that he seeks to kill him: 30 Saul became angry with Jonathan and said to him, “You stupid traitor! Don’t I realize that to your own disgrace and to the disgrace of your mother’s nakedness you have chosen this son of Jesse? 31 For as long as this son of Jesse is alive on the earth, you and your kingdom will not be established. Now, send some men and bring him to me. For he is as good, as dead!” 32 Jonathan responded to his father Saul, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” 33 Then Saul threw his spear at Jonathan in order to strike him down. So Jonathan was convinced that his father had decided to kill David (1 Samuel 20:30-33).

From this point on, David is a full-fledged fugitive. He flees from place to place, just a few steps ahead of Saul. This is where we come to “the best of times” and the “worst of times.” It was not always a good time for David, because he was sometimes fearful and made choices that would hardly seem wise or godly. One of his mistakes cost a number of people their lives. In chapter 21, David fled to Ahimelech, the priest at Nob. David did not speak truthfully to Ahimelech. He told the priest that Saul had sent him on a secret mission. David asked for a sword and was given the sword of Goliath, which he had taken from the Philistine when he killed him. He also asked for bread and was given some of the holy bread usually reserved for the priests and their families. Doeg, the Edomite, happened to be there and to see David. When Doeg later made this known to Saul, he had the priests and their families killed, even though they had knowingly done nothing wrong. Twice David fled to the land of the Philistines, and both times this would appear to have been a mistake. In chapter 21, David went to Gath and sought sanctuary with Achish, king of Gath. It was this song that once again got David into trouble: 10 So on that day David arose and fled from Saul. He went to King Achish of Gath. 11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one that they sing about when they dance, saying, “Saul struck down his thousands, But David his tens of thousands?” 12 David thought about what they said and was very fearful of King Achish of Gath. 13 He altered his behavior in their presence. Since he was in their power, he pretended to be insane, (Silly, foolish, mad, senseless) making marks on the doors of the gate and making his saliva run down his beard. 14 Achish said to his servants, “Look at this insane man! Why did you bring him to me? 15 Am I lacking in fools, that you have brought me this man to display his insanity in front of me? Should this man enter my house?” (1 Samuel 21:10-15)

For more of Rev Ted Chipasha’s series you can contact or visit Jesus worship center international off Thabo Mbeki road mass media or contact the church administration on +260 969 575 556 or email on [email protected]