What It Takes To Overcome

The account of David in 1 Sam. 1-6 tells of a time when David and his men returned to Ziklag to find that their wives and families had been taken captive and the city burned. The men were so distraught that they wanted to stone David. First Samuel 30 verse 6 says that David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. There will be times when no one will encourage you, and tragedy often turns people against their leaders. You can’t help others until you are strong enough yourself. How do you get stronger? Encourage yourself in the Lord. Give Him praise and thanks. Everything you have has been given to you from the Lord in the first place. AND if God gave it to you once, He can give it to you again. God is your source, so focus on Him in the middle of whatever you are facing. Ps. 30:5 His anger is but for a moment; His favor is for life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. There’s a time to weep and a time for joy. Even though David had no more power to weep when Bathsheba’s first son was sick, he had power to praise when he died. Heb. 13:15 Offer your sacrifice of praise continually. Eph. 5:20 Give thanks always for all things unto God, but don’t thank Him for what He doesn’t give. First Thess. 5:16 Rejoice evermore. Pastor Dale tells of Terry Law’s experience of bitterness after the death of his wife and children while he was in England serving the Lord. Oral Roberts ministered to him only by telling Terry to get on his knees and praise God and thank Him. After about twenty minutes of doing that, he experienced a breakthrough in the Holy Spirit. Thank God for what He gives and who He is. Worship fixes what is in you. Submit to God by worshiping Him. The Holy Spirit inhabits the praises of His people. Is. 40:28-31 God is bigger, so look to Him. He gives power to the faint and to those who have no strength He gives strength. Wait of the Lord, like the priests in the Old Testament, listening to Him, praying to Him, spending time with Him. God wipes out the bitterness. Minister to the Lord. Your praises may set your family free. What happened when David praised God? In 1 Sam. 30:7 and 8 we learn that they overtook and recovered all. Praise gets you to a place where you can hear from the Lord. Paul and Silas praised God when they were in deplorable conditions in an inner jail cell in Acts 16:25. Their praise was so loud all the prisoners could hear them. What was the result? All the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were loosed, and the jailor’s household was saved. Phil. 4:6 tells you to not be anxious, but let your requests be made known to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Peace comes by giving praise to God with thanksgiving.