Daily Devotions

Thursday, March 5th
 

Strengthening Ourselves In The Lord Our God

“David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”
1 Samuel 30:6

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The enemy had come in with a force, while David and his men were away, “and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way” (1 Samuel 30:2).
 
David became the person that everyone started blaming for this terrible loss.
 
What was David to do?
 
Did he contend with the people, or try to work something out, or did he run away from it all? No.
 
“But David strengthened himself in the Lord.”
 
David knew that one day people can praise you and another day the same people can call for your death, but that the Lord his God remained the same, always blessedly consistent in His Person, presence and purpose.
 
So, the first thing that David did, which he had already learned from life-long practice, was to “strengthen himself in the Lord.” David went before the presence of God first, ministering to Him and inquiring of the Lord.
 
This reminds me of the time in the Gospel of John, when “Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone” (John 6:15).
 
Rather than contend with people’s forceful passions and opinions, and therefore being subject to them, Jesus and David removed themselves from the presence of people and went to be with God first, ministering to the Lord and gaining the strength in God’s presence that produces confidence, focus, wisdom and understanding.
 
By removing themselves from the conflicts of people and seeking God first, both Jesus and David remained true to themselves in the Lord.
 
When we are ministering to our Lord, this actually strengthens us to be true to our new selves in Jesus Christ.
 
Jesus returned from His time with Abba Father on the mountain strengthened, saying to those who would take Him by force for their own will, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves” (John 6: 53).
 
In David’s case, he received strength and direction from God to go “pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all” (1 Samuel 30:8).
 
Similarly, God’s wisdom and direction come to us when we seek Him first, ministering before His presence.
 
Seeking God first, especially in the hardest of times, always strengthens us in His Spirit and truth.
 
Ministering to our Lord first specifically enables us to be true to our new selves, to who we are as priests in Jesus Christ and, just as David and Jesus were strengthened, we are re-enforced in Abba Father’s presence to remain true to Him and to walk in His victory as we seek Him first in all things. Amen.
 
We praise Your holy name Lord! May we always seek You first and be strengthened in Your presence.
 
Yes, beloved of God, strengthen your new self in the presence of the Lord your God today!
Hallelujah!