“This is a Test” by Traci Moyer

This verse dropped into my spirit this morning as I was seeking the Lord. (I have emphasized some text in bold.)

“Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way. And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He (The Lord) answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor...And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled. David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all.” 1 Samuel 30:1-10, 17-19 ESV

Here is what I see:

David’s small army had been gut-punched. Everything lost. Including their most precious families. What now?

Let’s look at the progression.

1. Devastating loss and defeat
2. Deep grief
3. Response to the loss: bitter or broken
4. Seeking the Lord
5. Hearing from the Lord
6. Acting according to His word
7. Overwhelming victory
8. Recovering all

David and his men came back to their camp to find that everything they possessed and everything they loved had been destroyed or stolen, including their wives and children. Our enemy will come to kill, steal, and destroy. When he does this, he is attempting to isolate us in our loss and plant seeds of doubt about God’s goodness and faithfulness. We cannot be surprised by these tactics but expect these “fiery trials” as Peter tells us in 1 Peter 4:12.

They grieved greatly. God designed us to feel things deeply and to express ourselves with emotions. If we try to stuff down or deny our natural emotional response, it only causes problems. Psalm 116:3 expresses serious grief when it states, “The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow.” But do not stop there! Verse four says, “Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘Lord save me!’” Do not get stuck in grief and trauma but call upon our covenant keeping God for comfort and strength. Go ahead and feel it, and then move on.

All the people were bitter in soul. The people responded to the great loss with bitterness and thoughts of harming David, thinking that someone needed to pay. David was greatly distressed, broken, however he responded differently than the rest. David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. Two paths. Which will we choose? When we are devastated with loss and pain, will we succumb to bitterness? If we do, it is because we have an orphan mindset and we are not perfected by our Father’s love. Not David. He knew his Father and hid himself in Him. We can do the same by recalling the Lord’s faithfulness, recounting His miracles, and reminding ourselves of His goodness and love. Once he found strength in the Lord, he could take the next step. David’s response also encouraged the others. Those who had been bitter, resentful, and ready to make David pay for their loss became obedient to the Lord and focused on the mission before them because of David’s faith and trust in the Lord.

David inquired of the Lord and the Lord answered. Simple right? But do we throw questions out like we are talking to the ceiling, or do we ask expecting an answer? Here is what scripture says about that:

“For here is eternal truth: When that time comes you will not need to ask me for anything, but instead you will go directly to the Father and ask him for anything you desire and he will give it to you, because of your relationship with me. Until now you have not been bold enough to ask the Father for a single thing in my name, but now you can ask, and keep on asking him! And you can be sure that you will receive what you ask for, and your joy will have no limits!”…(John 16:23-24 TPT)

“Just make sure you ask empowered by confident faith without doubting that you will receive. For the ambivalent person believes one minute and doubts the next. Being undecided makes you become like the rough seas driven and tossed by the wind. You’re up one minute and tossed down the next.” When you are half-hearted and wavering, it leaves you unstable. Can you really expect to receive anything from the Lord when you are in that condition?… If your faith remains strong, even while surrounded by life’s difficulties, you will continue to experience the untold blessings of God! True happiness comes as you pass the test with faith and receive the victorious crown of life promised to every lover of God!”…(James (Jacob) 1:6-8,12 TPT)

So, let us ask with bold confidence in His goodness, and once we have asked let us wait expectantly for an answer.

So, David set out. As soon as David received his answer, he immediately acted. Do we hesitate to act once we know what we are to do? Do we second guess God, wondering if He will really come through? Or do we waver like Moses first did as we look at our own limited capabilities instead of looking at God’s unlimited abilities? We read in Ephesians that he, “is able through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20 NLT). We cannot look at ourselves. We must fix our eyes on HIM and act!!

And David struck them down. It’s that simple. Not easy, but simple. Jesus has already won the victory and given us the power and authority in him to maintain it. In fact, He has given us, “authority over ALL the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). He has made us overcomers. In fact, in Romans 8:37, says that we “OVERWHELMINGLY conquer through him who loved us.” God gave David overwhelming victory over his enemies and he will do the same for us, for, “whatever is born of God overcomes the world” (1 John 5:4).

Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. First, The Lord says that the enemy must pay back everything he has stolen. “Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house” (Proverbs 6:31). Second, God is a God of restoration. He speaks through Zechariah saying that he will restore because of his compassion (10:6). In Joel he promises to restore the years that the locust has eaten (2:25). In fact, all of scripture in one epic description of God restoring mankind to himself. God does not lie, and He does not change. He cannot go against his own character. It’s IMPOSSIBLE! We can expect restoration, so speak to the enemy and demand that he return ALL that he has stolen or destroyed.

Do you feel gut-punched? Do you look around and feel like all is lost? A few times, even in the past few weeks, I have had to regroup. I have had to remind myself of God’s goodness, his faithfulness, his power, and the truth of his word. I choose to trust him in loss and in defeat and I believe he is in the process of restoring everything. EVERYTHING. Have you been tested lately? What will you choose?