
The Key to David’s Victories Over the Lion, the Bear, and Goliath! [podcast]
Beloved David battled with divine strength. He slayed the giant because he was in right standing with the Almighty. So, we can conclude that this man after God’s own heart battled from the only position of strength – that which is grounded in Christ! (Acts 13:22)
His brothers, though fancied for their physical prowess, were powerless against the giant. They were not true worshippers as was their younger brother whom the LORD chose to take out the enemy. David was a worshipper and therefore the LORD used Him as a warrior! See 1 Samuel 17.
“And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.” 1 Samuel 17:34-37
David was first and foremost a worshipper and then a warrior. We can only be used of God to do His will, to win wars, as we are first His worshippers. God’s power worked mightilly in and through David by way of His relationship with the man after God’s own heart (John 17:3; Acts 13:22).
“A man after mine own heart”
“I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.” Acts 13:22
The LORD is saying here that only “a man after mine own heart” can “fulfil all my will.”
David was able to do the will of God because He sought God – “continually” (1 Chronicles 16:11). Successfully doing the will of God requires having a heart after Him!
The LORD is calling His people to an unrelenting fervency in worship – a people who are forged in the fires of trials, tribulations, and seasons of testing that only God can bring them out of, as was the case with the three Hebrew children who were thrown into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3-4). They counted not their lives dear to themselves, they loved not their lives unto death (Acts 20:24; Revelation 12:11).
Of the man after God’s own heart, David, sister Karen writes:
“Amen! The key is David sought God’s heart not his own! He sought after all the attributes of God. He was done with self! He wanted God to permeate his whole being. All through the Psalms you can read the cries of David, pleading with God for forgiveness, mercy, protection, strength, and for His presence to come because many times he was weary. In Psalm 69:3 his senses were failing him but he still sought God. He poured out his whole heart to God in all honesty. This is why he was the only man who God said “was a man after my own heart”. Many modern Christians could learn from him. Do we seek God with all our hearts or do we worship self more?”
It’s “through faith and patience (abiding perseverance)” that we “inherit the promises” of God (Hebrews 6:11-12).
“In your patience possess ye your souls.” Luke 21:19
David penned these amazing words which you should memorize:
“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11
The LORD only rewards those who “diligently seek him.”
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
Here Holy Scripture defines trusting God by faith as that which requires continuing diligence in seeking Him no matter what comes our way. True faith, born out of true worship, does not faint. Those who stop worshipping – praying and seeking His holy face – will faint, will fall (Luke 18:1).
Lukewarm cruise control con men prayed a prayer for salvation and thought that was it, that they were ‘one and done’. Yet, Scripture assures us that those Jesus saves and who do not “endure to the end” will not be “saved” into Heaven (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Hebrews 3:6, 12-15; 10:26-39; 2 Peter 2:20-21, etc.). They will be cast upon the heap of hell with all other rebels (Revelation 21:8). They hate the notion of personal accountability, of daily dying, because they are full of self, they worship the god of self like lucifer, they are rebels at heart, they love darkness rather than light and refuse to truly repent, lay down their lives in this fleeting world, and truly follow, obey Jesus (Matthew 7:21;29; Luke 9:23-24; 14:33; 17:33; John 3:19-21; Titus 1:16; James 1:22; 1 John 2:3-5; 3:1-10, etc.).
God’s enabling grace was the key to David’s strength and that grace was dispensed to David as He sought the LORD.
God requires that we be faithful in worshipping Him right where we are, in each season, no matter what is happening to us.
“His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:23
Are you faithful to meet and commune with the LORD daily?
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:6
The LORD has things to do inside of you and so allows trials and tribulations according to His wisdom. Will we trust Him?
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:10-11
As children of the LORD, as we suffer various trials in this brief life on earth, He is using this to keep His roots in us…. by
- Perfecting us,
- Stablishing us,
- Strengthening us,
- Settling us!!
“The pressure in your life right now has a purpose. It’s not crushing you, it’s pushing what’s on the inside of you out. It shows you who you are.” unknown
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4
“It would seem strange that God, who professes to love the children of Israel, would lead them into a desert without food and water. But love led them there that they might learn the desperate unbelief of their own hearts and the unfailing faithfulness of God’s Heart. Only in a desert could God reveal what He can be to those who trust Him. (Exodus 17) Do you trust Him in your desert?” Jeff Thomas
Job chose to trust the LORD no matter what happened – and we know a lot of bad things fell upon beloved Job (Job 1-2).
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job 13:15
God’s grace was sufficient for Paul in his sufferings as it will be for you also as you are faithful to God whereever He allows you to be. Paul was afflicted and like David, as he sought the LORD, as he stayed upon the LORD, God’s grace was sufficient.
“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
“The surf that distresses the ordinary swimmer produces in the surfer the super joy of going clean through it. Apply that to our own circumstances, these very things—tribulation, distress, persecution, produce in us the super joy; they are not things to fight. We are more than conquerors through Him in all these things, not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. The saint never knows the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but because of it. “I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation,” says Paul.
Undaunted radiance is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can alter. The experiences of life, terrible or monotonous, are impotent to touch the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Oswald Chambers
Those who “stay upon” God, who relentlessly seek, love, worship, and trust Him, will be brought forth in the victory He alone can win and grant!
“Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.” Isaiah 50:10
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I come to You here and now in the name of Jesus Christ by whose blood You bought my eternal soul. Right this instant, I declare afresh that You LORD Jesus are my Master and Savior. I am not my own but rather bought by Your precious blood. Please help me dear LORD. Break and use me. Bless me to be truly poor in spirit, humble, teachable, pliable, and ever-worshipping You with a heart filled with thanksgiving. Please multiply Your grace in my life and teach me Your ways. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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Articles
The Daily Cross in Prayer [podcast]

Prayer is inseparably connected with knowing God (John 17:3).
(Excerpt from the book I Die Daily)
“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” Psalms 5:3
Let’s isolate and dismantle these words of God a bit. Under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David says to the LORD:
- That He (God) would hear his (David’s) “voice”
- That “in the morning” the Psalmist would arise and seek God in prayer
- Deliberately “in the morning,” he would “direct” his prayer and praying to the LORD – “in the morning … I will look up”
From this passage, we see that David planned or scheduled, in an intentional and calculated fashion, to meet with the LORD every morning. The phrase “in the morning” appears twice in this inspired transmission of the Holy Ghost. The man whose heart panted after the LORD – to behold His precious beauty – declared that he would “direct” (point) his prayer upward to the LORD “in the morning.” (Ps. 5:3; 27:4; Acts 13:22) Communing with the LORD was priority to David, and therefore occupied first place in his daily life. He sought the LORD firstly as he arose from sleep, and before he went forth into his day.
Jesus commanded that if any person will come after Him – truly follow Him – he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Him (Luke. 9:23-24). There is no place that the cross applies more than in daily prayer. The moment one arises, he will choose either to seek God or dwell upon self-sentiments and such. He will seek Christ, or he will seek his own salvation or rescue from his troubles. We all make a “daily” choice:
“… choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15
No different from those covenant saints the LORD spoke to in this important passage, those whom we dwell among are serving self – the flesh – and yet we are called upon by the LORD to “choose” to daily serve Him rather than self. We are called to “be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life.” (Phil. 2:15-16)
The LORD is calling us to purposefully declare Him as the LORD and Master of our lives, and this we do by making the premeditated decision to seek Him daily in prayer communion. Like Joshua, the way we “choose” to “serve” God must be premeditated, deliberate, daily, and in practicality. Daily, early morning, first fruit prayer is all three of these. It is the fruit of the crucified life – the life that is dead to self and in whom Christ dwells and reigns. – “Ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Col. 3:3)
To those who seek God and not their own devices, there are many benefits (Ps. 68:19).
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
The precious peace of the “Prince of Peace” rules and reigns and makes sound the hearts of those who deny self’s ability to overcome and solve issues and problems, and instead earnestly and diligently rely upon God’s power to do such for them (Isa. 9:6; 26:3).
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” Isaiah 26:3-4
As we fix our whole being upon Jesus Christ, our thoughts will be upward to His “glorious high throne,” which is “the place of our sanctuary.” (Jer. 17:12)
God is calling each of His saints to give his whole being to Christ, and to those things that “are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Php. 4:8).
So, according to Philippians 4:6-8, saints are to rely upon the LORD and not self by submitting all their requests in prayer to Him who is their Source, and to think upon those things of Christ which are “true … honest … just … pure … lovely … of good report … if there be any virtue … if there be any praise.” It is upon “these things” that we are instructed to “think on.” (Phil. 4:8)
God’s thoughts are infinitely higher than ours, and yet it is not until we become truly “crucified with Christ” that we are going to be ruled by His thoughts and peace (Isa. 55:8-9; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 4:6-7).
Changing the way one thinks is being done by millions of people who are not regenerated (not born again). New age and religious teachers hold this thought transformation teaching closely. Anyone can change the way they think for self-serving reasons – to stop smoking, to visualize and earn more money, to have more self-esteem, etc. However, hell still awaits all who are not born again, and that takes facing the living God and Judge in repentance for sin and placing all faith in Jesus Christ, the only Savior (Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5). The only renewing of the mind and thoughts that brings glory to Jesus Christ, is that which begins with one casting his whole being upon the LORD afresh – presenting himself a “living sacrifice … unto God.” Let’s look at Romans 12:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2
Those who are presenting their bodies to the LORD as “living sacrifice(s)” are infused and enabled by His grace to keep their minds or thoughts stayed (fixed) upon the LORD and not self, as they look for Jesus’ soon return (Col. 3:1-4). They trust Christ and not their own strength, reasoning, whims, philosophies, or wisdom. As they give themselves over to Christ and His infinite divine power, and become weak in self and self’s abilities, Jesus’ power raises them up to trust Him and rely upon Him alone – to rest the weight of their whole beings in Him who is able. They first declare that they are not able, and that only “God is able.” (Eph. 3:20; 2 Cor. 9:8) These are they who have and are finding out in a personal way that there really is nothing impossible with the LORD!
“And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27
Abraham trusted God. He is our human example of a man who walked with God – by faith believing that God would raise up that to which he died. Concerning the promise of a son being born to him and his aged wife, the Bible records these words from the LORD to His servant Abraham:
“Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” Genesis 18:14
If God can and will split the Red Sea for His people, and cause a 100-year-old man and his 90-year-old wife to have a child, what in your life can’t He do? (Gen. 17:17)
Here’s yet another question posed to our hearts from the LORD:
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27
God requires that we die to self-will, self-help, and self-esteem, and lay our lives in His holy, perfect, and more-than-sufficient hands. He can then work in us and in our lives – raising up His holy standard and power to glorify Himself in and through His children. Nothing will be impossible for the LORD to perform in the lives of those who deny themselves and, like Abraham, trust God to raise up His solutions, answers, and blessings to bring Himself glory.
“(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth (makes alive) the dead, and (God) calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Romans 4:17
God called forth Isaac out of Abraham’s loins when it was an otherwise impossibility in the natural. In your life, beloved, “Is there anything too hard for the LORD?” (Gen. 18:14)
Our connection with God is all about relationship, and the quality of that relationship is exemplified in our prayer lives – or lack thereof. If a person is pursuing the LORD, he has a prayer life. He lays down his own desires and life and seeks God’s life. This is perhaps in no other scrutiny seen more clearly than in the value he assigns to his prayer life, and the heart affections and time he is willing to invest in it.
In Psalms 63, the Psalmist captures the life of the person who truly has a heart after God.
“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.” Psalms 63:1-8
The following is an excerpt from My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers:
“’At that day ye shall ask in My name.’ John 16:26. We are too much given to thinking of the Cross as something we have to get through; we get through it only in order to get into it. The Cross stands for one thing only for us – a complete and entire and absolute identification with the Lord Jesus Christ, and there is nothing in which this identification is realized more than in prayer.
‘Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him.’ Then why ask? The idea of prayer is not in order to get answers from God; prayer is perfect and complete oneness with God. If we pray because we want answers, we will get huffed with God. The answers come every time, but not always in the way we expect, and our spiritual huff shows a refusal to identify ourselves with Our Lord in prayer. We are not here to prove God answers prayer; we are here to be living monuments of God’s grace.
‘I say not that I will pray the Father for you: for the Father Himself loveth you.’ Have you reached such an intimacy with God that the Lord Jesus Christ’s life of prayer is the only explanation of your life of prayer? Has Our Lord’s vicarious life become your vital life? ‘At that day’ you will be so identified with Jesus that there will be no distinction.
When prayer seems to be unanswered, beware of trying to fix the blame on someone else. That is always a snare of Satan. You will find there is a reason which is a deep instruction to you, not to anyone else.”
PRAYER: Father, please bless this life to honor You and Your will first and foremost in this life You have granted, by my being authentically crucified with Christ. Please unite my heart to fear Your holy name and to number with wisdom this short time on this earth as a gift from You. I love You, Jesus, and thank You for dying for my sins and for the resurrection power of the Holy Ghost You placed in us upon salvation, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. You must increase but I must decrease. This moment, if never before, I declare and deliberately decide to place You first daily in my life – I am crucified with Christ. Early will I seek Thee. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Capture Points
- Discuss Psalms 5:3 along with Mark 1:35 and the importance of daily and first fruits prayer in the life of every disciple of Jesus.
- Transcribe onto an index card and discuss Romans 12:1-2 (KJB recommended).
- Write out on an index card Mark 10:27: “And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” (KJB)
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Abiding
The Joy of God’s Word [podcast]

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16
“Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.” Psalms 119:89
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11
PRAYER: Heavenly Father please match and exceed every trial You allow me to go through with Your joy! For You said that the joy of the LORD is my strength! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Audios
Current Events and the Name of Jesus Christ [podcast]

“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” John 14:13-14
IF we are praying God’s WORD in the name of JESUS CHRIST…. in His bless-ed humility, God is answering!
I don’t think we begin to realize the power that is in the name of Jesus Christ – and available exclusively to those who are HIS.
Memorize the word of our LORD Jesus recorded in John 14:13-14.
“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3
One commentator notes: “The universal fascination with knowing what is going on in the world has ancient roots. Knowing that Jesus is a well-known rabbi, some ask for his take on the hot news of the day. “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices” (Luke 13:1). Pilate, the governor, has executed some Jews while they were in the act of offering their sacrifices, mingling their blood with the animal blood. Jewish sentiment is likely strongly against Pilate, although some seem to be critical of the people who have suffered. Maybe they deserved it.”
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