Don’t Defeat Yourself!

Recently I have come across many people who are facing crisis either in their lives, their business or some even in their ministry.

There is a vast difference between crisis and progress. Let me explain…

Someone said…if you start losing teeth at forty-five it is a rotten crisis. If you start losing them at five it is progress. What makes a crisis a crisis depends a lot in the context of the crisis.

But some crises are different.

King David’s life is a remarkable reflection of different crises that teaches us how to be overcomers in life and our daily living. King David was an incredible warrior, he was an outlaw, a great poet, a fantastic and anointed musician, a shepherd and then eventually a king. He killed a giant with one stone with four still unwanted in his pouch, became an armour bearer for a powerful king and then led a band of men who were exceedingly battle sensible and mighty warriors themselves. King David was also an extraordinary leader of men.

None of these things have any vague resemblance to my life, yet every time I study David, I learn values of tremendous truth.

Many of us think our lives are from crisis to crisis…but truthfully speaking there are a lot of periods of calm in there.

The crisis of personal rejection…began when King Saul, rejected David because of no fault of his, David ran and became an outlaw. Saul forgot David’s bravery and commitment to the nation and to God, and just wanted David out of the way to build a dynasty on his own family. How similar to situations we face. We see David not fighting back, not proving his own self. David kept no record of wrongs and instead of becoming bitter in a noxious atmosphere chose to go. David was never revengeful, never unforgiving and never pitiless. He never fought back!

The crisis of personal moral failure…is something that hits individuals the hardest. Many people are professionally perfect but have character flaws that are a mile wide. While David could handle a giant publically with the ease of a remarkable fighter, he failed miserably when alone on his terraced roof looking down at Bathsheba bathing and basking. Here we see a man of God in true and open heartedness that we should all glean and learn from. David took personal responsibility of his sin, repented openly and quickly, bearing the crux of his recklessness, to bring the Kingdom into jeopardy. He bore the shame, took the burden and then went on to be a historical phenomenon.

The crisis of personal relationships…is a painful one and sits deep inside our hearts, sometimes for long periods. Ziklag, David’s base-station nearly became his burial ground. Ziklag was no fault of his.  Ziklag proved the men who followed him were different than him. Ziklag was burned to the ground and all their families taken captive by the enemy. Suddenly the greatly loved leader became a magnet for stones and criticism. How true in our environment today. David’s team was in a crisis of confusion and challenge. David was alone. David looked to God. David remembered the faithfulness of God in the past. David stood on the bigger picture than just one that was before him.

Are you passing through a crisis?

No problem.

Just calm yourself in God’s faithfulness and peace. Remember His promises are true. Fight the good fight. Keep the faith. Run the race with patience.

Remember, a man is not really defeated by his enemies…just by himself!