1 Sam 27:1-12 Listen to Your HEART?

As we come to Ch.27 we see a major setback in David’s life

A)Here we see David descending into the depths of Depression / he is really discouraged / David says in his heart

I am going to perish one day by the Hand of Saul – So I might as well join the forces of Achish the king of Gath a Philistine

B) In other words David says I am going to try & find refuge in the World – I just can’t handle this anymore

1) Wait a minute you say – haven’t we seen this before ? Answer is yes Ch. 21 over 3 yrs before – David did the same thing

C) When he first fled from Saul – David panicked & fled to Gath

1) But he wasn’t received well that time – the Philistines were suspicious after all – this was the man that Killed Goliath who was from Gath

D) So that time David – acted like he was INSANE to try & get out of the situation / it worked , he fled into the wilderness

1) But here over 3 yrs later David goes back -

Why would David go back to this place that he had fled from before

A)Why do you go back to the places or things that you once left behind?

B) We go back to the places or things that we once left because our memories are FAULTY

1) We remember the Kicks – but we forget the Kick backs / Remember the good times / how great something was – forget the consequences

C) Thanksgiving Day – great time / family friends from Church – great food & wonderful desserts – Always leave room for Desserts

1) Cookies – candy – already munching on before dinner / My wife’s Chocolate cream Pie – INCREDIBLE – Huge Piece

D) Now as much as I like desserts I have to watch myself – really affects me knocks me out – Tired depressed / Lethargic – only at night

1) Well 10 minutes after eating this Pie – My head is spinning – Massive headache/ I had to just lay down – ( couldn’t play games- Knocked out)

E) The whole next day – I felt LOUSY - But you know that at Christmas dinner I am going to do the same thing – AGAIN

1) By that time I will have forgotten – only remember how good it is / and that is how we are - w/ sin & compromise –

F) David is in a Pressure situation here – Tired frustrated & decides I am going back to Gath

It is also worth noting that this happened right after David had a tremendous Victory

A)Ch. 26 is a repeat of Ch. 24 – where David has an open opportunity to Kill Saul – But once again shows Grace in Sparing Saul’s life

B) Saul camps in David’s Back yard so to speak – giving David an open shot at him- but David doesn’t take it

1) Middle of the Night sneaks down steals Saul’s spear & his jug of water showing how close he had come to Saul – Showed MERCY

C) And once again Saul is convicted by David’s kindness – Saul says I have PLAYED the fool – Forgive me – Saul goes home for a while

1) Note this – it is often after a great Victory that you are Vulnerable to

Discouragement & Depression

D) After a great Victory you are susceptible to greater Attack

1) Baptism of Jesus – Spirit descends / Father speaks – Great moment

Immediately after led into the wilderness – 40 days

E) Elijah – Mt Carmel – great Victory over the 450 prophets of Bail

1) Jezebels threat – He panics flees to the desert & wants to die –

After times of great Victory – or retreat God meets you works in you / You can usually count on that the enemy turns up the Heat

So David is worn out – Discouraged / he tired of his Trial & he makes a Huge mistake – v.1 David Said in His heart

A)David a man who was noted for talking to God / bringing Praise before God / communing w/ God is now talking to HIMSELF

B) I was in the locker room the other day at the Gym – there was a guy in there who was talking to himself – really scary himself was talking back

C) David is here talking to himself – He said in his heart – huge mistake

1) There was a Christian group yrs ago – that had this really Catchy tune – but it wasn’t the Best Theology – LISTEN TO YOUR HEART

D) Popular Slogan today – JUST FOLLOW YOUR HEART

The Heart can get us into all kinds of Problems – Listen to what the Bible tells us about the Heart

Jer. 17: ⁹ “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Mark 7: ²¹For out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²²adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness

A)That is what is in the heart – that is what the heart is capable of

David listens to his heart / follows his heart – result is disastrous

B) David’s heart tells him V.1 I will someday perish at the Hand of Saul –

1) David’s heart looked at the situation & sized it up strictly from a Horizontal point of View

C) Completely IGNORES & FORGETS the Promises that God had made to him – He is looking at the situation in from a human perspective only

1) He is reasoning & rationalizing in his heart – and the Out look is dreary

Now God had already used Samuel & Jonathan / Abigail / and even Saul twice to Remind David of the Promise of God

A)That he was DESTINED to be the next King – it was only a matter of time

B) But David’s heart was deceiving him – His heart was saying You are going to PERISH – Saul is going to KILL you

1) But as the pressure gets turned up - David FORGETS the PROMISE of God & Listens to his heart

C) Coaching Amy’s B-ball team – 11& 12 yrs old – worked on Defense & plays – Stay at home – guard Key – Soon as Pressure forgot it all

1) That is what we do sometimes – that is what David is doing here

D)The Result is David makes a very BAD & SELFISH DECISION

There is nothing better FOR ME to do than to escape to the land of the

Philistines

Why was this a Selfish Decision ? v. ²Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men who were with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

A)When David makes this decision it not only affects him but it affects the 600 men who are w/ him & their families as well.

B) That is one of the things about Compromise – It affects you but it also affects those around you

C) A person might say I know this isn’t what the Lord wants me to do / but I am willing to take my lumps – willing to run the risk

1) Willing to deal w/ the affects it will have on my life

D) Problem is most of the time it doesn’t just involve or affect you –

It affects your Spouse if you are married – It affects your kids

1) It affects your Family members – Mother father / Friends – Bros & sisters in the Lord –

E) Many of us have had the horrible experience of sitting a crying over a brother or sister who has walked away from the Lord – ruined their family

1) All for Self – All because they said I need to do what is right for ME

Kramer vs Kramer – Brave thing find herself – Since when is leaving your husband & 8 yr old Son an act of Bravery

When David runs to the World – several things happen Parallel for our lives note 5 ways this affects David

A)1^st Saul lets up in his Pursuit of David v. ⁴And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath; so he sought him no more.

B) Saul had been seeking after David everyday – for over 3 yrs It isn’t hard to see ourselves in this same situation –

1) If you are a Committed Christian/ (Stress Committed ) The Enemy is after you

C) Your Life is under constant attack – We are in a Spiritual battle – we wrestle not w/ Flesh & Blood ….. Principalities Powers rulers of darkness

Redpath- The Committed man of God is against sin & all the powers of evil are against him. In such a warfare there is no intermission at all. The devil never takes a vacation.

D) Now there is a tendency to think – You know I don’t think the Devil is so interested in me – Chuck Smith Sure – Me just a house wife

1) Just a Gardener – Just a whatever – ( We can think like that)

Again Redpath “The devil is not interested so much in you as an individual – but he HATES He who lives w/ in you & everything that he stands for

But the moment that David turns to the World the Enemy (Saul) that was after him – Quits Chasing him

A)That is what happens when we Compromise – turn to the world – the devil lets up the attack – Creates this false sense of Security

B) Look I am not Depressed anymore – Experiencing Peace

1) The Peace that comes from compromise is deceiving – it is like taking drugs it has a stupefying affect – Masks the pain

C) It allows you to forget the pain & Problems for a Short period –

1) The Devil lets up because he’s got you right where he wants you

So the first thing that happens when David runs to the World is Saul quits chasing him – creating in David a False sense of Security

A)2^nd thing it results in is David lives in Submission to the Enemies Cause

⁵Then David said to Achish, “If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” ⁶So Achish gave him Ziklag that day. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day

B) David the SERVANT OF ACHISH? David basically puts himself under Achish’s authority –

1) Now why did Achish accept David this time – Because David shows up w/ an Army 600 men

C) And the word had no doubt spread throughout the region that Saul was after David – So as Achish looked at David

1) Concluded his enemy ( Saul ) is my Enemy –so I would love to have David & his army on my side

D) Application for us – When we choose to lead a Disobedient lifestyle when we choose CARNALITY over Spirituality

1) We automatically begin to serve the ADVERARIES cause – We are actually submitting to the enemy & serving his wicked Cause

3^RD RESULT – When we run to the World – when we embrace that Humanistic way of thinking

A)It can result in a lengthy period of Compromise – David stayed in the Land of Gath for 16 months v.7

B)Abe in Egypt – picked up Hagar / Lot in Sodom {lost his family

C) I have found w/ people – that go back into the world – 2 yrs can go by before they realize – How far they have FALLEN.

1) During this period of David’s life – No record of any Psalms being written – 16months – virtually out of Fellowship w/ God

But it gets worse – the 4^th Consequence of David’s Backsliding – He becomes a Liar – Basically living a double life & Lying to cover up

A)David & his men would go down into the Southern region of Judah & attack the enemies of Israel / allies of the Philistines

B) They would totally wipe out these cities – killing all the men women & Children – so there were no witnesses

1) No doubt David was trying Justify his being in Gath – by doing things that seemed liked they were good for Israel / Good for God

C) David comes to Achish & he says where you been today – Southern area of Judah – Achish assumes David is fighting against Israel

1) David at this point is leading a double life –

D) When a person is living a Double life – they operate under a cloak of secrecy. They don’t want to be accountable

1) They don’t want people asking you things – so They cover up

5^th Thing that Happens to David during this time is He loses his identity

A)We will see in our study next time Ch.29 The Philistines are gathered to fight against Israel & David & his men are in the ranks

B) Could it really be that David would fight w/ the Philistines against his own People – We will see what happens next time –

1) But David becomes a man w/out a Country / W/ out a Purpose

C) That is a sure sign of Carnality – when we start wondering – Why am I here / what is my purpose / My mission in life / where am I going

1) What about all this stuff I have believed all my life – Who is my allegiance to?

D) David is facing a real Identity Crisis & it all started when David Said in his heart – when David listened to His heart !!!!- Big Mistake

Maybe you are here today Pressure has been turned up in your life / lost a Job/ Some Crisis & you have forgotten the Promise of God

A)Listened to your Heart – run to the World – or you have been contemplating it –

B) Would you please Consider the Consequences – Affect you / family / friends / the name of Christ

1) Satan’s attack might let up – Temporary peace – but he has you right where he wants you

C) Do you really want to go from Serving God to being the Servant of Satan?

1) Ready to lose your Identity – living a Double life

D) Jesus came to Be your Victory – Yes there is a peace that comes from Compromise – Pressures lifts

1) But it doesn’t compare to the Peace that comes from Overcoming thru the Power of Christ in your life if Just look to Him

God can fix a Broken heart – but only if we give him all the Pieces

Before we go I want to contrast David w/ Jesus the Son of David

A)I marvel at the life of Jesus – although he encountered many discouraging things – People forsook him/ Disciples denied him

B) Crowds that didn’t understand him / Religious leaders who hated him & talked about him behind his back –

1) Despite that constant swirl of Discouragement – that deemed him a man of Sorrows who was well acquainted w/ grief –

C) Despite all that – He never got DEPRESSED

And although the demands that were upon him were great & from a Human Perspective tasking

A)Crowds who were always pressing in upon him / People who were demanding of it – couldn’t even get away w/ his disciples

B) He was never STRESSED / never OVERWHELMED

C) And although the enemy was always after Him – never letting up

1) He never gave into Temptation

D) Why was Jesus so together – told in Heb 1:9 He was anointed w/ the oil of Gladness more than His fellows

1) Other words He had a Joy & a Gladness about Him that was unparallel that of any other person

What was His Secret – I believe it is found in 4 things that Jesus mentions in JN 5 about his relationship w/ His father – turn there

A)Scene Healing at the pool of Bethsaida – instead of rejoicing that a man who was sick for 38 yrs has been healed

B) The religious leaders are upset that Jesus because he did it on the Sabbath & so they confront him

1) What transpires in v. 17-the end of the Chapter is a series of statements where Jesus is basically puts himself on the same plain as God

C) Which results in the religious leaders getting even more Mad

1) But in this series of statements – Jesus describes 4 things about his relationship w/ his Father – insight into His Secret in life

1^st Jesus sought to be a Reflection of His Father v.17 ¹⁷But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

A)Jesus said Father works & I work – I just do what I see the Father doing

²⁵Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. ²⁶For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,

B) I am just a reflection of my father – He wants us to be reflections of the Father

¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

#2 V.19 Jesus lived His Life Dependent upon His Father v.19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

A)Jesus says I do nothing of Myself – Jesus lived Dependent upon the Father – Seen in His Prayer life

1) Choosing Disciples – spent the night in Prayer

2) Mark 1 What a time to be caught up in the moment –

B) How is your Prayer life – How do you go about making Decisions – that will be the mark of how Dependent you are on the Lord

1) Jesus said – W/ out me you can do nothing – do you believe that

#3 His Security was in the Father – v.20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does;

A)Jesus wasn’t concerned about what others thought of Him / His security wasn’t in the opinion of others / Love of others – FATHERS LOVE

B) Listen you are not going to find your security in what your spouse thinks of you or what the crowds think of you

1) Your security comes in Knowing & believing what the Father thinks of you

C) Apple of his EYE - / Thoughts more than sand –future & a Hope

1) Hairs Numbered

D) When you were at your Rottenest state – Sent Jesus to die for you !!!

#4 Lived a Life that was SUBMITTED TO THE FATHER v.30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

A)Not my will but your will –

B) Jesus was concerned about the Fathers Heart – Will / Way / Time

1) Not listen to your Heart – when you are concerned about the fathers heart

#5 Received Validation from the Father v.31 “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. ³²There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true.

A) Baptism – Father spoke – This is my beloved ……. Pleased

B) We don’t hear that voice now – But we will – that is what we are to be living for / Longing for – Well done ……..