Lessons from the Battlefield, Part 1

When you are in the will of God. When you are seeking the love of God to please God to serve God to minister to others in the name of God as sure as you decide you're going to live a life that brings God glory you can count on it. The enemy is going to show up hello and will go to Destin for victory with pastor Paul Sheppard, senior pastor at destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California. Thanks for spending part of your busy Friday here with us today. Pastor Paul takes us to the book of first Samuel chapter 17. For the most popular stories in the Bible. David versus Goliath.

It's a message about spiritual warfare, one that promises to help you face your own giants and ultimate victory over them. Be sure to visit Pastor Paul.net to hear any recent message on command that pastor Paul.net you can also listen to or subscribe to the Destin for victory podcast.

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First Samuel chapter 17 is where we will spend our time that we are currently examining the early life of David and were doing so, not just for the value of historical information, but were doing so for the purpose of practical insight. We are seeking to learn lessons from the life of this great man of God, and even then the early days when we are introduced to his life when he was still a young boy. There are lessons we can learn to apply to all of our lives. Now let's get caught up so far in our examination of David's early life we discovered six important lessons number one that there are God ideas for your life. Just as David was called of God, and God at a specific plan for him. So it is with all of us that God has a plan for our lives. Number two. Don't worry about being overlooked.

We talked about the fact that when Samuel came to anoint the next king of Israel. Jesse assumed that it would be one of his older sons.

So he brought before the prophet seven of his eight sons completely ignoring David. David only came into the picture. After Samuel realized that none of the other seven sons were called of God. He asked do you have any others and that's when Jesse brought in David. Don't worry about it when you are overlooked because God sees what he wants to do in your life. Number three handle well your present responsibilities. We look to the fact that today's behavior today's disciplines the babies lifestyle. Today's decisions today's actions are a direct reflection of where you are headed and so you must value today because your tomorrow.

Roles are built upon your today's number four. Wait your turn. We saw that David was anointed as a lad, but the anointing of David to be the next king did not authorize David to immediately ascend to the throne. The fact is your calling and you're sending are often two different seasons and some people go to soon. I know some folks who were called and who were sent and I know other folks who just went and let me tell you something when you go prematurely, you miss out on some key blessings because there was timing and the movements of God in your life. Number five. Develop your strongest gifts we talked about the fact that David mastered a few of his strongest gifts and they were a blessing to him in a blessing. Through him to others and likewise you and I have to learn to strengthen our strongest gifts. Master your strongest gifts.

Some people always focus on trying to turn weaknesses into streams and I think that is a waste of time and resource. Now I'm not talking about character development, you do need to develop your character. If you have weak areas of character. By all means, by the help of the Holy Spirit in the development, the cultivation of spiritual fruit you want to develop goals going about when it comes to gifting if you're not gifted to do something don't keep sweating it. Leave it alone because there are other things that God has gifted you to do and that's where God will use you and that's how he will bless you and number six get good at meeting other people's needs.

We looked at the fact that David spent a whole season of his life where all he did was took care of the needs of Saul and God prepared him for greatness by first making him an excellent servant, and likewise you and I have to learn that the will of God for your life is always going to involve other people.

There's no such thing as being in the center of God's will and not having impact on other people because God loves people in his will for your life is going to include you. Being a blessing to others.

Having discovered goals.

Lessons from the pastor. I called them I want to now look at lessons from the battlefield in chapter 17 of first Samuel we moved to that scene where David is going to have the opportunity to face a large task in the person of Goliath. Now, even if you are unfamiliar with your Bible.

Generally speaking, I have the privilege of pastoring and leading to the Lord a lot of unchurched people. In fact, what drove me to this ministry was a word from the Lord that he was going to bless me to to reach unchurched people if I would just preach his word and raise up others who would help me pray and disciple others in the things of God and were so blessed to see that happening. So a lot of people I minister to both in our church and on the radio are unchurched by background and perhaps you didn't have the experience of growing up in Sunday school and learning. All of these stories, but even those who were raised in church, chances are you know about David and Goliath because that's such a popular stories and we even talk about it in secular society. Even people who really aren't Bible oriented will often describe a situation where there's perhaps some small company that living in the shadow of some large corporation talk about it as a David and Goliath scenario and so if you're familiar with the story. I want us to deeper into it and learn some lessons for our own lives. The first and most important lesson we can learn from first Samuel chapter 17 is that challenges and conflicts are inevitable.

Write that down. If you're taking notes or note that in your mind challenges and conflicts are inevitable noticed the very first verse of first Samuel 17 tells us that the Philistines gathered there or serious full war every now and then as you read through this time in the life of Israel.

You see that enemies will just gather their forces against them. Israel has and provoked a fight. Israel hasn't called the fight. Yet the enemy shows up, ready to fight anyway and some of your discovering that same dynamic in your life and I've come to give you a context as to why that is when you are in the will of God. When you are seeking the love God, to please God to serve God to minister to others in the name of God as sure as you decide you're going to live a life that brings God glory you can count on it.

The enemy is going to show up. It's just the nature of doing business with God doing kingdom work. There are going to be forces that come against God's plan for your life. And so I want someone today. My goal in this part of the series is that help you become comfortable with conflict now not all of us find that easy to do because you know that some of us are fighters by nature and you like, cool, bring your own. But not everyone is a fighter by nature some folks are what I call lighters by nature and you tend to run from conflict. First thing you want to do is get out of conflict. You see it in interpersonal relationships and dynamics.

Sometimes you see a marriage where you have a fire fighter married to each other. Boy is that a mess because when there's an issue to Fido was the confront and then jump right in and we talk about some and the writer is trying to figure out how can I get to hear two different instinct altogether and in your life. Some of us are fighters and some of us applied as well. Let me tell you something, even if you are applied by temperament.

Now that you love God are called according to his purpose, seeking to live a life that pleases him come to tell you my friend, but I have to strap on your armor because you are in a fight you don't have to start the fight the enemy will find you know in a fight. As soon as you decided to go to live for God, live righteously. You are in a fight the enemy will begin to gather forces together to come against God's best in your life as I want you to know you can do the will of God. But you're not going to get it done without a conflict there going to be challenges you, but I have those times where you have got to throw down and so you gotta make up in your mind, Lord, even though by temperament.

Perhaps I don't like fighting when it comes to spiritual matters.

In order to do your will.

I see from your word that I am going to have challenges and conflicts come against me. Indeed, one of the promises in Scripture that don't like the claim you know where the generation of believers who love claimant promises up next the second half of today's destined for victory message with pastor Paul Sheppard. We want to thank all of you whose prayers and financial support help Esther Paul share the gospel all over the world right now as we recover from the challenges of the past year. Your support is even more critical today because more people than ever are looking for answers that only Jesus can give so pleases God. Please prayerfully consider making a gift to destined for victory today. Visit pastor Paul.net to make your best guess right now or call 855-339-5500 have some special gifts as a way of saying thank you and would tell you all about it at the end of today's message right now though, here's pastor Paul.

The rest of that message. Lessons from the battlefield. We love them all on the promises of God, what a good place to stand, but take all the promises which see what we often mean is we will stand on the promises like my God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in glory.

I'm standing on what I will and it shall be given. I'm standing on one panel but I got another one for you to stand on. Jesus said in John chapter 1633 in this world you will have trouble. He promised you trouble. He was talking to his disciples when he said it in John 16. He was preparing them for the fact that he was soon to be betrayed diabetic vicarious death to rise from the grave and to eventually ascend back to heaven and getting them ready for life apart from his physical presence and companionship.

Jesus said, I can promise you something else. I promise you that in this world as my followers.

You are going to have trouble now. That's not a promise you're excited about claiming but you might as well grab it because the promise is as true as every other promise of God. But thank God it didn't stop there. He said in this world you will have trouble. But take heart. King James that be of good cheer.

Why, because Jesus said, I have overcome the world. The reason why you shouldn't shy away from the promise is because he said you are going to have the trouble, but don't sweat it because I have overcome your trouble comes because you associate it with me in the first place.

And so what that means is because you are kingdom first in your focusing in your life when the trouble comes the big three that I'm on. You are going to get to share in that victory. So we set be of good cheer, because I have overcome the world.

Now I want to spend a little time getting our theology straight. I don't want to rush through this point of challenge and conflict because were going to have it and it really is the stuff of which your life in Christ is going to be made so we gotta get this point down clearly. Take some time and really build a strong infrastructure of understanding in your heart and mind about this whole business of warfare.

First, I want to deal with some theological issues. One of the problems we have in today's church world is that there are a number of extremes of teaching and in different areas and warfare was one of them as I want to look at two extremes and bring them to your attention so that you will be sure to avoid both extremes when it comes to this matter of conflict and warfare. Thereto theological extremes that need to be avoided. The first extreme suggests that there is an epic struggle between God and Satan. So we really can't be assured that you and I can live a victorious life. Some people think that God is really having a hard time with the devil and because were not quite sure who's going to win the war. We really can't be as short a personal victory. Now let me tell you something that you can expose that kind of teaching that kind a week spiritual teaching on biblical teaching. I'm here. My job as a teacher in the body of Christ is to do permanent damage to ignorance as I want to help you understand that there is no biblical basis for this contention that there is an epic struggle in the heavenly and God is really sweat and have a tough time with the devil… From Scripture that got it from Star Wars wonderful moviemaking but don't make that your personal theology. The original trilogy that come out with some other things.

Since then I'm done about those original three Star Wars pictures you got to go back to get started in the late 70s went up into maybe early 80s you know I'm dumb but the first one was called Star Wars. That was the name of the movie Star Wars, and then after that there was be strikes back. The Empire strikes back. That's right one was the return all your with me that all those were some movies some movies man that's when it was worth it. Body ticket go to the movie get to popcorn Manuel. Some of the stuff they make today you will know what you watch it or why but boy does with some movies. Wonderful flick, and the premise was there was the horse in the universe.

That was the fourth and that there were two sides to diminution. Of course there was the good side of the force, and that was dark side of the force shall remember that on the good side you have Luke Skywalker and Doug ahead Obi-Wan Kenobi member and you had Yoda ugly dude but he had power.

Come on now, Yoda didn't look like much, but mom and and so that's a big encouragement if you don't equate about the way you look long as you tell the devil I might not look like much, but on the good side of the force which also had on the dark side of the force you had the had Darth Vader you know like that and it was this strong goal between good and evil. Luke Skywalker at a certain point, he discovered who Darth Vader really was daddy and he had the struggle against the documents and not cave in and all that stuff and yet moviemaking bad Bible because I'm going to tell you something that devil have so much power to truly be able to contend with God, biblically speaking, the devil was created by God he created. God is the creator he will never get will never send you anywhere near the power of Almighty God. In fact your Bible tells you that don't babble out so what you gotta learn to do is rejoice in the back that the Bible says we already have the victory. When I tried to open the habit. Maybe one day we are really lucky will habit. No, no, the devil is treated read and follow, and so there is not this epic struggle between good and evil. The reality is, God is all-powerful, Satan has limited power. God is all knowledgeable.

Satan has limited knowledge God is omnipresent. Satan spirit can only move from one place to another.

And so, in fact, when you say you dealing with the devil I know what you mean when dealing with demonic forces, but the actual devil because he gave you another folk at the same time, the only one place at one time.

That's why he operates through a legion daemonic forces and you know believe you're so westernized that you don't believe in spiritual warfare. You better hurry up and believe in it because whether you know it or not, you pulled it would be humans. The Bible says we don't wrestle against question but were resting against principalities and powers against darkness, against spiritual wickedness in high places and when you set out to live for God. You got demons on your trail trying to discourage you trying to feed God's best in your life. But the good news. We God who has all power and wealth promised us the victory and so get to the ologies three Star Wars is good moviemaking but is not good Bible.

There is no epic struggle in the heavenly God has one.

That's the bottom line. In fact the devil and his demonic forces are really doing now. God has already sent them. They know they've been assigned to Helen eternal damnation. They already know that they are under since it like somebody who has been sentenced, and they're all waiting. The execution of the sentence, the devil knows what he is and is going to be demons know what Narinder going to be held. The Bible says will be cast into a lake of fire there in trying to do with what you have to go serve the devil got all that power because the reality is, he is already defeated by the power of Almighty God.

So there is no epic struggle be encouraged today.

No matter how low the valleys of life take you no matter how hard the enemy hits you, you were seated in the heavenly places with Christ whose defeated sin and death and Satan himself. No weapon formed against you shall prosper in Christ, you are destined for victory. Thanks so much for being here for today's message lessons from the battlefield. But before we say so long for the weekend. I want to thank you on behalf of Pastor Paul Sheppard and the entire team for all you do to make destined for victory possible. As a listener supported ministry were counting on your continued prayers and financial support because so many people need to hear the saving grace that only Jesus Christ can provide your donations do make a difference and as we enter the summer months when gifts to the ministry often decline. We ask you to prayerfully consider sending your best gift of $25 or more to destined for victory this month and when you do with two great gifts of her own to share with you the first is Pastor Paul's book why God created dads and insightful and inspirational look at the subject of fatherhood to the lens of Scripture. The second is an audio CD attribute to my dad a message delivered by Pastor Paul following the death of his father. Men and women alike will be inspired by these timely resources again. That's why God created dads and attribute to my dad or gifts you this month for your best donation of $25 or more to destined for victory. Call 855-339-5500 or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to destined for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538. Again that's destined for victory. Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 my position in Christ. For sure, Victor, whether I propose that victory that victory and showing that victory is on how I'd tap into his grace. How I follow his word I say yes to his will. That's next time and Pastor Paul Sheppard's message lessons from the battlefield until then, enjoy your weekend and remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory