So David and his men came to the city and there it was, burned with fire, and their wives, their sons, and their daughters hadbeen taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. 1 Samuel 30:3-4, 6 It never ceases to amaze me how many people think there is such a thing as an overnight success. Maybe some one broke onto the music scene and the next thing you know, they are number one on the charts over and over again. The same goes for a ball player that catches the public eye, they may have plated well for years without any recognition and then the one play happens and they are in the spot light and their every move is talked about. The same can go for those in business who seem to have the Midas touch, and every endeavor they make seems to turn to gold. I am sure many thought the same thing about David, Saul killed himself in the battle with the Philistines, and the next thing you know it, David is anointed King of Israel. What too many people want to explain as a lucky break, is really the moment when all their training, practice, disappointments, failures and getting back up, finally pay off and the skills or character that was being built in those years of obscurity finally pays off and one is able to walk into the calling and the destiny God has designed for us. What many thought was an easy journey was actually about a 13–15-year time of character building, running from Saul and trying to lead and provide for his mighty men in the process.
Ad a young boy, David was rejected and instead of being invited to a sacrifice, he was left to tend the sheep. Then Samuel anointed him as the next King of Israel and he is sent back to the sheepfold. He is called to sing for Saul whenever an evil spirit tormented him. Left behind in the battle with the Philistines and when he was allowed to go, it was to take his brothers food. Killed Goliath and was given the wrong daughter to marry. Ran from the deranged King Saul for thirteen to fifteen years. David’s regard for God and his character helped him to spare Saul’s life on two occasions, but Saul never relented from chasing David down. I believe in an act of desperation; David went to join the Philistines in their war against Saul. Can you imagine how exhausting it must have been to go to the enemy’s camp because you were tired of doing the right thing and not seeing the results, only to be humiliated by them rejecting you. The enemy you had defeated some fifteen years earlier and now they do not even want you. I wonder what battles were going on in his head as he tucked his tail and in what seemed like a time of defeat went back home, hoping to find comfort in the arms of your wife and family. The closer they got to home, I wonder if they thought, tonight I will get a good home cooked supper and have the pleasure of being with my family. Then they began to se the smoke n the distance, coming from Zig lag, where they had kissed their wives and children goodbye before they went to join up with the Philistines. I believe their pace picked up and they hurried home to see that the smoke was from, only to find that the city had been burned and their families were all taken captives. How many of David’s mighty men decided at that point it was not worth following David? In fact, they did not want to quit, they wanted to kill him! These are the times that define great men from ordinary men. While they are all looking for someone to blame, David is encouraging himself in the Lord. After he is encouraged, David asked the Lord if he should pursue the raiders and if he could overtake them. The answer came back “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” After a confirmation from God, David and his six hundred men went to recover their families and what was stolen. Even thought they all went in pursuit, two hundred of them were to weary and not able to make the whole journey, staying at the brook while the others continued to face the enemy.
While on the journey, they found an Egyptian that the raiders had left for dead, they fed him and he told them where the raiders were. As they arrived at the Amalekite camp, they were eating, drinking and dancing in celebration of the success of their raids of the Philistines and the land of Judah. At twilight, David’s men attacked them and they did not stop until the next evening when they had killed all the raiders except for the two hundred men who escaped by camel. David led his men into recovering all that was lost including his two wives. The enemy has come into our camps (homes and lives) and stolen what belongs to us while we were busy fighting for the soul of our nation. I am appalled when I watch the news every day and see what the government has stolen from the American people and how thy have had no accountability and have not only wasted our money, the fraud has been even greater than the mishandling of taxes. While most of the church supports, President Trump and we have faith in what he is doing, we have sat down from exhaustion and weariness form the battle. Sadly, we have been conditioned to be thankful for the small things and we have settled with getting President Trump elected. Thank God for the victory of putting Righteousness back in leadership of the United States of America. It is not a time to get some popcorn and sit back to watch the show. We still have a great work ahead of us. It seems with each success we witness; the darkness has an attack to “legally” stop the progress. We must continue to pray for wisdom, strategy and protection over President Trump and his team.
For everyone who has surrounded this administration with wicked agendas and for the unlawful judges and judgements, we must pray to have them exposed and removed. We have the authority to declare and decree that all that has been taken from our nation must be returned. The Bible says when a there is caught, “he must restore sevenfold; he may have to give up all the substance of his house.” Proverbs 6:30. If we will continue to pray for our nation and for those who have been taken captive from poor leadership in the past. We will see a victory and we will recover what was stolen. If we will continue to fight and not grow weary, we will see a complete victory, with those who fought with the dark side exposed, caught, judged, and punished for their crimes. The bible says they will have to even give up what they own legally. We are about to experience the greatest wealth transfer that will bless all Americans, there will be so much that even those who have not stood for righteousness will be blessed. Joel 2 is a prophetic chapter; it tells of a time of great devastation and called for a time of repentance, “Now therefore.” Says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning, (and the ecclesia has done that). So, rend your hearts and not your garments, return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness and He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and leave behind Him a blessing?” Joel 2:12-14. Throughout scripture, a judgement was given to someone or a nation and when they repented before the judgement hit, God reversed the judgement and gave them a different outcome. For example, Isaiah told Hezekiah to get his house in order, because he was going to die, Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and repented. God told Isaiah to go back and tell Hezekiah that Gd would give him fifteen more years. Back to Joel, after they repented, God promised to give them the former and the latter rain. “The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.” Joel 2:24. God promised to make it rain and cause the land to be fruitful again. God was going to supply for their needs! Not only did God promise them crops for the year, He also promised to restore the things that the enemy had destroyed or devoured. Joel 2:25-26 So I will restore to you, the years; that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust and the chewing locust. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord our God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And My people shall never be put t shame. Then you will know that I am in the midst of Israel.” God will give back what was stolen or withheld from us. The goodness of God does not stop with restoring all that the enemy has done. He promised “And it shall come to pass afterward, That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions. While there are some in the body of Christ who are filled with the Holy Spirit, I believe we are about to see a mighty filling for all generations, male and female, slave and free. The mighty move of the Holy Spirit will usher in the End Time harvest before the great and fearful Day of the Lord. If we will stand and fight the darkness in prayer and with the Word of God, we are about to experience a financial restoration, then a renewed stronger out pouring f the Holy Spirit and we will see our friends and loved ones come to a relationship with Jesus. Do not become weary in praying! “Stir up the gifts that are with in you.” 2 Timothey 1:6 “Stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord.” Exodus 14:13. “Whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.” Joel 2:32.
Cathy Nesmith