Notes
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:10-12
We are so thankful that God has provided us a place where we as a church can meet together to be encouraged and to encourage others. The arena reminds us that God has won the battle even though we still live on the battlefield, and we all need encouragement and hope to keep on going. Don’t throw in your towel; He who lives in us is greater than he who lives in the world.
Three days later, when David and his men arrived home at their town of Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev and Ziklag; they had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground. They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone.
When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, they wept until they could weep no more. David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel, were among those captured. David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.
1 Samuel 30:1-6
This was a very bad day for David and his men. But he didn’t throw in the towel; he picked up his towel and recovered. Even on our worst days, God is still there. We can put the enemy at bay by letting the joy of the Lord fill our hearts even when things are looking dire.
Here are three things we can learn from David’s life about how to be lifted up with courage:
1) Hang on to Your Towel With Praise
...David found strength in the Lord his God.
1 Samuel 30:6
Then David asked the Lord, “Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?”
And the Lord told him, “Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!”
So David and his men set out, and they came to the brook Besor. But 200 of the men were too exhausted to cross the brook, so David continued the pursuit with 400 men.
1 Samuel 30:8-10
Praise is a weapon we can use to fight through the battle. For David, God was not only the great Creator, but someone David knew closely. God was not foreign, but someone with whom David had a personal relationship. When our praise goes first, the enemy begins to flee. David went to God for wisdom and guidance because He was stable in David’s uncertain world. Follow David’s lead by surrendering to God’s wisdom and love, no matter what the enemy or those around you are saying or doing.
2) Cry Into Your Towel but Don’t Throw It In
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Psalm 30:5
David and his men had plenty of reasons to feel pain and sorrow. All of our feelings are real, but don’t let your feelings overtake your faith, hope, and joy.
3) Serve With Your Towel to Honor Others
Then David returned to the brook Besor and met up with the 200 men who had been left behind because they were too exhausted to go with him. They went out to meet David and his men, and David greeted them joyfully. But some evil troublemakers among David’s men said, “They didn’t go with us, so they can’t have any of the plunder we recovered. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone.”
But David said, “No, my brothers! Don’t be selfish with what the Lord has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the band of raiders that attacked us. Who will listen when you talk like this? We share and share alike—those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment.”
1 Samuel 30:21-24
Our God is generous; when we serve others, it encourages us to be more like Him. Show honor even when you feel honor isn’t deserved. Be the first to serve even when everyone else wants to hang back. Give generously and unselfishly to those around you. All of these are contagious; we build each other up by practicing honor and generosity.
Group Questions
- What might "putting on God's armor" look like in your everyday life?
- When we are facing tough times, how can we keep our faith strong?
- What does it mean to say that our praise is a weapon?
- Have you ever experienced the joy of serving others, even if it was difficult? How did it impact you?
Prayer
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to worship you together, and to encourage one another on life’s journey. Help us to be like David, hanging on to our towels even in the toughest of times.