Feb. 25, 2024

Series: AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART    2-25-24

Postures of Trust-Ability (1 Samuel 18-20)

1 Samuel 18:1, 6-12 ¹ After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself… ⁶ When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. ⁷ As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands." ⁸ Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. "They have credited David with tens of thousands," he thought, "but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?" ⁹ And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

    ¹⁰ The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul… David was playing the harp, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand ¹¹ and he hurled it, saying to himself, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David eluded him twice. ¹² Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had left Saul.

POSTURES OF TRUST-ABILITY:

1. HUMILITY vs. J_______________

Philippians 2:3–4 ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴ Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Þ “Jealousy shoots at others but ______________ herself!”

Numbers 11:27-29 ²⁷ A young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." ²⁸ Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' aide since youth, spoke up and said, "Moses, my lord, stop them!" ²⁹ But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!"

Proverbs 3:7 ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil…

2. SUBMISSION vs. M_________________  

1 Samuel 18:17 ¹⁷ Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the Lord." For Saul said to himself, "I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!"

1 Samuel 18:20-21 ²⁰ Now Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. ²¹ "I will give her to him," he thought, "so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." So Saul said to David, "Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law."

1 Samuel 18:28-29 ²⁸ When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, ²⁹ Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.

Proverbs 3:6 ⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight

3. DEPENDING vs. L______________

1 Samuel 19:1-6 ¹ Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David ² and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there… ⁵ He (David) took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?”

   ⁶ Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: "As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death."

1 Samuel 19:9-10 ⁹ But an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the harp, ¹⁰ Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

Proverbs 3:5 ⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Þ  A Crutch is a substitute for a ____________.

FOUR BROKEN CRUTCHES:

1. J____________ 19:8 Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him.”

2. W___________ 19:11 Saul sent men to David's house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, warned him, "If you don't run for your life tonight, tomorrow you'll be killed.

3. M___________ 19:18-20 When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. Word came to Saul: "David is in Naioth at Ramah, so he sent men to capture him.”   

4. B______  _________ 20:1, 30 Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan… Saul's anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, "You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don't I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you?

Proverbs 3:9–10 ⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; ¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Psalm 78:72 ⁷² And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.

PRINCIPLES TO LIVE BY:

1. If you’re JEALOUS, the only person you can ___________ is

 YOURSELF! 

2. It’s always BETTER to ___________ to the will of God than to

 MANIPULATE the outcome of events for God! 

3. The TRUTH has no aiding _______________; once it’s

 LIMPING, its name is "A LIE”.