David’s Mighty Men
God has called us to church, the body of Christ so that we can comfort one another in love…to encourage and edify one another according to God’s call. The purpose of ministry is to create an environment where the Holy Spirit can come help himself to our lives.
Every society needs men who will act like men when the need arises. We’re called to follow in the footsteps of our Lord. What did Jesus do? He stood in the face of danger. He bore up under suffering. He gave himself for the good of others. He brings us to the point of surrender. When we’re no longer in control, when we delight ourselves in the Lord and make His will our will, then God will work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure.
When we pass from this world, there is no more witnessing for our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, now is the acceptable day of the Lord. We have been called to the great commission. To go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. As Paul said, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.
In the midst of the crisis, God expects his men to be the reliable ones. God challenges us that no matter the obstacles in our path, to act according to faith. God always honors faith but he never honors fear. God will get us out of our comfort zones so that we can see God work beyond our expectations.
The fastest growing Christian church today is in Iran and it’s spreading underground through women who have been converted from Islam. God works in mysterious ways…. his thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways. Churches look for better methods, but God locks for better men. We have been given the ministry of reconciliation and have been committed the Word of reconciliation. When we think we’re ministering to others, God is actually ministering to us as he infuses us with his mighty power to will and to do of his good pleasure.
The story of three of King David’s mighty men is in 2 Samuel 23. The Philistines had overtaken Bethlehem and David’s mighty men defied the overwhelming army of the Philistines. Most of Israel’s army was shaking in their boots cowering in fear. They had left the battle lines. Likewise in our culture, men have left the spiritual battlefield. Casual Christians become casualties of spiritual warfare. In the midst of the spiritual battle, most men are confused. The devil’s scheme is to divide and conquer. Where there is strife, there is confusion and every evil work. The sword of the spirit which is the word of God cuts through the confusion of battle. God’s word is our battle plan and our marching orders from our Commander in Chief.
According to 2 Samuel 23:9-10, “And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.”
The men of Israel had withdrawn. They didn’t have a heart to fight the enemy. However, David’s mighty men were giant killers because their King David was a giant killer. They were faithful to follow and serve their king. Eliazar, one of David’s mighty men, found himself alone. Everyone else had deserted their King. Like Jesus, he stood in the face of danger. He bore up under suffering. He gave himself for the good of others. He surrendered himself to the power of God. He answered God’s call to run to the battle lines.
Paul said in Philippians 3:10-11, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”
When we come to God in prayer and list our maladies, his answer to our prayer will be, those are not your problems, they are your friends. Trials and tribulations bring us closer to him. In order to be connected to God’s heart our prayer will be, Lord break my heart for what breaks yours. A broken and a contrite heart God will not forsake.
In the Old Testament, the army didn’t want to stand up to the enemy. They only wanted to be around after the battle had been won so that they could strip the dead and collect the spoils of war. They were in it for themselves and not for the noble cause to stand up for God’s righteousness.
The first of the Ten Commandments says, thou shalt have no other gods between your face and my face. Anything that comes between our face and God’s face is an idol. This is why Jesus said, unless a man forsake his brother and sister and his mother and father… if he loves anyone or anything everything above me, he cannot be my disciple.
Jesus came not into this world to condemn the world but that the world throug him might be saved. According to Romans 5:8, even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.
Jesus’ heart was broken for our sins. For he who was without sin became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him. For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. At the end of the battle of this life, there is only one thing that really matters….that we’ll be there with our Lord in eternity. Therefore press toward the mark of the high calling of the one who really matters… only Jesus!
May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael