“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!’” 1 Samuel 30:8
Dear People Who Keep Company with God,
While on the run from Saul, David settled in the city of Ziklag. One day as David and his men returned home, they discovered Amalekite raiders had attacked, ransacked, and set fire to the town. Worst of all, their wives and children were taken away captive (1 Samuel 30:1-3). They were suddenly caught up in the most dreadful horror story imaginable. They wept until they had no strength left to cry. In their anguish, David’s men began to blame him for the tragedy and talked of killing him. The same people who fought with him were now ready to fight against him. When people get hurt, they instinctively want to hurt others. David did not respond to their threats, but strengthened himself in the Lord and inquired about going after the raiders. God responded with a compelling answer. “Go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!”
There will be times when you will go through something that will shock you. The wind will be knocked right out of you. It could be the loss of a career, cherished possessions, ministry, or financial ruin. And sometimes, it is the loss of people you love through death, relational breakdown, or just circumstances of life. Years ago, we experienced a season of personal, financial, and ministry losses. Several dear friends and members of our church died an untimely death. We were under intense pressure, and bad news kept coming from every direction. Like David’s men, we were tempted to blame God, but we knew that was the devil’s counsel. Instead, we got on our knees, opened our hearts and hands and surrendered everything to God. It wasn’t easy, but God gave us His grace and wisdom to navigate those troubled times. When that season finally came to an end, we were broken, and humbled, yet hopeful that our best was in front of us and not behind us. We discovered that while suffering trauma, we must take the time for our hearts to heal. We got to know the Holy Spirit as our comforter in a much more profound way than we had ever known before (John 14:16).
As the season of comfort was winding down, the Holy Spirit told me, “You can recover all.” A new season was dawning, and I began to seek the Lord for wisdom and understanding. I took a closer look at David’s story. God told him, “You will surely recover everything,” but David still had to pursue it. He had a promise from God that he would get the victory, but not without a fight. The Holy Spirit didn’t tell me I would surely recover all, He said, “You can recover all.” That means I still have an appointment with destiny, but I had to choose to show up for it. It was not going to fall out of heaven into my lap. The same grace that sustained me in the times of loss will empower you to pursue and lay hold of all God has for you (Philippians 2:13). The Holy Spirit will always be our comforter, but He also anoints us with power (Acts 10:38). It is time to get to know the power of the Holy Spirit. If you have been knocked down and are wondering, “Should I fight this fight? Should I stand up and go after the things God has for my life?” It is time to stop wondering and start pursuing.
Many Blessings, BW