David Strengthened Himself by Randy Gladden
http://www.identitynetwork.net/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=David-Strengthened-Himself-by-Randy-Gladden-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
By Randy Gladden
David is on the cusp of the fulfillment of his destiny; but he doesn't know that yet. First, he will face one of the greatest challenges of his life. The Amalekites have raided and carried away their wives, children and all their possessions. What they couldn't carry away, they burned. David and his men return to find their lives reduced to ashes. Anguish turns to anger and David fears for his very life. He has lost everything and even his men have turned against him.
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David is on the cusp of the fulfillment of his destiny; but he doesn’t know that yet. First, he will face one of the greatest challenges of his life.
The Amalekites have raided and carried away their wives, children and all their possessions. What they couldn’t carry away, they burned.
David and his men return to find their lives reduced to ashes. Anguish turns to anger and David fears for his very life. He has lost everything and even his men have turned against him.
In his distress, he doesn’t immediately seek God’s direction but rather before anything else, David strengthened himself in the Lord.
Interestingly we aren’t told how David did it. And maybe that is a good thing. Rather than focusing on a process or checklist, grace means that it is an individual approach.
Jehoshaphat was facing an overwhelming army. He recounted to God how He brought His people into the promised land through great miracles. And His promise that in any crisis that if they called to Him, He would hear and save.
Ultimately, he wasn’t reminding God, he was reminding himself.
As David prepared to face Goliath, Saul tried to discourage him because of his youth. But David described how God had given him previous victories over the lion and the bear. He was confident that just as God had delivered him before, He would do so again.
Essential Life Skill
Whatever the challenge, great or small, the necessary but overlooked response should be to strengthen ourselves in God before attempting anything else. To build ourselves up in our most holy faith.
Only after strengthening himself in the Lord did David inquire of God. God confirms he is to pursue and recover. He does recover all. Nothing was lost either great or small.
There was even a reward. They captured spoil, livestock and herds. So much that they were blessed and had enough to share with all the communities He and his men had roamed.
Shortly after their return, David learns of Saul’s death and begins the process of becoming king. The crisis threatened to overwhelm him when he was so close to his destiny.
We continually face challenges that would attempt to derail us. Our first response should always be to strengthen ourselves in the Lord. Then get direction for the victory.
Randy Gladden
http://www.identitynetwork.net/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=Choose-to-Rise-Becoming-One-of-Gods-Distinct-Leaders-by-Randy-Gladden-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
There's a tension in the Kingdom: many are called, but few are chosen. God's favoritism doesn't draw the line between the two—it's about decisive faith. The line between the called and the chosen isn't as much by God's preference but by our response. In every generation, God invites us to rise, to lead, to become a vessel through which His power, presence, and purpose overflow. The call is open. The invitation is sent. But only those who lay claim to it, who respond with boldness and action, step into the identity of the chosen.
http://www.identitynetwork.net/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=Delegated-Responsibility-By-Randy-Gladden-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Life is filled with moments that test our faith. We pray, wait, and sometimes wonder if God is listening. Yet, Scripture reveals a profound truth: God desires to move on our behalf, but He also calls us to take responsibility and step forward in faith. From the beginning, God has demonstrated His willingness to intervene in our lives. He is not distant or indifferent—He is actively working to bring about His promises. When the Israelites stood at the edge of the Red Sea, terrified by Pharaoh's advancing army, their cries reached God.
http://www.identitynetwork.net/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=The-Wealth-of-the-Wicked-A-Divine-Opportunity-Not-an-Entitlement-by-Randy-Gladden-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
For centuries, the phrase "the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous" (Proverbs 13:22) has been a source of encouragement for believers, fueling faith that God will provide and bless His people. However, this promise is often misunderstood. Rather than being a mere expectation of sudden wealth transfer, it is a divine principle that reveals God's method of positioning His people to receive.
