Finding Strength Alone With Jesus

12/7/03

 

1 Sam. 30:1 David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, ² and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.  ³ When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. ⁴ So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. ⁵ David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. ⁶ David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

There is a great weakness among many Christians. The inability to find strength alone with Jesus.

The greatest and most lasting victories are the ones you win all alone with the Lord Jesus Christ!

Not knowing who you are in Christ Jesus. Not realizing how special you are as a child of God. Living under condemnation. Any one of these three will keep you from finding strength in the Lord Jesus.

We can learn so much from King David and his relationship he had with the Living God.

David was completely honest with God.

Ps. 142:2 I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.

Ps. 62:8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

David was a worshipper when he was alone with God.

Here is an example of David pouring out his heart and worshipping at the same time - Ps. 57.

Heb. 13:15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.

David was confident when alone with God.

When you live under condemnation, fear, guilt, a feeling of being inferior--you cannot come before Jesus with confidence.

Rom. 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Heb. 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. ¹⁶ Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

David knew he was loved.

If you don’t know you are loved you will have a great struggle in finding strength alone with Jesus.

Ps. 63:3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.  ⁴ I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.  ⁵ My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

Ps. 86:13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

Ps. 94:18 When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your love, O LORD, supported me.  ¹⁹ When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.

Acts 10:34 ...God is no respecter of persons...

David knew God was a God rich in mercy. He understood grace before it was ever preached!

Jesus used David as an example of knowing the difference between religiously knowing God and knowing the heart of God...

Mk. 2:23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. ²⁴ The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”  ²⁵ He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? ²⁶ In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”

The world is full of imperfect people. I'm one. And so are you. That's not an excuse, it's just a fact. We let each other down. Family let's us down, friends let us down, the world lets us down. That's not a reason to withdraw or isolate ourselves, it's a fact we need to face.

Jesus' family and friends let Him down. In His darkest hour He had to get alone with His heavenly Father.

We have a real problem in our life when we have unrealistic expectations from people. This is one reason why so many people are bitter, hurt and angry. There is no one person on this earth that can do only what Jesus can do.

Mat. 26:36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”  ³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”  ⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”  ⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”  ⁴³ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

There is a comfort that can only be found by being all alone in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ps. 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  ² He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,  ³ he restores my soul.  He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  ⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  ⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  ⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

What is your very private and personal relationship like with the Lord Jesus Christ?

Mat. 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

When I’m hurting the most I want to be left alone with Jesus.

Pour your heart out to the Living God. Begin to worship and adore the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to commune with you. Let the Holy Spirit bring to your mind those things deep within your heart. Share your fears, your deepest desires, your sin and weakness. The Lord Jesus loves you more than you could ever imagine!

1 Jo. 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished (to give in great abundance) on us, that we should be called children of God!