Obedience leads to success.

Scripture:
1 Samuel 18:14 “David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the Lord was with him.”

Observation:
David had entered the service of King Saul after having defeated Goliath of Gath. The people began to promote David above their king, which made Saul jealous and suspicious of David to the point of desiring him dead. Saul arranged opportunity after opportunity to have David killed, most often in battle. However, David succeeded in his military campaigns and continued to grow in favor with the people rather than Saul because God’s Spirit was upon David and had departed from Saul.

Application:
The results that David saw in terms of success can and should be enjoyed by all believers because God’s Spirit dwells in the hearts of all believers. The difference is that David knew and understood the secret to tapping into God’s blessing and favor – obedience! Four times in 1 Samuel 18 we read of David’s actions in regard to his carrying out Saul’s orders that he “behaved wisely” (vv.5 and 14), “behaved very wisely” (v. 15), and “behaved more wisely than all” (v. 30) Other versions of the Bible describe these wise behaviors as being “successful” (NIV, NLT) or “well” (MSG).

David knew that God protected him from the lion and bear and delivered Goliath into his hand. He had seen first hand and experienced God’s power in his life long before he became a commander in Saul’s army. As a youth tending sheep, he knew the benefit of listening to his father’s instructions on tending sheep and even more so of God’s instructions in the Mosaic Law. David may have even come to know of the episode of King Saul’s refusal to completely destroy the Amalekites and learned from the words of Samuel that obedience is better than sacrifice.

God gave Saul the kingdom and authority to rule over his people, but Saul got lost in himself and propping himself up rather than staying humble as he was at the beginning. He allowed pride to consume him and jealousy to drive him mad. His fear and suspicion of David only deepened the emotional and mental problems from which he suffered not to mention the demon that tormented Saul daily. Saul’s acts of disobedience tore the kingdom out of his hands and turned it over to David.

When David entered into Saul’s service, even as harpist, he knew that God anointed him to be the next king over Israel. Samuel had come to his house and poured oil over him and anointed him king as God instructed. David understood that to have anything in life required obedience to the one in charge despite persecution and personal attacks. Obedience caused David to rise in favor with the masses. Obedience caused David to draw nearer to God and to grow in God. Obedience caused David to be loyal to God and country even though his boss, king, and father-in-law hated him and wanted him dead. We know that Saul would continue to hunt down David and seek his death, but because of David’s obedience to God, God would shield David numerous times from Saul’s relentless pursuit.

Thus, we must make it our cause and purpose to be ever vigilant and obey God’s Word at all cost. Samuel told Saul that rebellion is the same as witchcraft in the eyes of God. In witchcraft people try to control and manipulate others all the while serving other gods (demons) thinking they can control supernatural forces. No one can control demons. They offer that lie to people and then consume their lives through destruction just like Saul. Rebellion props itself up in the mind of the afflicted into believing that person is in charge and is in effect their own god. Proud people try to control others and manipulate them to do their bidding. They cannot allow others to threaten their perceived power, so they do whatever it takes at all cost to ensure their, again, perceived success. We, as believers though, must remain humble and obedient to God in all things at all times. Remember that his Word states that he gives grace to the humble (David) and resists the proud (like Saul).

Prayer:
Father, we know the long talks and days we have had about the pride that ruled my life. Many are the times we have discussed disobedience, and we still do from time to time when necessary. There are moments when I fail to do all that you have told me to do and thus have disobeyed you. I want to do all that you have asked and told me to do in this life. However, I don’t want to be like Paul and make the personal statement:

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:14-25)

I want to be doing what I want to do – obeying You! Help me to become that person and enjoy the goodness of my Father despite whatever the world may throw at me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.