Anatomy of a heart after God: Endurance
Aug. 8, 2021
How do we persevere, endure through the worst?
1 Sam. 30:1-4 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 itand had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them but carried them off as they went on their way.When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep
1 Sam. 30:6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters.
1 Sam. 30:6-8 But David found strength in the Lord his God. Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.” Abiathar brought it to him, and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”
Find strength in the Lord your God
Ask God what to do
Ps. 18: 1 I love you, Lord, my strength…
Ps. 18:4-5 The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.
God can handle our honesty!
Strength in the Lord…
Cry out in honesty
Ps. 18:6- 19 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger. Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him. He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds. Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him and rained down hail and burning coals. The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals… Then at your command, O Lord, at the blast of your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare. He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.
Strength in the Lord…
God, you delight in me because I am your child
Psalm 27:13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
God, you delight in me You hear my every prayer
