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About the episode:

Jaime Luce’ story begins with emotional and financial struggle as a single mother trying to survive. Today, she has been married to the love of her life for almost three decades, owned two companies, and has become an author and podcaster. She is on a mission to help others walk through the valleys of life with hope and knowledge that God always has a way.  Learn more.

Related reading:

• How To Heal Through Responsibility and Faith
• How To Use Your Kingdom Authority In Prayer
• Plug Into A Warfare Prayer Source
• Have a Different Spirit
• Be A Good Gardner

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Full Transcript

This transcript is auto generated and not perfect. We hope it blesses you.

Welcome to the Jamie Luce podcast. Hey, everybody, how are you today? I know we are in one of the busiest seasons of the year. And thinking about how we end the year and begin a new one, I really was putting some thought into this. And you know, so many times we know or fall into the worlds kind of pattern of making new year’s resolutions as the year rolls around into a new one. And we want to do away with some things that maybe we didn’t like about the previous year. And we’re wanting to set ourselves up for a good year at the beginning of the year. And so I wanted to take this opportunity before the year is up. And to give us some things to think about in preparation for knowing that we want to, to make good use of a new year that we want to not just let it roll by I’m not one for making resolutions myself. Other than to make sure I give the new year to the Lord and I usually do a 21 day fast of some sort. Sometimes it looks different all the time. But I and I fast throughout the year, but I definitely give the first part of the year to the Lord. And but aside from that, I really don’t do resolutions. But I was thinking about this because it’s really important for us to, to evaluate so that we can grow. And we don’t want to stay stuck. If you’ve been listening, you know, and you’ve heard the message on not being stuck, you don’t want to be stuck, we want to get out of that stuck place. And we want to be able to go with God. We want to be able to conquer things that need to be conquered in our life.

We want to have victories, where we have felt defeated, we want to be victorious. In every area of life, we want to see success, we want to see growth, if we don’t want to see growth, I actually think something’s wrong. The thought that we just want to maintain is not the way that I see God. He always wanted us to grow into maturity, we may have started as children, babes in Christ, but it was expected of us that we would grow. It’s not healthy, to stay and be stagnant, stagnant water, it brings death to whatever’s in that stagnant water, it needs to be moving, it needs to be pouring out it needs to be being poured into there. If you think of any kind of tree that produces fruit, there is no such thing as stagnation. Either the plant is producing fruit, or it has dropped its fruit and goes into a season where everything that was old dies off. And the roots go down deeper for more growth before you and that’s during a you know the winter season, a dormant season a quiet season, but something’s happening. It’s not a it’s not a dead season, meaning that there’s nothing happening. There’s definitely something happening. But it’s happening down underneath. And it’s not necessarily happening on top.

So people may not see it in your life, you may not even feel like you see it going on. You may actually be going through a season that something has come upon you. Or you’re dealing with something that feels it’s difficult. It’s might even feel like a dead season, a winter season a very difficult season. And in that season, the activity that we do is so important. It’s so important what we do, because the underneath ground, the searching for the Lord, the desire to find answers, the growth all of that happens down underneath. It’s not the scene. And so I wanted to talk about this today because I feel like this is the perfect time for us to get our minds thinking on what does the Lord have for us what is ahead of us because we were made for more whatever you have accomplished, you’re actually made for more than that. You’re you’re supposed to always be abounding we are supposed to be growing we should be flourishing always. We should be a tree planted by the waters and that our our leaf never withers that we are always the head and not the tail. So no matter what accomplishments even if you’ve had a great year, and you’ve seen milestones and major accomplishments, I want to challenge you to to evaluate this year that has gone that has gone by and take this last week and and be thinking about Lord, prepare me for this new year. What do you have for me?

What are your plans for We pray about that ask the Lord, what is my assignment this next year let’s write it down. Let’s let’s get some bullet points underneath that on ways that we can achieve that goal and watch that thing come to pass. So I don’t want us to be stuck in the old I want us to graduate to grow, and to become more in this new year. And I felt like there was no better person to talk about than David for that King David, because everyone loves a David and Goliath story, right? We love the champion, we love the underdog, coming and defeating the reigning bully champion. And, and just shocking everybody at the ability of the underdog, the little one. And David was a boy, this was a champion warrior, and a boy was sent to go fight him. And so I thought, wow, what better way for us to tackle a new year, tackle what’s in front of us and to know that we can do more than we think we can. But the story of David has seen we can and what that we know about him. His story did not start in the battlefield with Goliath. David’s story began years earlier, David’s beginning was not this triumphant, huge beginning. And you might be discouraged thinking, I’m not where I want to be. And I’m not I haven’t accomplished yet what I wanted. And the thing I wanted to see this year, I didn’t see it yet. I don’t want you to give up. I don’t want you to be someone who despises their beginnings. No one story ever begins as the giant fighting the giant. No one ever begins at the point of their David and Goliath in their story.

They begin in as a shepherd boy, they begin as the one forgotten about they they begin in obscurity. And so today, I’m going to give you 10 Things that David did to become the king who was a man after God’s own heart. David was a shepherd boy who only took care of a few amount of sheep. And we know that because when he went to the battlefield, to take provisions to his brothers on assignment from his dad, his brother says to him, you know, I know what you’re doing. And he’s totally criticizing David and mocking him for for having anything to say about this battle, and that he thinks he could have any effect on it at all. And in his mockery, he says, go back and watch your few sheep. And so we know it wasn’t even a large amount of sheep that David was caring for, he cared for a small amount of sheep. And he did, he took care of those sheep, his job looks nothing like what his end result Goal Job would be, what his calling would be, didn’t look the same. It was very small when it began, it didn’t look like a crown and a kingdom. It was, you know, David, by himself in a field, watching over sheep, not even people, animals and not people, people who can’t communicate people who can animals that can communicate in animals that don’t have an effect on our, oh, how do I want to say that they were animals, because they weren’t people, it seemed to have no bearing on what was going to happen in life. You use them for your purpose, but that was it. And whether you’re doing the small and seemingly mundane or insignificant, I want to let you know that that is not something that you should despise.

It isn’t nothing that you’re there, you shouldn’t look on it with disgust or disdain. But what you’re doing in that small place matters. It you won’t always be in that small place. It won’t always look like this, it won’t always feel like this. So I want you to get your pens and your papers and your Bibles. I will give you several references in Scripture, a one particular set of scriptures for David. And then I want to be able to give you the things that David did and I want you to see them in Scripture so that you can apply them to your life and make them yours. The first one number one David always gave his everything 100% All in months ago I did an episode saying you’re either all in or you’re a sellout. Basically, you have to decide to go all in. And when you do even in the small things, it’s it’s that extra effort. It’s that whole heart of giving. Because see that whole heart of giving won’t just manifest in your job when you are sick. Somebody who gives their whole heart that that finds its way and resonates in every area of your life. If we look at David, that very small beginning, that small beginning was just that a beginning. Everything has a beginning. And it’s always small, you’re not being picked on, you’re not being left behind, you’re not been forgotten by the Lord. It’s just the beginning. So take heart, it’s just the beginning. If we think about a baby, I’m getting ready to be a grandma for the fourth time, in probably just the next couple of days, if not hours, I have a daughter-in-law who’s already dilating, and we’re waiting for a phone call. And so we just know we’ve got another baby coming, but that baby’s birth didn’t start at that baby’s birth, that baby’s not being born a man, this isn’t Benjamin buttons, we are born old, and then grow younger, we start small.

And that child at first is just a, they’re just these beautiful cells FULL OF GOD potential life that God has spoken over. And he begins to move them and multiply them, and shape them and form them and ordain them and call them. And as they grow, we begin to slowly see the progression of growth, you can slowly watch a woman’s belly get a little bit larger, little bit larger, a little bit larger, and then pretty soon, you really start to see that growth, and then you see movement in that growth. And it’s evident that something is alive and getting ready to happen. Be encouraged, whatever you’re dealing with, be grateful for how it starts, be grateful for those, those small little places have a victory in growth and movement. Each one of them matters, and each one of them is building for the next thing, each one of them is taking you to that next place of growth, before eventually there is a manifestation of the thing that you’ve been waiting to birth. If you think about these giant, beautiful buildings and skyscrapers that were built, you have to first understand that it was necessary to dig down deep dig up ground, pour in cement and, and rebar and all that stuff to build a foundation that can hold such a structure. God would never ever give you this humongous thing to start with. Without a foundation because it would kill you it would crumble, you wouldn’t be able to sustain it.

Don’t despise small beginnings, that beginning is important. And in that beginning, give it your all. Don’t wait and think well, I’ll give it everything I’ve got when I finally have this big thing I’m waiting for well, then you’ll never get it. You’ll never attain it, you’ll never make it. You’ve got to give it your all.

Now if you want to see what all can do, you won’t produce a Goliath situation where you’re the victor of something so much larger than you something you shouldn’t be able to take care of and tackle and handle and have victory over. But it comes with giving that dedication and all of that effort and all of your heart, all of your heart. At that beginning stage. In those beginning moments don’t despise small beginnings. He didn’t mope and go around complaining that he wasn’t a king, or that his brothers didn’t have to do the same thing he was doing his brothers were not the ones out there taking care of sheep, his brothers got to go do the different things that David, you know, in his heart had asked him to do. He didn’t allow the sheep and his care to be mistreated. He cared about those sheep. He didn’t shirk his responsibility to go do whatever interested him. In fact, David made so much use of his time and gave so much of himself that not only was he caring for those sheep, he was become a sought hit becoming a psalmist. At the same time, he was singing praise to the Lord and worshiping the Lord the entire time. He didn’t neglect the Lord service to do a menial service. He did them both. And he did them both with all of his heart. He took such good care of his sheep took jobs seriously that he put his own life in harm’s way. David cared so much that He gave everything including his life at risk to do what he did for these little sheep. He was he was… Oh, I’m sorry. I’m looking at my notes. I don’t want to get out of order. So when he went to go give his brothers a message, and he has to go deal with a real battleground. Now he dealt with real battles for his sheep. But he, he’s going on to an actual battlefield where people are fighting for not just their lives, but for the freedom of their nation. And when he goes, he sees this giant who is much bigger than him, and is so much more capable than what it would seem that David is. And to this point, the only battle that David has known or understood, was in caring for his sheep, he was so cared for them, and so put his life in harm’s way that it there was once when a lion came to attack a sheep. And another time when a bear came to attack those sheep. And David literally took them by the beard. I mean, this was this was not just he knew how to use a slingshot, we realize and learn in his in his story that he knew how to use a slingshot. But David grabbed him by the beard, I mean, this is face to face with death. David didn’t show fear. He learned and we treated his sheep as their he was their protector, he was their defender, at the risk of his own life, he defended these animals. No matter what it is that God has given you to do, you’ll still have battles to face before you ever face the large battle. And you need to understand that God does that very much on purpose. He allows those battles in your life, because he is training you for that very thing that you’re hoping and, and going after that much bigger thing that you’re wanting. Well, if you don’t know how to battle and deal with the stuff that small, how in the world, are you going to handle the big stuff, it’s the lack of understanding of what’s ahead of you that you think you can handle it. That’s just pride. If you think you can handle that stuff without going through these first steps. That’s pride, my friend and pride comes before fall, we have to be those who are humble and realize that God is a good father, he knows how to train us and teach us to prepare us for what’s ahead. And we need to take those things very seriously.

We need to be someone who demands victory early on in the small things. And even at great risk, we have to learn how to take those risks. You know, you can be someone who is very conservative by nature. I’m not talking politically, I’m talking in your life and the decisions you make. But if you’re not willing to take a risk, you won’t ever be able to handle the big, there will be things that God calls us to, and we’ve got to be able to handle those risks. And we have to be able to go to God and at and learn how to folks, I’m telling you from experience, okay, I’m saying this from experience. If we don’t face and confront the things that cause us to fear, that problem that we are neglecting will grow. And eventually it will come and it will become what once may have been a lion or a bear will become a Goliath in our life. We have to be those who are willing to deal with those things when they are smaller. They may be threatening, and they might be causing fear. But we’ve got to remember the command that God gave to Joshua. And he said be very strong and courageous. Let this new year be a year that you are determined to use your strength that in your weakness God has were the one who makes you strong.

It’s okay that you have a weakness in you. It is God who gives strength so I can declare that I am strong. And I go forth showing that strength. By walking courageously. I heard someone say I wish I knew who it was so that I could give them credit for it. But courage means that you’re afraid you wouldn’t need courage. If you were not afraid. If there wasn’t something to fear, you would not need courage. But he tells us to be courageous to take courage. So even in the small things, I’m encouraging you and I’m telling you to encourage be take courage, be encouraged, take courage, and take that even in the small battles, fight them. Don’t be afraid of them. Let the Lord show you how to show up for that battle and get victory over that battle.

Because that battle one day will turn into the opportunity of a lifetime, if you will allow God to show you how to do that. David had learned his skill so well that even when he faced a real giant of a problem, he didn’t even think twice about his ability to deal with it. It was just second nature by then. I’ve done it before I can do it again. Why is this any different? The power of a testimony. We’ve talked about that before to the power of a testimony, when you’re willing to allow God to teach you all that thing is small. Wow. By the time that thing gets big, you’re ready. You’re ready. God has made you Ready, and you know, you’re ready, because you have been willing to do what it takes and gain the victory in those smaller things. That’s why David could go from being a shepherd of a few to a ruler over a multitude and a nation. Even when David served in the Philistine army. He gave it his all, he gave it everything he had 100%. So don’t be discouraged in the growth process. Don’t despise that small beginning, it is the very process that will equip you to lead with integrity and with strength, no matter what the job is that you’re doing, you want to do it with all your mind, right now, if you know that you’re called to do more than this, then you better start taking care of things much more seriously. Now, the people who are promoted are the ones who prove themselves with the lesser first. Once you have done that, then the promotion will come. Number two, David made sure that his rise to power was by God, and God alone. He didn’t want to be king, unless God put put him there. He refused to use false humility and manipulation. To get there.

He had two opportunities to kill Saul to opportunities when he already was anointed be to be king. He knew what God’s plan was that it was to eventually make him king. But David had two opportunities, and he had everyone around him encouraging him to take those opportunities, and kill Saul and become king. But David refused. He refused to manipulate and to take it out of God’s hands. He recognized that if that man was still king, that was because God was allowing him to be king. God was not done with the work he was doing yet. He wasn’t done with what he was doing with Saul, and he wasn’t done with it with what he was doing. And David’s preparation. God does have a perfect timing and us wanting to get there and trying to find shortcuts to get there is not God’s will. The shortcut you take is obedience, that’s the shortcut. But trying to manipulate a situation, or to remove somebody else by your hand and not by God’s hand, in order to gain that place is certain death for you you are you’re bringing destruction on your own life, you do not want to get out of order, you do not want to get out of sync with the Lord. In fact, both of those times when the men who were looking to climb and manipulate and wanted favor for themselves with David as the new incoming King, that gave him the news of salts debt as if it were good news. There were two men, the one who killed Saul, by being nearby. And the second man who came to declare the news of what he saw on what he did. These men both came to David, why did they do that? Why did they come running to David? Well, first of all, they knew they knew what God was going to be doing and David’s life. And it will be evident to some people around you what God’s going to do in your life. And you’re going to always have those who want to falsely come in and get favor with you in order to climb their own ladder. They’re wanting to shoot ahead, and they see opportunity by taking advantage of your opportunity that God is giving you. And these men came to David, to declare, look, look what I’m giving you I’m giving you these things these this was this crown was Saul’s crown, that I’m giving it to you because you’re you’re going to be king, God told you you’re going to be king. And they came thinking that they’re gonna get favor with David because they’re bringing this good news that guess what your king and look at here, I’ve got stuff to give you I have gifts to give you. And David responded to both of them the same and he killed them instead. His his rebuke of them was Why would you think that you harming God’s anointing, anointed and touching God’s anointed, whatever be okay with me? You trying to promote me for your purpose is what you’re doing. It has nothing to do with me. And you have reached your hand and touch something you should not have touched. And we’ve got to be careful. You allow God it was a key thing and David’s life, he refused to get to gain any position. By his own doing. He refused. He only wanted it if God is the one who gave it to him. Number three, David waited until God had confirmed his word, though he already had the anointing. He didn’t have selfish motives. He didn’t look at this thing that God was going to give him so that David could build his own kingdom. He had no selfish motive.

Do you know how rare that is? But this is the kind of heart that is a heart that is after God, the kind of heart that God can use and put in positions of power, because you don’t have a selfish motive. Let’s look at Second Samuel Five, Verse 12, is a good reason for tech confirmed Him as King over Israel, and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of His people. Israel. David understood that anointing wasn’t enough. God’s timing mattered to this. I mean, this is not I talked about this, in another episode recently, where we with Ruth and Naomi, because you have to understand this is all through Scripture, this point of knowing how to get in the right place at the right time with the right people is critical in your life. It’s critical, it’s critical to critical to success is critical to advancement, it’s critical to flourishing and having victory in your life. You have to do it God’s way. You have to do it in God’s time. And it says he had blessed his kingdom, for the sake of His people, Israel, I don’t know if you’re hearing that. I’m going to read this again, I want you to understand David’s heart in this. David realized that the Lord had confirmed Him as King over Israel, and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of His people, Israel. So what David is saying is I realized God that you put me in this place, not for me, you put me here to make sure these people are cared for these people are your people, and you know that I will care for them. 100% You know what I’ll do to defend them, you know how I will watch protect them. And because of that, I recognize that you have chosen me, to care for your people, not to build David’s kingdom, but to bless God’s people. There has to be a mind shift for us. It can’t be about what I’m going to get from this. It needs to be a it’s a heart issue. But we have to understand that if you want to be the heart that God can use a heart that’s after God’s heart, then you have to know he cares about his people. And what he wants to use you for is for as people, you’ll get blessed. In the meantime, you’ll just get taken care of. It’s Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. You don’t even have to worry about that stuff. God will take care of you and what concerns you. But it’s because you have made his heart, your plan. You have made what matters to God, your priority, that is the heart of a king. Number four, David always ask the Lord for direction and strategy. Second, Samuel 519 says, So David asked the Lord, should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me? The Lord replied to David, yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you. That little verse that I just read that thing happened over and over again, David always asked the Lord, do you want me to do this? Should I fight this battle?

How do you want me to fight this battle? In fact, the one time he didn’t, it was a major downfall for David. The one time he didn’t do that. It was a major downfall. We’re not talking about that today. We’ll talk about that another day. But that is very important. You have to understand that what made David a prosperous, good King, a victorious King over His enemies, was the fact that he would ask God, do I even belong in this battle? And if I do, will I will I have victory? How do you want me to fight this battle? What should I do? And he gained all of his strategies and all of his plans from going to the Lord first, and you’ve got to do the same. Number five, David always gave glory to God for the victory, and didn’t take credit for it himself. Second, Samuel 520 says So David went to Baal pear Zim, and defeated the Philistines there. The Lord did it. David exclaimed. He burst through my enemies like a raging flood. So he named that place bail prepares him, which means the Lord who bursts through David never took credit for the victory. Even if it was his slingshot. He knew it was God carrying that rock. No matter if it was his hand swinging a sword. He knew it was God who brought the victory over his enemy. We’re simply a tool in God’s hands. If you will finally come to a place of realization. It’s not you First of all, it’s freeing because you realize it’s not your responsibility. Your responsibility is simply to obey. But if you’ll do it, if you’ll be the tool in God’s hands, it’s God’s responsibility to bring about the victory. And if you’ll just obey and be that tool, God will do what He has promised he will do and you will see victory in your life.

Do not do you need to burst through something. Is there something I mean, David is saying that his god burst through his enemies for him. We there’s a term used. They call it a breaker anointing, someone who knows how to break through. And if you’re needing breakthrough in your life, I want to encourage you in this thing. The key for David’s breakthrough was that he always asked the Lord the instructions, the key to your break through no matter how long the battle, no matter how tough the battle is, God, do you want me fighting this battle? How do you want me to fight this battle? If you’ll ask him those questions and you’ll obey Him He will bring about and take it upon Himself as the responsible one to make sure that you have the victory. Number six, David learned that regardless if you are praising and dancing before God, that it is obedience and reverence that mean more to God. In Second Samuel six, five to nine, we read the story of uza. It says that they were carrying the ark of the Lord, it says, Ohio, no sorry, Ohio, walked in front of the ark, verse five, David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord. They were singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments, the LIRs the harps, the tambourines, the caston, hits and cymbals. But when they had arrived at the threshing floor of Nathan, the oxen stumbled, and Ooza reached out his hand and studied the ark of God, then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Ooza. And God struck him dead because of this. So Ooza died right there beside the ark of God. David was angry because of the Lord’s anger that had burst out against uza. He named that place, Perez uza, which means to burst out against uza, as it is still today, called David was now afraid of the Lord. And he asked, How can I ever bring the ark of the Lord back into my care.

So you can see the confusion that this brought for David and not understanding and seeing a side of God he had never seen before. David up to this point, had always obeyed God. So he only saw his blessing. So as David did what he usually did, which was to worship God, he was worshiping, he was singing, they were dancing, they were playing instruments to the Lord, they were actually giving praise to the Lord. They were doing on the outside, but looked and seemed like the right thing. But what is so sad is that they didn’t check. These are, these were the Levites, the Levites should have known how this should happen. And no one bothered to look and see, Does God care? How I carry his presence? How he’s to be handled? Do I even care? What I’m supposed to know about? About God about what he wants, how he expects things done? Do I ever go to him and ask him those questions? It’s important that we do, folks. Because what David learned was that God did have a way. You know, there’s that’s why David in so many of the Psalms said, Teach me your waves, ways he realized the ways of God bring blessing. But if you don’t do it God’s way, if you do it your own way. In fact, what I’m not going to take the time to read is that they actually did it the way the Philistines did it, putting it on a cart, it was not God’s way. It was the heathens way. And when you do it, the way of the heathen, you’re not going to get good results, you’re gonna get bad results. We need to do what God has commanded us to do. That means obedience takes precedent.

That’s why we obey the scripture that says it is better to obey than to sacrifice. Obedience matters more to God, more than your worship and your worship isn’t going to produce anything. It’s not the worship, they were worshipping and singing and praising its obedience. Now, the two hand in hand are beautiful combination and produce beautiful results. But you cannot have the one without the other. You’ve got to be able to give the Lord praise. But you have to be doing that while you’re walking in obedience. Number seven, David valued the presence of the Lord as well as understood how it is accompanied by his blessing. His presence assures his blessing. Second Samuel six nine to 12 says David was now afraid of the Lord and he asked how can I ever bring the ark of the Lord back into my care? So David decided not to move the ark of the Lord into the city of day But instead, he took it to the house of Obed Edom, of Gath, the ark of the Lord remain there and obeyed itams house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed Edom and his entire household. Then King David was told the Lord has blessed Obed itams household and everything he has, because everything is blessed because of the ark of God. So David went there, and brought the ark of God from the house of Obed Edom, to the city of David, with a great celebration. So what are we looking at that the presence of God is the most valuable thing? David understood that it was so valuable. And he recognized that the blessing accompanies the presence of God, that even though his initial anger, and in his initial frustration, he left the Ark where it was, he put it aside, the Scripture says, and instead of, he just kind of didn’t know what to do with it.

And you may not know what to do with the presence of God, either. You may attend a church, and they might be worshiping and singing and you’re just kind of standing there not knowing what to do feeling out of place, not knowing how to enter in not knowing what to do with the presence of God, what is this, that I feel? How do I deal with this, but what I want you to understand is there is nothing more valuable than that presence. The presence of God means that he is present to do a work, he’s present to bring a victory He’s present to make a difference. His presence brings the answer His presence is the blessing. And when that Ark was sitting it Obed Edom ‘s house, everything he had became blessed everything. And David, when he heard about it was like, Okay, enough is enough. I got to figure this out, and I’m going to get it. That is what matters, no matter what I have feel, no matter what I’ve gone through, no matter how hard this has been, and what we dealt with no matter what, what happened to Ooza I have got to figure this out. And I’ve got to get the presence of God. And so do you. You need the presence of God in your life. It is where the blessing is located. It’s not going to come from any other source, you need the presence of God in your life. Number eight, David loved to play to please the Lord and to praise the Lord more than the praise and the favor of man. He wanted to please God, and praise God, more than he cared about pleasing men and having man’s favor. Let’s look at Second Samuel 620 through 22. When David returned home to bless his own family, here he is brought the Ark back and he’s wanting to bless his own family, coming with a blessing. Michael, the daughter of Saul, who was his wife came out to meet him. She said in disgust, how distinguished the king of Israel look today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like a vulgar person might do.

David retorted to Michael, I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family. He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord. So I celebrate before the Lord, yes, I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes. But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished. So what do you need to do? You need to learn from this true worship evokes contempt. In those who do not worship in the spirit of truth. You need to you need to know the difference. God will expose who’s around you, he’ll let you know if you’re somebody who is given to worship, given to obedience and doing what pleases the Lord, giving glory to God in every circumstance, and doing it unashamed and 100%. All in, there will be those who criticize you for it. There might be those in your very house, it could even be a spouse, and say that you’re shameful and what you’re doing is disgusting to them. And they might mock and ridicule and tell you that it’s going to cause the very opposite of what you need to happen and malign you and bring accusation against you. But you can know that you don’t listen to that voice. You’re not doing what you’re doing to please man, you are determined to please God first. You care what he thinks first. You’ve made him your priority. You’ve decided he is your God and you are his and you are going to do everything that he’s asked you to do. That you know your calling and your purpose comes from God and God alone. And it is God and God alone who promotes you over or anybody else? He’s the one who lifts up and puts down. It’s not man, it’s God who chooses that.

Number nine, David was the one who did the sacrificing, not those who were under him. It was David who did the blessing. It is from the top down and not the other way around. What do I mean by that? So many think that if you’re the one at the top, you’re the one who now doesn’t have to make any sacrifices that you don’t have to work hard anymore, that you put your time in your dues in and now you get to just live up up in your palace, all high and mighty command and everybody else and not working hard not doing anything wrong. Wrong. The example we have is David still did. He was still the one doing it. He was the one out there sacrificing he was the one out there praising he was the one out there who winning battles. He was the one that the women sang the song Saul has killed us 1000s. But David has killed his 10 1000s David was out there giving it his all worshiping God with his all. Let’s look at Second Samuel 618 and 19. It says when he had finished his sacrifices, David, his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s armies. Then he gave to every Israelite man and woman in in the crowd, everybody who was there, he gave them a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins. So from the blessing that he had his abundance, he gave a blessing. He made the sacrifice, he let it cost him.

He didn’t put that on anybody else. That was his cost his responsibility. He took his responsibility seriously. And he took it upon himself that he had to be the one who brings the who brings the blessing. And you need to be doing that too. That’s on your house. You that’s your responsibility. If you’re going to do it, it’s if you want to be what God has called you to be. You have to be the responsible one. You’re the one who incurs the cost. It’s up to you. You’re the one who gives the blessing. That’s up to you. And number 10, David always dedicated his spoils to the Lord. Second Samuel 911 and 12. King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord as He did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated. So this was his regular practice, from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia and emelec. And from HUD, her daughter, their son of Ray hob, king of zuba. Hope I said that right. In fact, God was so blessed with David, that in Second Samuel eight, the second half of verse 14 says this, he placed Army Garrison throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. In fact, the Lord made David victorious where ever he went, the Lord made him victorious, where ever he went, if you want this next year, to be a year of breakthrough and victory, if you want to see yourself advance, in whatever thing that God has called you to your you don’t want to be stuck where you are anymore. You want to see progress you want fruit to manifest in your life. I encourage you to do these 10 things. If you will do these 10 things, you will see the same kind of results in your life that David had in his life.

Don’t get ahead of God. Give him your everything. Don’t don’t give a little give it all. Praise the Lord obey the Lord. Ask him for his opinion. Make sure you know that you’re doing what he wants you to do. Be someone who gives to God and sacrifices.

First, be the first one to be the one who gives and to bless. Be the one who ignores the naysayers and those who stand against you. Go out there, do what God has called you to do it and do it with all of your heart. Do it with all your mind, your soul, your body and strength. And watch how God brings about a new thing in your life of victory, a blessing that his presence will go before you and be with you to bless you in all of your ways. Father, we thank You for Your Word. We thank you for the instruction of Your Word. We thank you that we can learn and know what it is to abound and be ever abounding in your goodness and in in having you take pleasure in us, using us for Your glory and being blessed by your hand. I pray your favor over your people your strength where they are weak courage into them Father, in the name of Jesus, we pray Amen Amen you may be facing your giants right now but if you will learn how to fight like David fought you will rule like David rules be blessed today consider these things make your plan for the new year and let’s see what God does thank you so much for joining me today we’ll see you next time bye bye.