And David Perceived Part 2
“Satan’s strategy is to steal our identity in order to stop our assignments, because our assignments will crush him and set people free who are presently being held by his darkness.”
87% of the church doesn’t know their God-given purpose because 87% of the church doesn’t know their God-given identity.
2 Samuel 5:12 [KJV], “And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel’s sake.”
2 Samuel 5:1-12 [NLT, KJV], Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led Israel out [to war] and brought Israel in [from battle]. And the Lord told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’” 3 So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders (tribal leaders) of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. 5 He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years. 6 David then led his men to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. The Jebusites taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame [the weakest among us] could keep you out!” For the Jebusites thought they were safe [because their walls were impenetrable]. 7 But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David. …9 So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. And he built all around [the surrounding area] [extended the city]… 10 And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him. 11 Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace. 12 And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel’s sake.”
Five Temptations David Faced:
1. The People
2 Samuel 5:1, Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood.”
These words carry “expectations!”
People expect us to become WHO they want us to be.
We need to understand…
1). It is impossible to make everyone happy.
2). Everyone isn’t going to like you.
“The goal is for us to know WHO we are in Him, not WHO we are in them.”
To be consumed with the approval of man, is to be consumed with the fear of man.
Proverbs 29:25 [AMP], The fear of man [intimidation] brings a snare, but whoever trusts in and puts his confidence in the Lord will be exalted and [kept] safe.
1 Samuel 15:24-28 [NLT], Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded. …26 But Samuel replied, “Since you have rejected the Lord’s command, he has rejected you as king of Israel.” 27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul tried to hold him back and tore the hem of his robe. 28 And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you.”
2. The Past
2 Samuel 5:1-2 [NLT, KJV], Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led Israel out [to war] and brought Israel in [from battle].
Philippians 3:13-14 [NLT], No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…
“Let it go! It is time to move forward. I’ve got too big of plans for you to stay in your PAST.”
3. The Anointing
2 Samuel 5:3, So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders (tribal leaders) of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.
Each time God anointed David, it represented God’s elevation in David’s life that he could not have naturally obtained by the flesh.
Exodus 31:1-5 [NLT], Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. 4 He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. 5 He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft!
“God will never anoint us to prove who we are, instead He anoints us to prove who He is.”
4. The Victories
2 Samuel 5:6-7, David then led his men to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites… The Jebusites taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!” For the Jebusites thought they were safe. 7 But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.
What happens when the battle is over?
5. The Assignment
2 Samuel 5:9-10, So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. And he built all around [the surrounding area]… 10 And David became more and more powerful…
Even though our assignments can reveal our identity, they were never meant to become the source of our identity.
“If our identity is in our work, rather than Christ, success will go to our heads, and failure will go to our hearts. Therefore, as believers our work should no longer be the source of our identity, but the rightful expression of it.”
6. The King
2 Samuel 5:10-12, And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him. 11 Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace. 12 And David perceived [unlocked] that the Lord had established him king over Israel…