1 Samuel 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. But David found strength in the LORD his God. Psalm 21:1 [ For the director of music. A psalm of David. ] O LORD, the king rejoices in your strength. How great is his joy in the victories you give! Defeated bear, lion, Goliath 1 Samuel 17:3335 (New International Version) 33 Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. The Life of David – Arthur Pink 1.
Spent time with God hearing and praying (lay down in green pastures, still waters)
2. 3.
David overcame (subdued) his enemies
4.
5.
6.
Before we can engage our spiritual enemies we must first spend time with God: then we can be strengthened through our conflicts. Being able subdue our enemies/problems can only be done (with any degree of success) when we are renewed by the Spirit by reading and studying the Word (2 Sam. 7:417) and through prayer (2 Sam. 7:1829)—the main ways to communicate with God. David had to subdue the Philistines and capture Gath before Israel could gain full possession of their rights, their promise land. In the same way, there are sins in our life that keep us from fully exercising the blessings of God in our life. We have to subdue those in order to be fully blessed. “Israel had a valid title to the land of Canaan: it was theirs by the gift of God. But enemies sought to prevent their occupation of it: and enemies seek to hinder the Christian from faith’s appropriation and enjoyment of his "inheritance." And what are those enemies? Chiefly, the lusts of the flesh, sinful habits, evil ways. Faith cannot be in healthy exercise while we yield to the lusts of the flesh.” David used his "rest," and by doing so new strength was obtained for further conflicts.