A Heart after God
"So David went to Ba'al-P'ratzim and defeated them there. He said, 'ADONAI has broken through my enemies for me like a river breaking through its banks.' This is why he called the place Ba'al-P'ratzim [Lord of breaking through]." (2 Samuel 5:20 CJB)
This is just so good! I just love when I am reading and studying the Word and something hits me like a bolt of lightening and a jolt of thunder. David had become the king of Israel after Saul's unfortunate and early death. David had been through so much in his life, from single-handedly killing ferocious predators when he was a shepherd boy to fighting in battle after battle. He not only fought for Israel, but fought against Israel's king (not by choice, but out of self-defense), who was so mentally deranged that he tried to kill David numerous times. King Saul had his warriors pursue David to the point where David had to hide and live in caves.
But, David's heart pleased the Lord. Unlike Saul, David had a heart after God, and God knew his innermost thoughts and intentions.
It amazes me that even after Saul lied to David and gave his oldest daughter to another man after he had promised her to David, David still kept his integrity and prospered. Even after Saul was so mentally disturbed and behaved like a raving mad man, David played his harp before Saul and soothed his spirit. Even after Saul mercilessly pursued David for the sole purpose of killing him (who at this point was his son-in-law, after taking Michal as his wife), David did not take his multiple opportunities to kill Saul. David honored God by honoring the king of Israel, even though he was severely flawed and personally out to kill him. (Photo via Picryl)
David showed extreme honor when his men could have sought revenge for David, but David would not allow it. In the end, the heart posture of David could not help but be joined with the Lord. He lived with restraint and honor.
The Philistines were a huge source of problems for the Israelites. David battled them on more than one occasion. After David was anointed king of Israel, the Philistines assembled again to fight Israel. David, with his heart toward the Lord, didn't lean on his own direction, but he inquired of the Lord what to do.
"...'Should I attack the P'lishtim (Philistines)? Will You hand them over to me?' ADONAI answered David, 'Attack; I will certainly hand the P'lishtim over to you'" (2 Samuel 5:19 CJB, parenthesis mine).
In the face of another attack, just as David ascended to the throne, David sought and heard from the Lord. So, he attacked the enemy and knew that according to the WORD of the Lord, he would be victorious.
How Is Your Heart?
How is your heart? I have a friend who asks me this in our conversations, and now I ask her the same. What we mean is how is your heart posture? Is it toward God? Is it toward your work? Is it toward your bills, hoping that you can pay them? Is it toward worry or a health problem? There are a lot of directions our hearts can face. But, like a sunflower that follows the sun as it moves in the sky, our hearts should be constantly in a position TOWARD the Lord.
That day, David saw again the fierce love that the Lord had toward him in the victory on that savage battlefield. The passage goes on to say, "So David went to Ba'al-P'ratzim and defeated them there. He said, 'ADONAI has broken through my enemies for me like a river breaking through its banks.' This is why he called the place Ba'al-P'ratzim [Lord of breaking through]" (2 Samuel 5:20 CJB). (Photo via Pexels)
The Lord of Breaking Through
Just like rivers have boundaries, walls exist in our faith walk. But, because we walk with the Lord, boundaries and walls and enemies are subject to THE ONE with whom we walk. He is not only our Savior, our Friend, the Lover of our souls (and more than I can name here), He is also the Lord. That means He has power, dominion, and influence over something – everything – when we yield our hearts to Him. This day, He proved Himself to be THE LORD OF BREAKING THROUGH. He didn't just break through in the past. He isn't just going to break through in the future. He IS. He is the I AM. He is NOW BREAKING THROUGH... continuously, always present, and in our favor.
If you have a thick, impenetrable wall of the enemy glaring at you, set your heart toward the Lord. Inquire of Him and He will answer, "I AM LORD OF YOUR 'BREAKING THROUGH'!"
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Crystal G.H. Lowery
Based On Faith
Email:Â click here
Website:Â www.basedonfaith.org
Crystal G.H. Lowery is a Christian estate planning attorney and is the owner and founding attorney of Law Office of Crystal G.H. Lowery, LLC. Crystal is also an author as well as the founder of Based on Faith, an organization whose vision is to become an international resource that increases biblical knowledge of faith within the Body of Christ through comprehensive teaching, discussion of law, and the prophetic.
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