David recovered all: How to overcome life challenges and crisis situations

By Babatope Babalobi

Read 1 Samuel 30, This is the story of how Amalekites took the wives, children, and properties of David captive, and ran away with them; but David was able to recover all after God encouraged him to pursue them. There are several lessons from this epic story

1. ‘they slew not any’– verse 2. God still intervenes when the enemy attacks you. God did not allow the Amalekites to kill the wives and children of David. They merely took them captive. If the Amalekites have killed all the inhabitants of Ziklag when they attacked the city, David would have come and find all members of his household dead. David was able to rescue his household taken captive, because they were still alive, as God restrained the Amalekites from killing them.
2. ‘They David and the people that were with him wept……until they had no more power to weep’– verse 4. If you are in crisis situation, weeping or crying does not solve your problems, it can only increase your blood pressure making you depressed and hypertensive. David and his people almost wept themselves to death, but this did not bring back the people taken captives. Weeping glories Satan, not God
3. ‘David was distressed, grieved, and was about to be stoned to death’– verse 6. Are you presently grieved, depressed, and on the verge of committing suicide? David was in a similar situation, but he was able to overcome this. If you follow the steps of David, you shall surely overcome your present grief, depression, and anxieties in Jesus name.
4. ‘But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God’- verse 6. In whom are you encouraging yourself, when you are in crisis- false prophets, your riches, friends, wisdom, or power? David looked up to the God of heavens when he was in crisis. The first step you need to take to overcome your crisis, is to hand over the burden to the burden bearer and crisis solver.
5. ‘But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God’- verse 6. David could encouraged himself in the Lord because he had a relationship with God. He was a child of God, and ran to his father for help in trouble. If you are not a child of God, your father would not listen to you in trouble. Another step you need to take to overcome your afflictions and crisis situations is to become a born again Christian. When you surrender your life to God, it includes your burdens, yokes, challenges, crisis, and difficulties.
6. ‘And David enquired of the Lord’- verse 8. Another secret of overcoming crises is seeking the face of God. The Holy Spirit is the revealer of secrets and knows both the causes of your problems as well as the solutions. You need to enquire from the Lord the way out of your problems. David was able to overcome because, God told him the way out.
7. And David enquired of the Lord’- verse 8. It goes without saying that before you can enquire of the Lord, you should have a relationship with God.  God would not respond to your prayers, unless  you are not walking in righteousness. God keeps silent when several people call to him in troubles, because their hands are full of sin and iniquities. The days of trouble shall surely come, from time to time, but you need to walk with God always to be able to overcome these evil days through divine guidance.
8. ‘Pursue, for thou shall surely overtake them, and without fail recover all’ verse 8. Another lesson form this story is that you must be willing to PURSUE if you wish to overcome your problems. Many of us are docile, lazy, fatalistic, and fearful. David pursued his enemies, fought them, overcame them, and recovered all. If he did not pursue, he would not have overtaken. If he did not overtake, he would not have recovered. Depending on your circumstances, the act of pursuing may be different from what David did. But you need to take steps to move forward. You need to challenge powers that are oppressing you. You need to fight to recover your lost fortunes. Restoration may not fall on your laps unless you engage in a divine fight.
9. ‘Pursue, for thou shall surely overtake them, and without fail recover all’- verse 8. God words are true. God is faithful. God does not lie, He does not fail, and He is sure. Just as God promised, God recovered all as stated later in verse 18 and 19 of this passage. If God has promised you, hold on to His promises in faith, they shall surely come to pass in Jesus name.
10. ‘But David pursued’ – verse 10. God told David to pursue. David obeyed and pursued. Therefore obedience to divine instruction, when it looks irrational is also another principle of divine restoration. What has the Holy Spirit told you to do that you have refused to do out of fear or procrastination? You miracle is in obedience.
11. ‘And they found an Egyptian in the field, and they brought him to David’- verse 11. God has positioned someone to guide you out of your problems, as you take steps, your divine helpers will manifest in Jesus name. David never knew the way the Amalekites went. He never knew their route. He simply pursued out of blind obedience. Then help came from heaven. He met an abandoned slave from the camp of the enemy who showed him the way. Help is on your way as you take steps to come out of your crises. God shall show you the way, when there seems to be no way.
12. ‘And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs’ – verse 12. Be nice to strangers, as your deliverance may be wrought through them. David’s camp never knew who the Egyptian abandoned in the field was, and yet they treated him nicely. Several other people might have passed by him, thinking he is an unnecessary distraction and nuisance. Alas, he held the key to the way forward in David pursuit of his enemies. Your love for your neighbors and strangers may determine your deliverance.
13. ‘I am a young man of Egypt, servant of an Amalekite, and my master left me because there days agone I fell sick– verse 13. That was the mistake of the enemies of David, which turned to be their nemesis. As the abandoned stranger led David to the camp of his enemies. Your enemies will always make a mistake that will lead to their downfall. Stop weeping. Pray to God to open your eyes to see the mistakes of your enemies.
14. ‘And David recovered all’ –verse 18. David recovered all the enemies stole from him. You can recover all if you follow the principles of David. You can recover your marital joy, your job, finances, health, and most importantly your salvation in Jesus name.