David: A Covenant Man

May 15, 2008

Dear Friend of Mary Craig Ministries,

Every war has weapons.  Ours are spiritual.  God has given His children spiritual weapons as they wage war against the world, the flesh, and the devil in their personal lives.  In this regard, we are told in scripture to look to the examples of those who have preceded us in the faith.  One such person from whom we can learn is David.

Saul had been chosen by lot in answer to the people’s rejection of God as king over them and in fulfillment of their desires for an earthly king. (1 Samuel 8-10) In 1 Samuel 15 we find out that the Covenant Lord rejected Saul from being king because he had rejected the word of the Lord.  Saul feared the people and obeyed their voice and not God’s commandment. It ended up that Samuel mourned for Saul; and the Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.  Now there would be a change.  God would provide Himself a king.

1.  David was chosen by God and anointed. The Spirit of the Lord came upon and prospered David from that day forward (and turned aside from Saul). Samuel was then ordered to go to Jesse the Bethlehemite for God said, “I have provided me a king among his sons.” (1 Samuel 16.1)  Samuel followed God’s instructions, sanctifying Jesse and his sons and calling them to the sacrifice.  Jesse’s sons passed before Samuel, but the youngest, David, was not among them.  When David finally stood before Samuel, the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him: for this is he.”  Samuel anointed David, and “the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.” (1 Samuel 16.13)

2. David learned to submit to authority; he found favor in Saul’s eyes and ministered to Saul.  An evil spirit from God troubled Saul when the Spirit departed from him.  Saul desired someone who could play an instrument.  By this time, David was being described as “a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.” (1 Samuel 16.18)  David became Saul’s armor-bearer, played the harp to soothe Saul, and submitted to Saul’s authority.

3. The Philistines boldly and confidently thought they would win and set the terms of their fight with Israel.  Israel was on a mountain on one side and the Philistines stood on a mountain on the other side with a valley in between.  Goliath came out to defy the armies of Israel, making Saul and all Israel afraid.  If Goliath got killed, then the Philistines would be servants to the Israelites, and vice versa.

4. David demonstrated obedience. David had returned to tending his father’s sheep. For 40 days the Philistine Goliath presented himself in challenge to the Israelites. David was sent by his father Jesse to take supplies to his brothers that were in the battle trenches.  As David came and saluted his brothers, out came Goliath.  This Goliath was formidable; but David wanted to know what reward was in play for slaying Goliath and taking away the reproach from Israel.

5. David learned of the rewards to the one who smote Goliath, rewards to be given by Saul.  The king would enrich him with great riches and give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.  Then David gives us a great key:

And David said to the men that stood by him, saying,
What shall be done (worked) to the man that kills this
Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel?
For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he
should defy the armies of the living God?
1 Samuel 17.26

6.  David knew he was a covenant man.  He knew the living God.  Goliath had no such guaranteed protection, provision, pity, preservation, peace, and assurance of pursuit of enemies. Goliath came with natural strength.  In defying the armies of Israel, Goliath defied God.  David would come after Goliath in the Name of the Lord of Hosts.

7. David armed himself with the weapons of war.  Saul armed David with his armor, but that armor did not suit David.  David had not proved them and put them off.  Instead, he took his staff and chose five smooth stones out of the brook and put those stones in a shepherd’s bag.  He also took a sling and drew near to Goliath.  His weapons didn’t look like much to Goliath or probably to anyone around.  Goliath cursed David by his gods, but David had the Spirit of the Lord on his side.

You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield:
But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the
God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
This day will the Lord deliver you into my hand; and I will
Smite you, and take your head from you; and I will give
The carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the
Fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that
All the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. (I Samuel 17.45, 46)

8. David came in the name of the Covenant Lord, with weapons of spiritual warfare.

And all this assembly shall know that the Lord
saves not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and
He will give you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17.47)

David was a covenant man, in covenant with the living God.  David’s victory was secured by that relationship and his understanding of this covenant.  Ours is a covenant of grace.  That favor, unmerited, comes because of God’s choosing.  David was appointed, anointed, under authority, obedient to authority, and armed with the weapons of spiritual warfare.  His five smooth stones indicated God’s grace, something God-given, not man-made, and David had proved them.  David was not deterred by Goliath’s prophecy.  David’s words came with the power of the Lord of Hosts. He went to battle with a sense of purpose. He knew he would be victorious; and there was no physical sword in the hand of David.

All spiritual warfare and our victory in it hinges on our understanding of God’s covenant relationship with His people, the people of faith. For us today, that covenant is the Blood Covenant in Jesus Christ.  What enemy can overthrow the living God?  It is Jesus, whose we are and whom we serve.  The battle is the Lord’s, and He gives us the victory.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,
But mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down
Imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against
The knowledge of God, and bringing every thought
Captive to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10.4, 5

In June we will be sponsoring another Barnabas Project distribution in the South Florida area.  Many families are finding themselves homeless or close to homeless because of the mortgage foreclosure crisis.  Our distribution will be accompanying a food distribution to these needy folks.  Please help us with your contributions to Mary Craig Ministries targeted:  Barnabas Project.  We especially need children’s items, school supplies, money for new socks and children’s underwear, book bags, etc.  If you’re in our area, you can drop items off at Craighouse®.  If not, please consider sending a donation or even a gift card for Wal-Mart or Target.  And thanks for reaching out to those in need of your caring hearts.

A team is preparing to go into Israel, Egypt, and Jordan sometime in November. We have the call, the commission, the commandments (our orders), and God’s commitment. We have received about one-third of the funds we need.  Help us go! 

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That all the earth may know,

Mary Craig

P.S. Go to www.marycraig.org. Order books from our Catalog section, using PayPal Worship with us 4:30 p.m. Sundays. Grow and flourish in small group ministry at Craighouse®, located in the Pompano Plaza at 114 E. McNab Road, Pompano Beach, FL 33060. Log on to www.craighouse.org for a map and more events and Bible studies. New studies include “Heaven: Beyond the Horizon” and “The Tabernacle: How to Enter the Holy of Holies and Establish God’s Presence in Your Life.” Reach MCM at 954-491-7270. Send in your prayer requests.  Mary Craig Ministries, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Federal ID 65-0429517.

Thus says the Lord unto you,
Be not afraid nor be dismayed by reason of this great multitude;
For the battle is not yours, but God’s…
You shall not need to fight in this battle:
Take your position, stand firm, and
See the salvation of the Lord with you… (2 Chronicles 20.15, 17)

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