Finish Strong: Embrace Faith and Pursue Restoration

Devotional

Day 1: Encourage Yourself in the Lord

When life leaves you standing in the ashes of disappointment, heartbreak, or loss, you may find yourself surrounded by discouragement—even from those closest to you. Yet, like David at Ziklag, you are called to encourage yourself in the Lord your God. This means turning your focus from the pain and confusion around you to the unchanging faithfulness of God, drawing strength from His promises even when you feel alone. In those moments, let your praise and prayer become your lifeline, reminding you that God is still with you and has not forgotten His word over your life. [11:49]

1 Samuel 30:6 (NKJV)
"Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."

Reflection: When you feel overwhelmed or alone, what is one specific way you can encourage yourself in the Lord today—through prayer, worship, or recalling a promise from God?

Day 2: Pursue, Overtake, and Recover All

God’s response to David’s prayer was not just permission to act, but a promise of victory and full restoration. When you face setbacks or losses, God calls you to stop replaying the pain and start pursuing His promises with faith and action. Refuse to settle for less than what God has spoken over your life; step forward, trusting that as you pursue, God will empower you to overtake what seemed lost and recover all that the enemy tried to steal. [12:18]

1 Samuel 30:8 (NKJV)
"So David inquired of the Lord, saying, 'Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?' And He answered him, 'Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.'"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have been tempted to give up or settle for less—how can you actively pursue God’s promise in that area this week?

Day 3: Trust God for Divine Acceleration

God not only restores but accelerates—He can move so quickly in your situation that what was lost over years can be restored in moments. Just as David caught up with the Amalekites and recovered everything, God is able to give you “catch up speed,” turning things around so fast that your head will swim. Trust that God’s timing is not limited by your calendar, and believe that He can bring sudden breakthroughs and favor when you step out in faith. [30:43]

Amos 9:13 (MSG)
"Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” God’s Decree. “Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings!"

Reflection: Where have you been waiting for God to move? Ask God to give you faith to expect His acceleration, and write down one area where you are believing for a sudden turnaround.

Day 4: Refuse to Settle for Partial Victory

God’s desire is not for you to limp into the finish line with only a portion of what He promised, but to finish strong with nothing missing. Like David, who recovered everything that was taken, you are called to press on until you see full restoration. Don’t accept partial blessings or incomplete victories—God’s grace is sufficient for you to finish well, with every promise fulfilled and every loss restored. [35:33]

1 Samuel 30:18-19 (NKJV)
"So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all."

Reflection: Is there a promise or dream you have stopped believing for because you only saw partial results? What would it look like to trust God for full restoration?

Day 5: Faith Moves Forward Even While the Tears Fall

Even in seasons of grief, exhaustion, or unanswered prayers, faith is not passive—it moves forward, trusting God’s word above circumstances. David wept until he had no more strength, but he still chose to seek God and act on His direction. You may be in a valley, but God invites you to lift your eyes, encourage yourself, and keep moving toward His promise, knowing that He is with you every step of the way. [28:03]

Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)
"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to take a step of faith today, even if you are still hurting or waiting for breakthrough? What is one action you can take to move forward?

Sermon Summary

Today’s word is a call to finish strong, no matter how far behind you may feel or how heavy the year has been. As we enter the last quarter of the year, it’s easy to look at the scoreboard of our lives and see only setbacks, disappointments, and prayers that seem unanswered. But just as LeBron James led the Lakers to an impossible comeback in the fourth quarter, God is calling us to rise up in faith and refuse to give up, even when the odds are stacked against us. This is the season to “run it back”—to go after what God has promised, to pursue restoration, and to believe that it’s not too late for a turnaround.

David’s story in 1 Samuel 30 is a powerful example. After suffering devastating loss at Ziklag, with his home burned and his loved ones taken, David found himself at his lowest. Even those closest to him turned against him. Yet, instead of settling in his sorrow, David encouraged himself in the Lord. He sought God’s direction, and God told him to pursue, overtake, and recover all. This wasn’t just permission to try again—it was a promise of divine acceleration and full restoration. God didn’t just allow David to catch up; He made sure nothing was missing when the victory was won.

The challenge is clear: don’t settle for partial victories or unfinished dreams. Don’t replay the losses or let grief and fatigue keep you from moving forward. God specializes in comebacks. He gives grace to finish, strength to pursue, and favor to recover everything the enemy has stolen. The promise is not just for survival, but for restoration—nothing missing, nothing broken. As we step into this final quarter, let faith rise. Refuse to settle. Pursue what God has spoken over your life, and trust that He will accelerate the blessing. It’s time to run it back and finish strong.

Key Takeaways

1. Encourage Yourself in the Lord When Others Turn Away In moments of deep loss and isolation, when even those closest to you seem to turn their backs, the ability to encourage yourself in the Lord becomes essential. David’s strength didn’t come from external support, but from an internal resolve rooted in God’s faithfulness. This kind of encouragement is not denial of pain, but a declaration that God’s promise is greater than present circumstances. When you have no one else to lean on, lean into God and let His word lift you up. [22:36]
2. Faith Moves Forward Even While Tears Are Falling Grief and disappointment are real, but they are not the end of the story. David and his men wept until they had no more strength, yet faith compelled David to rise and seek God’s direction. True faith is not the absence of sorrow, but the courage to move forward in the midst of it. Sometimes, the greatest acts of faith happen while the tears are still fresh. [23:44]
3. You Cannot Recover What You Refuse to Pursue God’s promise to David was clear: pursue, overtake, and recover all. But the promise required action—David had to get up from the ashes and go after what was lost. Many times, we settle for less because we stop short of pursuit, content with partial restoration. God calls us to active faith, to chase after His promises, and to refuse to settle for anything less than full recovery. [28:28]
4. God Grants Divine Acceleration for Catch-Up and Restoration When God told David to pursue, He also promised that David would overtake the enemy and recover everything. This is the acceleration of favor—God’s ability to make up for lost time and restore what seemed irretrievable. Divine acceleration means that what took years to lose can be restored in a moment by God’s hand. Trust that God can move faster than your setbacks. [30:43]
5. Grace to Finish Means Nothing Missing, Nothing Broken God’s restoration is not partial; it is complete. When David recovered all, nothing was missing—not a person, not a possession. This is the grace to finish strong: to come through the battle with everything God intended for you, whole and restored. Don’t settle for fragments when God’s promise is fullness—press on until you see the evidence of “nothing missing.”

** [35:33]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[05:26] - Call to Praise and Thanksgiving
[07:03] - Opening Prayer
[08:13] - The Power of the Fourth Quarter
[09:22] - When Life Feels Like You’re Losing
[10:40] - The Call to Finish Strong
[11:20] - David’s Distress at Ziklag
[13:05] - What It Means to “Run It Back”
[16:07] - David’s Journey Between Promise and Fulfillment
[18:54] - The Devastation at Ziklag
[22:36] - Encouraging Yourself in the Lord
[23:44] - Faith in the Midst of Tears
[28:28] - The Pursuit of Restoration
[30:43] - Divine Acceleration and Favor
[35:33] - Grace to Finish with Nothing Missing
[47:25] - God Is Turning It Around
[52:10] - Holy Communion
[58:51] - Seed Giving and Invitation
[60:02] - Announcements and Dismissal

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1 Samuel 30:6-8, 18-20 (ESV) —
> 6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
> 7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
> 8 And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.”
> ...
> 18 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives.
> 19 Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all.
> 20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, “This is David’s spoil.”

Observation Questions

According to 1 Samuel 30:6, what was David’s emotional state when he returned to Ziklag, and how did the people around him respond to the crisis?
What specific actions did David take after encouraging himself in the Lord? (see verses 7-8)
In the sermon, what does the phrase “run it back” mean, and how does it connect to David’s story? [[13:05]]
What was the outcome of David’s pursuit according to verses 18-20? Was anything left unrecovered?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think David’s men turned against him in their grief, and what does this reveal about leadership during times of crisis? [[22:36]]
The sermon says, “Faith moves forward even while the tears are still falling.” What does this suggest about the relationship between faith and grief? [[23:44]]
The message emphasizes that “you cannot recover what you refuse to pursue.” What does this mean in the context of David’s story, and how might it apply to our own lives? [[28:28]]
The idea of “divine acceleration” is mentioned in the sermon. What does this mean, and how did David experience it? [[30:43]]

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to “encourage yourself in the Lord when others turn away.” When was the last time you had to encourage yourself because no one else was there? What did you do, and what could you do differently next time? [[22:36]]
David and his men “wept until they had no more strength.” Is there an area in your life where you feel stuck in grief or disappointment? What would it look like to take a step of faith even while you’re still hurting? [[23:44]]
Are there any dreams, goals, or prayers you’ve given up on this year because you felt too far behind? What would it mean for you to “run it back” and pursue them again? [[10:40]]
The sermon says, “You cannot recover what you refuse to pursue.” Is there something God is prompting you to go after again, even if it feels risky or exhausting? What’s holding you back? [[28:28]]
The idea of “divine acceleration” means God can restore what was lost faster than we expect. Can you think of a time when God made up for lost time in your life? If not, is there an area where you need to trust Him for this kind of restoration? [[30:43]]
The message says, “Don’t settle for partial victories or unfinished dreams.” Are there places in your life where you’ve settled for less than what God promised? What would it look like to press on until you see “nothing missing, nothing broken”? [[35:33]]
As we enter the last quarter of the year, what is one specific way you can finish strong in your faith, family, or calling? Who can you ask to pray with you or hold you accountable? [[10:40]]

Sermon Clips

Maybe you started a year with a vision board full of goals to get healthier, save more, start the business, finish school. But you hit roadblocks instead of breakthroughs. Some of you are believing God for healing. But the doctor's report still hasn't changed. Some have buried a loved one this year. And if it felt like grief stole your joy, some have been praying for a child to come home, a marriage to turn around, a door to open. But instead, you find closed doors, unanswered calls and sleepless nights. And a few of you, few of us are just plain tired. Tired of fighting the same habits. Tired of juggling bills, tired of smiling on the outside while battling anxiety on the inside. And if that's you, I came to tell you, you may feel like you're down, but you're not out. Because the word of the Lord for this season is finish strong. [00:09:35] (54 seconds) #FinishStrongSeason

To run it back is an expression that started on playgrounds and in locker rooms. It could mean that what we did the first time went so well that we decided to play that play again. But it also means that when somebody missed a shot, when somebody fumbled the ball, when somebody felt like that's not how the game was supposed to go. In other words, give me another chance because I'm not done yet. It's what the Hoopers yell after a pickup game. It's what the Kids say when they want another turn on the field. It's what you declare when you're not satisfied with how things ended so you decide to start over. Go back after the wind and I came to tell somebody this morning that God specializes in running backs. [00:13:05] (53 seconds) #RunItBackAgain

God said it between and between. God did it. You heard it, but you don't see it. Show up in your hands. And that's the space where faith is stretched. It's the place where patience feels heavy. Up in the in between, because God's promise still stands. [00:17:04] (36 seconds) #FaithInTheInBetween

Let me say it again. You cannot recover what you refuse to pursue. See the promise fulfilled. Pursuit is only the first step. Because when David gets up from the ashes, God responds. And I love how God responds. He says, pursue, for you shall surely overtake them. But this is my favorite part of God's response. After him, God added a promise to him. He says, you will Surely overtake them. And without fail, recover all. [00:28:28] (66 seconds) #PursueThePromise

``God didn't just give David the power to pursue. He didn't just grant him catch up speed and divine acceleration. God made sure that the story didn't end with partial victory. Because the truth is, some of us are okay with partial victory. When David finally caught up to the Amalekites, the Bible says he recovered everything that was taken. Not some of it, not most of it. That's the kind of God we serve. He won't just let you get there fast. He'll make sure you, you finish with nothing missing. [00:34:18] (49 seconds) #FinishWithNothingMissing

You can't just sit there waiting for God to do something. I've told you time and time again, faith is in action. And here he says, pursue. You have to go over and pursue what God promised you. Oftentimes we sit there and want the promise to fall in our lap. And God is saying, you have to go get your promise. You got pursue, you got to chase after. And when you pursue, and I love how God says overtake. Because the Amalekites had already came, spent some time, burned everything down, gathered the children, the livestock, and they're well on their way. But God allows them to catch up. Overtake them, and guess what? You'll recover all. Stop settling for partial promises. Stop settling for partial blessings. God has more in store for you. But you gotta pursue, overtake and recover. [00:45:53] (87 seconds) #GodIsTurningItAround

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