Strategic and Unlikely Destiny Partners II Pastor 'Tunde Bakare

Strategic and unlikely destiny partners take shape as God’s way of making a person’s calling bigger than personal capacity so that others must partake in it. Jonathan and Michal show how God plants loyalty where it makes no sense, turning hearts that should belong to an enemy into shields that love, defend, and protect “come rain or shine.” David’s “diamond in the mud,” the 400 distressed, indebted, and discontented men, display a second stream: in raising others, destiny raises the one who serves them. The nameless become mighty, and the one who disciples them receives a kingdom back from their transformed hands. Abigail’s counsel stands as God’s brake on vengeance. Her wisdom arrests a blade before it boomerangs; her intercession gives God room to vindicate. The word “walk away” reads not as weakness but as operating on a higher level, letting “vengeance is mine” belong to the Lord.

Helpers in the war and helpers in the crash make up a fourth stream. When the house of Saul and the house of David war continually, God sends “helpers in war,” skilled, structured, and resourced, so that “others have labored, you enter into their harvest.” When Absalom throws a king out barefoot and dusted, God also sends the Barzilais of life who bring beds, basins, bread, and courage, proving that woe belongs to the one who falls alone. In between, long-distance refreshers like Onesiphorus chase chains, not platforms, and refuse to be ashamed of affliction. The fifth stream looks most unlikely of all: an abandoned, half-dead Egyptian slave becomes the key that opens “pursue, overtake, and recover all.” Scripture already had his protection written down. Mercy to the weak turned into intelligence for victory.

A timely warning runs alongside these helps. Opportunistic pretenders bring trophies they did not earn and demand a seat they should never hold. The Amalekite with a crown, the sons of Rimmon with a severed head, Ziba with slander riding provision, all prove that flattery can be a time bomb. Worse still, false brethren creep in with cancerous words, trading liberty for bondage, spreading offenses as prayer points, resisting truth like Jannes and Jambres. Yet God remains just. If a person is troubled unjustly, He repays with tribulation those who trouble them and grants rest to the afflicted. Therefore discernment is non-negotiable: bless enemies, pray mercy, refuse retaliation, and ask God to open the eyes to both the helpers and the green snakes under green grass.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Destiny needs unlikely partners God often wires help into places that look unimpressive, inconvenient, or even hostile. The packaging may offend, but the key to recovery may sit in that unlikely hand. Mercy toward the weak can become intelligence for victory. Discernment feeds those who faint, then follows their lead. [39:41]
• 2. Raise others to raise you The “diamond in the mud” becomes a mighty man when someone carries him long enough to find his name. Destiny multiplies through discipleship, and those transformed lives, in time, hand back the kingdom they helped build. Ignore the ragtag and a person kicks his own ladder. [07:18]
• 3. Let counsel quench vengeance Abigail’s wisdom stops a sword before it returns as a boomerang. God keeps vindication in His hand, and restraint keeps a person from striking a rock when God only asked for a word. Walking away is not cowardice; it is trust that justice belongs to the Lord. [11:29]
• 4. Expect help in war and fall God sends “helpers in war” when structure and strength are required, then “helpers in the crash” when shame and dust cover the crown. Supply lines, loyal hearts, and quiet networks prove that a king does not stand alone. Woe belongs to the one who falls without such friends. [27:12]
• 5. Discern pretenders and false brethren Opportunists bring crowns and heads to buy influence, while false brethren spread offense like cancer and resist the truth. Flattery is not loyalty, and access is not covenant. Guard the gates, yield no ground to bondage, and let God repay trouble with His justice. [57:26]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:16] - Defining strategic and unlikely partners
• [03:53] - Loyalty from an enemy’s house
• [06:30] - Diamonds in the mud become mighty
• [10:58] - Abigail’s counsel halts vengeance
• [13:03] - Walking away and trusting God
• [17:11] - Helpers in war and structure
• [21:26] - Provision lines and joy in Israel
• [26:30] - Exile under Absalom and true friends
• [33:05] - Onesiphorus, long-distance refresher
• [38:04] - The abandoned Egyptian and recovery
• [44:11] - God’s law for the escaped slave
• [45:06] - “Mosquito” and the danger of despising
• [48:32] - Iyabo’s theft and a spared life
• [51:44] - Warning about opportunistic pretenders
• [57:26] - Catalog of false brethren
• [77:27] - God repays those who trouble you
• [80:54] - Loyal bands through thick and thin
• [82:01] - Prayers for mercy and discernment

1. In 1 Samuel 25, Abigail intervenes to stop David’s vengeance. What specific actions did she take to redirect David’s anger, and what was the outcome?
2. The sermon describes David’s 400 men as "diamonds in the mud" who later became mighty warriors. What does 1 Chronicles 11:10-24 reveal about their transformation?
3. According to Deuteronomy 23:15-16, how were escaped slaves to be treated, and how did this law directly impact David’s recovery of all he lost at Ziklag?
4. The pastor shared a personal story about a house helper who stole money but later became an unlikely key to his survival. What practical lesson does this illustrate about mercy? [51:11]

1. Why does God often use people who seem weak, hostile, or insignificant (like the Egyptian slave or distressed soldiers) as instruments for victory? How does this reflect His character?
2. The sermon warns that "flattery is not loyalty." How did the Amalekite’s false claim about killing Saul (2 Samuel 1) reveal the danger of opportunistic pretenders?
3. Abigail’s counsel stopped David’s vengeance, but what might have happened if David had ignored her? How does Proverbs 12:15 (“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes”) apply here?
4. In 2 Timothy 1:16-18, Onesiphorus “refreshed” Paul despite his chains. Why is loyalty during adversity so critical to fulfilling God’s purposes?

1. Who in your life has shown unexpected loyalty or support, even when it didn’t make sense? How can you intentionally honor or learn from their example this week?
2. The sermon emphasizes walking away from retaliation as “operating on a higher level.” [13:03] When have you struggled to trust God’s justice instead of taking matters into your own hands? What practical step can you take to release a situation to Him?
3. Reflect on a time when someone you initially overlooked (or even dismissed) became a source of help or wisdom. How might this change how you view people God places in your path?
4. The pastor warned about false brethren who “spread offense like cancer.” [57:26] How can you cultivate discernment to recognize unhealthy influences without becoming cynical?
5. David’s mercy to the Egyptian slave led to victory. Is there someone in your life—a “weak” or marginalized person—whom God might be calling you to serve, even if it seems inconvenient?
6. The Barzillais brought practical help (beds, food) during David’s exile. [27:12] Who in your community is facing a “crash” moment, and how can you tangibly support them this month?
7. Prayers for mercy on enemies were emphasized. [22:01] Is there a relationship where you need to replace resentment with intercession? Write down one way to actively bless that person.