Trusting God Amidst Fear: Lessons from David
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into the story of David from 1 Samuel 21:10-14 and Psalm 56, exploring the profound lessons we can learn from his experiences. David, in a moment of desperation, fled to Gath, enemy territory, to escape Saul's relentless pursuit. This act of desperation led him to feign madness to save his life. Despite his fear and the constant threat from his enemies, David's response was to cry out to God, seeking His grace and protection. Psalm 56 captures David's heartfelt plea and his unwavering trust in God amidst his trials.
David's story teaches us that it is okay to feel fear and to admit it. Fear is a natural human emotion, but what matters is how we respond to it. David chose to take his fears to God, demonstrating humility and dependence on the Lord. He acknowledged his fear but placed his trust in God, knowing that man is powerless compared to the Almighty. This trust in God is crucial, especially when facing relentless enemies or overwhelming circumstances. David's example shows us that we can rely on God to fight our battles and deliver us from our adversaries.
Moreover, David's confidence in God's deliverance was so strong that he praised God in advance, even before seeing the outcome. This act of faith, praising God on credit, is a powerful reminder for us to keep our "receipts" of God's past faithfulness. By remembering how God has delivered us in the past, we can trust Him to deliver us in the future. David's story encourages us to trust in God's timing and to remain steadfast in our faith, knowing that God is for us, remembers our suffering, and will ultimately deliver us.
### Key Takeaways
1. God Cares About Our Fears:
David's humility in admitting his fear and seeking God's help teaches us that it is not a sin to be afraid. Instead, it is an opportunity to show our dependence on God. We should not act tough or pretend we are not scared; rather, we should take our fears to God, who cares deeply about our struggles and is ready to help us. [53:27]
2. God Wants Our Trust:
Trusting God with our fears is essential. David's trust in God, despite his dire circumstances, shows us that we can rely on God to handle our fears and challenges. By meditating on scriptures and remembering God's past faithfulness, we can strengthen our trust in Him and find peace amidst our fears. [57:37]
3. God is For Us:
Knowing that God is on our side gives us the confidence to face any challenge. David's assurance that God was for him, even while he was on the run, reminds us that we are not alone. God is with us, fighting our battles and working on our behalf, even when we cannot see it. [01:04:24]
4. God Remembers Our Suffering:
God's remembrance of our suffering is not just a record but a promise to act on our behalf. Just as God remembered Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah, He remembers our struggles and will bring forth healing and deliverance. This assurance helps us to trust in God's timing and His plan for our lives. [01:08:45]
5. God Will Deliver Us:
David's confidence in God's deliverance, even before it happened, teaches us to praise God on credit. By keeping our "receipts" of God's past faithfulness, we can trust Him to deliver us from our current challenges. This faith in God's deliverance allows us to live in the freedom He has given us and to face our trials with confidence. [01:14:50]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[46:07] - Introduction and Background
[47:46] - David's Desperation and Escape
[49:14] - Psalm 56: David's Cry for Help
[50:47] - Understanding Fear and Trust
[52:07] - Misapplying Scripture
[53:27] - God Cares About Our Fears
[55:03] - Humility in Admitting Fear
[56:16] - Trusting God with Our Fears
[57:37] - Meditating on Scripture
[58:56] - Remembering God's Deliverance
[01:00:26] - Relentless Enemies
[01:01:55] - Responding to Enemies
[01:03:32] - Anxiety and Trusting God
[01:04:24] - God is For Us
[01:05:09] - Living in Trust
[01:05:56] - Dealing with Difficult People
[01:07:30] - Enemy's Failed Attempts
[01:08:03] - God Remembers Our Suffering
[01:08:45] - God's Remembrance and Action
[01:09:31] - Being Remembered by God
[01:10:19] - Hebrews 4:15-16
[01:10:53] - Waiting on God's Timing
[01:11:36] - Repetition in Scripture
[01:12:14] - Trusting God in Hard Times
[01:13:26] - Living in Trust Despite Circumstances
[01:14:11] - God's Promise of Deliverance
[01:14:50] - Praising God on Credit
[01:16:20] - Walking in Freedom
[01:17:26] - Final Encouragement and Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Samuel 21:10-14
2. Psalm 56
#### Observation Questions
1. What actions did David take when he fled to Gath to escape Saul? ([46:07])
2. How did David express his fear and trust in God in Psalm 56? ([49:14])
3. What does David mean when he says, "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle"? ([49:14])
4. How did David's enemies behave towards him according to Psalm 56? ([49:14])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why did David choose to flee to enemy territory, and what does this reveal about his state of mind? ([47:46])
2. How does David's act of feigning madness reflect his desperation and trust in God? ([46:07])
3. What does it mean to "praise God on credit," and how does this concept apply to our faith today? ([01:14:50])
4. How does the idea that "God remembers our suffering" provide comfort and assurance in difficult times? ([01:08:45])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt fear. How did you handle it, and how might you handle it differently by taking your fears to God? ([53:27])
2. David trusted God despite his dire circumstances. What are some practical ways you can strengthen your trust in God during challenging times? ([57:37])
3. Knowing that God is for us can give us confidence. How can this assurance change the way you face your current challenges? ([01:04:24])
4. David remembered God's past faithfulness to build his trust. What are some "receipts" of God's faithfulness in your life that you can recall and share with the group? ([01:14:50])
5. How can you apply the concept of "praising God on credit" in your current situation? What are some specific ways you can thank God in advance for His deliverance? ([01:14:50])
6. In what ways can you remind yourself that God remembers your suffering and will act on your behalf? How does this change your perspective on your struggles? ([01:08:45])
7. Identify a specific fear or challenge you are currently facing. How can you take this to God in prayer and trust Him to handle it? ([56:16])
Devotional
Day 1: God Cares About Our Fears
David's humility in admitting his fear and seeking God's help teaches us that it is not a sin to be afraid. Instead, it is an opportunity to show our dependence on God. We should not act tough or pretend we are not scared; rather, we should take our fears to God, who cares deeply about our struggles and is ready to help us. David's story in 1 Samuel 21:10-14 and Psalm 56 shows us that even in moments of desperation, we can cry out to God and seek His grace and protection. By acknowledging our fears and bringing them to God, we demonstrate our trust in His power and love. [53:27]
Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Reflection: What specific fear are you facing today? Can you take a moment to bring it before God in prayer, trusting that He cares deeply about your struggles?
Day 2: God Wants Our Trust
Trusting God with our fears is essential. David's trust in God, despite his dire circumstances, shows us that we can rely on God to handle our fears and challenges. By meditating on scriptures and remembering God's past faithfulness, we can strengthen our trust in Him and find peace amidst our fears. David's example in Psalm 56 encourages us to place our trust in God, knowing that He is more powerful than any human adversary. This trust allows us to face our challenges with confidence, knowing that God is in control. [57:37]
Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
Reflection: Think of a time when God has been faithful to you in the past. How can remembering this help you trust Him with your current fears and challenges?
Day 3: God is For Us
Knowing that God is on our side gives us the confidence to face any challenge. David's assurance that God was for him, even while he was on the run, reminds us that we are not alone. God is with us, fighting our battles and working on our behalf, even when we cannot see it. This knowledge provides us with the strength to persevere through difficult times, trusting that God is actively involved in our lives and will bring about His purposes. [01:04:24]
Romans 8:31 (ESV): "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to be reminded that God is for you? How can this assurance change the way you approach this situation today?
Day 4: God Remembers Our Suffering
God's remembrance of our suffering is not just a record but a promise to act on our behalf. Just as God remembered Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah, He remembers our struggles and will bring forth healing and deliverance. This assurance helps us to trust in God's timing and His plan for our lives. Knowing that God is aware of our pain and is committed to our well-being allows us to endure hardships with hope and patience, confident that He will bring about His perfect will in due time. [01:08:45]
Psalm 34:17-18 (ESV): "When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt forgotten or overlooked. How does knowing that God remembers your suffering and promises to act on your behalf bring you comfort today?
Day 5: God Will Deliver Us
David's confidence in God's deliverance, even before it happened, teaches us to praise God on credit. By keeping our "receipts" of God's past faithfulness, we can trust Him to deliver us from our current challenges. This faith in God's deliverance allows us to live in the freedom He has given us and to face our trials with confidence. Praising God in advance for His deliverance is an act of faith that acknowledges His sovereignty and goodness, even when we have not yet seen the outcome. [01:14:50]
2 Corinthians 1:10 (ESV): "He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again."
Reflection: What current challenge are you facing that you need to trust God to deliver you from? Can you take a moment to praise Him in advance for His faithfulness and deliverance?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "God is all powerful. People have no power over you as a child of God. Zero. Not your boss, not anybody in life. They don't have any power over you. God does. So there's no reason to be afraid of them. But if you have some fears, take them to God." [57:37] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God is for you. He is absolutely for you. He is on your side and he is for you. And I had to remember that myself, even in those situations and other ones. I got to remember that God is for sure on my side. Like I'm not alone. I don't have to do things alone." [01:05:09] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "God's remembrance is not just a matter of record, but to act on our behalf. To be remembered by God is a blessing. He remembers Sarah. And what happened there? Open that womb up. He remembered Rachel, Hannah, and he opened all those wombs. God's memory is like a river that flows through time and space, through past, present, and future, in order to bring forth the healing, blessing, and deliverance. The deliverance he promised." [01:08:45] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "God will deliver us. That's the promise, deliverance. I know it feels like it can take forever. And it feels like whatever situation I'm in is dragging on. And God is like not moving. But he absolutely is. And some of you, I know, you're in a situation where you're in a situation where you're in a situation where you're not moving. And sometimes you got to keep this in mind. There's things in it for you to learn, too. There's growth for you, too." [01:14:11] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We can thank him while sitting in chains. We can thank him while sitting in the dark. We can thank him while being mistreated. Because we're confident, as David was, that God is an absolute deliverer. So I say, break out those fake offerings and give God praise. Because the times may be hard in the moment. But remember, God cares about our fears. He wants our trust. God is for us. God remembers our sufferings. And God will deliver us." [01:17:26] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "We have to make sure we understand the text properly and use the scripture in the way that it's supposed to be used. We've tried to take all these proof texts and throw them together so we can make ourselves feel good but really if you just read the bible it can help you and if you just read it in this context it's still going to work right you know don't misapply scripture that's all I'm saying." [52:07] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "It's okay to admit that that's a fear so God never said that we wouldn't feel fear or be afraid he never said that it's what you do with that fear that really matters it becomes sin if you allow fear to cause you to disobey God now if you get so scared and God tell you to do something you say I'm gonna do something else that's when we got a problem so will you let it freeze you will you be crushed under the weight of life circumstances or will you remember that we we can go to God." [56:16] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "I love the tears in the bottle thought here. It's the image of God collecting David's tears as a father who never forgets the suffering of his children. Not one tear is shed without evoking the most heartfelt empathy and compassion of God. Are they not in your book? Is a reference also that God is knowing and remembering our suffering. So he knows our tears. He bottled those up. He wrote it down in his book. And that's my next point. I love the fact that God remembers our suffering. He remembers it. And he's going to bring us through it. And bless us going ahead. But he remembers the reason you suffered." [01:08:03] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "David's confidence led him to anticipate that God would deliver him from danger so that he might live, walk in the light of life obediently before him. As in other psalms, David was so confident God would deliver him that he wrote in the past tense, you have delivered me. So he vowed to praise God for this thank offering. So let me translate that for you. That means that David praised God on credit. Facts. He said, God, I know it ain't happened yet, but I got receipts from you." [01:15:36] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We got to trust God in all hard times. Man, flesh, mortals, however you slice it, they can do nothing to us. David put his trust completely in God. Even while high. Hiding in a cave. Man, how unstoppable is your faith that when you're hiding in a cave, you won't stop praising God and having faith? I'll be upset if I'm hiding where I'm trusting God. People are like, you live in a cave, though. My house is fine. You live in a cave. You trust God. You live in a cave." [01:12:14] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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