You Have The Advantage

Jul 26, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When the Fish Gets Away

Success often feels like a story of “the one that got away” – the near-misses and almost-victories that leave us questioning our strength. Yet true success isn’t measured by what others see or what we land in the moment. It’s defined by faithfulness in the tension between effort and surrender, between striving and trusting God’s unseen work. Even when outcomes disappoint, obedience anchors us to a deeper victory. [04:47]

“Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.”
(1 Kings 2:2–3, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you fixated on a “near miss” instead of celebrating God’s faithfulness in the process? How might releasing that disappointment free you to trust His timing?

Day 2: Thrones and Heart Thrones

The world applauds visible achievements, but God examines the invisible throne of the heart. Success that impresses crowds can still starve the soul if it bypasses humility and integrity. Every decision – public or private – either fortifies the heart’s allegiance to Christ or quietly shifts it toward lesser kingdoms. [05:16]

“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
(1 Samuel 16:7, ESV)

Reflection: What area of your life feels most divided between others’ expectations and God’s quiet standards? What one adjustment would recenter your heart’s throne today?

Day 3: Hyper-Conqueror Covenant

Giants loom not because they’re powerful, but because we forget our covenant. Like David naming Goliath “uncircumcised,” believers walk into battles armed with a finished victory. The cross flipped the script: every challenge is already outweighed by Christ’s triumph. [17:28]

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
(Romans 8:37, NKJV)

Reflection: What “giant” have you been sizing up through human limitations rather than covenant reality? How would declaring “I have the advantage” shift your approach?

Day 4: Grace Over Grind

Human strength exhausts; grace empowers. When life demands more than we can muster, humility unlocks heaven’s “hyper” supply – not to excuse passivity, but to fuel Spirit-led perseverance. Resistance from God comes when we insist on self-reliance; grace flows when we admit dependence. [22:16]

“But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’”
(James 4:6, NKJV)

Reflection: Where have you been striving in your own strength, mistaking exhaustion for faithfulness? What would receiving grace (not guilt) in that area look like?

Day 5: Clean Hands, Pure Posture

Spiritual authority isn’t earned through perfection but maintained through repentance. Like washing daily grime, believers must regularly cleanse their hands (actions) and purify their hearts (motives). This isn’t about shame, but about staying aligned with covenant power. [28:19]

“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.”
(Psalm 24:3–4, ESV)

Reflection: What “dust” from this week’s battles clings to your hands? What heart motive needs purifying to fully access your advantage in Christ?

Sermon Summary

The advantage comes first as a declaration that God’s people already know, but still need affirmed in the Word: if God is for His people, nothing standing against them has the final word. David’s charge to Solomon in 1 Kings 2 sets the whole thing up, because David is at the end of his life and Solomon is stepping into a throne, a destiny, and a calling. David does not tell Solomon to chase applause, build a name, or impress the kingdom. David tells him to take courage, be a man, and observe the requirements of the Lord.

Success gets redefined right there. The crowd measures accomplishments, awards, money, thrones, and big moments. The Father measures the heart. Solomon could impress the whole world and still disappoint the Father, because God is not looking first at what sits on the throne of Israel, but what sits on the throne of Solomon’s heart.

Biblical strength is not acting like fear, wounds, doubts, and pressure do not exist. Biblical strength is remaining faithful when difficulty shows up. Joshua’s charge and Solomon’s charge both connect strength to obedience, because it takes strength to forgive when wounded, to tell the truth when lying would protect, to remain pure when temptation is at the fingertips, and to obey God when culture is running the other direction.

Maturity matters because some things can be given, like titles, positions, platforms, and opportunities, but maturity only comes through faithfulness. Solomon is moving from being the son of the king to sitting on the throne, and childish habits now carry kingdom consequences. God loves His people enough to meet them where they are, but He refuses to leave them at the same level of immaturity.

Romans 8 calls God’s people “more than conquerors,” not barely surviving, but hyper conquerors through Christ who loves them. Christ has already defeated death, hell, and the grave, so the fight is fixed. David’s words about Goliath being an “uncircumcised Philistine” point to covenant. Goliath had size, strength, and weapons, but David had covenant.

The covenant gives the advantage over every claimed disadvantage: family background, past decisions, lost jobs, divorce, singleness, lack of education, or failure. James 4 adds that grace covers the humble, while God resists the proud. Grace is like oil, giving ease and power to do what God called His people to do. Clean hands and a pure heart become the response, because what gets picked up must not be allowed to get rooted in the heart. The cross, the blood, and the resurrection mean sin is not a home to live in, but a place to repent from, because Jesus has given covenant, grace, and the advantage.

Key Takeaways

1. The Father Measures The Heart The throne can look right while the heart is out of order. David’s charge to Solomon makes success bow before obedience, because God is not impressed by what the crowd applauds if the heart is ruled by something else. True success begins where the Father is looking, not where people are clapping. [05:16]
2. Strength Means Faithful Obedience Biblical strength is not the absence of fear, hurt, or pressure. Strength shows up when obedience costs something, when forgiveness feels unfair, when purity has to fight temptation, and when truth brings a price. God calls strength the discipline to do what He wants, not the power to do whatever the flesh wants. [08:04]
3. Covenant Gives The Advantage David saw Goliath clearly, but David saw covenant more clearly. The giant had size and weapons, but he did not have what mattered most. The covenant in Christ means no disadvantage is greater than the advantage of Jesus on the side of His people. [19:18]
4. Grace Comes To The Humble James 4 draws a sharp line between grace and resistance. Pride leaves a person working under limited strength, but humility receives the oil of God’s grace for the calling ahead. Grace does not excuse laziness or sin, but it empowers faithful work beyond human capacity. [22:16]
5. Clean Hands, Pure Heart The hands pick up things from the day, but the heart must not become a hiding place for them. Sin must be brought quickly into the light, not stacked up and managed like a normal way of life. The blood of Jesus is not permission to stay double minded, but power to repent and walk clean before God.

## [30:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:44] - David Charges Solomon
[02:48] - Success Before God
[05:16] - The Father Looks At The Heart
[06:27] - Strength In Difficult Times
[08:04] - Obedience Takes Strength
[10:07] - Maturity Must Be Earned
[12:53] - More Than Conquerors
[15:57] - David Faces Goliath
[17:28] - Covenant On The Battlefield
[19:18] - No Greater Disadvantage
[21:39] - More Grace For The Humble
[25:20] - Submit To God
[27:42] - Clean Hands And Pure Hearts
[35:21] - Receiving Christ And Covenant

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1 Kings 2:1-3
“When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 'I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn,'” [00:44]

Romans 8:37
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” [12:53]

James 4:6
“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'” [21:39]

Joshua 1:7
“Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.” [07:15]

Observation questions

In David’s charge to Solomon, what specific things does David tell Solomon to do, and what result is connected to that obedience?
What contrast is made between how the crowd measures success and how the Father measures success? [05:16]
What examples are given of situations where strength looks like faithful obedience instead of doing what feels easiest? [08:04]
In James 4, what actions are connected to humility, resisting the devil, clean hands, and a pure heart? [27:29]

Interpretation questions

David connects strength, maturity, and obedience as Solomon steps into leadership. Why do those things belong together, especially when a person is walking into greater responsibility? [10:07]
Romans 8 says believers are “more than conquerors.” How is that different from barely surviving hard times, and what does that change about the way trouble should be faced? [15:13]
David called Goliath “uncircumcised” because covenant was the real issue on the battlefield. How does covenant help a believer see a problem differently than fear would? [17:18]
James says God gives grace to the humble but resists the proud. What might pride look like in everyday Christian life, and why does humility make a person ready to receive grace? [22:38]

Application questions

The Father looks at the heart before He looks at the throne. Where is there pressure right now to look successful on the outside while something in the heart still needs to come under God’s rule? [05:30]
Biblical strength means staying faithful when obedience costs something. What situation right now requires strength to forgive, tell the truth, stay pure, wait, or keep serving? [08:04]
Some things can be given, but maturity must be formed through faithfulness. In what area of life does childish thinking or immature habits need to be put away before they create bigger consequences? [11:59]
Covenant gives the advantage over every claimed disadvantage. What “disadvantage” has been talking loudly lately—past failure, family history, singleness, divorce, loss, insecurity, or something else—and what would it look like to answer it with the truth of Christ? [19:18]
Grace comes to the humble. Where is there a temptation to rely on personal ability, image, control, or self-confidence instead of humbly receiving God’s help? [24:00]
Clean hands and a pure heart matter because some things get picked up during the day and some things start trying to settle in the heart. What has been picked up lately that needs to be brought into the light before it takes deeper root? [28:13]
Sin is not a home to live in but a place to repent from. What would it look like this week to keep a short account with God and respond quickly when conviction comes? [30:35]

Sermon Clips

54s

#CovenantOverGiant

“but here here's the thing, is that circumcision was a sign of covenant. And David was standing before Goliath and he was looking at him saying, guys, I don't know if y'all understand. He he's big and he's bad and he's strong and he's a warrior but he don't have a covenant. I tell you that you have a covenant today? David was reminding himself and the entire army of men around him. We got a covenant, guys. We are more than conquerors through Jesus, through him who loves us. We're more than conquerors. See, he's taller than me but I'm more than a conqueror but I have a covenant. He's stronger than I am but I got a covenant.”

74s

#ConfessAndBeCleansed

“If that can be a free ticket to sin, then what was the cross for? Then what was the resurrection for? Then what is the blood of Jesus that we just sang about for the last thirty minutes? What is that for? And so that when you do, because you will, fall into temptation, you fall into sin, and you say, lord, I gotta, I don't have clean hands and I don't have a pure heart but god, I'm not hiding it. I'm not learning to live this way but god, I'm bringing it to you. God, I know that this is not the life that you called me to live. I know that this isn't the way that you want me to to to lead my family. I know this isn't the the way that I'm supposed to supposed to be Monday through Friday but god, I know that you call me to live with a clean hands and a pure heart because here's one of the thing I want you to know, the advantage that you have is the grace of god on your life.”

63s

#AdvantageInJesus

“``I think many times we feel as if we have a disadvantage in everything that we do and and we'll hang our head as a believers because of the disadvantage because I didn't come from the right family or because of what my past holds or the education I don't have or the decisions that I made years ago or you know, maybe maybe you think you're disadvantaged because you went through a divorce or because you're not married or because you're still single or because you lost that job and it cannot tell you today that there is no disadvantage that is greater than the advantage you have called Jesus. There is none. There is none. All that is a lie from the enemy and I want you to have faith to believe today. I want you to be strong. I want you to be mature, and I want you to be more than a conqueror today. Amen. Through Christ Jesus.”

73s

#DisciplineIsStrength

“strong and see here here's the thing and I I've I've done it in my own life. I see it happening all the time but the way we just find strength is so much different than the way why the world defines strengths is so much different than the way god defines strength. See, we often define define strength as having the power to do what we want. I mean, they're so blessed. They have they have the ability to go and do and buy and and whatever they would want but can I tell you that in scripture defines strength as having the discipline not to do what we want but to have them the discipline to do what god wants? Like, it it is the strength of the word of god and he's telling Solomon, he said, you gotta have strength to do not what you want because it's really easy to do what we want to do, right? That takes no effort but when when what we want to do is different than what god wants to do, that takes some strength. When god says forgive but we say, god, you forgotten what they did to me. That takes some strength. When god says, give but you know that you yourself have a need. How many know that that that takes some strength?”

36s

#HumbleToReceiveGrace

“And I and I'll say this has hit me last night, and and I was in my own life and and and lives of every believer. You know, one of the greatest threats to success in the kingdom is success in the world. Because sometimes we we may we have achievements and we attribute our achievements to our abilities and god says, listen, I just need you to be humble, to receive receive grace, to receive my covenant so that you can do what I've called you to do.”

53s

#FatherMeasuresTheHeart

“Is that if we allow the definition of success of the world to define who we are, what we do, what decisions we make. We can be very successful in the eyes of the world but when it comes to god, the only one who really matters, we might he might be able to question what the motive of our heart is. So, the crowd measures your accomplishments but the father measures your heart and the thing he tells him, he says, look, you got to be strong and he's not talking about getting back into the gym. He's not talking about getting to a place where you're you're able to stand on your own two feet. He's telling him that that listen, biblical strength is not the absence of emotion and fear and an absence of of struggles and doubts and unbelief but it's the ability to remain faithful when difficult times come in front of you.”

60s

#GraceOutlastsEffort

“Resistance is when you have to do your best. Listen to this. But grace is when god does his best through you. if you feel like, man, I gotta do my best every single time. I've gotta have my act together. Me. Me. Me. That means you have to do your absolute best all the time and there's nothing wrong with striving for greatness. There's nothing wrong with striving for excellence. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. But if you're only underneath your power and your might, how many know there's a there's expiration date to all of that? You're going to reach the capacity that you that you have at some point and can I tell you, it's always gonna be less than the grace that god wants to give you, that hyper grace that god wants to give you? Paul said it like this, ready? Paul says, I work harder than any of the other apostles yet it is not I but the grace of god that works in me.”

68s

#ShortAccountWithGod

“See, I'm not and and how how do I how do I know? Listen, how do we know that we have and we haven't cleansed our hands and how do we know we don't have a pure heart? Can I tell you this? It's because we keep on sinning. Alright? Everybody okay this morning? It's not that you don't sin. It's that and it because everyone in this room sins. It's that you don't make a decision to sin. See, it's one of the things where where sin comes into my life and I I may act on it in the moment and not really understand but when I do sin, I immediately repent to god. You know what I'm saying? The old preachers used to say, keep a short account with god. In other words, when you sin, I need you to go ahead and go to god. Don't keep stacking things up and walking in sin and living in sin, but it's time that you cleanse your hands, that you purify your heart, and you go before the lord and say, lord, I have sinned. Forgive me. Clean my hands and purify my heart.”

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