Finding Strength and Hope in Discouragement

### Bible Reading
1. **1 Samuel 21:1-15 (ESV)**
2. **Psalm 22:1-8 (ESV)**
3. **2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (ESV)**

### Observation Questions
1. What was David's situation when he fled to Nob and met with Elimelech the priest? ([56:21])
2. How did David react when he realized he was recognized by Achish, king of Gath? ([01:05:06])
3. What did David write in Psalm 22 about his feelings of being forsaken? ([53:49])
4. How did Paul describe the duality of a believer's experience in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10? ([46:20])

### Interpretation Questions
1. What does David's reliance on Goliath's sword symbolize about using familiar spiritual weapons in our battles? ([01:17:08])
2. How does the story of Angela Logan illustrate God's provision in times of despair? ([51:00])
3. In what ways does Paul’s description of being "perplexed but not in despair" resonate with the experiences shared in the sermon? ([46:20])
4. How can the duality of suffering and hope, as seen in David's and Paul's experiences, be understood in the context of a believer's life? ([47:01])

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt forsaken. How did you find reassurance in God's presence during that period? ([53:49])
2. When facing discouragement, what familiar spiritual weapons (e.g., prayer, worship, scripture) do you rely on, and how have they helped you? ([01:12:04])
3. How can you maintain good judgment during times of deep discouragement, similar to David's decision to feign madness? ([01:10:46])
4. Evaluate your current support system. Are there people who speak faith and encouragement into your life? How can you strengthen these relationships? ([01:32:14])
5. Discouragement attempts to strip us of our spiritual garments. What steps can you take to hold on to your "garments of salvation and righteousness" during challenging times? ([01:28:04])
6. Think of a past victory in your spiritual journey. How can recalling this victory help you face a current challenge? ([01:17:08])
7. Identify one specific way you can support someone in your community who is currently facing discouragement. How can you be a source of encouragement and faith for them? ([01:32:14])

Day 1: God Never Leaves Us

In moments of deep discouragement, it is natural to feel forsaken. However, the truth is that God never leaves us. Jesus promised to be with us until the end of the age, and this assurance should anchor our faith even when our emotions suggest otherwise. When we face trials and tribulations, it is easy to let our feelings dictate our perception of God's presence. Yet, the reality is that God is always with us, even when we cannot feel Him. This understanding can transform our approach to suffering, allowing us to find solace in His unwavering presence.

David's life is a testament to this truth. Despite being anointed as king, he faced immense trials and discouragement. His journey teaches us that even in our darkest moments, we are not forsaken. David's story of fleeing from King Saul, seeking refuge, and ultimately finding strength in God, illustrates the duality of our spiritual walk—experiencing both suffering and hope simultaneously. We must hold on to the promise that God is with us, no matter how dire our circumstances may seem. [46:20]

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: Think of a recent time when you felt forsaken. How can you remind yourself of God's presence and promises during such moments?


Day 2: Maintaining Good Judgment

Discouragement can cloud our judgment, leading us to make poor decisions. David's choice to feign madness to escape King Achish demonstrates the importance of maintaining good judgment even in dire situations. When we are overwhelmed by despair, it is easy to act impulsively or irrationally. However, we must strive to keep our responsibilities and not let despair dictate our actions. By maintaining good judgment, we can navigate through our trials with wisdom and integrity.

David's experience teaches us that even in the face of life-threatening danger, it is crucial to think clearly and act wisely. His decision to feign madness was a strategic move that allowed him to escape a perilous situation. Similarly, we must seek God's guidance and wisdom when we are faced with difficult decisions. By doing so, we can ensure that our actions align with His will and lead us towards His intended path for our lives. [01:10:46]

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: Reflect on a recent decision you made under stress. How can you seek God's wisdom and maintain good judgment in future challenging situations?


Day 3: Using Familiar Spiritual Weapons

When facing spiritual battles, it is crucial to use the weapons we are familiar with. David's reliance on Goliath's sword, a symbol of past victories, reminds us to draw strength from our previous experiences with God. Worship, prayer, and scripture are powerful tools in our spiritual arsenal. These familiar spiritual weapons can help us combat discouragement and find strength in God's presence.

David's psalms, written during his times of distress, reveal the importance of expressing our struggles to God and relying on His strength. By turning to prayer, worship, and scripture, we can find solace and encouragement in God's promises. These spiritual practices are not just rituals; they are powerful means of connecting with God and drawing on His strength. In times of trouble, let us remember to use these familiar spiritual weapons to navigate through our challenges. [01:16:38]

Ephesians 6:17-18 (ESV): "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."

Reflection: What spiritual practices have helped you in the past? How can you incorporate them into your daily routine to strengthen your faith?


Day 4: Holding On to Our Divine Coverings

Discouragement seeks to strip us of our spiritual garments, replacing them with doubt and unbelief. However, God has clothed us with garments of salvation and righteousness. We must hold on to these divine coverings and resist the enemy's attempts to disrobe us. Our identity in Christ is secure, and we must remind ourselves of this truth, especially during times of discouragement.

David's story illustrates the importance of holding on to our divine coverings. Despite facing immense trials, he never lost sight of his identity in God. He relied on God's strength and promises to navigate through his challenges. Similarly, we must hold on to the garments of salvation and righteousness that God has given us. By doing so, we can resist the enemy's attempts to sow doubt and unbelief in our hearts. [01:28:04]

Isaiah 61:10 (ESV): "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."

Reflection: What doubts or unbeliefs are you currently struggling with? How can you remind yourself of your identity in Christ and hold on to your divine coverings?


Day 5: Evaluating Our Support System

During times of discouragement, it is essential to assess who is around us. David's companions in the cave of Adullam were also in distress, yet they became his loyal followers. Surrounding ourselves with people who speak faith and encouragement can significantly impact our journey through difficult times. Our support system plays a crucial role in our spiritual and emotional well-being.

David's experience in the cave of Adullam highlights the importance of having a supportive community. Despite their own struggles, David's companions became a source of strength and encouragement for him. Similarly, we must evaluate our support system and surround ourselves with individuals who uplift and encourage us in our faith. By doing so, we can navigate through our challenges with the support and encouragement of a faith-filled community. [01:32:14]

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV): "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!"

Reflection: Who are the people in your life that speak faith and encouragement to you? How can you strengthen your support system to better navigate through challenging times?

Oh, isn't that beautiful? All of the diversity in God's kingdom and all the different people that He made in the various languages, I think it's an expression of God's creative side. What a mighty God that we serve.

I feel like I haven't been in church in a while. So it's good to see all of you all. Won't you look at someone if you haven't seen them in a while? Say, "It's really good to see you today." It's really good to see you. Really good.

It's down here in hot Georgia. Hot Georgia. Ooh. God is faithful. You know, Coach Brock was a friend of mine. She was a friend. She was also an educator. And I remember when I met her, she was actually going to an interview at the school that I teach at. And I can remember her sitting out in the lobby, and I looked.

Most of the time, actually, it is just my way. I never tell people, like, I'm in ministry or my husband's a pastor. I just don't. I don't do that. I don't walk around like, "Yeah, you know. I'm the lady. I'm the Hope City." I don't do that. I just kind of let people find out on their own. And when they find out, they are so shocked because they've been in conversation with me. We probably had lunch or been laughing and acting silly. And they're like, "Hope City?" I'm like, "Yeah. It's me."

They were like, "I never would have known. Why you didn't say anything?" I say, "Well, you know, I don't say anything because people get really weird when they find out, like, you're the pastor's wife or you're in ministry. They get really weird. And then they go to changing. And I really want people to be their authentic self. Because guess what? I'm going to be myself. So you might get a little Jesus and a little fun and a little, you know. So I really want people to always be themselves and not have to be like, 'So if you're cursing around me, you curse. Okay. Be you.' Because guess what? I'm going to be me. I'm going to be me."

So I try not to tell people, like, "I'm the lady over there at Hope City." So they are so shocked when they're like, "I saw you on the Facebook." I'm like, "Really? Did you?" So I try to let people be themselves, you know.

It's good to be back in God's house on this morning. It really is. I could tell you I'm grieving. I'm grieving. I'm grieving. Coach Rock was a friend. She was a sister. She was a sister. She was a colleague. She was something. So this is really hard for me in a sense. I solicit your prayers. Just as a spiritual leader, you never want to lose people in that way. You just don't. It hurts in a way that I can't really articulate.

And I called her in the mornings when she got in this battle. She got in this battle with her health. She had beat this cancer once before. She actually beat it two times. Then it came back very aggressively in her brain. And when she was in that battle, I would call her in the mornings, in the mornings, because she had stopped working, and I would call her because I was on my way to work. And I'd say, "Did I wake you?" She'd say, "No." I'd say, "How you doing?" She'd say, "I'm doing good."

She was one of the most positive, godly, like, just believe in God kind of person. And her smile could light up a room. Like, where did you get those teeth from, girl? They are just like gorgeous. And she was like that. She was in the military. She just had this stance in her Christian walk like she knew who God was. And I remember, I really am going to miss her. Just going to miss who she was and how she was so submitted and just walked with God.

She loved God. Oh, she loved God. And it exuded in the things that she did and the way that she lived. And I'm just going to miss that lady. I really am. And you know, God is good because one of the prayers I wanted was to let her son get out of high school. That was one of my prayers. Let him get out of high school. Don't let him lose his mom. And God did. He was able to carry on into his young adulthood.

And to her daughter, her daughter did amazing with her mom. And I had to let Lexi know. I said, "Lexi, you did good with your mom. She would be so proud of you." So, you know, it's a tough loss right now in this body. And I know some of you all are going through some challenges right now.

You know, Christina, I don't know if you all know Christina. She sings on the prayer. And you encouraged me so much this morning to know, I know what your family's going through. And then to see you singing God's songs, you know, and singing it with power and conviction. And that speaks volumes to your faith.

When you know you're going through a battle and yet you can herald the songs of praises over God's people. Come on, somebody. That tells me that there's strength that's beyond the strength that we carry from working out. There's another strength that takes over the believer when one is connected with God and is walking with God.

It doesn't mean that we won't have some down days. But when we have those down days, there's somebody else on the inside of us that is living and moving and breathing. We have our living. We move with Him. We have our breathing. We have our being in Him. And so, I'm thankful this morning.

I am a woman of mixed emotions. I'm perplexed on one side, but yet without despair. Come on, somebody. That's what the scripture tells us. There's a two-sided fold to this thing. I can yet be going through something that can almost pull me down. But then another side of me says, there is yet hope.

It's a two-sided sword of the believer. Paul described it. He says, "I'm perplexed, but I'm not in despair." He said, "There's a two-foldness coming about." And so, that's how we grow in God and we get to know who God is.

Paul said it in 2 Corinthians 4, 8, and 10. He said, "We're troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed." That word perplexed in its original root means I am baffled and in disbelief. He says, "But I'm not in despair." I may be questioning some things that God is allowing to happen, but it don't have me tripped up in my faith. I know in whom I believed. Yes, I do. Yes, I do.

He says, "We're persecuted, but we're not forsaken. We're cast down, but we are not destroyed. And we are always bearing about in the body the dying of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the life also of Him."

So, there's a two-fold thing that's happening in me. There's a death and a dying, but there's a life that's also on there. It's simultaneously. I don't know how it works. I doctrinally can't tell you how it works, but I know it works because I'm living and I'm breathing it.

The two-sidedness of God and the belief in God. That's a message all by itself. It says that the life of Jesus may be made manifest in my mortal body. So, I'm after something. I'm after something deeper than what I had last year. And I hope you're after something deeper than you had a month ago.

Because if you're looking around at what the world is going through right now, you better know Jesus and you better know Him for yourself and you better hold on to Him. Hold on for the long haul of things. It's called enduring. Woo! Alright, I'm ready to preach now. It's enduring. I done made my own self happy. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

So, let's preach this morning for the glory of God. My title is "What Can Come From This?" What Can Come From This? You know, oftentimes, it is in the high times of life, what we call mountain moments, when we give God our praise. This is when prayers come through and when we ask God for something and He finds it in His favor to give it to us. He gives us the yes and He grants us the prayer request that we've been asking.

And it is from those times that mostly we give God that exciting praise. You know that God is good. You know that two-step. You know that shout. You know it is from the times that God has said yes to a prayer request that praise come forth.

But what about times when you are discouraged? When God says no or God says wait or God says not right now? You know, the kind of no that no man can open. How is our praise in them moments? What kind of praise comes from the moments of discouragement? That's what we're going to be talking about today.

What can come from this? There is a story, a true story, about a woman who lived in Teaneck, New Jersey. In Teaneck, New Jersey, this woman during the housing crisis of 2008 and 2009, her house was in foreclosure. She was a divorced mom of three boys and one of the sons was giving her a run for her money. And if you're a parent, you know what that means. It was giving her somewhat trouble.

But she could have fallen in despair and hopelessness. And at some point, she did. Trying to figure out how was she going to save this home that had been in her family for 20 years. And here it is. She would volunteer. She was serving the community. But I'm assuming that her job wasn't sufficient to pay the bills like she needed to. The house needed renovating. It was in a mess. Her car wouldn't stop working and all of that. And she was down on her luck.

Somebody say, "What can come from this?" It's amazing what God can do when we are up against the wall. When there's nothing else to hope for and nothing else to believe for and nothing else to look for. When everything looks like, "What can come from this?"

Well, my dear friend Angela Logan of Teaneck, New Jersey made up in her mind to pay for her mortgage she had to sell 100 cakes in 10 days in order to save her house. She had to sell to save her house and she did it.

Let me tell you what came from this despair story. When she went on to sell her cakes, it got in the news and her story went global. CBS, Fox, Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, Huffington Post, Montel Williams, that's how, I'll tell you how long ago this was. Wendy Williams, Cake Boss, ABC's More Magazine and other national magazines had got word of her story and they began to sow into the idea that she was selling apple cakes to save her mortgage.

Well, guess what came from her story? She went from foreclosure to saving her house and not only that, she birthed a whole business and she's a whole millionaire right now. What can come from this? If you look at her movie, it is on either Netflix or one of the social media platforms there. The name of her movie about her story is called "Apple Mortgage Cake." Please take some time to go look at her story.

So I ask again, what can come from our discouraged moments and our discouraged places? Perhaps we may find God's way. Perhaps a song is birthed. Perhaps you find hope in a dark place. Maybe for you, you find out that God is really who He says He is.

When I look at Psalms 22, verses one, the Psalmist David writes, "My God, my God. Why have you forsaken me?" Does anyone ever feel like that? When you are up against a hard place and you're discouraged and down about things that have occurred, "God, why have you forsaken me? Why aren't you answering me?"

David writes, he says, "Why are you so far from saving me? From the words of my groaning? Oh my God, I cry by day but you do not answer. And by night, but I find no rest." Have you ever been there before? He says, "Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. And in you our fathers trusted; they trusted and you've delivered them. To you they cry and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame."

But I am a worm. Look at David. David said, "But I'm a worm. I'm lowly." He says, "But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads."

But he says this in verse 8. What does he say? "He trusts in the Lord; let Him rescue him, for He delights in him."

When I think about the story of David, which we're going to look at in 1 Samuel, I want you to take a look at how David, what comes from out of David's discouraging moments. You will go with me to 1 Samuel, 1 Samuel 21, verses 1 through 15. I'm going to read out of the Message translation. Are you all ready? You will need your notepads and your Bibles and different things today. I want you to be able to go back and reference these scriptures.

Somebody say, "What can come from this?" David went on his way and Jonathan returned to town. Let me give you some reference to this before we jump in the scripture. David has been anointed king. He's not king yet, but he's going to be king. He's been anointed. Prophet Samuel has already come to his house, called him out in front of all his brothers, gave him the horn of the oil. It is on his life and he's now serving King Saul. That is his employer, for example.

And so right now, his boss doesn't really like him. His boss is like jealous of him. He's throwing javelins at him. He's like putting him in fierce battles. He doesn't like David. He doesn't like David at all, and he's very jealous of him. But you got to be careful when people are jealous of you because when they're jealous of you, they will kill you.

And so David is on the run from his boss, anointed for a high place but running from his boss. Now his boss's son is Jonathan, and they're BFFs. They're like really close, like Jonathan loves David in a proper way.

Here we go. We're going to pick the story up from here. David is anointed to be king, but he's not there yet. He's in process to that place. And you know, one of the things that I love about this story is David went through for his promise, but Saul was just kind of given his promise.

Did y'all ever notice that Saul never was vetted well by God to be king? He was just given it. But David went through to become king, and he was king for a long time. And we even refer to David even now when we talk scripturally. God is working on something on your behalf.

What say, "What can come from this? What can come from this? My children are acting wayward. What can come from this? Money looks real funny in this economy. What can come from this?"

Here we go. Y'all ready? So David went on his way and Jonathan returned to town. David went to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech was alarmed as he went out to greet David. He says, "What are you doing here all by yourself and not a soul with you?"

David answered Ahimelech the priest, "The king sent me on a mission and gave strict orders. This is top secret. Not a word of this to a soul. I've arranged to meet up with my men in a certain place. Now what's here to eat? Do you have five loaves of bread? Give me whatever you can scrounge up."

He says, "I don't have any regular bread. David, I only have the holy bread. And if your men have not slept with women recently, it is yours."

Better preach right there all by itself. No, no, seriously. Did you see that? I said it in a funny way, but really the concept and the principle of it is really dynamic. David said, "None of us have touched a woman."

Can I partner? It's not part of my message, but I got to plug it in. It's amazing to see what God would require and do when you turn around and abstain from sexual immorality. I got a pass for your heart. I got it. If I don't tell it to you, I do you a disservice.

He told him, he said, "I don't have regular day-old bread that's in the cupboard, but what I do have is what's on this showbread table, the one with the bread of presence." That said that Moses, God told Moses, "This is how you was supposed to set the articles of the kingdom or in the tent."

But when we meet with God, nobody was supposed to touch that bread but the Levites. That's why the priest said, "Listen, this was why it is important that you have leaders who know the scriptures doctrinally so they can lead you in everyday life."

The priest said, "If you and your men haven't been with anyone, come on, take the bread." It was the bread of the presence. He said, "Take that and go feed your men."

Oh my God. Let me keep at it. David said, "None of us touched the woman." He said, "Because that's how we do it when we're on a holy mission. We abstain."

If you're not married, then you need to be what? You want to walk with God, you better. It's one of the first things I learned as a single woman. Clink, clink. Lock it down, my brothers. Clink, clink. You want God's best for you and you're single. What you better do?

Alright. Lock it down. You can't do nothing but be blessed. You can't do nothing but be blessed. Anyway, Dad, let me keep. I'm just trying to tell you how to walk with God and get the power on your life. Get favor on your life.

This man here, David, was a man after God's own heart. It didn't say that he was perfect, but he was after God's heart. And he had been—shut up, Ms. Williams. Just get back to the piece.

Alright, let's go. One of Saul's officials was present that day, keeping a religious vow. His name was Doeg the Edomite. He was chief of Saul's shepherds. David asked Ahimelech, "Do you have a spear or a sword of any kind around here?"

He says, "I didn't have a chance to grab my what? My weapons. The king's mission was urgent and I left in a hurry." The priest said, "The sword of Goliath, the Philistine you killed at Oak Valley, that's here. It's behind the ephod wrapped in the cloth. If you want it, take it. There's nothing else here."

Oh, David said, "There's no sword like it. Give it to me." And at that, David shot out of there, running for his life from Saul. He went to Achish, king of Gath. When the servants of Achish saw him, they said, "Can this, this David, the famous David, is this the one they sang that song about? All the people, David, dancing. They said, 'Saul kills 1,000, but David is 10,000.' They was like, 'Is this that dude? This dude look bad.' They was like, 'This can't be David.' He was by himself. He was running for his life.

But see, what they didn't know was David had the presence of God with him. He had the presence of God with him. And they was wondering like, "Where are you going? Like, let's kill him." Remember, this is his enemies that are talking. They was like, "That's him. He ain't got nobody with him. Yo, let's smoke him."

Let me tell you what happens. Are y'all with me? You know, I had to urbanize it a little bit. Wouldn't be me if I didn't. Check this out. Go with me. When David realized that he had been recognized, he panicked, fearing the worst of Achish, king of Gath.

So right there, while they were looking at him, he pretended to be what? Crazy. I promise you my points are going to make sense after a while. So this is David acting crazy. Look at what he started doing. Pounding his head on the what? City gate. Foaming at the mouth. Spit dripping from his beard. Like David, like, he done lost his mind.

Check this out. It don't make sense to you in a minute. And everyone, women, where am I? So as he was pretending to be crazy, and here's Achish, the king said, he took one look at him and said to his servants, "Can't you see he's what? Crazy. Why did you bring him in here? Do you think, don't you think I have enough what? Crazy people to put up with? And you're adding another one here? He said, 'Get him out of here. Get him out of here.'"

Now, here we go. 1 Samuel 22, verses 1 through 5. I will read this out of the ESV version. All of this has occurred. And now David's getting ready to go into a cave. All of the dust is going to settle. He's finally going to realize, "I'm in a funk. I'm down. I'm discouraged. Look at my life."

Here he is. Alright. Are y'all ready? David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress and everyone who was in debt and everyone who was what? Bitter in soul gathered to him. And he became the commander over them. And there were with him about what? 400 men.

And David went from there. And he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother stay with you. I know what God will do for me." He says, "Please let my father and mother stay with you till I know." At that moment, David didn't know how God was going to move, what the plan of God was. He needed a moment. A moment of stillness.

But yet he did not leave his responsibilities to anyone. He said, "Take my mother and father." He went to an enemy. Moab was the enemy of Israel. He went to his enemy and said, "Look over my parents till I know what God is going to do with me."

There is a scripture that tells us that we can please God so much so in our walk that even our enemies will give up. David was walking this thing out. So he's in this cave. He left and he left them with the king of Moab and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.

And then the prophet Gad said to David, "Do not remain in the stronghold, depart and go into the land of Judah, the land of praise." So David departed and went into the forest of Herod.

Again, my title is "What Can Come From This?" When we look at David at this particular time, David is full of potential, full of promise, but he is walking it out and he is finding himself discouraged.

Have you ever found that you've been discouraged as a believer? Like you love God, but my God, you done had some days. You're like, "What is this? And what can come from this place?"

Well, it's some things I want you to consider as we walk through the rest of this message. Point number one, I want you to write this down. When you are feeling discouraged, you may feel like you are forsaken. I said, feel, feel, but guess what? You are not forsaken because the word tells us that Jesus said, "I will never leave you nor will I forsake you."

He says, "Even until the ends of this world, even until everything wraps up, He said, I'm never going to leave you." You know what? That forsaken that you feel, it's only a feeling. You only feel forsaken, but you are not forsaken.

Point number two, don't lose your sense of good judgment when you are in your discomfort, discouraged moment. Again, do not lose your sense of good judgment while you're in a moment of discouragement.

It says that when David got to that gate and he knew that God, the King Achish was going to kill him, he had to make a what? Good decision. He had to display good judgment. And what was his judgment? I'm going to act like I'm crazy and nuts.

So I'll say this to you about this King that worked in his favor. Can I encourage you this morning? When you are going through, don't let yourself get so far down in darkness that you just let everything, all your responsibility go. Get up, put you some clothes on, get up, pay your bills the way you need to, get up. Fix your kids some breakfast. Don't let yourself get all the way down in the dirt.

Do you understand what I'm saying? You got to get up. Recently, I was in a conference in Orlando for work and dealing with the news of rocking, dealing with some of my personal family matters and having Christina on my mind and some of you all who are in this church that was weighing on me, bringing me down.

So I was, I'm like, I got to be my best while I'm here at this conference. I know while I'm here, these people have paid all this money for me to be here. I got to extrapolate what I'm supposed to do. My responsibility was to be there on assignment for my school.

So what did I do? Early in the morning, I would put on, early, I would get out that bed. I would put on my music and I would worship in that hotel room like it was—what was I doing? I was using the weapons that I knew to fight with.

You got to use the weapons. You got to pick up what's familiar to you to fight with. David picked up a pen in that cave. David had a pen and some paper, but guess what? I'm assuming he also had his guitar and harp.

Psalms 142 is not just a song. It is a song. And this is how the song goes. "With my voice, I cry out to you, Lord. With my voice, I plead for mercy. To the Lord. I pour out my complaint before Him."

This is what David wrote while he was in that cave, trying to figure out what is the next move God got for me. He was in there trying to figure it out. You got all these men that are surrounding you. They are in debt. They are in distress. They are also bitter in their own soul about their own circumstance and they're surrounding him.

And he begins to sing. "I pour out my complaint before Him. I tell my trouble before Him. And when my spirit faints within me, you know my way. In the path where I walk, they have hidden a trap for me. Look to the right and see. There is none who takes notice of me. No refuge remains to me. No one cares for my soul."

David was in the funk. He says, "I cry to you, O Lord. I say, you are my refuge. My portion in the land of the living. Attend to my cry. Attend to my cry. For I am brought very low."

Oh, he was down, y'all. He says, "Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Bring me out of prison." He wasn't in prison, but it felt like it.

I'm so glad David was writing to let us know what he was experiencing in that cave. He says, "I feel like I'm in prison. Bring me out. Bring me out." He says that I may give thanks. What? To your name. He says, "The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me."

In Psalms 22, 1 through 8, David writes this. This is all part of how he was experiencing things. And this was his human response to it as a believer. He says this in Psalms 22. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? I look to the left. I look to the right. It seems like you are nowhere to be found, God."

He says, "Why are you so far from saving me? From the words of my groaning? Oh, my God, I cry by day, but you don't even answer. And by night, but I find no rest." David was looking for something. He was looking for God's presence, that tangible presence.

He says, "Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. And in you, our fathers trusted. He began to draw back on what he knew about God."

When you are discouraged, when you are down, you've got to have some history with God to draw back on, to draw strength from. David began to write. He began to write. He says, "The angel of the Lord encamps around all those who fear, and he delivers them. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry."

So when we're down in the funk, when we don't know what the next thing is, we can look to God. We can look to God.

Point number one. You're not forsaken. You only feel what? Forsaken.

Point number two. Don't lose good judgment while you're in your discouraged moment.

Number three. Pick up what's familiar to you. And that's what you fight with. David went to the king, to the king, to the priest. And what happened? He said, "I forgot my weapon." He was a fighter, a warrior. He said, "I forgot my sword. Do you have anything?"

The priest said, "I sure do. You remember that dude you slayed way back when you was young?" He said, "Yeah. I got the sword. I got his sword as a memorabilia."

You got to go down memory lane and begin to think back on things that God have done for you. Baby, you got to make it personal, young man. It's got to be personal.

So he began to pull back the king. The priest said, "Yo, you remember you beat that dude? You know that tall one, you know that one, that big one with all them brothers? He said, 'I got your sword back there, the one that you—he had that he was going to beat you with, but I got it as a memorabilia.'"

David said, "Give it to me. Give it to me." Whereas then he could not handle that sword when he was young, but he's a different David now. "Give it to me. It'll work. It'll work. It'll work."

Some things, ooh. Some fights you got to grow into. There's some fights you got to grow into. It's so much so, God was so concerned about the children of Israel when they was coming out of Egypt. He said, "I'm going to take you around the long way."

Why? Because you don't know how to fight that battle yet. You're not strong enough. You're not big enough. You don't know enough scripture. You ain't got enough Holy Spirit in your spirit, man, to know how to discern this, baby.

So what I'm going to do, in my good grace and mercy, I'm going to just take you an easier route. It's going to be a long route, but I'm going to take you. I'm going to take you an easier route until you toughen up, until you scripture up.

Ephesians 6:13 and 18 says this. "Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand." You. Not your wife. Not your children. Not your mama. Not grandmama. You.

You got an evil day. Took 10 too. It's so funny. It's funny. Because when I was growing up, my mama was a single mom. And she loved God. She believed God. She gave me a template of prayer.

Now, don't get it twisted. I may have been down some. But the girl know how to still pray. And I'm going to tell you something. My mama handed me that template. And I've been rocking with that template and growing that prayer template out all these years myself.

Because who was coming behind me? Three little children was going to be coming behind me. And they needed a what? Template. Knowing how to handle things. Knowing how to go to God when you get down.

Oh, God. Y'all talking about a lineage. You better leave your children something other than some money. Other than some hips and butt. Other than some pretty eyes. You better give them something to work with, baby.

I preach? Can I preach up in here today? You better give your kids something in this day to contend with. Because something is after our children. Something is after their spirit, man.

Take the sword like this. When the enemy come at you, you do like—when you feel yourself tempted and you want to step out on your wife's son, you do this. Come on. Y'all ain't talking to me up here.

It's called a spiritual inheritance. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. A spiritual inheritance. And you got to make it your own.

Take up the whole armor that you may be able to withstand in the evil day. Your evil day going to look different from my evil day. And having done all, stand firm. You better stand therefore.

And while you're standing, this is what I want you to put on. I want you to have him fasten the belt of truth around you. And have him put on the breastplate of righteousness. And as shoes for your feet, have him put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

And in all circumstances, not in your good circumstances, but in all of your circumstances, the ones that make you cry, the ones that make you doubt, the ones that make you question, the ones that make you look.

Some of y'all say look up to the universe and stars. Whatever, baby. You better look unto God. All those kind of circumstances. He says in all of them, up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.

What are you wearing? What you got on? I know you got on your Louis Vuitton, the fake Louis Vuitton. Some are at Hope. But what else do you have on?

I know you got on your cologne and your Coco Chanel. But what else do you have on? Some of you been in a battle. You took a hit. And it brought you down.

But this is the day you get back up. No, no, no. No, no, no. These are not words for itching ears. These are words of truth. Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up.

You don't know who you serve. Get up. Get disciple. Who you serve? Listen. When I was in that hotel room. And the things that was weighing on my heart and mind. I had one of two choices.

I could have put on—because, you know, we know. We know how to put on. Because we have to go to work and do all those things you put on. But I didn't have time to put on.

And I'm thankful that I have my own relationship with God. I get a few benefits from being married to the pastor. But what I got, this oil I got, it ain't borrowed. I don't have borrowed oil.

I don't have borrowed oil. I don't have borrowed oil. This oil comes from the reservoir of my own working and laboring with the master. And if he working on his oil, then when our oil get together, it's a double oil that runneth over.

But I couldn't call him while I was in the hotel room. So what I did was I used the weapons I'm used to fighting with. I put on me a little Donnie McClurkin. And what is the?

My sister, I got my mind made up. I had a song for each day. And I got up. I knew I had to back up the spirit of discouragement off of me. So I put on my worship music. I went to worship it.

Do I fit? Did I feel like it? Not internally, but I put on a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, according to Isaiah. Am I saying this too loud?

Isaiah 61 says this. "The spirit of the Lord provides for those who grieve in Zion to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. They will have the oil of joy instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness or despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor."

When you go through and you come out and you got the fruit of it, that ain't for you. That's for others to see the splendor of God. It's not just for you.

I got children that need to see me handle trouble and come out with God. When you contend with your evil day, make sure that you contend with it well. Use the weapon. Use the weapons that God has given you. Use those tried and true weapons.

David said, "Give me Goliath's sword." What I fought with when I was a lad. I fought with what I was comfortable with. And it worked. Give me five smooth stones and a slingshot.

But this time David couldn't use them same old weapons. He was in a different fight. It was a fight for his destiny. It was a fight for his purpose. It was a fight for his life. It was a fight for him to make it to where God said that he was supposed to make it.

And it did not come easy. You want to be steadfast? You want to be unmovable? Always abounding in the work of God? Put one foot in front of the other? And while you're doing that, learn the word of God.

Point number one. You're not forsaken. You just feel forsaken.

Point number two. Don't lose your sense of good judgment while you're in your discouraging moment.

Point number three. Pick up what's familiar with and what? Fight.

Number four. Discouragement will try to disrobe you. It'll try to take off what God put on you as a believer and put on you what it desires to put on you. Unbelief. Discontentment. The ability to walk away from God.

This, this thing don't work. This, I tried that God thing. It don't work. Discouragement has the propensity to put that on you.

But Ephesians said, "You're going to war with the sword of the Spirit." And the sword of the Spirit is the word of God. Isaiah 61 and 10. Isaiah writes, "I delight greatly in the Lord. My soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me."

Remember what I just said? Discouragement will try to disrobe you. D-I-S-R-O-B-E. But God says, "I have what? Clothed you with garments of what? Salvation."

Different type of garments of salvation. And arrayed me in a robe of what? It's all right to be right with God. It's all what? It's all right to be what? With who?

Come on, somebody. If I can urbanize it, I say you got to rock with God. Because God will rock with you. He'll rock with you, baby. You hear me?

Whoo! He has arrayed me in a robe of righteousness. And look how he describes it. "As a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest. And as a bride adorns herself with jewels."

We are wearing something. And you know what? I think it's how the angels identify us. That one belongs to God. Oh, that one ain't got no robe of righteousness.

And stop taking your robe of righteousness off to tell people off. Stop playing with that. You going to take that, sis? Go ahead and take that, sis. I'm going to tell her off. Let me lay my religion down.

He coming like a twinkling of an eye. Play with that. Or don't.

Point number one. You're not forsaken. You what? You only feel forsaken.

Point number two. Don't lose your what? Why didn't y'all write these notes down? Online campus, I hope you're writing this down. Don't lose your sense of good what? Judgment. While you're in a discouraged what?

Look at you all. Pick up what's what? Familiar to who? To you and what?

Discouragement. Discouragement will what? It'll try to disrobe you.

And five. Look around you during discouraging times and moments and see who is with you.

When David was down in the cave of Adullam, who came to him? His family? Men who were in debt, distraught, and they were bitter in soul. It was about 400 men. They all had a situation. They all had discouragement on their backs.

And when David looked around in that cave to see who was with him, he said, "These are the men who will become part of the army that I'm a rock with. These are the men who are going to go up with me when I become king. These are the men who are going to go with me into promise."

Oh God. Listen. Do a quick examination. Who's around me when I'm discouraged? And watch what they say. Watch their words. You'll know who to put out the camp and who to keep in there.

You got to go. You talking crazy. Yeah. The ones who talk crazy, put them out your camp. Put them in another category. You're just an associate.

But those who are with you, they're going to say, "We're going to make it through this." When you come out your prison, bring me out of the prison. You're going to be like this.

Jesus said, "Those who what? Suffer with me are the same ones who will reign with me."

So whatever discouragement you may be going through, look who is with you in it and watch what they say.

Stand to your feet. David wrote Psalm 34 when he pretended to be insane. He wrote that in a cave. You know what he said? "I will bless the Lord at all times and His praises shall continually be in my mouth."

He had just finished acting crazy. He realized, "Oh, God is with me." And then when he was realizing, "I need to know what God's going to do in my life," he would say things like, "Man, I'm a worm and I feel like I'm going down. But you, oh God, you know my way."

You got to have something in your mouth from the word of God that you can combat things within this life. In this life.

As I get ready to close, I want you to think about this here. One of my favorite scriptures. When I'm down, me, when I hit down moments and discouraging moments, it's in Habakkuk. Habakkuk 3:17 and 19.

It says this. This is the prophet Habakkuk. He was looking out over the land and he was very discouraged by what he saw. And he started talking to God about what he saw and he started pinning it. And God responded to him.

And at the end of his dissertation of discouragement, his dialogue with God, he writes this. "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines. The labor of the olive shall fail and the field shall not yield no meat. The flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls."

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength. He will make my feet like Heinz feet. And he will make me to walk upon my high places.

To the chief singer on the string instruments, play this song. Glory to God. Come on, praise Him. Tell Him thank you. Worship Him. Let Him know you love Him.

Come on, let Him know you. Say thank you, oh God of my salvation. Give me about two seconds. Two seconds. If you are in this building and discouragement is on your life, I need you to walk the floor. Come on. Step out of your seat. Let God know. Say, "God, I thank you. Even though the situation looks bleak. Look like I'm not going to win. You're the God of my salvation."

Come on. Come on. Walk it. "I will yet rejoice in the God of my salvation. I will yet rejoice in the God of my salvation."

Come on. Give Him a praise. A sacrifice of praise. Come on, worship. If you don't lift your hands, it's okay. Say something to the Lord and tell Him how much you love Him. Tell Him, "You're the God of my salvation. You're the God of my salvation."

Come on. I declare God is what we wardrobe in some of you. You don't let the world get on you and how they handle situations. Stop running to that alcohol and weed. Stop all that. Stop it. Stop it.

Listen, he baits a believer. He can't snatch us, but he baits us. And a little bit of leaven, a little bit of compromise, it messes up the whole load. Okay?

So that's why sometimes you feel God, then you don't. You feel God and you don't. I need some people in here. I need about 50 of you to make a solid decision to start walking in the steady pathway of God.

Let your feet hit the path and don't let it come up off of it. Ask the Lord to help you stick it out and have sure-footedness in His way, in His plans, and what He asks you to do.

Ask Him for it. Say, "Make me steadfast. Make me unmovable. Make me teach me how to abound in this thing called the work of the Lord. I need to know how to get it for myself."

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "It's amazing what God can do when we are up against the wall. When there's nothing else to hope for and nothing else to believe for and nothing else to look for. When everything look like is what can come from this? Well my dear friend Angela Logan of Teaneck, New Jersey made up in her mind to pay for her mortgage she had to sell 100 cakes in 10 days in order to sell her mortgage. She had to sell to save her house and she did it." [51:00] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




2. "When you know you're going through a battle and yet you can herald the songs of praises over God's people. Come on, somebody. That tells me that there's strength that's beyond the strength that we carry from working out. There's another strength that takes over the believer when one is connected with God and is walking with God. It doesn't mean that we won't have some down days. But when we have those down days, there's somebody else on the inside of us that is living and moving and breathing." [45:07] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




3. "You know, oftentimes, it is in the high times of life, what we call mountain moments, when we give God our praise. This is when prayers come through and when we ask God for something and he finds it in his favor to give it to us. He gives us the yes and he grants us the prayer request that we've been asking. And it is from those times that mostly we give God that exciting praise. You know that God is good. You know that two-step. You know that shout." [48:40] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




4. "When I look at Psalms 22, verses one, the Psalmist David writes, My God, my God. Why have you forsaken me? Does anyone ever feel like that? When you are up against a hard place and you're discouraged and down about things that have occurred, God, why have you forsaken me? Why aren't you answering me? David writes, he says, why are you so far from saving me? From the words of my groaning? Oh my God, I cry by day but you do not answer. And by not praying, 허 but I find no rest have you ever been there before he says yet you are holy enthroned on the praises of Israel and in you our fathers trusted they trusted and you've delivered them to you they cry and were rescued in you they trusted and were not put to shame but I am a worm look at David David said but I'm a worm I'm lowly he says I but I am a worm and not a man." [54:33] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




5. "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines. The labor of the olive shall fail and the field shall not yield no meat. The flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no hearse in the stalls. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my said people. He will make my feet like Heinz feet. And he will make me to walk upon my high places. To the chief singer on the string instruments, play this song." [01:35:30] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




### Quotes for Members

1. "When you are feeling discouraged, you may feel like you are forsaken. I said, feel, feel, but guess what? You are not forsaken because the word tells us that Jesus said, I will never, leave you nor will I forsake you. He says, even until the ends of this world, even until everything wraps up, he said, I'm never going to leave you. You know what? That forsaken that you feel, it's only a feeling. You only feel forsaken, but you are not forsaken." [01:08:54] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




2. "Pick up what's familiar to you. And that's what you fight with. David went to the king, to the king, to the priest. And what happened? He said, I forgot my weapon. He was a fighter, a warrior. He said, I forgot my sword. Do you have anything? Do you have anything? Do you have anything in here that I could fight with? The priest said, I sure do. You remember that dude you slayed way back when you was young? He said, yeah. I got the sword. I got his sword. As a memorabella. You got to go down memory lane and begin to think back on things that God have done for you." [01:16:38] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




3. "Discouragement will try to disrobe you. It'll try to take off what God put on you as a believer. And put on you what it desires to put on you. Unbelief. Discontentment. The ability to walk away from God. This, this thing don't work. This, I tried that God thing. It don't work. Discouragement has the propensity to put that on you. But Ephesians said, You're going to war with the sword of the Spirit. And the sword of the Spirit is the word of God." [01:28:04] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




4. "Look around you during discouraging times and moments and see who is with you. When David was down in the cave of Adulla, who came to him? His family? Men who were in debt, distraught, and they were bitter in soul. It was about 400 men. They all had a situation. They all had discouragement on their backs. And when David looked around in that cave to see who was with him, he said, these are the men who will become part of the army that I'm a rock with. These are the men who are going to go up with me when I become king. These are the men who are going to go with me into promise." [01:32:14] (59 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




5. "You want to be steadfast? You want to be unmovable? Always abounding in the work of God? Put one foot in front of the other? And while you're doing that, learn the word of God. Point number one. You're not forsaken. You just feel forsaken. Point number two. Don't lose your sense of good judgment while you're in your discouraging moment. Point number three. Pick up what's familiar with and what? Fight. Number four. Discouragement will try to disrobe you." [01:27:16] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)