Encourage Yourself

Understanding Strong Spiritual Mind Emotion in the Life of David, legendary king of Israel

David went through some tough times on his journey from family rejection to community acceptance and rejection to king of a nation.? Our journey takes us through tough times.

One of the hardest stories in David’s situation was at Ziklag.? He was hiding away from the current king of Israel.? He and his warriors went on a journey.? When they came home, the entire city was pillaged.? All the women and children were taken along with anything valuable.? David’s men turned on him and questioned his authority and validity.

At this point, David dug down into his inner man and encouraged and strengthened himself.? He proved his resilience based in his relationship and faith in God.? It was an amazing moment.? He rose up and led the warriors to chase after the enemy, who had long since left the area.? They restored all the women and children and not only the wealth from their city but wealth from other cities that had been pillaged.

In gratefulness, David distributed the wealth to his men and their families and even other communities that had been faithful in supporting him over the years.

In Psalm 18, we find the heart of David, this man of great inner resilience in the face of tragedy.

Let’s explore a few concepts.

Credit God – Be Grateful

David is adamant to credit God for his deliverance and ability. Who can you credit for helping you stay strong?

46?The?Lord?lives! Blessed?be?my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted. 47?It is?God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me; 48?He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man. 49?Therefore I will give thanks to You, O?Lord, among the?[l]Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

50?Great deliverance He gives to His king, And shows mercy to His anointed, To David and his?descendants forevermore.

Acknowledge the Situation

David did not deny his pain and grief and depression and anxiety or fear.

4?The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of?ungodliness made me afraid. 5?The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. 6?In my distress I called upon the?Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him,?even?to His ears

Appeal to the Good Days

David appealed to his good days.? He knew he was not perfect, but he faithfully would come back to a strong life over and over and acknowledged it.

20?The?Lord?rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. 21?For I have kept the ways of the?Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God.

Let the Light In

David accepts the light offered by God. He depends on insight and wisdom and comfort and encouragement from the Lord.? He looks regularly to the Lord to increase his abilities and endurance, his resilience.

28?For You will light my lamp; The?Lord?my God will enlighten my darkness. 29?For by You I can?run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall. 30?As for?God,?His way?is?perfect; The word of the?Lord?is?proven; He?is?a shield?to all who trust in Him.

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You can read the whole Psalm that David wrote reflecting these circumstances and his deliverance and resilience in the Lord.? You might find many other principles here to encourage your own walk of wisdom and well-being in body, mind, emotion, motivation, spirit, relationships and resources.

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For a Life Mission of a Better Life Forward

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Phil Larson, Oklahoma State Coordinating Elder NACM

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Psalm 18

New King James Version

God the Sovereign Savior

To the Chief Musician.?A Psalm?of David?the servant of the?Lord, who spoke to the?Lord?the words of?this song on the day that the?Lord?delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:

18?I?will love You, O?Lord, my strength. 2?The?Lord?is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my?[a]strength,?in whom I will trust; My shield and the?[b]horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3?I will call upon the?Lord,?who is worthy?to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

4?The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of?[c]ungodliness made me afraid. 5?The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. 6?In my distress I called upon the?Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him,?even?to His ears.

7?Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry. 8?Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it. 9?He bowed the heavens also, and came down With darkness under His feet. 10?And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. 11?He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him?was?dark waters And?thick clouds of the skies. 12?From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.

13?The?Lord?thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered?His voice, [d]Hailstones and coals of fire. 14?He sent out His arrows and scattered?[e]the foe, Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them. 15?Then the channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered At Your rebuke, O?Lord, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

16?He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. 17?He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me. 18?They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the?Lord?was my support. 19?He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.

20?The?Lord?rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. 21?For I have kept the ways of the?Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God. 22?For all His judgments?were?before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me. 23?I was also blameless?[f]before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity. 24?Therefore the?Lord?has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

25?With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; 26?With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And?with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. 27?For You will save the humble people, But will bring down?haughty looks.

28?For You will light my lamp; The?Lord?my God will enlighten my darkness. 29?For by You I can?[g]run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall. 30?As for?God,?His way?is?perfect; The word of the?Lord?is?[h]proven; He?is?a shield?to all who trust in Him.

31?For who?is?God, except the?Lord? And who?is?a rock, except our God? 32?It is?God who?arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect. 33?He makes my feet like the?feet of?deer, And?sets me on my high places. 34?He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35?You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. 36?You enlarged my path under me, So my feet did not slip.

37?I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. 38?I have wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. 39?For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have?[i]subdued under me those who rose up against me. 40?You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me. 41?They cried out, but?there was?none to save; Even?to the?Lord, but He did not answer them. 42?Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind; I?cast them out like dirt in the streets.

43?You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; You have made me the head of the?[j]nations; A people I have not known shall serve me. 44?As soon as they hear of me they obey me; The foreigners?[k]submit to me. 45?The foreigners fade away, And come frightened from their hideouts.

46?The?Lord?lives! Blessed?be?my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted. 47?It is?God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me; 48?He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man. 49?Therefore I will give thanks to You, O?Lord, among the?[l]Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

50?Great deliverance He gives to His king, And shows mercy to His anointed, To David and his?[m]descendants forevermore.

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