Keep Your Sling, Dodge the Javelin: Success Lessons From David

Sermon outline

David made mistakes and still finished successful, and the principles that carried him (staying with what is proven, serving, fellowship, walking away from hatred, humility in blessing and honour for those over you) will carry you too.

1. 4. The principle of choosing and staying with what you have tested

   Before Goliath, David had to choose between Saul's armour and the sling and five smooth stones he already knew. He refused the armour because he had not proved it. Many new things and many suggestions will come to you, but in the day of your greatest challenge stay with what has brought you victory before, and do not swap or change just for the sake of it.

   Illustration: People who leave a fiance they have known for years and suddenly marry someone nobody knows. Taking someone from the unknown can land you in a lot of hot water.

   “So my encouragement to you is you stay with what you've proved and you stay with what you have tested.”

   • 1 Samuel 17:38-40

2. 5. The principle of ministering to others

   Decide to be a blessing and God will bless you, because what you sow you will reap. Instead of asking what the church, the pastor and the leaders can do for you, ask what you can do for them, for your community and for your nation. You do not have to be a preacher: a kind word at work, on the bus or in church is ministry. David played the harp for Saul and the evil spirits left, and his value rose rapidly after he helped Saul.

   Illustration: His cure for depression: stop pitying yourself and go and be nice to somebody else. The person people miss when they are absent is the one who carries the pressure when they are there.

   “Your whole value in life rises with your usefulness.”

   • Galatians 6:7
   • 1 Samuel 16:23

3. 6. The principle of fellowship and non-isolation

   All Israel and Judah loved David because he went out and came in before them. If you want friends, show yourself friendly, and do not take a holier-than-thou attitude that says you have nothing to learn from others. Ministers who have been hurt are tempted to withdraw, but life is full of hurt and the greater One in you will bring you through. Relate to people who are ahead of you in the race, because the right association takes you to the right place.

   Illustration: When a well-known preacher comes on television he leaves whatever he is doing and runs to the set to catch a truth. He also watches people get into their cars and leave straight after the service, when someone there needed a smile and a word of encouragement.

   “If you make the right association, God will take you to the right place.”

   • 1 Samuel 18:16
   • Proverbs 18:24
   • 1 John 4:4
   • 1 John 3:14
   • John 13:35
   • 1 John 1:7
   • Luke 6:38

4. 7. The principle of avoiding arrows of hatred

   When Saul threw the javelin, David slipped away and fled. When people start to climb, or God begins to use them, others criticise and throw javelins, in the family, at work and in ministry. Do not stay behind to argue, debate and cause more injury: walk away in love, withdraw and encourage yourself in the Lord as David did, and come back refreshed. Jesus Himself withdrew when the Pharisees plotted to destroy Him. In the same way, young people must run as Joseph ran from Potiphar's wife, because the devil will send someone designed to destroy your destiny.

   Illustration: People tell him, 'Pastor, I've been hurt, and for five or ten years I've been non-functional.' His answer is that everyone who plays the game of life gets hurt, and you press on.

   “There are times you need to withdraw yourself and go and encourage yourself.”

   • 1 Samuel 19:9-10
   • 1 John 4:4
   • Matthew 12:14-15
   • 1 Samuel 30:6
   • Proverbs 6:26
   • Genesis 39:7-12

5. 9. The principle of behaving wisely when you are blessed

   David behaved himself wisely, the Lord was with him, and he behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul. Promotion is a dangerous time because you can get puffed up. Some people make an idol of the very miracle they prayed for, find tithing harder once the amount is bigger, and become too busy for the house of the Lord. Humble yourself and submit to God first; then you can resist the devil and he will flee.

   Illustration: David addressed Saul by his rank and title and carried himself with respect. The man who tithed easily on a small salary gets a new car, a new office and a high-profile job, and is suddenly too busy for church.

   “Never get too busy for God.”

   • 1 Samuel 18:14-15
   • 1 Samuel 18:30
   • Exodus 20:5
   • James 4:7

6. 10. The principle of seeing people the right way

   Saul had tried to kill him, yet David still called him 'my lord, the king', his master and his father. Do not become so familiar with the people God has placed over you, whether pastors, leaders or parents, that you forget who they are, because your prosperity is linked to God's prophets. David even honoured Saul after his death as the beauty of Israel, and he understood sowing and reaping: attack a leader and someone will attack you. Refuse to listen when people attack men and women of God, because it muddies the water you need to drink from.

   Illustration: The person who arrives down and out, gets blessed through the pastor's ministry, then starts calling him by his first name. When people criticise televangelists or the faith preachers in front of him, he stops them, because he is protecting his life source.

   “Once a king killer, always a king killer.”

   • 1 Samuel 24:6
   • 1 Samuel 24:8
   • Ephesians 5:15
   • 2 Chronicles 20:20
   • 2 Samuel 1:25
   • 2 Samuel 1:19
   • 2 Samuel 23:8
   • 2 Samuel 23:39
   • Proverbs 4:23
   • 2 Corinthians 5:16

7. 11. The principle of not violating fathers

   David would not stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed. He says a spirit is at work in the church cutting spiritual children off from their spiritual parents, and the devil will try every trick to cut you off from the man or woman of God through whom you receive. Stay in right relationship with your leaders, honour your father and mother, and parents, spiritual and natural, must not provoke their children.

   Illustration: An unborn baby whose umbilical cord is cut dies, because it has been separated from its life source.

   “They are your spiritual parents and God has placed you with them.”

   • 1 Samuel 24:6
   • Ephesians 6:2-3
   • Ephesians 6:4

8. 12. The principle of listening to good advice

   David and his men were on their way to kill Nabal for his foolishness when Abigail, Nabal's wise wife, met him with presents and pleaded with him. David blessed God for sending her and blessed her advice, which kept him from shedding blood and avenging himself. He begins to say that taking advice is one of the cheapest ways to get ahead in life, and the recording cuts away at that point.

   “This is one of the cheapest ways to get ahead in life.”

   • 1 Samuel 25:32-33