Okay, a while back ago, I began a series on the life of David, and tonight we'll resume that series. In our first message in this series, entitled David the Shepherd, we examined 1 Samuel chapter 16, where the scriptures introduce to us the legendary King David. But contrary to worldly wisdom, we are taken to the shepherd's field and not the palace to find him. And though David was hidden and largely forgotten by the public's eye, God's eye had never passed him over. In other words, while everybody else saw David as a shepherd, God saw him as a king, as noted in 1 Samuel chapter 16 and verse 1. I'd like to ask you to keep your Bibles open and move along through the book of 1 Samuel this evening as we will be covering the rest of this book. So we read of David's anointing in 1 Samuel chapter 16 and verse 13, the verse which we just read. Now the exciting thing about David's anointing was that it was not just a ceremony, but rather it was a calling, a calling to accomplish the will of God in his life, and so it is with every believer still today. We have not only been saved by God, but we have been called by God and called to accomplish His will in our lives. So with the oil freshly running down the head of David and the calling of God to be the next king of Israel, just spoken to him tonight, I would like to preach a message entitled David the servant. Now this title may seem a bit odd to you as one would rightly expect that the next message that I should preach should be entitled David the King. You see, in the world of instant everything from instant oatmeal to instant coffee to instant messenger, most people in today's world would expect for David to assume the throne instantly. At most, they would let Saul have his customary two-week notice, and then David could be crowned. But contrary to today's world, between 1 Samuel 16, verse 13, which we just read, where David is anointed, and 2 Samuel 2, verse 4, where David finally becomes king, there were several years. Most scholars believe that there was around 15 years in between those two events and another seven years until he became king over all of Israel as was prophesied here in 1 Samuel 16. And if the amount of time itself was not a trial to David, surely all the situations that took place in David's life from between the age of 15 until he was 30 years old were trials for sure. Thus tonight our message is entitled David the servant. Now if you have a busy life I'm sure that you would appreciate all the circumstances that David found himself in during these 15 years. Not long after he was anointed here in 1st Samuel 16 Things were looking pretty good, as David was hired as a musician to soothe King Saul's evil spirit. 1 Samuel 16, 17 notes that. Had David lived in today's world, I could see him posting on his Facebook wall, so honored and humbled to play music in the king's court. Hashtag, God is good. But things suddenly and drastically turned for the worse. And it was only the beginning of what was to come. While playing his music, King Saul rages in his spirit and tried to murder David at least twice by throwing a javelin at him. Now, in today's world, this would surely be enough for David. I mean, after all, most people quit their jobs just because their boss yells at them. Yet alone threatened them. But David gets more than a threat. He gets the spear thrown at him. 1 Samuel 18.11 says, And Saul cast the javelin, for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. Told you how hard he threw it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. Now, immediately, my mind goes to thinking, how in the world does David return to the court to play his music? Well, let's see, where was I, you know? Oh, verse two. But he does. This is amazing to me. He simply ducks the spear and keeps on playing. I would dare say, though, that even though he resumed his service in the king's court, any dreams of royalty that he might have had were near gone by now. In fact, things were turning a little bleak, and his place in the king's court was only a part-time gig now. David was now platooning back and forth from the palace to the shepherd's field, and neither place was safe anymore. The Philistines had been plaguing the land and raiding farms, as we'll see later on. But David hadn't really come across any of the Philistines yet, at least that we can read of in the Scriptures, but he did encounter some dangerous episodes while tending to his father's sheep. At least once he had already killed a lion and a bear while watching the flock. 1 Samuel 17, 34 mentions that. So in a matter of a couple of years, perhaps, David has experienced at least four near-death experiences. But David is getting quite a reputation of being a man of war, though he never fought any recorded battle as of yet. And so David is made armor-bearer to the king in 1 Daniel 16, verse 21. But either that was only a part-time gig as well, or speaking of being the king's armor-bearer while he was just simply at the palace, because we find David back watching the sheet when the Israelites went to war. In a crazy turn of events, the young boy David kills Goliath in a monumental battle that he wasn't even supposed to be at, changing Israel's history and fortune at this time. 1 Samuel 17, 50 gives us the count. You might say that David had now five near-death experiences by now. Due to fear, David is kicked out of the king's palace. But due to popularity, David has made captain over 1,000 men in the king's army. 1 Samuel 18.13 details that. David is perhaps around 25 years old now and he marries Israel's princess, King Saul's daughter by the name of Michael, 1 Samuel 18.27. But in order to marry her, Saul required 100 Philistines to be killed. So David, along with his men, goes and kills double the amount, 200 male Philistines, 1 Samuel 18.27. Little did he know that King Saul was conspiring against him and required this dowry of sorts, hoping that the Philistines would kill David. 1 Samuel 18.25 mentions that. After realizing that David was too much of a man for Saul to handle, 1 Samuel 18 29 records, and Saul was yet the more afraid of David. And Saul became David's enemy continually. I don't think David has yet fully realized the danger that he was in yet. King Saul then openly commands his son Jonathan and his servants to kill David. But Jonathan was able to relay the news to David, allowing him to escape death for the sixth time and hide until the next morning, until Jonathan brings word as to how dangerous the situation really was. He wanted to feel his father out and find out whether or not he was really angry or if he was just upset at times. 1 Samuel chapter 19 verses 4 through 5 reads, And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, he's filling him out here, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee, word, very good. For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel. Thou sawest it, and disrejoiced. Wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?" So King Saul listens to Jonathan, and he swears an oath to him in 1 Samuel 19.6 that he will not kill David. Jonathan's elated. So he runs back to David's hiding spot. And he tells David, he says, come back with me to the king's court. So David goes back with Jonathan and is reunited with King Saul. And he continues his duties there as he had before. And the Bible records in 1 Samuel 19, verse 8, and there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and slew them with a great slaughter and they fled from him. So David resumes his heroics, but this only evokes more jealousy out of King Saul. So we read in 1 Samuel 19 verses 9 and 10, Can't tell me that David didn't have an eye on that hand. David played with this hand and Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin, but he slipped away out of Saul's presence and he smote the javelin into the wall and David fled and escaped that night. This is David's seventh near-death experience. David runs home and Saul sends his servants after him to watch him and slay him in the morning. David's wife, Michael, tells David to flee that night, fearing for his life. And so she helps her window, or she helps her husband slip up the window in the dead of night. David escapes death now for the eighth time, but not before writing Psalm chapter 59. While David's wife is stuffing a statue under the cover and a pillow of goat hair in the bed to deceive Saul's servants, David is fleeing down to Ramah where he meets up with the prophet Samuel, and he tells Samuel all that Saul has done in 1 Samuel 19.18. Sooner than later, word gets back to Saul of David's whereabouts, and so King Saul sends messengers to take him to kill him. And now here we read the most interesting account and pretty funny in hindsight for sure. As I read it, I said, Holly, listen to this. In 1 Samuel 19, 20 through 24, it says, And Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 36 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. 37 And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Situ. And he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naoth and Ramah. And he went thither to Naoth and Ramah, and the Spirit of God was upon him also. And he went on and prophesied until he came to Naoth and Ramah, and he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and laid down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets? So David escapes the ninth attempt on his life in the most unusual manner. But nonetheless, he begins to realize the peril that he's in. And then he then flees to Jonathan, and he says in 1 Samuel 20 in verse three, there is but a step between me and death. I would say that David's onto something here. Jonathan has better hopes though, and he tries one more time to talk to his father about David But it goes sour fast in fact in his rage Saul threw a javelin at his own son It's a good thing that Saul was a bad aim Saul had missed his target But Jonathan didn't miss the point He then quickly realizes that his father was determined to kill David at any cost. So Jonathan warns David that it's not safe in the palace anymore. And we see that story where he shoots the arrow and he warns him in 1st Samuel 20 verse 42. And David departs and he goes to Nab. But it wasn't long before his identity is betrayed by Doeg the Edomite at Nob, which eventually caused the brutal massacre of the priests and inhabitants of Nob days later. We read that account in a few chapters in 1 Samuel 22. David flees Nob just in time, escaping death for the 10th time. But on hearing the aftermath of what happened to the priest back in Nab, because of Doeg the Edomite, David stops and he writes Psalm chapter 52. David now flees from his own country as he doesn't feel safe anywhere anymore. He flees to the king of Gath, Achish, where his identity is betrayed again by the servants of Achish. And out of fear, David acts like a madman and is expelled from the Philistine city. 1 Samuel 21, 10 through 15 details this account. Philistines had him there, he pens Psalm 56, just before the 11th attempt on his life failed. And as soon as he was released as a madman, he writes Psalm chapter 34. David then escaped to the cave of Dolom, where he becomes the leader of 400 other refugees. It's here that he writes Psalm 142. And then he takes care of his parents by protecting them in Moab, fearing that Saul might come after them. He makes an alliance with the king in 1 Samuel 22 in verse 3. Now David, along with his men, which has grown to about 600 now, then have to rush up to the city of Keilah to defend it from the Philistines, because they were invading that city and stealing all their grain. 1 Samuel 23, 1-13 tells the story. King Saul was unavailable to defend the city, even though he was the king, because all of his forces were chasing David. And the Bible records in 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, 1 Samuel 23, verse 5, So David escapes death for the 12th time. David has to flee again. He goes to the wilderness of Ziph. The Bible records this in 1 Samuel 23, 14. It says, and David abode in the wilderness in strongholds and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. Some scholars believe that one of his strongholds, and particularly the mountain in Zipf mentioned here, was Masada, the renowned fortress in Israel's desert. It was here that David was protected from death for at least a 13th time, and I'm counting every day of searching as only one time. But it was also here that David received some encouragement from Jonathan, King Saul's son. It wasn't too long, though, before the country folks of Ziph, also known as the Ziphites, sent word to King Saul that they had found David, his enemy. Noted in 1 Samuel 23, 19 and 20. And when David was betrayed here, he writes Psalm 54. Before he knew it, King Saul had rushed his army down to the wilderness, chased David to the wilderness of Maon, surrounded him, and were about to crush him once and for all. But just as he was about to finish off David, a messenger comes to Saul. And in 1 Samuel 23, 27 to 28 we read, But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land. Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sila Hamalakoth. That word called in the Hebrew literally means shouted, proclaimed. And that big name, Sila Hamalakoth, means rock of escape. Escape death for the 14th time. Can you see that Facebook post? That was close. Hashtag Sila Hamlakov. David then goes back towards Masada and he rests in Gedi. And sure enough, somebody played the snitch and the 15th attempt on his life was underway. 1 Samuel 24 verses 1 through 2 says, And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. Three thousand chosen men? That's a five to one ratio. At least it wasn't the whole army this time. It was only Israel's Navy SEALs. So David and his men are in the sides of this cave. And David penned Psalm chapter 57. And wouldn't you know, something finally happens to David's advantage. Finally. David gets a break. 1 Samuel 24 verses 3 and 4 records, and he, it's King Saul, came to the sheep coats, by the way, where was a cave. And Saul went in to cover his feet, and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave, and the men of David said unto him, Behold, the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand. Now keep in mind, they're probably whispering this, okay? Behold, I will deliver thine enemy to thy hand that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. And David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily. Boy, if you're like me, you would be one of the whisperers in David's ear. This is your moment, David. Carpe diem. The Lord has finally delivered your enemy into your hands 15 attempts on your life David. Here's your first attempt on his So David secretly creeps up on King Saul and he cuts off a piece of Saul's garment And what happens next shocks me and most probably shocked his men as well verse 5 they came to pass afterwards that David's heart smote him because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And he said unto his men, the Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. So David stayed his servants with these words and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave and went on his way. David then goes out after Saul gets a brief ways away, and he pleads his case with King Saul as he yells across the valley. In 1 Samuel 24 verse 8, David also arose afterward and went out of the cave and cried after Saul saying, My Lord, the King! And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth and he bowed himself. And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words? Saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt. In other words, David in humility says, why are you listening to your men who are saying that I want to hurt you? Behold, this day thine eyes have seen now how that the Lord had delivered thee today into mine hand in the cave, and some bade me kill thee, but mine eyes spared thee. And I said, I will not put forth mine hand against the Lord, for he is the Lord's anointed. In other words, David says, I had my chance, King Saul, And I was counseled by some to kill you, but I spared you. And I'll not kill you, for you're the Lord's anointed. Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand, for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe and killed thee not. Know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand. I have not sinned against thee, yet thou huntest my soul to take it. In other words, I'm not going to hurt or kill you. Why then are you hunting after my soul? The Lord judged between me and thee, and the Lord avenged me of thee. But mine hand shall not be upon thee, as saith the proverb of the ancients, wickedness proceedeth from the wicked. But mine hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the King of Israel come out? After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea? David says, why are you wasting your time hunting after me? I'm small and insignificant. I'm hopping around from place to place like a flea. The Lord therefore be judge and judge between me and thee and see and plead my cause and deliver me out of thine hand. King Saul was stunned, and he replies in verse 16. It says, And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that David said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, And what? And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast showed this day how thou hast dealt well with me. For as much as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killest me not. For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? Wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. And now behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord that thou will not cut off my seed after me and that thou will not destroy my name out of my father's house. And David swear unto Saul and Saul went home. But David and his men get them up into the hold. David's thinking, peace. He made his way to the top of Masada, most probably, and he's beginning to think peace for a change. Time for some R&R, as we like to say. Finally, David is thinking. But just as he was beginning to settle down, news flies in that the prophet Samuel had passed away. So David packs up camp and he travels to Paran to pay tribute to the man who had anointed him into God's service about 10 to 15 years prior to all of this. Now think about that. 10 to 15 years ago, David was simply a poor shepherd in some field in Bethlehem. who liked to play music, practice with a slingshot, and perform household chores. 10 to 15 years. And in that time, there's been a minimum of 15 attempts on his life. Now we find David a man without a country. Having narrowly escaped the elite forces of Israel and commanding about 600 refugees while living off the land like a nomad, he then encounters a wealthy man but churlish by the name of Nabal in 1st Samuel 25 verse 2. And after helping his servants and protecting them, David requests some food and water. But in reply to David's kindness, Nabal refuses any help. So David saddles up 400 of his men and he was going to take some by force. But Nabal's wife hears of the predicament and graciously and hurriedly meets David to give him food and drink for his men. After hearing of his wife's action, Nabal dies. The Bible says his heart became as stone. So David takes Abigail, his widow, to be his second wife. David then turns around and marries another lady, Ahinoam, from Jezreel in 1 Samuel 25, 43. So in two verses, he adds two wives. Meanwhile, David's first wife, King Saul's daughter, Michael, was stolen by King Saul and given to another man in 1 Samuel 25, 44. Talk about being betrayed. This man lived a life of betrayal. And now, David is betrayed by the Zephites a second time in 1st Samuel 26. And this time, David, along with his nephew Abishai, one of his mighty men, sneak into the midst of Saul's camp, who is guarded by 3,000 servants. And Saul sneaks into that camp, and he somehow gets into Saul's sleeping quarters. But he only takes his spear and crews of water, leaving Saul unharmed for the second time. We read about this in 1st Samuel 26 verses 7 through 11. So again, after David reveals to Saul his second opportunity to kill him, Saul, quote unquote, repents. But David isn't so naive this time. Now, he doesn't trust Saul anymore. After all, he's tried at least 16 times to take his life. However, David gets discouraged immediately after this and the Bible records his thoughts in 1st Samuel 27 verse 1 it says and David said in his heart none of the men could hear this I Shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul This guy has some fortitude 16 attempts on his life before he comes to that conclusion. I think after one attempt on my life. I'd be thinking this There's nothing better for me Than that I should speedily escape into the land of the philistines if I could go back to that time. I'd say don't do it David don't do it And Saul shall despair of me to seek me anymore in any coasts of Israel So shall I escape out of his hand? And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish the son of Maok, king of Gath, the place where Goliath was from. So David fled to the Philistines, and he finds refuge under the king of Gath. And when this was reported to Saul, indeed, the king stopped his relentless hunt." 1 Sema 27, 4 notes that. David, in the meantime, he requests to have a city of his own, and so Achish gives David, his men, and their families the city of Ziklag to dwell in. Now David spends one year and four months here and somewhere near the end of this time goes to war with some of the foreign nations to the south, namely the Geshurites, the Gesrites, and the Amalekites. Now he does this because Saul had refused to destroy all these people as God had commanded. So David had a right to do what he was doing here. So David does this and he kills everybody, man and woman alike, along with all their beasts. 1 Samuel 27 9. But when David is questioned by the king of Gath as to what he was up to upon returning from this conquest, David answers a half-truth. And would have the king of Gath believe that he was attacking the southern portion of Judah and not foreign nations. Now had David told the full truth, the king of Gath would have had a massive problems on his hands because the Philistines were also a foreign nation that David would have to eradicate. So Achish the king, believing David, seizes the opportunity, thinking that David has burnt the bridge between him and his fellow Israelites. He thinks that David is now a traitor to his own people. And as a result, he thinks that David will serve him forever. 1 Samuel 27, 12 says that. So now David has made a series of blunders that really gets him into a jam now. Because based on this new intelligence, Achish and the Philistines declare war on Israel. And the king of Gath calls on David to fight with the Philistines. In fact, Achish makes David the captain of his bodyguard. Most probably to keep a close eye on David, but nonetheless, because of his valor. Now I'm certain here that David's in a real pickle. Wondering how in the world will he get himself out of this mess? Ever thought that? In the meantime, the Philistines gathered together and pitched their camp in Shunem. Later on, we see the Shunemite widow there, lady. Shunem. And the Israelites pitched their camp in Gilboa. Now, David's mind had to be racing a thousand miles per minute, wondering about this predicament here. But King Saul blinked first. This is where he goes to the witch of Endor. seeking whether or not he would have success. And of course, King Saul gets bad news that not only would Israel lose this battle, but that he and his sons would die. 1 Samuel 28, 19 mentions this. The next day, the Philistines deploy their forces to Aphek, and Israel pitched their camp in Jezreel. So the battle is getting closer and closer to beginning. Now, David is in the back, the re-reward of the army, of the Philistines' army, because he's the king's bodyguard. And finally, Providence kicks in. Some of the Philistine lords were uncomfortable with David being in battle, not knowing if he would switch sides in the midst of the skirmish. So Achish listens to his lords, and he sends David and his men back home to the Philistine land, 1 Samuel 29, 11, and David plays it cool there. He had to be secretly thrilled, though. But after a three-day journey back home to Ziklag, David has found his city decimated and burned by the other remnants of the Amalekites that he had yet to get to. This was in retaliation for David's previous deeds that he had lied about to the king of King Achish. But even worse than burning their homes, the Amalekites had taken captive all of the women and children. All of the men's families, their wives and their children, including David's two wives, were kidnapped. 1 Samuel 30 verse 6 records, And David was greatly distressed, for the people spake of stoning him. His own people, now the only people in all the world that he had, were now looking at turning against him. Because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters. Boy, does David have a revival here. But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. So after a rough year and a half where David had been acting contrary to his former character, he writes the ship, he encourages himself in the Lord, and he then seeks the Lord on what to do. And he was commanded to go and pursue the Amalekites and recover all that he had lost. So David sets out in pursuit, and for the 17th time, his life is up for grabs. But David recovers all that was stolen, including their wives and children, and he kills all the Amalekites, minus 400 young men, in an epic battle that the Bible describes about. Kills them all except for 400 men who escaped on camels. Meanwhile, while he was off pursuing what he had lost, the Philistines had engaged in war with Israel. And they were defeating David's people soundly. And as foretold, King Saul and his sons had died. 1 Samuel 31.6 says, So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men that same day together. Devastating news. You would think that David would rejoice. You would think that there'd be more excitement than when Hillary lost the election. But David weeps in anguish over the loss of Saul. He says, how the mighty have fallen. He heaps praise upon praise on Saul in his lamentation. and over the loss of Jonathan, and over the defeat that Israel suffered. He then kills the Amalekite that brags about killing Saul. He should never have lied, shouldn't he? And then David inquires of the Lord what he should do, and God has him go to Hebron, where finally the Bible records in 2 Samuel chapter 2 and verse 4. And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. Now, somewhere just before this tragic and yet crowning moment, David had celebrated his 30th birthday. And he still had seven more years of hardship that I don't have time to go through in this message, which I was planning on. I had to go back and rework it. Several more attempts on his life before he acquired the throne of Israel that he was anointed in 1 Samuel chapter 16 about. Now, I spent some quality time in this message telling you the narrative of the 15 years between David's anointing and David's crowning so that I can close this sermon by addressing a point often misunderstood in American Christianity. Hear this. God's calling requires patience. Fifteen years of hardships, trials, and betrayals before David ever had a crowning moment And even here, he was only a king over one tribe of Israel. Yet God in his faithfulness was working out his plan in and through the life of David. In today's culture, we do not equate hardship and trials with the love of God. We do not embrace the injustices of the world as God's working in our lives. We're repulsive to the idea that God would allow certain things to ever happen to us. And instead we have embraced the idea that the Christian life is devotions with coffee in the morning. We defend our children and forever teach them the false doctrine called fairness of life. We have convinced ourselves that if things are going wrong, God must not be in it. In times of hardship, we often take matters into our own hands. And at times we have abandoned the calling of God in our lives due to the resistance and pressure from others around us. Let me remind all of us this evening that as sure as David's calling was that we read about in 1 Samuel 16, so too were his hardships that we read about for the rest of the book. And so too will be our portion in this world. 1 Thessalonians 3 says that no man should be moved by these afflictions. For yourselves know that we are appointed there unto. Philippians 129 says, For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. So if suffering is to be, then how should we embrace it? First, we should suffer wrongfully. And this is the thrust of the entire message. not returning evil for evil, as we are prone to do, but instead leave vengeance to the Lord alone and return good for evil. David, the servant, demonstrated this when he didn't kill Saul, his lord and master, as he called him. The Lord's anointed in the cave, but instead he bowed before him. It was here in that cave that David wrote Psalm 54, verses 5 and 6. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies. Speaking of God, he shall reward evil unto mine enemies. Cut them off in thy truth. I will freely sacrifice unto thee. I will praise thy name, O Lord, for it is good. He defined God's role, and he defined his role, and he says God's role is vengeance. My role is sacrifice. David not only developed this message, but he lived his sermon out Obviously he taught this truth to his son Solomon as well for in Proverbs 20 verse 22 We read say not thou I will recompense evil But wait on the Lord and he shall save thee. I Would think that every person in this room has been dealt with wrongfully How have you or how are you dealing with it? 1 Corinthians 6, 7 speaking of inner believer conflicts says, Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because you go to law one with another. Why do you not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Is it okay to be suffered wrong? Is it okay to be betrayed? No one likes it. But is it okay to take the hurt? Is it okay to run for your life without returning it? First, we need to suffer wrongfully. Secondly, it gets harder. We need to rejoice in suffering. We are to rejoice in these sufferings. knowing that God is working in us. David the servant rejoiced in his, and he wrote about this in Psalm 119.75. He says, I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 17 attempts on your life, and that's what he wrote about it? 1 Peter 4, 12-13 says, Beloved, think ye not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you? But rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Romans 5, 3 and 4 says, But we glory in tribulations also. The reason why we can glory or rejoice in our sufferings is found in 2 Corinthians 4, 17. It says, For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. You see, as much as our suffering causes pain and hurt, If allowed, it'll bind us closer to God. Romans 8 35 says, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, you know, Paul wrote this and he was stoned all the same, but I'm certain that David could have taken these words and penned them just the same. Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written for thy sake, we are killed all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. First, we must suffer wrongfully. Second, we must rejoice in our sufferings. And third, and I close, we must patiently wait. David, the servant, patiently waited for the crown. And it eventually came in God's timing. And he had ample opportunity to take it before God gave it. David wrote about this in Psalm 40 verse 1. He says, I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined unto me and heard my cry. We too, believers, if we patiently endure, we shall be crowned as well. James 1.12 says, Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, He shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Allow me to warn all of us to patiently wait, and not try to make things happen. David had to learn the hard way a couple of times, where twice he sought refuge in Gath. And in both instances, heartache upon heartache, heaped upon David's soul, So many times we hear the idea of name and claim, especially these prosperity gospel preachers that are out there, name and claim the promises of God. And while the promises of God are as sure as ever, sometimes they don't come when we think they should. We're never told to claim the promises of God, but instead we're told that we inherit the promises of God. And there is a massive difference between the two. Let's not claim the inheritance before it's due. The prodigal son did that, and it didn't work out too well for him. Esau claimed his prematurely, and it didn't work out too well for him either. Proverbs 20 verse 21 says, An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning, But the end thereof shall not be blessed. Instead, let's take the lesson provided to us by David tonight. And there are others beyond David like Abraham that demonstrated this Christian virtue. Hebrews 6 verses 10 through 12 says this, For God is not unrighteous to forget your work. Remember the promise that we read about? For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, and that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end, that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. You see Revelation 21 verse 7 is coming into focus here a little bit. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Colossians 3, 23 and 24 says, And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ. You see, David, the servant, learned this core principle, and he recorded it in Psalm 37, verse 34, where he says, Wait on the Lord and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. Before we pray this evening, May I remind us all that David the servant was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was our king, but before he was crowned, he had to suffer patiently. He was tempted like we were, and in fact, he was offered the inheritance of this world prematurely. Satan was offering the world to Christ, and that with no suffering. But Jesus Christ rebuffed that temptation with the word of God, and the apostle Peter reflected on the life of Christ says in 1 Peter 2, 19 through 25, for this is thankworthy. If a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully, for what glory is it if when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? But if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, This is acceptable with God. For even here unto where ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps. David typified it. Christ exemplified it. There's his footprint. Will you step in it? Suffering wrongly, wrongfully. How do we respond?