Family of God: RE: [Awake4HisReturn] David's Mighty Men

Praise god!
-----Original Message-----
Date: Friday, April 15, 2011 8:00:22 am
To: Awake4HisReturn@yahoogroups.com
From: "Michael J. Knight" <michaelnight82@yahoo.in>
Subject: [Awake4HisReturn] David's Mighty Men

David's Mighty Men

In 1 Chronicles chapter 12, we read of those who stood by David when
Saul was persecuting him. It was easy to join David after he had become
king. But here we read of people who joined him at a time when he was
rejected and being hunted for his life. It's easy to live totally for
the Lord in heaven but quite another matter to follow Him totally here
on earth where He is rejected and despised. In the same way, it is easy
to join a church after it has become famous and popular, but quite
another thing to join it when it is despised, because you see that the
anointing is there.

The men who became David's army generals later were those who followed
him at a time when he was being persecuted by Saul and rejected by
Israel. In our day also we see something similar. God rises up a man to
do a work for Him in a particular place, but very few have eyes to
recognize God's anointing on him and on his ministry. These few join him
and don't care what 'Saul' or anybody else says about him. Thus they
accomplish an eternal work for the Lord in their generation. We need to
train our senses to recognize where the anointing of God is today.

A true servant of God will never be popular, even as his Master was
unpopular. Jesus said, "Woe unto you when everyone speaks well of you,
because they spoke thus about the false prophets. But blessed are you
when all men speak evil of you, because that's how they treated all the
true prophets." (Lk.6:22 <http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/Lk.6.22> ,26
<http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/Lk%206.26> ) Very few people have
understood this fact. A true prophet is almost never fully recognized or
valued in his lifetime.

The history of the church shows that even the true apostles were
rejected and despised by others in their lifetime. Paul was rejected by
the believers in Corinth. He said in 2Tim.1:15
<http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/2Tim.1.15> , "All those in Asia have
forsaken me." Paul was true to God until the end of his life, but most
of his fellow-believers forsook him. Jesus was true to His father and
most people left Him too.

Some of the sons of Benjamin came to David when he was in a cave (1
Chronicles 12:16 <http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/1%20Chronicles%2012.16>
). David met them and told them "If you have come peacefully, my heart
will be with you. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies - my
conscience is clear - may God punish you." We have to be careful,
because even today there are people who can come to us, pretending to be
our friends. But if our conscience is clear, God will deal with them.

But look at the wonderful example of Amasai (1 Chronicles 12:18
<http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/1%20Chronicles%2012.18> ): "The Spirit
of God came upon Amasai, who was the chief of the thirty valiant men,
and he said, 'We are yours, O David. We are with you, son of Jesse.
Peace to you and peace to him who helps you. Your God helps you.' Then
David received them and made them captains of his band". People like
Amasai recognized God's anointing upon David, despite David's
outward circumstances, because the Holy Spirit was upon them.

If you read the history of the church you will find that the truly godly
men who stood against the established religious system in Christendom
were always persecuted. You have heard of how Martin Luther was
persecuted by the Roman Catholic system. Perhaps you have heard of John
Calvin too. But there was another group of wholehearted believers at
that time called the Anabaptists, who were persecuted not only by the
Roman Catholics, but also by the followers of Martin Luther and John
Calvin!! These Anabaptists were godly people who sought to live godly
lives, totally separated from the spirit of this world – and they
were persecuted severely for their stand. They met in the forests and
many of their leaders were killed. Church history may not have written
much about them. But one day when Jesus returns, we will discover that
these people were the men who stood wholeheartedly for God in their day.
And this is true in our day too.

Look for the anointing of God upon a man – not for supernatural
gifts (even Satan has supernatural gifts), but for the anointing and the
grace of God – those are the proof that God is with a man. And if
God approves of a man, we better approve of him too! Amasai had that
much sense!

Notice another characteristic of David (1 Chronicles 13:1
<http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/1%20Chronicles%2013.1> ): "David
consulted with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds, even with
every leader." A true man of God works in fellowship with others. One
reason why David got such tremendous support from the people was because
he discussed things with them. His attitude was, "I am a weak brother
and I need your opinion. What do you think about this?" He sat down and
discussed things with people who were junior to him and together came to
a decision along with the other men. And then we read in verse 4, "All
the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the
eyes of all the people."

Remember
Only one life, will soon be past,
Only what is done, for Christ will last.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. (2 Corinthians
13:14)

Love & Prayers,

Michael J. Knight.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-C-T-S/
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-C-T-S/>

What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.