2 Samuel 22: 29-40a, “For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness. For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. For who is God, save the Lord? And who is a rock, save our God? God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and they gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip. I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them. And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast girded me with strength for battle.”
In 2 Samuel 22 we see a marvelous testimony by David concerning his God. David here praises and exalts God for many things within these scriptures. But the one thing that sticks out to me is his giving God thanks for strength to defeat his enemies. David acknowledges the fact that if it wasn’t for God’s empowering strength, that he would have been conquered by his enemies. He doesn’t take any of the credit or praise but rather is very careful to give God all the glory for any strength that he had in any of his battles.
My friend, we could take some very valuable lessons from David. Many in the church today have become prideful and arrogant concerning what “they” have done for the kingdom of God. They take all the credit and act like they are God’s gift to mankind. And don’t be deceived, it is very easy to get caught up in the accolades of men and start believing such deception. But what had better start happening in the church is for us to start giving God back all the glory that is due to His holy name! He is the one who deserves the praise, not us. It is He who rules and reigns the heaven and the earth, and it is He who deserves the highest praise.
I simply give to you that the reason David was so mightily used by God and had such strength was because he knew his anointing came from God!
It is time that we in this day and age of the Holy Spirit start seeking for that same type of anointing and strength in our own lives. Too many in this modern day of ease and comfort have grown weak in their spiritual walk with God, resulting in loss after loss to the enemy. It is time for God’s people to receive a new anointing of strength so that we too can be like David and conquer our enemies!
We have been kicked around long enough by the devil. We have been defeated too many times by the evil one. It is time to arise in the might and power of our God and declare to the north, south, east and west that we are not the defeated ones, but rather we are the children of the most high God and we will not go down, we will not be defeated, we will not be overcome, but we will overcome, we will be victorious, we will be strong in the power of His might!
Look at what the Word of God has to say about our strength. Daniel 11:32 says, “the people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits”. Isaiah 40:31 says, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint”. Praise God! And then, what did David say in the scripture text for this message? He said, “For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall”. And then again a little further down in those scriptures, I read where he said, “God is my strength and power…He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet….He teacheth my hands to war…I have pursued my enemies, and destroyed them…I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet”. Well, glory to God!
That doesn’t sound like a defeated man to me. That sounds like a man who has been empowered by an anointing that can only come from God. That sounds like a man who can sing that old blessed hymn “Victory In Jesus” and mean it! Praise God, there is still victory in Jesus! There is still power for the church! There is still an anointing of power and strength that if we’ll only accept it, “we will be strong and do great exploits”!
I want to show you something now that the Lord revealed to me about how Samson in the Book of Judges parallels to this message. If you will remember, Samson in the thirteenth chapter of judges was born a Nazarite. And as such, he was not allowed to cut his hair. As long as he didn’t cut it, God gave him supernatural strength. On several occasions, because of this strength, Samson performed some mighty deeds. He killed a lion barehanded one time. On another occasion, he caught 300 foxes and tied their tails together. Still yet on another occasion, he slew 1,000 men with the jawbone of a donkey. And on and on the list goes. But one day, because of lustful pleasure, he revealed the secret to his strength to a woman named Delilah. She then had a man come in and shave Samson’s head, which of course, the moment he did, the Bible tells us that Samson’s strength “went from him”.
Now friend, don’t get mad at me for what I am about to write, for I write it in love and in humility. Do you know why most of the church today has little, if any strength? It’s because we’ve sold ourselves into the hands of the devil! I know that’s a heavy statement but just hear me out. For too long the church have played games with the devil and with the world. We’ve laid our heads in the lap of the world and we’ve let the it lullaby us to sleep. That’s what happened to Samson and that is what is happening to a lot in the church today. And we don’t even see it!
Oh, hear my clarion cry as you read this. It is high time that we come to our senses and call upon the lord our God for help. It is high time that we get our heads off of the world’s lap and shake ourselves as in times of old and declare that we will not be weakened by this world’s system. We will not be weakened by its temptations and deceits. May our prayer be “God, send a new anointing of strength!” That’s what Samson did, and he got it! And so can you, my friend. If the devil has taken you for a ride and you want to get off; if you’re tired of being beat up and defeated, then call upon the name of the Lord your God and He will deliver you.
We’ve been weak for too long. We’ve been powerless for too long. We cry we have signs and wonders, but where are they? We declare we can heal the sick, but where are the results? It is time for us to arise in a new anointing of strength and power with our God. Then let the world know; No! Let the devil and his minions of darkness know! There is a new church coming forth. And it lives in the strength of its God!