“Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.”

1 Chronicles 12:22

Due to the jealousy of King Saul, David had to flee to Adullam’s cave. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about this, they immediately went to him. All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him (1 Samuel 22:1-2). David took many years working on the character of these people. Because of their background they were bad mannered had a terrible sense of propriety, yet he was wise and patient with them. Little by little, he formed them until he had one of the most solid armies of that time. This army learned to live in unison, with the same heartbeat, as if they possessed a single heart. Among this army, many warriors rose up, and more than thirty men were registered in history as David’s mighty men.

For David to become the official king of Israel he needed the support of Israel’s twelve tribes. The time that he had to live as a fugitive, bearing all kinds of persecution on behalf of Saul, allowed him to select people who would stick with him when he assumed his position as king. For his disciples to become brave men, David, as their leader, dedicated time to forming them, breaking many mindsets of failure. David brought out the best in his team without allowing himself to be negatively influenced by their frequent mistakes. Despite what they did, he always valued them for who they were. David understood that it was God who had brought every person to join his team. From the very outset, David was able to see them with the eyes of faith. The result of David’s attitude speaks for itself; later they became men whom David placed as captains of his army. David had the ability to recognize the capacity that each person had, including the characteristics of those soldiers who were once part of King Saul’s army. Once these soldiers wanted to be part of David’s army, he acknowledged their work by giving them a place of honor. David was able to establish unity in Israel, even in the midst of crisis. David maintained the unity with King Saul’s household. He learned how to wait for God’s timing to solidify the necessary changes, and although some of the those on the front line did things that grieved David’s heart, he learned to keep unity at all times.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale shared that in a certain moment he found a man who was very depressed and who commented that he had read all of Dr. Peale’s books and had followed every word of advice, yet he still felt bad. He really needed a word of encouragement to move on. In that moment, Dr. Peale replied that the problem was that he had a void that only God could fill. When a person stays far from God, he is exposed to the attack of the enemy to exercise depression, failure, loneliness, frustration and oppression over their lives.

David came to be the most important king that Israel has ever had. His key to success was that he was always full of God with each step he took. If there was someone who was able to advance in the midst of the adversity, it was King David who waited patiently until God granted him the place of honor. Martin Luther King Jr. had a very good approach to facing adversity. “The maximum measure of a man,” he said, “is not the position that one assumes in the times of comfort and fellowship; yet, it is the position that one is willing to assume in the times of trial and controversy.”

TODAY’S DECLARATION
“I gave my best to God, and He gave me the best disciples.”

Today’s post is an excerpt from Pastor Cesar Castellanos’ book, Declarations of Power for 365 Days of the Year: Volume Three.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING

• Old Testament: Esther 9-10; Proverbs 17:15-28
• New Testament: Luke 20:20-26; Philemon 1:12-25