David affirmed how God in all of His greatness and glory had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies.
In 2 Samuel 22, David shows how close he was to being destroyed. Since the Lord had been such a strong help in the past, as he faced new crisis, he set his face toward victory. This is important for all of us to do.
David recalled everything God did for him.
2 Samuel 22:2-4 NKJV And he said: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.”
Throughout his life, David kept reminding himself of God’s faithfulness and all of the things He had done.
Psalm 46:1 NKJV God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
It is good for us to take the time to remember how the Lord has helped us.
Remember God’s greatness, goodness and mighty acts. Rehearse every promise God has made and carefully number the times He brought you through. Take this exercise seriously in your present situation.
David was not just looking at God the Creator.
He not only recognized the high and holy position God abides in, but he also focused on how the Almighty God was his Savior. David knew that he was the object of God’s mercy and grace and that God had delivered him from his enemies.
Look at the things God did for him.
2 Samuel 22:17-18 NIV84 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.
2 Samuel 22:20 NIV84 He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
Have you experienced God’s good grace and favor?
In every aspect of His being and works, God is good. He can reach down to where you are and pick you up. No waters are too deep for Him. No devil is too strong. No past is too bad. No sin is too black.
David knew that God had brought him into His favor and blessing.
How many ways has God been faithful to you? How many times has the Lord shown you His favor and blessing?
As David faced the next conflict, he reminded himself how God had blessed, rewarded, and saved.
He rejoiced in the Lord even while the troubles came in. In the middle of the conflict and battle, he said, “God is faithful.” “He gives me light.” “He makes me invincible.” His language demonstrated the depth of his trust and confidence in the Lord his God. David knew that serving God was not in vain. He knew that God rewarded his faith-filled diligence.
2 Samuel 22:30 NIV84 With Your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.
David was always looking upward toward the Lord who was his help. His focus was on overcoming and winning. He was going over that mountain and through that valley. He was advancing against that giant of an enemy and overwhelming forces of his adversary. He was rising up over the things that were before him and going to the next level.
How can we maintain that upward mobility? How can we stand on the high places?
David associated his stability, strength and victory to God. Listen to what he said.
2 Samuel 22:33-37 NIV84 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.
He arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and enables me to stand on the heights. He strengthens my hands and gives me His shield of victory. God stoops down to make me great, broadens the path beneath me and keeps me from falling. These are amazing confessions.
David was intentionally showing us how to stand in difficult days.
Have you ever wondered how you were going to make it? Did you ever question your strength and stamina? Did you think the challenge before you was too great?
God knows how to help you when you don’t know what to do.
David was doing something that we all need to put into practice.
He kept repeating everything that God had done for him. His faith, trust, reliance, and confidence in God was established on what God had said and did.
Psalm 103:1–5 NKJV Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Why did David rehearse what God had done? Why did he keep reminding himself of how God helped him?
He was facing another difficult struggle in life. He knew his own personal strength could not sustain him through the struggle. He needed God’s help, strength, and wisdom. David was not struggling to believe, because he knew the Lord was mighty in battle. He was remembering that all of his past victories were a result of God’s help. He was rejoicing in what God has done. He was not trying to muster up some faith. He was rejoicing in all of the victories of his faith and trust in God. God had made him great.
Faith in God will take you to the next level and give you the ability to stand on the heights.
This kind of faith and trust prepares you for greater victories. Trying to have faith in God is not the same thing as having faith in God. When faith is active, you can sleep through the storm and skip over the mountain. God told Isaiah, “You will be far from oppression, you shall not fear, terror shall not come near you, no weapon formed against you shall prosper and every tongue that rises against you will be condemned… This is the heritage of the people of the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:14-17)
David kept reminding himself that God was working in his life.
You need to remember all of the benefits and blessings of serving God.
Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me.
- This faith in God comes with many benefits.
- He has forgiven my iniquities.
- He heals all my diseases.
- He redeems my life from destruction.
- He shows me His lovingkindness and tender mercy.
- He renews my strength.
David knew something we need to know.
Go back to 2 Samuel 22:33-37 NIV84 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory; You stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.”
You can have an unshakable life because God is a present help.
David kept saying “it is God.”
- It is God who arms me with strength.
- It is God who makes my way perfect.
- It is God who enables me to stand.
- It is God who trains my hands and arms.
- God broadens my path.
- God is my defense.
This was a good process for David.
We have done this before, and we need to keep making lists of the things that God has done for us. We need to know and remember what God has done.
Write them down and remember what God has done.
Rehearse them every day. Has he saved you? What from? Has he healed you? Have you overcome addictions? Have you conquered spiritual or physical battles? Has He given you special strengths, abilities, talents or gifts? Has He been the One who brought you this far?
God wants to take you up to the next level of victory.
He is prepared to take you from victory to victory. God will make you more than a conqueror with Christ.
Why does God want to do this for you?
When God raises you to the next level, He gets all the glory for He is your Savior, Healer, and Deliverer. You could not do this on your own. Every time you get blessed, Jesus gets the credit. Whenever you win, He gets the glory. When you conquer the adversary, it draws attention to Christ’s victory on the cross. Every time He lifts you up, it shows the majesty of God’s wisdom and the strength of His power. God has extravagantly invested in you.
David kept on saying:
- God is my Strength.
- God is my Rock.
- God is my Fortress.
- God is my Deliverer.
- God is my Savior.
- God is the Supplier of all my needs.
- God gives me a broad place to stand so my feet do not slip.
- He gives me the ability to stand on high places.
David said it because it was true.
God was his strength. God kept him standing strong. God was his shelter and defense. God had given him the ability to stand on holy ground. God was going to take him to the next level.
You need to know what God has done for you through the sacrifice and blood of Jesus Christ.
We celebrate in victory through the supernatural power of the resurrected Lord. Make these victories the testimony of your life. Remember everything Jesus did for you when He went to the cross. Remember that Jesus Christ God’s Son came down to the cross and to suffering so that you may have His victory. Take note of the fact that when He came out of the grave, He had conquered every power of darkness and death.
Celebrate this victory.
He bore your sin, sickness and curse to the cross. He bore your shame and judgment. By His stripes you are healed. Through the blood of the cross, you are cleansed and made new. Through the cross of Christ, we were reconciled to God.
We should give Him some praise.
He came out of the grave with new life so that you may have new life in Christ.
Tell yourself —
- Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”
- Psalms 18, “The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer.”
- Romans 8:37, “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
- Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
- Job 13, “though he slay me, yet will I trust Him.”
- Psalms 27, “the Lord is my Light and my Salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
