Life Examples
Asking in Faith
Hannah is an excellent biblical example of asking in faith. She had married a man named Elkanah—and so had someone else. Through the years, Elkanah’s second wife, Peninnah, bore several sons and daughters to him, while Hannah remained barren. Hannah longed for a baby of her own.
Finally, one year Hannah went to the doorway of the tabernacle and wept and prayed to the Lord in great anguish, asking for a son and vowing to give him to the Lord (1 Sam. 1:10, 11). The Lord heard Hannah’s request and answered it. Nine months later she bore a son named Samuel, who grew up to become the prophet and judge of all Israel.
Would Samuel have been born if Hannah had not asked God to give her a son? The Bible seems to answer, “No.” Samuel appeared on the scene in direct response to Hannah’s heartfelt request.
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8. Fight all your battles on your knees and you win every time.
1:5 — The LORD had closed her womb.
The Lord closed Hannah’s womb—not an accident, not nature. God is sovereign and “He does according to His will” (Dan. 4:35). He had a plan, and He would reveal it at the right time. The fact is, He used Hannah’s grief to build her character and faith in Him. Then He brought forth Samuel—and gave her great joy.
1:10 — She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.
Hannah was a godly woman in a difficult situation, facing a battle she could not win on her own. And in her culture, it was a disgrace not to be able to bear a child. Her husband’s other wife, Peninnah, would constantly torment her about this. Yet when she finally fought that battle on her knees—submitting her desires and limitations to God—she won a great victory. In time, the Lord answered her prayers for a son. No situation is hopeless when we entrust it to His care.
1:18 — The woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
Hannah left behind her grief, not when her circumstances changed—they hadn’t—but after she poured out her soul to the Lord. Because of her sorrow, she connected with God on a deeper level than she had ever known.
1:20 — She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.”
The name Samuel means “heard by God.” No doubt Hannah told her son the story of his birth time after time. Samuel grew up knowing that the Lord loves to answer the prayers of His obedient people, and it impacted his life in an immensely wonderful and powerful way.
2:1 — “My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation.”
We can smile at our enemies when we remember that we serve the God who takes great delight in redeeming us. When we rejoice in the Lord Himself, and not merely in His blessings, we experience a joy that cannot be found anywhere else.
2:9 — “He keeps the feet of His godly ones.”
If you are a believer in Christ, the Lord promises to guard your feet—to give you direction, counsel, guidance, and protection on the path of life ahead of you (Ps. 37:23, 24; Prov. 4:11, 12).
2:12 — The sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the LORD.
The two sons of Eli served as priests for a long time, even though “they did not know the LORD.” You can go to church and even serve in leadership capacities without ever making God your Lord, but your works will not save you (Matt. 7:21–23; John 3:16–18; Eph 2:8, 9). God will always look at the motives of your heart—whether you are serving Him out of love and obedience or your own selfish intentions.
2:17 — The sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for the men despised the offering of the LORD.
God takes it very seriously when leaders, by their evil conduct, make it difficult for or prevent people from worshiping Him in spirit and in truth. He wants a close relationship with us, and He will move against anything that stands in the way.
2:21 — The LORD visited Hannah; and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before the LORD.
You can never outgive the Lord. Hannah dedicated her firstborn, Samuel, to God (1 Sam. 1:28). In response, the Lord gave this formerly childless woman three more sons and two daughters.
2:23 — “Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people?”
Eli heard all that his wicked sons had been doing and how they were leading Israel away from the Lord (1 Sam. 2:12–17, 22, 24), but he took no action other than to reprimand them. We should never allow our love for our children to keep us from disciplining them as God directs. The Lord has their—and our—best interests in mind.
2:29 — “Why do you . . . honor your sons above Me?”
Parents must beware of honoring their children above the Lord. Eli put his sons first by doing nothing when they took the best part of the offering that should have been reserved for God (Lev. 7; 1 Sam. 2:12–17). And he lost them because of it (1 Sam. 4:11). Anything we hold too tightly, we will lose.
Life Examples
Learning to Hear God’s Voice
As one of the mightiest prophets of the Old Testament, it’s no coincidence that Samuel’s first divine assignment was for him to learn how to hear God’s voice—to recognize Him when He called.
As 1 Samuel 3:1–10 tells us, young Samuel, entrusted to the care of Eli the priest, was lying down one evening when the Lord spoke. At first, Samuel didn’t know who he was hearing; he thought Eli was calling him. But finally, after Eli told Samuel three times that he hadn’t called, Eli realized that it was the Lord. So he instructed the boy to respond, “Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening” (v. 9).
Isn’t that a beautiful way to answer God? “Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.” Eli taught Samuel how to listen to Him—and if we are going to be men and women of God, we, too, must learn how to recognize His efforts to speak to us.
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13. Listening to God is essential to walking with God.
Answers to Life’s Questions
How can I know it’s God’s voice I hear and not something else?
The book of 1 Samuel describes how the boy Samuel came to hear and understand the spoken word of God. The Bible records that the word of the Lord was rare in those days; Samuel, therefore, had to learn how to recognize the voice of God and not get it mixed up with ideas that conflicted with the Lord’s true character.
Samuel not only learned to hear the words of God clearly, he also came to speak them with authority. So the Bible says of him, “The LORD was with him and let none of his words fail. All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD” (1 Sam. 3:19, 20).
We sometimes let our preconceptions about God influence what we think we hear from Him. If, for instance, we think of God as a wise and caring counselor, we will be open to the love He has for us in the midst of calamities brought on by our own foolishness. If, however, we think of God as a vindictive judge, we will expect to hear words of condemnation and harsh punishment when we act foolishly.
Our relationship with God influences how we hear God. If we approach God as His saved children living under His grace, then we come with the assurance that He will speak the words we really need—even if they are not what we want to hear. When we understand that He is infinitely loving, then we can believe everything He says.
This same problem occurs in any area where our idea of God’s character conflicts with Scripture. We may think of Him as a generous provider or become deceived and view Him as being stingy. We may view Him as a faithful, trustworthy guide or be misled into thinking that He is a fair-weather friend.
Too many Christians fall for twisted conceptions of God that misrepresent our gracious, consistent, patient, trustworthy Father. We have all heard too many unbiblical ideas offered as if they were gospel truth—and such error can lead us into horrible emotional and spiritual bondage.
Our view of God must remain correct and biblically informed. By knowing Him as the God of love (1 John 4:8) who wants us to approach the throne of grace boldly (Heb. 4:16), we will trust more completely whatever He tells us. Take the advice of 1 Thessalonians 5:21, and test whatever you hear against the truth of Scripture.
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3:7 — Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him.
When God first spoke to Samuel, the boy didn’t yet know His voice—but he learned to hear it. The Lord desires that we enjoy a close relationship with Him, and He has done everything necessary to make it possible.
3:10 — “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
Early in life, Samuel learned to hear and obey the Lord, even though at the beginning he did not completely understand the process. If we want to be godly men and women, we cannot wait until trouble strikes to learn to listen to God. Rather, it’s in the quiet moments that we should turn our attention to Him and say, “Speak, Lord, I’m listening.” It’s in those tranquil times that we embrace the One who calls us, and He teaches our hearts to love and obey Him.
3:18 — “It is the LORD; let Him do what seems good to Him.”
While it is good to accept God’s will, Eli again showed an unwise passivity in regard to his sons. He simply was not willing to rebuke or restrain them (1 Sam. 3:13). But God must be first in everything, and we must be obedient no matter what He commands us to do.
3:19 — The LORD was with him and let none of his words fail.
God established Samuel’s credibility in Israel (Deut. 18:18–22). As Samuel faithfully declared His commands, the Lord displayed His glory through the prophet. Likewise, as you obey God, people will take you more seriously because they will see His work through you and realize that you are someone He is using powerfully.
4:3 — “Let us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that it may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies.”
Israel’s leaders thought that the ark of the covenant would give them the victory in their battle against the Philistines. Though the ark was a symbol of God’s covenant relationship with them and a vessel He used to instruct them (Ex. 25:22)—it contained no power in itself. And their plan backfired badly (1 Sam. 4:10, 11). No religious artifact or ceremony, no matter how sacred, can ever help us, because the Lord alone rescues.
4:13 — Eli was sitting on his seat by the road eagerly watching, because his heart was trembling for the ark of God.
Eli was a good man who feared the Lord—but not enough. He allowed other things to weaken his devotion to God, and eventually that failure cost him not only his family but also his life (1 Sam. 4:18).
5:2 — The Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon.
The Philistines placed the ark of the covenant in the temple of Dagon to demonstrate that their deity had triumphed over Israel’s God. But even in what seemed like a moment of defeat, the Lord showed Himself fantastically strong and the Ruler of all (Ps. 103:19). He irrefutably established that He is the only true God (1 Sam. 5:3–6).
5:9 — The hand of the LORD was against the city with very great confusion; and He smote the men of the city.
The Lord wanted the Philistines to know that what had happened did not occur by chance, but that He had been behind it all (1 Sam. 6:5). God desires that the whole world acknowledge Him as Lord (Is. 45:23; Rom. 14:11), and He works through us to display His glory (Matt. 5:16)
6:9 — “Watch, if it goes up by the way of its own territory . . . then He has done us this great evil.”
The Philistines still questioned whether it was by God’s hand or by chance that the destruction had befallen them. So they set up a test. Two cows were hitched to a cart with the ark. If they took the route to Israel, the Lord was responsible. If they followed their motherly instincts to their newborn calves, then all that had happened was by chance. God will move heaven and earth to show us His will. That day, the Philistines had no doubt that He was powerfully at work.
6:19 — He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the LORD.
In His grace, God brought the ark back to Israel. But in His holiness, He struck down some Israelites who treated the ark as a curiosity and an idol rather than as a symbol of His glory.
7:3 — “Remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him alone.”
God demands and deserves our exclusive loyalty and love. He made us for Himself, and we have no higher calling than to draw near to Him.
7:12 — “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”
Samuel encouraged the Israelites by reminding them of the victories the Lord had given them. Whenever we face difficulties, it is always beneficial to remember all the times God has blessed our obedience and has been faithful to rescue us. The Lord has never let us down and He never will, so we should trust Him no matter what happens.
8:3 — His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.
As godly as Samuel was, his children did not walk in the ways of God. Regardless of how involved in ministry we are, we cannot afford to neglect the spiritual training of our children.
8:6 — “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD.
Even in his old age, Samuel sought to hear the voice of God when confronted with a challenge. He didn’t think he knew it all; rather, he went to the Lord for guidance. So should we.
8:19, 20 — “There shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations.”
The Lord is the only King the people of Israel ever needed. Unfortunately, in every culture and time, God’s people feel a tug to be like those around them, to conform to the customs of their unbelieving neighbors. But Jesus tells us, “Do not be like them” (Matt. 6:8). Only He has a right to rule your heart.
9:16 — “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over My people Israel.”
God often uses misfortune to bring us to the very place where He will show us His will. The dark moments of life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.
9:21 — “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families?”
Like Gideon before him, Saul thought of himself as small, unimportant, and powerless. But God loves to use “the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong” (1 Cor. 1:27) because then we know that the victories we enjoy are by His hand and not our own (2 Cor. 12:9, 10).
10:6 — “The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man.”
It takes the Spirit of the living God to turn us into new men and women, to transform us into the likeness of Christ, and to make us all He created us to be. Such a transformation is the Lord’s will for every one of us (Rom. 8:28, 29; 12:2; 2 Cor. 5:14–21).
10:9 — God changed his heart.
We should pray that God would give us a new heart that loves, serves, and obeys Him. It’s only with a heart that is completely submitted to Him that we will be able to live the life He calls us to (Ezek. 36:26, 27).
10:22 — “Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage.”
Saul knew that God had chosen him to be king, and yet he tried to avoid His will by running away. Throughout his rule, he let fear, pride, and jealousy keep him from obeying the Lord—and in the end, it cost him everything (1 Sam. 31:3, 4).
10:27 — Certain worthless men said, “How can this one deliver us?” And they despised him and did not bring him any present.
God’s will looks neither impressive nor reasonable to some people. Yet God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.
11:6 — The Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he became very angry.
Saul did great things for God when he submitted to the Spirit and allowed Him to empower and direct him. The Lord can use us to do mighty things when we walk in the Spirit and obey His initial promptings (Gal. 5:16–25).
11:13 — “Today the LORD has accomplished deliverance in Israel.”
When Saul honored the Lord and put Him first, he enjoyed a successful and prosperous rule. It was only when he became impatient and stopped trusting God that he began his swift and steep decline (1 Sam. 13:8–14).
12:3 — “Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded?”
Integrity is the consuming desire to acknowledge, obey, and honor the Father in all we do, as well as being ready to confess and repent of our sin as soon as it is found in us. It is expressed in both our private and public behavior—in how we treat others and how we act when no one is watching. When we have integrity, we leave no ground for accusation—our lives speak for us (Matt. 7:16–18).
12:21 — “You must not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which can not profit or deliver, because they are futile.”
How often do we go after futile things that can neither bless nor deliver us? Even if we obtain these things, we end up with precisely nothing—because anything we acquire outside of God’s will eventually turns to ashes. Remember, intimacy with the Lord is always His highest priority for our lives and will never disappoint us.
12:22 — “The LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.”
Throughout the Bible, we find the Lord reaching out to His people, revealing Himself to them, desiring to be with them, and communicating with them. He promises never to forsake those who respond to Him in the same way.
Answers to Life’s Questions
What does the Bible say to lonely people?
Time and again throughout the Old Testament, we find the Lord reaching out to His people, revealing Himself to them, desiring to be with them, and communicating with them. In 1 Samuel 12:22, we find this promise of God: “The LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.” God desires companionship, fellowship, and communion with those who will reciprocate His expressions of friendship.
We can count on the close communion of the Lord, even if everyone else abandons us. We see this in the life of Jesus. On the very night He was arrested and put on trial—the trial that led to His crucifixion—He said to His disciples, “Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone.” Can you hear the pain in that statement? Jesus knew what it was to be lonely! But then He said, “And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me” (John 16:32). Jesus knew what it was to be comforted even in the face of abandonment.
When loneliness engulfs us, the first thing we must do is to turn our focus away from what we don’t have to what we do have. What do we have, you may ask?
God Himself!
You can never be alone once you have trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior. He promises that He dwells within you when you have received Him into your life and that He is connected to you, just as a vine and a branch are connected. In the same way that sap flows through a vine and its branches, so, too, the love of Christ flows in you and through you. He abides in you, and you abide in Him. You are one being with Christ. You share with Him the most intimate relationship possible—an eternal, spiritual intimacy (John 15:1–9).
The depth of that intimacy, to a great extent, is up to you. How much do you desire that intimacy with the Lord? How much do you allow Him to fill you up with His presence? How willing are you for Him to reveal Himself to you? Even so, you can never totally isolate yourself from the Lord. He is always there, desiring to move ever closer to you.
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12:23 — “Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you.”
Samuel considered it a sin against the Lord if he should stop praying for his fellow Israelites. We are all in this together, and we need to support each other—especially in prayer (Eph. 6:18, 19; Col. 4:2–4; Heb. 13:18).
13:8 — He waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him.
The seventh day was drawing to a close, the prophet hadn’t arrived, the Philistines were posed for war, and the people were panicking. Pridefully, Saul decided he would make the offering to gain God’s blessing. He chose not to wait for Samuel’s arrival, and because of his disobedience, Saul forfeited his throne (1 Sam. 13:13, 14; 15:22–28). His heart was not right before the Lord. He assumed that he could act as king and priest, which was a deadly assumption. When you do what God calls you to do according to His principles, you gain His favor.
13:14 — “The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people.”
Saul wanted to act on his terms, rather than in obedience to God. He did not yet realize that our intimacy with and obedience to the Lord determine the impact of our lives. God has a plan for us, and we become all that He has created us to be as we grow in our faith and our relationship with Him. If we refuse to trust Him, as Saul did, we forfeit the blessings He has for us. But if we are faithful, He will surely reward us.
14:6 — “The LORD is not restrained to save by many or by few.”
Jonathan had a spirit very different from that of his father. Saul feared men; Jonathan feared God. And so the Lord did mighty things through Jonathan.
14:23 — The LORD delivered Israel that day.
Jonathan had no idea how God would validate the words he had spoken (1 Sam. 14:6). When we move ahead in faith, we likewise may have no idea how God will move in power on our behalf; however, we can be sure He will (Eph. 3:20).
14:24 — The men of Israel were hard-pressed on that day, for Saul had put the people under oath . . . So none of the people tasted food.
Saul pronounced this oath, not to exalt God, but to honor himself. He said, “Until I have avenged myself.” Through his selfishness, he nearly cost his son his life and allowed many of his enemies to escape (1 Sam. 14:30).
15:9 — Saul and the people spared . . . all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly.
God tells us to obey His commands—all of them—not merely the ones we like, understand, or that make us comfortable. Incomplete obedience is arrogant disobedience—and it is “evil in the sight of the LORD” (1 Sam. 15:19).
15:12 — “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself.”
The young man who once thought of himself as small and unable to lead Israel (1 Sam. 9:21; 10:20–22; 15:17) arrogantly set up a monument to honor himself. When we cease to follow the Lord wholeheartedly, we follow our prideful hearts to our own destruction.
15:22 — “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.”
God had commanded Saul to destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions (1 Sam. 15:3), but he saw no reason to kill the king and all the fine livestock (1 Sam. 15:9). He rationalized his disobedience by saying the animals were saved to be a sacrifice to the Lord. But Samuel made it clear: God was not pleased. He expects obedience, not excuses. When we dismiss His commands, we are acting in rebellion to His authority. Surrender is the only pathway to blessing.
15:24 — “I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice.”
Saul recognized fear as a real problem in his life, but he did nothing about it. The best way to deal with our fear of people is to nurture a greater reverence and love for God by meditating on His works and Word. His perfect love will drive out all of our fears (1 John 4:18).
16:3 — “You shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you.”
God could have told Samuel ahead of time what to do and who to anoint, but He didn’t. Instead He leads us one step at a time, teaching us to trust Him and to continually listen for His voice. Remember, the Lord will move heaven and earth to show us His will, if necessary. So we should never stop short of submitting to Him because we don’t know His whole plan. Obey Him and expect Him to reveal exactly what you need for each step.
16:7 — “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Before Samuel had even met David, the Lord chose him to lead Israel (1 Sam. 13:14). Yet even a godly man like Samuel couldn’t help but judge a man by his appearance. This is why we must continually go to the Lord for His wisdom; only He sees the heart. At his young age, David already knew the importance of obeying God fully, which is why the Lord could work through him and develop him into the ruler Israel needed (1 Sam. 16:7; Acts 13:22).
16:13 — The Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward.
The Spirit of God came upon David to develop and empower him for the specific work that the Lord had called him to do—to be the godly king of Israel. David could not succeed without the Spirit of the Lord any more than Saul could. We will enjoy true success only when we submit to and cooperate with His Spirit—always walking with Him by obeying His initial promptings.
16:14 — The Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul.
Before Christ, the Holy Spirit did not come to dwell within people permanently—in fact, not everyone was blessed with His presence. He would arrive to accomplish a given task and then depart. Yet as believers, we have the privilege of having the Holy Spirit as our constant Counselor from the moment we accept Jesus as our Savior. He never leaves us but is with us always as a guarantee of our salvation (Eph. 1:13, 14; 4:30).
16:19 — “Send me your son David who is with the flock.”
After David was anointed by the prophet Samuel, he went back to the flocks—an act that revealed his character. He was willing to do whatever the Lord wanted, and it was because of his faith that He used him so powerfully. Just as God sent Moses into the household of Pharaoh for training, He sent David into Saul’s palace for preparation at the right time. The Lord always equips us for the tasks He gives us.
17:11 — When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
Goliath stepped forward to offer the challenge: one man would represent each nation, winner take all. Saul again allowed his fear of men to eclipse his faith in the Lord. Without fellowship with God, our fear is unhindered in destroying us both spiritually and physically.
Answers to Life’s Questions
How can I find courage in the face of stiff challenges?
Any time God requires us to face trials and tribulations, He always provides the courage to meet the demand. David was a man of great courage—not merely human courage, but courage rooted in the sovereignty of God. In 1 Samuel 17, we see God’s supernatural strength in action in the life of David.
Defeat is never a viable option for the person of courage. As David faced Goliath, he never considered defeat an option. People of courage refuse to look for ways of escape. They set their gaze on advancement and victory. Never go into battle entertaining thoughts of defeat; you will lose every time. Men and women of courage know their success lies with our unshakable God.
Courageous people recall past victories and God’s faithfulness. At times David had faced enemies just as vicious as Goliath. In the moments before the battle, David recalled how God had strengthened him in the past to kill both a lion and a bear. He expected the same sort of help to strengthen him against Goliath.
Courage is a result of having the right attitude. David realized he could not win in his own strength. He knew God had to be with him or he would suffer defeat.
Courageous people look to God and trust His guidance. David’s brothers mocked him. Saul doubted him. Goliath made fun of him. But their negative talk did not affect David. Every time God calls you to follow Him, expect opposition, even from surprising sources.
Genuine courage is not chilled by inner fears or outward difficulties. The person of courage isn’t interested in those who refuse to believe God. Take time to study God’s Word and apply His principles to your life. You can always face your enemies head on when you stand on the promises of God’s Word.
A courageous person applies resources at hand in creative ways. David chose five smooth stones and a slingshot as his weapons instead of the bulky armor of Saul. He faced Goliath clothed in the strong faith of the living God. And mere men cannot penetrate or defeat God-centered faith!
A person with the attribute of courage confronts an opponent with confidence that God will ultimately give him success if he obeys Him. When we face life’s trials as David did, by faith, we become men and women of courage—and the victory is always ours.
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Answers to Life’s Questions
What role does faith play in doing great things for God?
Faith is believing that God will do as He has promised. Faith is not a power. It’s not something we have to drum up inside ourselves. Faith is trusting that God will honor His promises.
The famous story of David and Goliath illustrates this as well as any. The armies of Israel had lined up on one side of the valley, while the Philistines had lined up on the other. Every day the giant warrior Goliath would walk down into the valley and taunt the armies of Israel.
One day young David arrived on the scene with a fresh outlook. Notice what he said when he heard Goliath’s arrogant threats: “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?” (1 Sam. 17:26).
David didn’t see Goliath as merely the enemy of Israel. He saw him as God’s enemy—and David knew that God could take Goliath out of the picture with no problem. So he acted on his faith.
Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Israelite soldiers had greater training to do battle with Goliath than David. But they responded to the giant’s threats with paralyzing fear, stress, and anxious frustration. David, on the other hand, didn’t seem upset at all. Why not? Because he knew it was God’s battle, not his. Apart from the Lord, he knew he didn’t stand a chance. But with the help of the Lord, he knew that everything would turn out all right.
Neither David nor the soldiers of Israel had the natural ability to defeat the giant. But while one party focused on its inability—and therefore panicked—the other party focused on God’s provision—and therefore remained confident. The only difference was focus.
David did exactly what he knew how to do, while trusting God to do the rest. That is what living by faith boils down to: living in the confidence that God is supremely faithful to keep His word. So David gathered a few stones, walked down into the valley, and carried on a short but direct exchange with Goliath. Then he loaded his sling and fired the one shot that changed his life and the course of Israel’s future. Once that stone left David’s sling, God stepped in to do what only He could do. And Goliath went down in defeat.
That’s faith in action. And it is how great triumphs originate and conclude.
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9. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees.
17:26 — “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?”
How did David stay brave when facing Goliath? Because he feared and loved God more than he feared anything else (Ps. 20:7; Jer. 9:24). That is the key to success.
17:33 — “You are not able to go against this Philistine . . . you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.”
Saul had trained himself to look at things only through the eyes of the flesh; he had forgotten how to see with eyes of faith. But trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what He sees. David knew the Lord would be victorious, and because of it, he proceeded with confidence.
17:37 — “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Faithful obedience should be our response whenever the Holy Spirit prompts us to go into action. David activated his faith before he activated his will. Before he began his walk into the valley to confront Goliath, he recalled the faithfulness of God and all the ways He had previously delivered him.
17:45 — “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted.”
A sword, a spear, and a javelin are no match for an active faith in the living Lord. As Isaiah 54:17 affirms, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper . . . This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD.” David knew God was with him, and already he had seen what His presence could accomplish. So he voiced his confidence to the glory of the Lord.
Life Examples
Competent over Time
Often we want too much, too soon. We desire to become highly competent immediately, but our skills take time to fully develop. We acquire wisdom over time and build character slowly.
David knew about the development of competency over time. Samuel anointed David as king of Israel fairly early in his life, probably when he was a teenager. Yet he did not automatically become king—in fact, his ascent to the throne took years.
In the military realm, few people experienced as much success as David. Yet he began by slaying a bear and a lion as a shepherd long before he encountered Goliath on the battlefield. God was working in David during his season of waiting—growing the wisdom and trust that would undergird his courage. And David’s faith grew as he saw the Lord’s presence in his life during many memorable experiences.
So it is with our competency. The Lord works in us over time, helping us to develop and hone certain skills, in the end making us effective and successful.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
6. You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.
17:51 — When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
After David felled Goliath with his sling, he used the giant’s own sword to cut off his head. God took this weapon, which was intended for harm, and gave it to David—providing the ultimate victory and giving the Philistines irrefutable evidence that their champion had failed. The Lord can use any situation or obstacle and transform it for our good if we will trust Him and obey.
18:1 — The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
Jonathan recognized in David a kindred spirit, a man who loved the Lord wholeheartedly, as he did. Their close friendship blessed not only themselves, but eventually all of Israel. We need each other to move forward in faith.
18:4 — Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword.
In acceptance of God’s will, Jonathan passed his robe—symbolic of his claim to the throne of Israel (1 Sam. 15:27, 28)—to David. He also gave his sword, which is significant because there were only two swords in the nation—his and Saul’s (1 Sam. 13:19–22).
What the Bible Says About
Few people in Scripture exhibited as much anger as did King Saul. Saul’s anger seemed to erupt when David returned from battle and the women greeted him with this song: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Sam. 18:7). Scripture tells us, “Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him” (v. 8).
In his anger and jealousy, Saul:
• twice threw his spear at David, trying to pin David to the wall (1 Sam. 18:10, 11; 19:9, 10).
• put David in a position of authority, hoping that David would fail to lead wisely and thus be discredited (1 Sam. 18:12–15).
• required that David kill one hundred Philistines before he would give him his daughter in marriage, hoping that David would die while fighting the Philistines (1 Sam. 18:25–29).
• pursued David continually for more than a decade, forcing David to live in exile and move frequently from hiding place to hiding place (1 Sam. 24; 26).
Not only did Saul pursue David without mercy, but he also ordered the murder of those who helped David. He even turned on his own son with murderous intent (1 Sam. 20:30). Saul’s anger had no end.
It is easy to see anger at work in a person such as Saul. Boiling rage results in violent outbursts that manifest themselves repeatedly over time. The angry person often has visible changes in physical appearance, such as dilated eyes and tense muscles. Internally, blood pressure rises, and the stomach feels as if it is tied in knots.
It is far more difficult to recognize anger in ourselves. We tend to tolerate a great deal of anger in our personal lives. Some even see anger as a sign of strength or power.
God’s Word, however, forbids such an ungodly tolerance for anger. That kind of anger damages emotional health and well-being and hampers spiritual growth and witness. God closely links “wrath” with the work of the Evil One in our lives. So Scripture admonishes us clearly: “Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity” (Eph. 4:26, 27).
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
18:8 — Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him.
Instead of dwelling on the great deliverance that God had just brought about through David, Saul focused on what he considered a slight to himself. This burning jealousy eventually consumed Saul, ultimately leading to the destruction of his life and his family.
18:12 — Saul was afraid of David, for the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul.
Saul continued to be afraid of the one he should have trusted—in this case, David—because he did not have faith in nor respect for the One he should have feared: God.
18:29 — Then Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David’s enemy continually.
Why did Saul become David’s enemy when he recognized that God was with him? Because he feared for his future, and he refused to entrust his life to the Lord. We never win by failing to trust God.
19:20 — Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying . . . the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied.
God protects His children in the most surprising ways. In this case, He stopped three groups of Saul’s messengers from overcoming David by sending His Spirit to prophesy through them. The Lord does not need weapons of war or fast horses; He can cause even our mortal enemies to act in ways contrary to their nature because He is absolutely sovereign.
What the Bible Says About
The Need for Christian Friendship
Adversity often brings us face-to-face with our need to associate with a different set of people. Perhaps we need to sever ties with others. Perhaps we need new friends. Perhaps we need to align ourselves more closely with Christian believers.
God made us for fellowship and communication with other human beings and with Himself. None of us were designed to go it alone. We need other people, and they need us.
At times, however, we make unwise associations. We choose the wrong friend or employer or partner or employee. And inevitably, our bad choices bring us adversity.
David and Jonathan provide us with a very good model for true friendship. Jonathan’s love for his friend caused him to act in several specific ways:
• He warned David of possible danger (1 Sam. 19:1–3).
• He spoke well of David, even to a person who considered David an enemy and who was angry with Jonathan for having David as a friend (1 Sam. 19:4, 5).
• He sought to do what David needed him to do (1 Sam. 20:4).
• He risked his life in defending David (1 Sam. 20:30–33).
• He helped David to escape death (1 Sam. 20:35–42).
Jonathan voiced one of the greatest statements of friendship in the Bible when he said to David, “Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD will be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever”’ (1 Sam. 20:42). Now, that’s friendship!
Paul describes Christian friendship in what we have come to call the Love Chapter of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13. He describes Christian friendship as patient, kind, and humble (v. 4); polite, selfless, unruffled, and positive (v. 5); magnanimous and rooted in truth (v. 6); and supportive, hopeful, and enduring (v. 7).
Such love, Paul said, “never fails” (v. 8). And such friendships are divine blessings in our lives, God’s rich rewards to us on this earth.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
28. No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith.
20:12 — “The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness!”
Jonathan cast his whole friendship with David in spiritual terms, making the Lord the centerpiece of their relationship. That is always the way to the closest and best of friendships.
20:33 — Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down.
First, Saul hurled his spear at David (1 Sam. 18:11; 19:10)—the object of his envy. Here, he launched it at his own son Jonathan because he defended David. A person cannot be jealous of another without causing hurt. A lust for whatever that person possesses blinds them to the truth and to everything that should be important to them.
22:2 — Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them.
David’s first army consisted of the distressed, the debtors, and the discontented. Although this was not an ideal fighting force, the situation was God’s perfect training ground for the future king of Israel. And the Lord would bless David greatly, just as He had said He would. But David had to wait to see it.
22:3 — “Please let my father and my mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.”
If Saul would attack his own son Jonathan because of him (1 Sam. 20:33), David knew that Saul would not fail to persecute his family. So David turned to the king of Moab for their protection, hoping for favor because of his Moabite ancestor, Ruth (Ruth 4:13–17). While David had the anointing of God, he did not have a detailed map of his future. So he trusted the Lord to lead him wisely in both the things he could and those he could not do.
22:10 — “He inquired of the LORD for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
Ahimelech’s kindness to David was wrongly interpreted as a conspiracy against Saul, and it cost the priests of Nob their lives. God never hides the fact that there may be a high price to pay for doing what is right. But He also promises to reward us for doing His will (Eph. 6:8), even if that reward comes in heaven.
22:18 — The king said to Doeg, “You turn around and attack the priests.”
Here we see the incredible devastation bitterness and jealousy had caused in Saul’s life—not only was he relentless in his pursuit of David, but his rage was so poisonous that he had no problem killing the priests of the Lord. How did Saul stray so far from God? When we allow unforgiveness and pride to turn our hearts away from Him, sin and self-focus permeate everything we do. Eventually it leads to our destruction (Prov. 16:18).
23:9, 10 — David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” Then David said, “O LORD God of Israel.”
Abiathar fled to David because of the massacre of the priests at Nob (1 Sam. 22:17–23). God used him to confirm that Saul was still in close pursuit and to keep the priestly ephod safe. David continued to seek the Lord in every decision, and He was faithful to direct him. If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will, as well.
23:16 — Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.
We all need friends who will encourage us in the Lord—to remind us of His unwavering faithfulness and give us the support we need to continue. None of us is in this alone.
23:21 — Saul said, “May you be blessed of the LORD, for you have had compassion on me.”
Anyone can use religious verbiage and try to appear deeply spiritual, but God is not impressed. Neither should we be, nor should we be fooled (Prov. 26:28; 2 Cor. 11:14, 15).
23:27 — “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.”
Saul was dangerously close to capturing David, but God again intervened in an unexpected way. As they had been for decades, the Philistines were the primary oppressors and enemies of God’s people. But this time, the Lord in His unmatched sovereignty used their onslaughts to rescue His servant David. God is faithful to rescue His people, and He will do so in ways we could never imagine.
24:6 — “Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed.”
Because God had anointed Saul, David refused to lay a hand on him. He honored the Lord by sparing Saul’s life, and he continued to trust that God would put him on the throne in His time. This is the essence of true faith—we refuse to run ahead of the Lord’s plan. Rather, we exalt Him in everything we do, knowing He is faithful and just to keep His promises to us.
24:12 — “May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.”
David would not dishonor the Lord as Saul had done before him (1 Sam. 13:8–14; 15:10–23). If Saul needed to be removed as king to make way for David, then God would have to do it. Even when urged by his friends, David would not strike the Lord’s anointed.
25:21 — “Surely in vain I have guarded all that this man has in the wilderness . . . and he has returned me evil for good.”
David showed kindness and protection to Nabal’s workers, but Nabal was unwilling to return the courtesy. Sometimes we may doubt whether it benefits us to do good—especially when those we help treat us badly in return. But God’s Word tells us, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Gal. 6:9).
25:34 — “Nevertheless, as the LORD God of Israel lives, who has restrained me from harming you.”
It was Abigail’s quick thinking and wise actions that kept David from annihilating all the males in Nabal’s family, but David rightly saw it as the Lord keeping him from bloodshed. Our sovereign God works in many ways. We are wise when we pay attention and heed what He teaches us.
26:10 — “Surely the LORD will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish.”
Once more David refused to kill Saul when he had the chance. Abishai saw the opportunity as a divine blessing, but David saw it as a test. He would wait for God to act in His own time. Waiting upon the Lord means being still in submission to Him. This is not a passive act. It takes more strength and character to be patient than to act and run ahead of God.
26:21 — “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day.”
It is one thing to admit that you have acted foolishly and made a grave mistake; it is another to repent of it and change your behavior. Repeatedly, Saul did the former but not the latter. God calls us to do both.
28:7 — “Seek for me a woman who is a medium.”
Once more Saul allowed his fear to spur him on to a foolish and wicked choice that was specifically forbidden by the Lord (Lev. 19:31; 20:6; Deut. 18:10–12). If we do not deal with our fear by bringing it to the Lord, it will eventually dominate and crush us.
28:10 — “As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”
Saul no longer knew right from wrong—godly from wicked. He even vowed not to do what the Lord had commanded—with God’s name as his guarantee (Lev. 20:27)! When we compromise our beliefs and pridefully think we know better than the Lord, we eventually find ourselves in the same place as Saul—dishonoring Him and seeking out help from ungodly places. We may still give God lip service, but it will never be an adequate substitute for genuine, obedient faith.
28:19 — “The LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines.”
Samuel still proclaimed the same uncompromising message that he delivered while alive—and the Lord still fulfilled all that the prophet said (1 Sam. 3:19; 31:1–7). God’s Word is a rock on which we can build our entire lives (Matt. 7:24, 25). We are foolish whenever we go against it and wise when we make it the foundation of our lives.
30:1 — The Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire.
It’s no wonder the Philistines gave David Ziklag—it was constantly in danger of invading armies. Yet God was working through the adversity to train David to be a wise king who would trust Him even in the most difficult situations. The dark moments of our lives will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose, molding us into godly people.
The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.
If you want God’s best for your life and desire to be used by Him, at some point you will have to travel the road of adversity. This means that God can and will use adversity in your life for a good purpose—and yet, sadly, many people view adversity as only negative and defeating. Yet you don’t have to be among them!
God has designed adversity, regardless of its source, to become a turning point from which you take your greatest leaps forward in spiritual growth. He allows adversity to remain in your life only until He accomplishes His purpose in you. He will not keep it in your life one second longer than is necessary.
Some people are almost wiped out by trials, while others learn to stand in the confidence of God’s faithfulness. The latter have an overwhelming sense of stability and immovable strength. They weather the storms, heads held high, confident, bold, and not discouraged by any obstacle that comes along. They feel absolutely certain that God is going to see them through the heartache and bring them out whole, joyful, and more mature on the other side.
Adversity also shows us where we stand in our faith. Do we doubt God? Or do we thank Him for His faithfulness during the stressful, heart-wrenching times? Do we trust that He will never leave or forsake us? Adversity is God’s most accurate measure of our faith—it reveals our endurance level. None of us knows how much difficulty we can withstand until we are tried.
Right now, right where you are, remember this: God has put a limit on all adversity. Because you are a child of God, the Holy Spirit is living inside of you, and He knows how much you can bear. The psalmist said: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Ps. 34:19). And, “Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust” (Ps. 103:13, 14).
When we learn and mature in the midst of tremendous adversity, God is pleased because He sees His purpose being fulfilled in us. We are growing spiritually, becoming stronger in areas of weakness, and increasingly being conformed to the likeness of Christ. God is thrilled when we respond correctly to adversity!
There are three principles we can learn when we face adversity:
1. Adversity is God’s choice tool for building godly, spiritual character into our lives. Until we experience heartache, disappointment, and pain, we are not properly equipped for service (2 Cor. 1:3–7). He uses adversity to mold and shape us; He does not bring it into our lives without purpose.
2. Adversity usually comes in the areas where we feel the most confident. God wants to break us of the idea that we are sufficient on our own. He made us for a loving, intimate relationship with Himself, and He uses adversity to remind us of the fact that we are dependent upon Him.
3. God’s ultimate design is to conform us to the likeness of Jesus. Through adversity, God develops the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22, 23)—in us.
God also accomplishes several goals in our lives by allowing suffering and heartache. Adversity:
• gets our attention.
• reveals our weaknesses and strengths.
• increases our aversion to sin.
• demonstrates His faithfulness.
• strengthens our faith.
• removes our pride and self-centeredness.
• prepares us for future service.
• enables us to comfort others facing adversity.
Through adversity, God is molding you into a mature and effective servant. When you know Christ as your Savior, God sees you as a saint—sometimes struggling, sometimes falling, but justified, redeemed, forgiven, and reconciled to Him. He sees a person full of His unconditional love, indwelt by His presence, sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, whose name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. He also sees all of your potential—all the good you could accomplish for His kingdom. So take comfort—adversity won’t take up permanent residence in your life. But when it’s present, it can develop good things if you’re willing to trust Him. Therefore, no matter what dark moments you may walk through, be confident that He’s going to bring you into the light. And when He does, it will certainly be worth it.
See the Life Principles Index for further study.
30:6 — David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
During a previous trial, Jonathan, David’s friend, had encouraged him in his faith by reminding him of God’s promise (1 Sam. 23:16, 17). Here, David was strengthened by spending time in the Lord’s presence. Whether we have the support of loved ones or face terrible opposition alone, God will always empower us to serve Him and give us the courage we need to face our troubles if we will turn to Him and trust Him.
30:20 — David had captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of the other livestock, and they said, “This is David’s spoil.”
As He had done with Joseph centuries before, God took a personal tragedy for David and turned it into a blessing by increasing his flocks. Obedience always brings blessing, even in dark and puzzling times.
30:22 — All the wicked and worthless men . . . said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil.”
Even after times of victory, “the wicked and worthless” can raise their complaints. God allows the wheat and the tares to grow together (Matt. 13:24–30), and we must be ready for this—we must know how to handle their criticism with God’s grace.
30:24 — “As his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage.”
What a wonderful picture of how God’s people are to work together. Some were too weary to go into battle (1 Sam. 30:10), but all could do their part and were rewarded. Likewise, we are all called to use our gifts to the glory of God, and when we work together in unity, we see His powerful victory (1 Cor. 3:5–14; 12).
31:9 — They cut off his head and stripped off his weapons, and sent them throughout the land of the Philistines.
Here, the Lord fulfilled the word He had spoken to Saul through Samuel (1 Sam. 28:17–19). God sometimes allows His enemies to triumph and even to celebrate and believe that they have overcome Him—but only for a while. The Lord takes the long view of history and always triumphs in the end.