Online Sermons

Do You Have Enemies?

I suppose we all feel at times we have a few. In our sophisticated

and proper society, this concept of someone being your enemy may

seem extreme, but if you would allow me to use this broad term to

deal with a few realities we all face.

Act One

The character I will base this on is one outstanding Bible

Characters, and my personal favorite in fact. David lived his life

with a series of circumstances that positioned him in a place where

he had foes and enemies, those that did not wish him well and in

fact worked to do him harm either proactively or by their actions

placed him at a disadvantage.

Enemy

Opponent

Rival

Foe

We find that his circumstance of birth played against him, for he

said "I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive

me." He shows us a deep secret of shame, for he finds that this

fact has conspired against him. Often we may feel like there are

things that have followed us from childhood. Attitudes, ideas,

family traits that have haunted our path like dark shadows in the

forest, conspiring for our downfall.

We follow this to see that this mindset was reflected in how David

was treated and perceived by his family. His family, his father in

fact shows this contempt held for the young boy when he is asked

about his sons, he only remembers David when pressed. We see this

played out again when David goes to bring his brothers a little

bread from home; his brother despises him and chides him for his

presence on a day that would define him.

This day when David faced the famous Giant, we see that David

overcame the fear that had bowed down a nation, the scorn of his own

brothers and the timid ness of the King. He walked out that day

with the only things he had proven in his young life. A memory of

past victories and few stones he knew he could throw and an Intimate

knowledge of a God that would not let him down.

Here in the First act of David's life, we see that in spite of the

circumstances around his birth and his own family's opinion of him,

he stood on top of the dead giant with his head hanging from one

hand while the sword thrust toward the sky and a battle cry erupted

from his lips. I can see as this played out, the formerly fearful

band of beleaguered soldiers solidifies into a force that overcomes

the enemy with an unstopped momentum, till the song of victory rings

through the valleys of Judea.

Act Two - Victory, the beginning of personal hardship.

No sooner has David climbed off the chest of the defeated, and the

enemies of David begin to form. His Leader, his beloved King goes

from curious to crazy. In just a few moments he finds his harp that

opened the door into the kings court no longer soothes the evil

spirit, and the King hurls his hatred-powered javelin toward young

David.

Imagine how the young man felt. Everything was supposed to change,

but on the other side of an amazing victory a greater force begins

to mount against him.

His first enemy was the enemy of being ignored and invisible. Now

his enemy is because he is visible and someone to be reckoned with.

And someone on the rise threatens human nature. Very few, and I

mean very few men, no matter their own anointing feel threatened and

attack the younger generation who God has ordained to take the

Kingdom to the next step of his purpose. When they should be able

to rejoice together, often the young man must flee down the dusty

paths of obscurity till God must resort to other means to bring his

purpose about. I have been blessed to know a number of great men

who could see the future and attach their blessing to those who will

accomplish what they had not been able to do. It is the following

generations that fulfill the vision of previous generations. Just

as David planned the temple and paid for it's building, it was not

accomplished until Solomon came on the scene. The lesson in

David's life is how he dealt with this second phase.

When Favor with God becomes the motivation for your enemies. How

we respond here is so important. If David were like many of us, he

would have told Samuel, God and Saul, "Bless God I am supposed to be

King, so either your going to move aside, or I will push you aside."

The many examples of this faulty foolishness are repeated over and

over. David took the low road. He ran and hid and did everything

in his power to just survive without killing his enemy, who was on

the same side as he was. It is difficult to deal with your enemy

when he wears the same color uniform and salutes the same flag and

has been appointed by the same God, but he has the power and all you

have is a promise. If you ever have a Saul after you, run and hide

and don't fight against him. David would not touch his leader,

even when he was wrong. Even when the Bible says that God had

rejected him. Even when his error was hurting Israel, David let God

take care of it.

You can tell who is in the wrong by who is attacking the other.

Find who is humbly taking the low road and pray for them to

continue, because God will fight for the humble and fight against

the proud. The bad guy always loses, the good guy always wins. The

good guy don't wear a white hat but walks the low road.

We know, the day came and King Saul and Prince Jonathan died. In

one day, David lost his worst enemy and his best friend. I think

we see what happens to us in these terrible situations, because

enemies never die alone, they always die with something and someone

we love. David rent his garments and all of Israel mourned the

death of Saul. No matter the situations around Saul, he still was a

called and anointed man of God.

The next enemy comes from an unexpected source. Imagine with me,

David is King and rules in Jerusalem. He dwells in a nice palace

and everything is right. He is finally brining in the Ark of God

into its proper place. David's great victory. All of Israel is

Celebrating and finally David sends them all home with a loaf of

bread a side of meat and a flagon of wine. God is blessing. He

walks into his house and what happens? His wife meets him and

scorns his attempt at worship. But watch what David does, he tells

her, "You can scorn me, but I am still going to continue to worship

God." There are times that many will face a time when their spouse

or children will scorn their efforts. Don't let it steal your

devotion.

Act Three - Mid Life Crisis - What to do when you have won and

succeeded?

One of the last enemies David faces is Himself. After struggling

against all of these external forces, he is almost defeated by his

own actions. Temptation comes, sin is committed and finally he

holds a dead baby in his arms. What do you do when your failure

has hurt others? What do you do when your failure has reached

beyond and afflicted beyond and you see your error for all its

ugliness? This is by far the hardest enemy to overcome. To

overcome failure is the true test of us all. For then we see, that

we need a saviour as much as anyone else. This is a humbling fact

that will save you if you will recognize it.

However David continues to show us how to deal with our enemies. He

repents, he weeps, and he gets up washes his face and moves forward

in his walk with God. Many people face many enemies, but have the

hardest time forgiving themselves when they have fallen. Follow the

example of David. Repent. Repent Deeply and completely. Be broken

and humbly honest with God and those around you. Wash your face and

move forward in the Life of purpose that God has for you.

Act Three - The Trial of the Aged - What to do when your at odds

with the pride of youth.

In this mans life we see finally that his own son, one who favored

him the most, begins to plot David's destruction. Rather than

divide the kingdom over this, he again takes the low road and leaves

his enemy behind. And we see again, God deals with Absalom when the

prideful locks of Absalom become his undoing. I would say, this

always the undoing of the prideful generation who thinks they will

get rid of the old man and his old fogy ways, the unshorn locks of

their own pride becomes their untimely demise.

How did David survive in the face of all of these enemies? I think

it boils down to one thing. If you will keep your heart right with

God, God will take care of you and your enemies. No matter how

plentiful and powerful they may be, if you will simply understand

the time tested principle I am going to close with, you can stand in

faith, run in hope and even hide yourself from your enemies when

they seek to destroy you with their words and devious plans.

So you have enemies?

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can

be against us?"

You can overcome them for one Reason, God's purposes for your life

are more powerful than the plans your enemies thrust on you.

The Bad Guy always loses, and the good guys always win,

Scott Phillips

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