CASTIMONIA

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Self-Encouragement

by applyingmybeliefs

1 Sam 30:6 – And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.  ESV

The scene is this:

David and his 600 men had gone to fight with and for the Philistines, because he had pledged his group to serve their king.  There was an upcoming battle ahead with the Israelites under Saul, and the Philistine leadership complained to the king about David and his men, this was reasonable because they were Israelites themselves, and therefore they may not be trustworthy in the upcoming battle.  So David and his men were released from their pledge, and they took off home.

Three days later they got to their home in Ziklag to discover that the Amalekites had raided the town in their absence, burned it to the ground and taken every person they found there captive, with all the material goods they could carry.  This included David’s two wives.  Everybody slipped into grief, and eventually every one of his men turned against him in bitterness, and started talk of stoning him.

Did David run?  No, he engaged in a practice we all ought to take note of:

    • Self-Encouragement

Our scripture says “David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”  The Hebrew word used here is “wayitchazeeq” (root word chazaq) which is more often translated as encouraged himself instead of strengthened himself.

In Christian recovery the need for self-encouragement is evident.  We are constantly receiving messages of condemnation, negative criticisms and heavy judgments.  Some of it comes from inside our own minds.  We must all take a lesson from David’s example here and self-encourage by remembering the promises of God, especially this one:

Rom 8:31 – What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  ESV

Later in our story we see that God delivers the Amalekites into the hands of David and his men, restoring all that had been taken, plus the wealth of the enemy.

The take-away from this is that there are times when we need to practice self-encouragement, it is something we can do for ourselves and it is a scriptural activity.  David went from feeling that the world was against him, to becoming encouraged and then he went humbly to God to ask Him what to do next.  (1 Sam 30:7-8)

When we practice self-encouragement we are engaging in what is described here as “work out”:

Phil 2:12-13 – Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.  ESV

In our recovery there are just some things we have to do ourselves, and self-encouragement is one of them.

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Uzzah – God Violator

by applyingmybeliefs

1 Chron 13:9-10 – And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled.  And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.  ESV

 Uzzah was a Levite priest who was charged with bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem.  In this story they were using a cart pulled by oxen, when God had instructed that priests they were supposed to carry the Ark on poles threaded through it.  Both David the king and the priests were being disobedient.

In the story, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah violated God by putting his hand out to steady the Ark.  The Ark was where God manifested His presence to the nation of Israel at that time, and it was as if Uzzah was trying to help God do the job of taking care of Himself when he touched the Ark.  Even if Uzzah had the best of intentions he still presumed that God couldn’t take care of the situation.  For his transgression, Uzzah was struck dead.

Isn’t that so like us in recovery?  We reach out to try to do in our lives, and worse than that, in the lives of those in our recovery fellowship, what God has reserved for Himself.  For example, we engage in conviction (of sin, righteous and judgment, see John 16:8-11) or trying to bring rest into someone’s life (Mt 11:28-30).  Fortunately, God doesn’t strike us down like He did poor Uzzah, but we can be sure that He does try to communicate that He does not appreciate us playing God in another person’s life.  He may do that directly through the Holy Spirit, or through His word, but most likely He does it through others around us who gently tell us something.  Stop trying to fix other people, stop doing God’s job!

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Hannah – Faithful Intercessor

by applyingmybeliefs

1 Sam 1:4-7(a) – On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.  But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.  And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.  So it went on year by year.  ESV

Guiding Commentary – Hannah, which means grace in Hebrew, was one of two wives to Elkanah who was a religious man, and she had not been able to conceive.  The ability to bear children was a matter of significance to women in that culture, and Hannah suffered for many years in her barrenness.  The other wife, Peninnah, was fruitful and used this fact to taunt Hannah as shown in our story.  After this scene Hannah separated herself and spent time with the Lord pouring out her heart (read 1 Sam 1:1-20).  She prayed for a child, and in due time, a male child called Samuel was born.  After he was weaned, probably about age 4 in that time, he was taken to the temple and dedicated to the Lord and was left under the care of Eli the high priest.  This was a promise that Hannah had made to God during her prayer time as she asked for a child.  Hannah went on to have 5 other children.

In recovery we sometimes have “dry spells” where we feel barrenness, and we ought to respond to it just as Hannah did, by spending significant time in prayer for God to provide.

The Exercise – Read Hannah’s prayer found in 1 Sam 2:1-10.  Consult with any commentaries or individuals you know might be able to help with your understanding of the prayer.

Now write a prayer in your own words, that uses Hannah’s prayer as a model, about you, your recovery and God.  Share it with at least your sponsor, and any other people you believe would understand your heart in it.

Here is the model to use.  Verse 1 – Rejoice in God, 2 – lift up your view of God’s holiness, 3- lift up your view of God’s wisdom, 4 – lift up your view of God’s strength, 5 – lift up your view of God’s providence, 6 – lift up your view of God’s authority over life and death, 7 – lift up your view of God’s material provision, 8 – lift up your view of how God raises the least up in life, 9 – lift up your view of His protection, and 10 – lastly lift up your view of what God might do to your adversaries.  Remember that this does not have to be perfect!  This prayer will be yours, and God will accept it just the way you write it.