David flees from Saul and goes into the wilderness where up to 600 men join him. David settles in the Philistine land and is hosted by Achish. Then Philistines gathered to fight Israel. David and his men marched with Achish but the other princes from Philistine objected
1 Samuel 29:1-11 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.29.1-11.KJV
David goes back with his army. Gets home and finds his camp raided and everything taken.
“And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; and had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.” 1 Samuel 30:1-3 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.30.1-3.KJV
The men were angry to the point of wanting to stone David. David inquired of God and was granted a prophecy of success. The pursuit got to a river and 200 men did not cross, fatigue hit them at a critical stage. The loss of their wives and children was clouded by physical exhaustion. We all have the season of exhaustion as we pursue our mark of the high calling like Paul says. The 200 men forsook the need to press on. But David and 400 men pressed on.
They found the enemy, recovered everything and took even more spoils.
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/php.3.13-14.KJV
The problem arose when they got to the river and found the guys who had failed the press on. The majority demanded that they be given just their wives and nothing else.
“Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them. Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.” But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us.” 1 Samuel 30:21-23 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1sa.30.21-23.ESV
But David understood what good news meant. Good news means revival. Good news means encouragement. Good news overlooking the bad and pursuing the prize.
David understood God’s Grace. David was a source of revival instead of condemnation. David was a source of addition instead of subtraction. David was a source of peace instead of war.
These are the characteristics of an encourager who brings revival. And he made the encouragement rule a law!
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