Cotr/ss030302
An Anointed Attitude … The Heart Of A Victor
A change in attitude can produce a change in altitude
I am not talking about a good attitude or bad attitude … I am talking about a winning perspective that enhances and advances one’s attitude of victory verses the attitude of defeat.
Have you ever noticed that while some seem to get defeated by every little challenge that comes along, others, though always challenged, are nonetheless always victorious.
Perhaps it has more to do with perspective, more to do with attitude than many have realized.
Let’s look at 1 Samuel 16:13 Where
David Was Anointed as The King Of Israel
1 Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
But things didn’t always go so good for David just because he was God’s anointed … in fact things got pretty bad, so bad that his own followers got depressed and decided to kill him. When all else failed:
David encouraged himself in the Lord
1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
A lot can happen in a man’s life. Sometimes he is a hero and at other times a zero. People you love and respect will see you promoted and then some of the same people may see you demoted. People may cheer you on and support you or turn and curse the day they first followed you.
Let me tell you a little bit about:
David’s life
David was: (this is not in chronological order)
* Victim of child abuse and neglect (left out with the sheep at night and attacked by bears and lions)
* His adopted parent threw a spear at him
* Was forced to endure demeaning and divisive sibling rivalry
* His motives were continually questioned
* Allowed to fight Goliath & join the military as a minor without parental consent
* He was conspired against to be killed in battle by his own superior
* His Father-In-Law tried to kill him
* His wife was taken from him & granted a divorce without his say
* His wife married one of his war buddies
* David lost his high paying job & credibility
* He became an unemployed homeless bum
* He was wrongly convicted of treason
* His life choices caused his parents to loose everything
* He began an outcast gang and became a gang leader
* Was a fugitive from justice
* Worked as a secret double agent in a foreign country
* Captured and jailed: offered a plea of insanity & was acquitted
* David’s best friend died young
* His wife, children & friends were kidnapped and taken hostage
* He ran a political campaign and was not elected
* He remarried his first wife
* His wife was barren
* He was a polygamist
* His daughter was raped
* He became a peeping Tom
* He committed adultery
* There was incest in his family
* He betrayed and murdered a friend and supporter
* One of his sons murdered another one of his sons
* David’s newborn child died
* He had to judge & banish his first born son from the country
* David’s friends betrayed him
* His father-in-law betrayed
* His children betrayed him
* He lost his kingdom, his throne … his job late in life
* He was publicly ridiculed
* He was pelted with rocks
* His wife was raped
* David was old and homeless
* His son slept with 10 of David’s wives in public
* David battled an employee takeover
* His firstborn dies in a senseless war
* David’s troops rebelled against his leadership
* God passed over David to build His church house
* David lost the circulation in his body
* He aged and became feeble
* He went through a second attempted take over by a son
* David was forced to choose between his children
* David gave up his throne
* David died
** AND ALL THIS HAPPENED TO DAVID AFTER THAT DAVID WAS ANOINTED AND THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD CAME ON HIM IN POWER.
Yet David always had victory.
Where did he get the heart to press on?
What did he believe?
What did he think?
What did he say to himself in those discouraging times?
We know David encouraged himself, but how? & Why even bother?
Where did David get the heart to press on to victory after victory.
Energy, drive, desire, passion, vision … the sheer want to.
Many people loose heart in the middle of the race.
Some press on to victory beyond the pain of the race.
David pressed on to victory after victory.
In the bible David gives us insight into his heart, his thinking, his attitude.
David’s Encouragements (Pep talk)
David’s Attitude
1. Fear No One … Fear Nothing
2. The Presence of God Will Take Me Out Of This World
* Serenity - Security - Stability - Strength - Song
* Pleasure - Protection - Position - Power - Praises
* A Home - A Hiding Place - Hope - Honor - Happiness
3. God Will Hear My Cry and Answer Me
4. I Will Obey God’s Word From My Heart
5. God Will Not Forsake Me
6. I Need Instruction/Correction Because Of My Enemies
7. My Life Will Be A Battle - Bad Things Happen To Good People
8. If It’s Bad - It’s Not Over … I Just Won’t Quit
9. I Will Stay Patient and I Will Be Courageous …
Read Psalms 27
1 ¶ <<A Psalm of David.>> 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?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
7 ¶ Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
1. Fear No One … Fear Nothing (vs. 1-3)
2. The Presence of God Will Take Me Out Of This World (vs. 4-6)
* Serenity - Security - Stability - Strength - Song
* Pleasure - Protection - Position - Power - Praises
* A Home - A Hiding Place - Hope - Honor - Happiness
3. God Will Hear My Cry and Answer Me (v. 7)
4. I Obey God’s Word From The Heart (v. 8)
5. God Will Not Forsake Me (vs. 9-10)
6. I Need Instruction/Correction To Defeat My Enemies (v. 11)
7. My Life Will Be A Battle - Bad Things Happen To Good People (v. 12)
8. If It’s Bad - It’s Not Over … I Just Won’t Quit (v. 13)
9. I Will Stay Patient and I Will Be Courageous … God Will Give Me A Strong Heart. (v. 14)
This is where David got the heart to press on to victory after victory.
Perhaps this morning you are in need of the heart to go to your next victory.
You can develop your perspective into a victorious attitude by encouraging yourself in the Lord.
Do not fear
Press into God’s presence
Cry out to God, He will hear and answer
Obey God’s word from your heart
Remind yourself that God will never fail nor forsake you
Seek God’s instruction/correction to outwit your enemies
Accept that life will be a battle at times
Decide before hand not to faint in the day of battle
Be patient, wait on God, be courageous and He will give you the heart your need for the challenges you face.
