COME OUT OF THE STRONGHOLD

When David escaped from King Saul’s attempt to kill him, one of the first places he fled to was the city of Gath, which was in enemy territory (1 Samuel 21:10-15). The Philistines recognized David as the man who had killed their hero Goliath, and this immediately put him at risk. When David heard what the people were saying about him, his concern turned to fear and in order to protect himself, he pretended to be insane. He behaved in a bizarre manner and let spit dribble down his beard. The Philistine leaders observed his insane behavior and wanted nothing to do with a madman, so they wouldn’t let him stay.

David ran again and this time he ended up in the cave of Adullam, also in Philistine territory. Somehow word spread that David was in hiding and some of his family came to be with him—but they were not the only ones who came. About 400 other people who were in distress, in debt, in all sorts of trouble, came to join David. This is how David became the leader of an army of malcontents: angry, bitter people running away from their problems, running from their hurt and sickness.

After a time, David and his ragtag army left the cave of Adullam and journeyed to the land of the Moabites where they dwelt in a stronghold. It was there that one of God’s prophets, Gad, came to David with a message from the Lord: “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah” (1 Samuel 22:5 NKJV).

This is a pretty straightforward message for David. “Stop running around and hiding in enemy territory and get back to the country you belong in.” David took the message to heart and he and his “army” left Moab and went into one of the remote areas of Judah.

What does this have to do with us in 2011? Actually, it is a very powerful word for every believer!

Sometimes life beats up on us; we get hammered and beaten down because of disappointments, discouragement, sickness and a thousand and one other reasons. At times like these it is very easy to retreat and “hide in a cave” and stop pressing on. Have you ever felt like that? I have—and I admit it. There are moments as I move through my present valley that I find myself thinking, “I just can’t go on, I am too tired and I’ve fought so long and so hard. I can’t keep doing this.”

The word stronghold means “a net, a trap, a snare.” When I give in to my feelings of discouragement, I am giving in to a snare, a trap, and as long as I stay there that’s exactly what happens to me…I’m trapped.

The prophet’s word to David was, “Go to the land of Judah” (1 Samuel 22:5). The meaning of the word Judah is “praise.” And this is the word of the Lord to all of us today: “Don’t stay in the land of despair; get up and move into the land of praise.” It will take some effort on your part, as it has on mine, but you can do this!

As I am journeying through the valley of cancer, I choose to live in the land of praise and rejoicing instead of giving in to despair and self-pity. When I feel despair beginning to rise, I respond by beginning to worship and rejoice.

Every day (Mon-Fri) I go for a radiation treatment in the head/neck area. I lie on a table and they fasten a mask over my face to hold my head perfectly still while laser-like radiation beams do their work. During each treatment I try to do three things when I am under the mask: I pray, I recite Scripture, and I worship. I don’t particularly like the radiation times but I have come to love the intimacy with the Lord that has developed. Also, during my journey through this valley, sleep is often difficult and some nights I don’t sleep at all. But I have learned afresh to spend large portions of these times in worship and praise. One night I spent three or four hours in His presence just thanking Him and remembering all the good things I have seen and been a part of in over forty years in ministry. During these worship times I sense God’s presence in a very intimate way, for God inhabits the praise of His people (Psalm 22:3).

The word of the Lord to David was, “Don’t stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.” To get to Judah David had to “depart” and that meant he had a choice to make. To go or stay is the question David had to answer—and so do we. To depart means we are walking away from one thing toward something else.

In Isaiah 61:1-11 we have the prophetic promises of what will happen when the Messiah comes and salvation is proclaimed. A part of that promise in verse 3 says, “To give them…the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” and that is God’s word to you today!