Hope In His Name
Salvation is found in no other name than Jesus Christ.
“Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him. And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel. When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him…David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” The Lord answered him, “Go, I will deliver them into your hands…Once more the Philistines raided the valley; so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees…So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army” 1 Chronicles 14:1-16
Can you imagine what would happen if you trusted God with every decision you made? Would it help you do better? Would you win more battles? What keeps us from inquiring of God all the time?
David looked at his life and saw everything as a gift from God, and this led to a heart of gratitude ready to guide other people. David said he was exalted for the sake of the people. Pastor Mark Batterson says anything we do not turn into praise turns into pride. David did not allow his prosperity to make him prideful; rather, his praise fueled his purpose. How is pride impacting you?
This text reminds us that pursuing a life of faith does not mean avoiding persecution. As soon as David is anointed, he is attacked. The question is not whether we will face trials or tests, but whether we will turn to God and trust Him through the process. Do you have any questions that need answers? Will you choose to inquire of God or try to solve things yourself?
“Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? Why do you boast all day long…You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction…You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth…Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!…But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.” Psalms 52:1-9
There are different paths that you can take in life, and you must choose where you want to end up. The paths lead to different destinations. The path of pride, evil, falsehood, prosperity without regard to the impact on other people, and trusting in your assets instead of trusting in the Almighty leads to a dead-end road. David warns us not to take it.
David chose the path of everlasting life that is rooted in the love of God. He saw his life like a tree planted by the living water and declared his heart was holy unto the Lord. His commitment was to make sure God got the glory for all God had done. He chose praise over pride. Are you? When you look back over the last week, have you glorified God by sharing how good He has been to you, or have you boasted of your own strength?
David placed his hope in the name of God. We do the same. We put our hope in Jesus. We know the eternal battle over sin and death was defeated on the cross. We are no longer captive to fear. Hope is so critical to carrying us through hard times. It is what can get you out of bed and get you over the hump. When you are under attack or oppressed by the enemy, hope is what helps you take another step.
“All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves…I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves.” Song of Songs 3:1-2
Some people wonder why they do not see signs of God. It is easy when you are under attack to start to question why things are happening or where God is in the battle. What we see in Song of Songs is that the bride did not sit back and wait. She pursued the one she loved with the expectation that she would find love.
Following Jesus is not a passive activity. While praying and listening can be peaceful and calm, pursuing Jesus requires intentionality and activity. Seeking, searching, and looking for Jesus will help you see the signs that God is working ahead of you. Ask God for eyes to see and a heart that desires more of His presence. How much of a priority is it for you to personally pursue your Savior today?
The truth is, we do look for what we love, and many people look for love in the wrong places. Many people shortcut salvation by pursuing coping mechanisms to ease pain rather than finding healing for wounds through confession and pursuing Christ. What do you want? What do you need? Will you plant your life like David in the love of God rather than pursuing temporary pleasures or short-term remedies for pain?
“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘Will you not learn a lesson and obey my words?’ declares the Lord. Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, “Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you have not paid attention or listened to me.” Jeremiah 35:13-15
God spoke to David then, and God speaks to us now. Jesus said in John 10 that my sheep know my voice. God gave us ears to hear. He wants to guide us. He wants what’s best for us. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. David said the name of God is good because it is always faithful and meant to be the foundation of our lives.
But what good is it if He speaks and we do not listen? What good is it if we hear but do not apply what He says to our lives? Is there anything in your life that you know you should do that you are not doing? Is there anywhere in your life where you need to turn? Have you made time to hear what God has to say?
“They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day…By what power or what name did you do this?”…Peter…filled with the Spirit said to them “It is by the name of Jesus Christ…Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name…they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? After they prayed…they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.“ Acts 4:3-34
Just like David, the disciples were attacked after being anointed by the Spirit. It would be wise for us to change our expectations of what we will endure as we live out our faith as followers of Jesus Christ. You will have trials. You will experience suffering. Other people will offend you and persecute you. The question is not whether you will experience hard times, but how you will respond.
Peter and John were put in prison and attacked, but that did not cause them to divert from living out their kingdom purposes. God wants to turn our tests into testimonies. He wants us to learn to expect adversity, but more importantly have confidence in the help we have from the Almighty. Imagine what would happen if we looked at every potential offense as an opportunity to praise God, demonstrate the power at work within us, or bring peace to that person.
Neither the disciples nor David did anything in their own strength. They listened to God. Is there anywhere you have listened to other voices instead of God? What would have happened if the disciples had given in to the pressure of the Pharisees? How many people would have failed to hear the good news?
Fortunately, the disciples were faithful and stayed focused on God. They were filled with the Spirit, and they listened to God instead of mankind. If you find yourself in crisis feeling afraid, you may have forgotten to take the time to be filled with the Spirit. David does not succeed if he does not spend time inquiring of God. Neither do we.
God wants you to know you have power to live out your kingdom purposes. You have a calling as a member of the body of Christ. He wants to guide your steps and give you great advice for how to help other people. David was established for the sake of other people, and so are we. Jesus always connected loving God with the purpose of loving other people.
Let us be like David and inquire of God every chance we get. Let us not be surprised by difficulty, but focus on doing God’s will. Let us root our lives in the love of Christ and let His love overflow to others around us. Let us put our trust in the name above all names, the only name in which salvation is found. And let us be like Peter, always ready to share the reason for the hope we have in the name of Jesus.