So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah. (I Samuel 16:13)
So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. (II Samuel 5:3-4)
When I was little, I loved gymnastics. Nadia Comaneci was my role model, and I wanted to be an Olympic gymnast. I did gymnastics at the YWCA for a couple years and tried out for the team….and I made it. The first backhandspring of my first practice, I broke both bones of my forearm in half, and that was the end of my career. 🙁
So, I did the next best thing. I tried out for cheerleading for 8th grade. And I didn’t make it. I tried out for cheerleading for 9th grade, and I didn’t make it. I tried out for cheerleading for 10th grade……and FINALLY….I made the team. I kept practicing. I kept trying. And finally, it all paid off. Good things don’t just come to those who wait….sometimes you have to work for it while you wait….sometimes you have to fight for it.
No one is exactly sure how old David was when Samuel anointed him as king….when God’s potential for his life…God’s promise…was spoken to him. The guesses range anywhere from 10 years old to 17 years old. David was a teenager when the promise came.
Skip over several chapters into the next book of the Bible, and you see that David was 30 years old when he began to reign. Thirty Years Old. Even if he was 17 when the promise came, that’s a long time in between potential to fulfillment. Thirteen years of waiting. Thirteen years of trusting, even when he didn’t understand.
David went through a lot of things during those thirteen years. He didn’t just stand still. He didn’t just sit patiently by and wait until someone came to whisk him away to the palace. If you read all those chapters in between I Samuel 16 and II Samuel 5, you will see that David fought for it.
Potential doesn’t always turn to reality overnight…and it doesn’t always come without a fight. David faced a lot of challenges on his way to the throne. He served the one he was to replace, King Saul. He faced a giant. He ran from Saul because he wanted to kill him out of jealousy. He was wronged almost every time he turned around. He faced battles constantly. Lots and lots of challenges!
But one thing helped him through it all…God was with him. God directed him. God strengthened him. God helped him. All of the psalms he wrote talk about it. They give us an inside peek at what got him through.
Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you— (Psalm 42:6)
My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life. But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, “You are my God!” My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. (Psalm 31:13-15)
Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. (Psalm 103:1-2)
It was Him. It was his relationship with God and his trust in the Lord that pulled him through – that helped him to keep going – that kept him from giving up. He encouraged himself. He reminded himself. He trusted. And promise became answer. Faith became sight. Potential became reality in David’s life.
And so the theme continues. Don’t quit – even if there are challenges!
Don’t be discouraged if faith doesn’t become sight without a fight. So what if you have to fight? Fight! His strength will be with you. Encourage yourself in the Lord like David did…let His Word come out of your mouth. Keep your eyes set on His promise. Trust me…you’ll be glad you did. It will be worth it. Good things come to those who fight!
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground. (Ephesians 6:13-14)