Based on 2 Samuel 2:1-7 (New King James Version)
“It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Go up.’ David said, ‘Where shall I go up?’ And He said, ‘To Hebron.’ So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. And David brought up the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, ‘The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.’ So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, ‘You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him. And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing. Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.’”
One of the greatest problems that exist is that people do not look for the Lord’s direction. The majority look to follow their own ideas and do their own will. Many just want to fulfill their carnal desires unfortunately. Much of God’s people have determined moreover to look for God to see how He can serve them and solve their issues, to put the Almighty to work (per se) for them so their will can be fulfilled. And that goes completely against all of the established order. This is the reason for why we have what we have today in the world, which has been since the beginning of the fall of man. Man had gone away from the Creator, and that gave the opportunity for the devil to appear. The devil came to fill the void that man had created between themselves and God, because it can clearly be seen that God was not in man’s mind when man was tempted.
The example that we see in today’s passage is what David did. David consulted the Lord. He did not allow himself to be guided by his ideas, and far less, looking to fulfill his desires. David treated the Lord as the Lord. And when the Lord gave direction, he went ahead and obeyed, and not only that, but he also guided everything he had under his responsibility to do so. David followed and knew how to guide everything he had to that same obedience. David shows in this instant the pattern that we should follow if we really want what God has for us. The only way to receive what only God can give is by doing His will, to do as He guides, and also, to guide everyone under our responsibility to do His will also. This is what is right before the Lord.
This is what the Lord Himself came to establish when He came to the world. He came to save the world, and He also came to demonstrate how to attain the eternal. He is our model. That’s why He even taught us to pray in this manner, as it is written: “So He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Luke 11:1-2. In this prayer example He left us, we see that we must understand Who it is that we are coming to, and this is an incredible problem that exists in man today. It is impossible for there to be a “you and me” kind of treatment (per se) between God and man. And many people’s mentality is so distorted that they see God as an equal, or worse, as someone that exists to serve them. If God does something, it’s because He wants to, but not because He owes anyone anything. And far less, He is no one’s subject, especially man’s subject. God is God and He should be treated as such. So then, the Lord Himself that was (and is) God the Father’s only begotten Son, and also God, taught us to look for the Father’s will to be done. This should be the focus of our prayer, and it should be our life focus. That’s what God made us for.
In the following passage, we will see a clear example of how a person should allow themselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit, through those that are determined to do the will of God the Father: “Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, ‘Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go near and overtake this chariot.’ So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ And he said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was this: ‘He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.’ So the eunuch answered Philip and said, ‘I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?’ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’ Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.” Acts 8:26-40.
What is the finally the practical side for why we should look for the Lord’s direction and fulfill it? Let’s see this for a moment: “From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’ Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’” Matthew 16:21-24. Was Peter possessed by Satan in this instant? No. But, by just looking to fulfill his carnal and selfish desires, he was doing the enemy’s will. And that happens when we allow ourselves to be overtaken by the sin that dwells within us. This is the counsel that the Word gives us: “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Galatians 5:16-18. So then, are you looking for the Lord’s direction and trying to do as He says, and also trying to influence those that are with you to do the same? Lord bless! John