God's Favour gave David Success

 

1. STORY: (based on 1 Sam 16, 18)

• The past 2 months, we’ve been learning Psalm 23. Can you remember it?
• Who wrote Psalm 23? David

• Who was David?
  • What was David’s occupation? Shepherd
  • Yes, that’s right. David was a shepherd boy. He was the youngest son in his family. While his brothers went to war as big, strong soldiers, David stayed in the fields to take care of the sheep. Quite unimportant in his family’s eyes.
  • But God had a special purpose for David. He had chosen David to be king of Israel! David had a heart after God. So God sent His prophet, Samuel, to anoint David as king.
  • There was one problem, however. Israel already had a king. Anyone knows his name? King Saul
  • That’s right. King Saul was the first King of Israel, and he would rule Israel for 42 years. 

•   God’s Favour gave David Success

• But God was not happy with King Saul. King Saul didn’t listen to God. He wanted to do things his way, instead of God’s way. (Just like Adam and Eve wanted to be like God instead of trusting God.)
• That’s why God chose David to be the new king. And He gave young David His favour and grace, so that he could do mighty things.
• For example, do you remember who the big giant David killed with just a stone and a sling was? Goliath
• Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.
• In fact, David had so many victories, that Saul was jealous of him. When they came back from battle, the women of Israel would come out singing and dancing. “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” (1 Sam 18:7) Saul was afraid that David would take away his kingdom from him.
• Saul thought to himself. “Maybe if I send David to fight all the enemies, he would be killed in battle.
• So Saul sent David away with a thousand men under him. And David led the troops into battle. “In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him. When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.” (1 Sam 18:14-16)
•  So Saul thought of another plan. He knew his daughter, Michal, was in love with David. So he wanted to use his daughter to trap David. He asked his servants to persuade David to marry his daughter, Michal.
• David protested, “I’m a poor man. How can I be the king’s son-in-law?”
• The servants said, “The king doesn’t need a bride price for his daughter. He only wants you to kill 100 Philistines (the king’s enemies).” The king was hoping that the Philistines would overpower  David and kill him instead.
• So David went out with his men. They killed not 100 Philistines, but 200 of them! Over and above what was required!
• When he returned, King Saul had no choice but to let him marry Michal.
• Saul realised that the Lord was with David, and that his daughter Michal loved David; and he became even more afraid of him.
• Every time the Philistines went out to fight the Israelites, David would go and fight them and win many more battles than the rest of Saul’s officers. And his name became well known.

•  God’s Favour gives me Success
  
  • God was with David and granted Him success. 
  • Because Jesus’ died for us, God’s Spirit can live in us forever. And when He’s with us, we have His favour and success too. 
  • Even though our enemies may plot against us or try to cause us to fail, when God is with us, we don’t have to fear. As the Bible says (in Psalm 2), they are merely “plotting in vain”. “In vain” means their efforts will not work! 
  • Like the sheep that follows the shepherd, we will also experience “His goodness and mercies following us all the days of our lives.” (Psalm 23:6) 
  • Jesus is our favour and our success!

2. ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS

• Memory Verse: “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.” (Psalm 23:6)