In this sermon, the speaker reflects on the story of David and his experience in a cave with his followers. The speaker emphasizes the power of praise and worship in magnifying the Lord and increasing faith. They describe how David's worship in the cave inspired his men to have confidence in God's plan and ability to use them. The speaker also discusses the importance of seeking the Lord and trusting in His deliverance from fears. The sermon concludes with a personal anecdote about the speaker's encounter with a pastor who tried to instill fear and doubt, but the speaker relied on Jesus for strength.

This message is one of the Times Square Church Pulpit Series. It was recorded in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in Manhattan, New York City. Other tapes are available by writing World Challenge, PO Box 260, Mindell, Texas 75771, or calling 903-963-8626. You are welcome to make additional cassettes of this message for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission, existing copyright laws apply. I'm going to speak this morning on overcoming the voices of fear. Overcoming the voices of fear. Psalm 34, if you'll go there with me in your Bibles. Let's believe God together for the absolute destruction of the work of darkness that the enemy tries to accomplish through fear in the lives of so many of God's people. Father, I thank you for the anointing of your Holy Spirit. I thank you for the strength and the power that you give. I thank you, Lord, that I stand on the victory side in Christ. Lord God, I thank you for the mighty victory that you're going to win. You've already predetermined to do this today. You're going to set to flight the voices of darkness, the power of the devil, the enemy of our souls. God, I thank you that you're going to give great liberty and freedom. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. We believe that. God, we believe today that you're going to open every prison door and release every captive of fear. I bind the work of fear. I stand against it in Christ's name. And Father, I thank you that there will be a shout of glory. There will be a shout of victory in the very soul of those that have formerly been captivated by the darkened arguments of fear. And Father, I thank you for it from the depths of my heart. In Jesus' name. Amen. Overcoming the voices of fear. Psalm 34, beginning at verse 1. This is the psalm of David, king of Israel. I will bless the Lord at all times. And His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make a boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me. And let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord and He heard me. And delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto Him and were lightened and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him. And delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good. And blessed is the man that trusts in Him. O fear the Lord, ye His saints. For there is no want to them that fear Him. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger. But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Now when we first encounter David. This is before he became king of Israel. He was a young shepherd boy looking after his father's sheep. And when we first encounter him we find a young man that had such a confidence in God. That it qualified him to be king. That's an incredible thing when you think about that. If God looks out today and sees in you a confidence in Him. A confidence in the things that He has spoken about you and to you. The things that He has revealed to you through His word. If He sees a deep abiding confidence in Him. It really qualifies you to rule and reign with Him. It qualifies you to walk in a place of power and authority. Not only in eternity but also on this side of eternity as well. In 1 Samuel chapter 13 the Bible tells us that the people were under the leadership of a fearful king. Here's a man whose name was Saul. He has all of the natural giftings. Yet everything about him told those that were following him that he had no confidence in God. Folks you can have all of the giftings. You can be head and shoulders above the rest of the people. You can appear to be a natural leader. You can have the gift of oratory. You can sing songs. You can do all these things. But if you don't have confidence in God. The end result is 1 Samuel 13 verse 7 says all the people followed him trembling. All the people followed him trembling. If you are a Christian and you have not yet found a place of confidence in God. Whoever follows your leadership will have that trembling. That sense of trembling. That unassuredness of the promises of God within them. For example take the father that comes home into his house in front of his children. And he's a Christian man. Oh I don't know how we're going to survive. I don't know where we're going to find the money. I don't know how we're going to get through tomorrow. And you see now all his children round about the table. A trembling begins to get a hold of them. He doesn't realize. But the fear in him is causing the confidence that his children should have in God. That virtually dissipate from their lives like a man who holds his hands open. And tries to keep sand in the palms of his hands. He undermines the very work of God in his own home. By his lack of confidence in the things that God has spoken to him. And Samuel came to Saul in 1 Samuel chapter 13 verse 14. And he said on God's behalf to Saul. He said thy kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought him a man after his own heart. And the Lord has commanded him to be captain over his people. And if you are among those today who are overpowered by fear. Overcome by other voices than the voice of God. I believe that God's word to you today. Is that kingdom shall not continue any longer. That Saulish nature. That nature of the man who has all of what it seems to be on the outside. But has very little of trust on the inside. God says that kingdom will not continue. And the wonderful thing about New Testament Christianity today. Is that God doesn't cast us out of the way. As Saul was cast out of the way in his generation. But he comes and makes us new. Behold he says I create all things new. And if you will allow me. If you will open your heart to my voice. The Lord says I will cause this old nature in you to pass away. And I will give you a new heart. I will cause you to understand what it means to be a man after my own heart. That's what the Lord said to Saul. He said the Lord has sought him a man after his own heart. God began to look to and fro as it is. As the scripture says throughout the earth to see whose heart was after his. Now a man after his own heart simply put. Is a man who believes as God does. That that which God has spoken will come to pass. That's all it means. That's what a man after God's heart means. What is God's heart? God's heart is to speak his word and it's created. God's heart is to heal. God's heart is to restore. God's heart is to call the impossible possible. God's heart is to call those things that don't exist as if they are. This is the heart of God. And God says I found a man who has that kind of a heart. He has a heart just like mine. And he believes simply that that which I have told him shall happen. Hallelujah. I thank God that folks if we're getting anything in the Christian life. This is what we need to get. It's not about position. It's not about talent. It's not about elevation in the body of Christ or any of these other things. It's not about riches and physical earthly treasure. As necessary as some of those things might be. The treasure to be gotten above all else is a heart that simply believes God. God said it. And I believe it. And that settles the issue. Now go with me to 1 Samuel if you will please. Go backwards in your Bible. You get to Kings and then you'll get to 1 Samuel. Then 1 Samuel chapter 16. I want to take a little bit of a look at the progression in David's life that brought him to this place where he eventually was the man who became king of Israel. 1 Samuel chapter 16 and verse 13. Now God said I sought a man after my own heart and I found one. Then Samuel verse 13 chapter 1 Samuel 16. Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. Now Samuel anointed him and the Spirit of God came upon him for a purpose. And beloved, the Spirit of God has not come upon you and I just to make us happy throughout our week. Or to give us joy singing songs in the house of God. These things are part of the blessing of God. But the Spirit of God came upon you and came upon me because we have been called of God for a purpose. It's not our purpose, it's His purpose. Now here's the purpose. Let me just read it to you in 1 Corinthians chapter 1. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God. And the word in the Greek text means the power means Christ is the enabling power of God. And Christ the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh and not many mighty and not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And base things, that means the lowest of the world. And things which are despised has God chosen. And things which are not or nothing to bring to nothing, things that are. That means in other words to take away, to bring to nothing means to take away the power and influence of those things which seek to exist independently of God. Now here's our calling. God says I'm going to do a work in you so marvelous that everyone who has been victimized as it is by natural strength and natural thinking, natural ability is walked by their own resources, their own power will look at you and they will be dumbfounded. They will be confounded. In their heart they will say how could this have happened? How could God have taken such an ignorant man, such a poverty stricken woman with a background that he or she may have. How could God be doing? How could this person be doing what they're doing apart from an inward working of almighty God himself? God said that's the calling. The calling is to raise you up and set you with princes. The calling is to give you giftings you don't possess. To make you what you are not. The calling is to speak into your life and take you places you can't go. And do through your hands and through your words that I will put within you things that cannot be done by the natural man. And I will take you in your weakness and because you believe me, because you have a heart after my heart, God said I will do something in you that will confound people all around you. Will confound them. Christ himself was an example when the Pharisees said where did this man get all his learning from? We haven't seen him in any of our schools. He hasn't followed the pathway that we say has to be followed to have knowledge and power and influence. Where did he get this from? He got it from the Holy Ghost. He got it from a heart that believed his Father right from the womb. Hallelujah. Now again in 1 Samuel chapter 16. I think you are still there. 1 Samuel chapter 16. Now the Holy Spirit, the Bible tells us gave him giftings. This is David. That set him above the crowd. Chapter 16 verse 18. It said then answered one of the servants and said behold I have seen the son of Jesse the Bethlehemite. That is cunning and playing. In other words he was a skilled musician. A mighty valiant man. A man of war. He was prudent in matters. In other words he had a common business sense. And he was a comely person. And the Lord is with him. Turn to somebody beside you and say they are writing about me. Well I want you to know that that is about you. Yet the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you have a believing heart. You see God makes you what you are not today. God gives you what you don't possess. He leads you where you cannot go. Gives you skills and talents that the world could never give you. Also David had a private history with God. 1 Samuel 17 37. And David said moreover the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear. He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David go and the Lord be with you. Now you know the story. All of the Philistine army were gathered together against Israel. The Philistine army had a champion named Goliath. A huge warrior. Who would come out every day and torment. This was another voice. And it would torment the armies of Israel. And Saul was afraid and everyone that followed him was afraid. And into the midst of this camp comes a little shepherd boy. The Bible calls him the stripling. In other words there is no natural appearance of any might upon him. He is like a young tree. Just a young bendable tree. But you see he had a private history with God. And beloved anybody that is ever thrust into public ministry that is of any avail in the kingdom of God. Has firstly private history with God. You have to have that private history where you have stood up against the lion. And you have stood up against the bear. You have stood up against the fear. You see the lion is a representative of the fear of the enemy. The fear of everything the devil could throw. The enemy saw this young boy. Out there worshipping God. And he has one of his greatest weapons to stop any man or woman of God from ever developing his fear. And so he threw at him the power as it is of this world. He threw at him a lion. The Bible says it doesn't back away for anything. He threw at him a bear. But David with his simple childlike trust in God had taken these things and slain them both. And he walked into the midst of the camp of the army of Israel and said to Saul. Don't let anybody's heart be afraid. I'll go and fight with this Philistine. Can you imagine? He had a private history with God. In the strength of God's promises he had won victories that were impossible in his own strength. You see he knew that he had won victories already that were impossible in his own strength. If you are a genuine Christian today. You have a private history with God. You may not have a public ministry yet. But you have a private history with God. You cannot honestly sit here today and say. Pastor let me tell you something. I was absolutely tormented by the lies of the devil. I was under the grip of Satan himself. And I came to Christ. And I began to read the word of God. And I began to believe it. And I stood up in my home. I stood up in my prayer closet. To the powers of hell. And the devil came against me like a roaring lion. But I grabbed him by the throat. And said I take authority over you in the name of Jesus. And I have lived. I have seen the power of hell broken in my life. I have seen it. I have known it. I have watched God do things that are impossible. You have to have a private history before you will ever have a public ministry. So many today who try to. They clamor. They crave public ministry. But they have no private history at all. They are still in the grip of darkness. They are still bound by the voices of fear. And then they get into a public ministry. And all they succeed in doing is transmitting that same fear to the people that they minister to. 1 Samuel 17 verse 45. Again. David could speak for God. For he intimately knew the purposes of God. And his heart became so intertwined with the heart of God. That he and the Lord began to actually speak as one voice. Said David to the Philistine. Verse 45. Thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and a shield. But I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts. The God of the armies of Israel whom thou hast defied. Now here is the Lord speaking right through David. This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand. I will smite thee. I will take thy head from thee. And I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day to the fowls of the air. And to the wild beasts of the earth. That all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's. And he will give you into our hands. He could speak for God. He believed the things that God had spoken to him. And as he is walking down. I can envision it in my mind. As he is walking down that hill. And you can see the Philistines would be a type of demonic hordes of hell. And Goliath the type of the devil himself. And here comes this boy. He has no natural armor. He is not built like a warrior. He is only a teenager. He has a sling in his hand and five smooth stones in his bag that he is carrying. And he walks down towards this giant. And I can sense and feel this mockery developing in the heart of Goliath. And he says, am I a dog that you come to chase me with a stick? And David now is speaking. The Holy Ghost comes on him. And God begins to speak to him as he goes down the hill. Hallelujah. That is the source of our strength. That is the source of our victory. It is not by might. It is not by power. It is by my spirit, saith the Lord. And I can see David walking down. The Bible says he ran. He hastened to meet the giant. Hallelujah. In his heart he is saying, boy, I have heard from God. Have I got a shock for you, devil? Have I got a surprise for all the hordes of hell? You think you can swallow the heritage of the Lord? Well, I have got news for you. Folks, some of that is going to get into your guts if you are a Christian. When you get into your prayer closet and you face the devil and say, you think you can swallow my children? You think you can touch my family? I have got news for you. I have got news for you. I am going to take a stone and I am going to sink it so deep into your forehead that I am going to take your head from you. I am going to cast down your imaginations, all your high thoughts that exalt themselves above the knowledge of God. You think you can take captive the people of God, but I have something to tell you. The anointing that was on his life got him into trouble. When God's Spirit comes upon you and you begin to speak and move for God, everyone who for whatever reason has fallen short of that glory will now begin to come against you as well. All of the religiously bankrupt will come against you. All of those who play games in the house of God will come against you. They will try to stop what God is doing in your life. And Saul began to rise up and hated this young man because of the presence of God that was in his life. And the Scripture tells us that Saul set out to capture him. Now we know that he never succeeded. In chapter 19, 1 Samuel chapter 19, now here is Saul pursuing David. In verse 19 it says, It was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naoth in Ramah. And Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. In other words, they went to catch David, but they would only get so close, and the Spirit of God, not for good purposes necessarily, but the Spirit of the Lord would come upon them, and they would begin to prophesy. I believe they're prophesying about the coming kingdom. I believe they're prophesying about David. They're prophesying about what God was going to do through his life. The Lord says, You think you can catch one of my servants? Let me tell you, just like Balaam, when he stood on the hill and made an attempt, at least, to curse the people of Israel, and stood up, and Balaam, a type of the devil, said, Well, let's look at it from here, and let's look at it from over here. Certainly there must be some angle you can look at it and curse them. And Balaam ends up saying, Oh, that my end could be like his. That my end could be like Jacob's end, the people of God. I see no iniquity in Jacob. I hear the shout of a king in the midst of the camp, coming around the corner, heading through the wilderness into this place of promise. I hear the shout of a king in the midst of the camp of Israel. And when it was told, Saul, he sent other messengers, they prophesied as well. And Saul sent messengers, verse 21, again the third time, and they prophesied also. Then went he also to Ramah. And he came to a great well that is in Sheku. And he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naoth and Ramah. And he went there to Naoth and Ramah, and the Spirit of God came upon him also. And he went on and prophesied until he came to Naoth and Ramah. Now, this is what God did to him. And he stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner and lay down naked all day and all that night. Wherefore, they say, is Saul so all among the prophets. Now, this is exactly what God did. God says, I'm going to show you that natural strength will never prevail against what I have ordained and called. Natural strength, the powers of hell will never prevail. Every weapon formed against you, He said, will not prosper. You don't have to be afraid if Christ is in you. If you know Him, don't ever succumb to the spirit of fear. God says, I am in absolute total control of everything that happens to your life. Now, 1 Samuel chapter 20, verse 3, we see the first indications that the same fear which disabled Saul was trying to get a hold of David's life. Verse 3 says, And David swore moreover and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes. And he said, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved. But as truly as the Lord lives, and as thy soul lives, there is but a step between me and death. Now, you see, this is the first indication that David is starting to give in to fear. The same fear that gripped Saul. The same fear that cost him the leadership. The same fear that caused the people under his leadership to begin to tremble is now attempting to get a hold of David. And the Lord is speaking to him through Jonathan. In verse 15, chapter 20, here's Jonathan again. God's speaking to David and says, But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house forever. Know not when the Lord has cut off the enemies of David, every one of them from the face of the earth. Now, Jonathan, Saul's son is saying, David, remember to be kind to my house. For the Lord is going to give you the victory. And David, you are going to be the king of Israel. But please be kind and don't cut off my house. And David and Jonathan made an agreement, one with another. And he said to him in verse 19, at the end of that verse, he said, Stay by the stone, easel. Now, the word easel in the Hebrew means the stone that shows the way. Jonathan is speaking. I believe the Holy Ghost is trying to woo David and say, Listen, don't let fear get a hold of your heart. Don't let fear begin to lead your life. Stay by the stone that shows the way. Stand by that stone. There is a cornerstone in the church. And upon this cornerstone is the foundation of everything that we believe. The cornerstone, obviously, is Jesus Christ. You and I need to stay by that stone. We need to not be moved from every promise that God has ever made to each one of our lives, especially in the coming days that are ahead of us. In chapter 21 now, verse 10, the fear that's in David causes him to run. And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul and went to Achish, the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? It did not they sing one to another of him and dances, saying Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart and was sore afraid of Achish, the king of Gath. You see, fear opens the heart to other voices and to other words. You know, folks, this is exactly what I believe the devil is attempting to do. Attempting to do to you and to me, to the church of Jesus Christ. He doesn't care how he does it. The devil doesn't even need to know what the plan of God is for your life. All he knows is that if he can succeed in sowing fear in your heart and get you to turn from the words that God has spoken to you, then he can triumph over the plan. He doesn't have to know the plan. He knows that if fear can get into your heart, he will triumph over the plan of God for your life. And David's heart was open through fear now. Verse 12, to these words. These were other words. And he began to fear for his life. And the end result is, verse 13, it says, He changed his behavior before them, and feigned or pretended himself to be mad in their hands, and scrabbled at the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. And then said Achis to his servants, Lo, you see, this man is mad. Wherefore have you brought him to me? Have I need of madmen that you brought this fellow to play the madmen in my presence? And shall this fellow come into my house? Opening the heart to fear. Imagine, he's supposed to triumph over the gates of his enemies. And here he is now, cowering like a fool. Like an absolute madman at the gates of the enemy. And believe me, folks, this scene has repeated itself hundreds and thousands of times since Calvary. Where Christians who are called of God and anointed of God, and made into what they could never be, and God spoke into their hearts, but they made a choice somewhere along the line and gave in to fear. And fear began to dominate their minds and dominate their thinking. And they ended up looking like a madman at the enemy's gate. The king of darkness, as it is, looking and saying, There's nothing to worry about. This fellow is paralyzed by fear. Achis had no fear of him. He had all the fear of Achis. And Achis says, look, he's just a madman. Take a look at him. We don't need to worry about him anymore. Just let him go. Now, this is exactly what I believe the devil was attempting to do, among other things, in the heart of Christ. The Bible tells us when he tempted him in the wilderness. Go with me to Matthew chapter 4, please, very quickly. He was attempting to infuse fear in the heart of the Savior. Now, I realize that the temptations of Satan upon Jesus in the wilderness are multi-leveled. Theologically, there are different areas that the devil was after. I do understand that. But I do believe that among all these things, one of the greatest was he was attempting to infuse fear. And I'll show you how. Matthew chapter 4, verse 2, speaking about Jesus, says, When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Now, here's what I believe the enemy is after, among other things. If you persist on this path, you will starve. If you follow the path that God your Father has laid out for you, God won't provide for you. And so, therefore, take a step now. You see, it's an infusion of fear. That God's presence and provision are not going to be enough for you. God's Word that he had clearly given, and his Son very well knew this Word from before the foundation of the world. And the devil is now after, sowing something in his heart. It's not going to happen. If you fully yield yourself to the purposes of God, you'll starve. You go to the mission till you'll not make it. God won't be with you. If you follow this path, you're never going to know the provision you need to sustain your life. But Jesus answered him. You see, that was the voice of the devil, but there was another voice that he made a choice to believe. He said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. And Christ was looking the devil in the face and saying, Listen, I have a word from my Father. He has given me a word that he is going to keep me. He is going to prosper me. The things that he has set me to do shall be accomplished. And even the impossible shall be made possible because I walk in the divine will of my Father. I will not live by bread. I will not live by the things that you say I need to live by. But I will live by every word that God has spoken into my heart. The devil comes back again, verse 5, and says, He took him up into the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple. And said to him, If you be the son of God, cast yourself down. For it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee. And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Now, here's the inference. The promises aren't true. This is what the devil is trying to say to Christ. Again, it's an attempt to infuse fear. Go ahead, cast yourself into the impossible and see what happens. Go ahead. Trying to infuse as it is that doubt, that fear, that sense that God is not going to come. That's exactly what happened to Saul. Samuel said, Wait, and on the day appointed I'll be there. I will offer up a sacrifice to God. And you will triumph over your enemies. But Saul couldn't wait. Fear got into his heart and took upon himself an office that didn't belong to him. And he went and presupposed that you can do certain things in the kingdom of God and still get away with it. Began to walk by his own mind and by his own strength. And it ultimately cost not only the battle, but it cost him the kingdom. Go ahead, the devil says, cast yourself into the impossible and see what happens. You see, he's after something. He's trying to sow fear in the heart of the Son of God because he doesn't perhaps know the full plan. You see, we know the cross was ahead. And we know the cross was the ultimate place of impossibility. That was the place where he had to be totally cast upon the Word of God. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. God, you said you would raise me from the dead. This is impossible to man, but it's possible with God. And you see, the walk of faith that he had was going to lead him to that cross, that place of trusting God to raise him from the dead. Trusting God that his sacrifice would be sufficient to satisfy the wrath of God against sinful man and to pave the way for you and I in the days ahead and all who would trust in Christ to know that we are redeemed and have access now to heaven for all of eternity. The devil didn't need to know the exact plan of God. But he did know that if I can cause him to be afraid, I can stop it. You see, I've said it before, I'll say it again. He doesn't need to know the exact plan of God for your life. But I'll tell you this one thing. If he can cause you to be afraid, he can stop it. Verse 8, again, the devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. And he said, all these things will I give you if you'll fall down and worship me. Again, the inference is God will not give you what he has promised you. Look for another way. You won't achieve it by faith. It won't happen simply by trusting. Look for another way. And Jesus said to him, get behind me, Satan. For it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve. And then the devil left him. And behold, angels came and ministered to him. Remember, David said in Psalm 34, verse 7, The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him and delivers them. Angels came and surrounded him and ministered to him. I'll go back again to 1 Samuel, chapter 22. 1 Samuel 22. The Bible doesn't tell us how God brought David out of this situation. At least, if it's there, I don't completely see it. But God did bring him out. He played the madman at the gate, which I do not believe was God's obviously perfect will for him. And Achish the king just dismissed him. In chapter 22, verse 1 and 2, it says, David therefore departed from their events and escaped to the cave Adulam. And when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. And everyone that was in distress, and everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was discontent gathered themselves together unto him. And he became a captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men. Now, God brought him out. And when this fear had been dealt with, it was then that God brought to him those who were to become mighty men with him. It was after this dealing of fear, and I can prove to you now that the fear in his heart had been dealt with, God dealt with him. It doesn't tell us how. But when it was dealt with, and when he had left this presence of fear and listening to other voices, it was then that the Lord brought to him this mighty army of four hundred distressed, in debt, and discontent men. That's an incredible thing when you think of it. All gathered together to him in a cave. But something had happened to David. If David was still full of fear, do you think it would have done anything for these men? Something happened. Because, folks, it was in that cave of Adullam that these distressed, in debt, and discontent men began to become mighty men of God. Something happened to them. They began to lay hold of a truth that was greater than themselves. Greater than their circumstance. The Bible tells us that there was this unstoppable courage and confidence in God that got a hold of these men. Some were able to take mere sticks of wood and pluck spears out of the hands of the enemy. Others stood and defended ground. One man in particular held on to the sword until his hand literally stuck to it. He couldn't get the sword out of his hand. He fought for so long. Another man went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. Now, I think I know why. Go to Psalm 34. Now, in Psalm 34, virtually every commentator agrees that this psalm is written right at the time when he is delivered from this particular king. He's delivered from this scrambling as it is at the gate of this particular king. Listen to what David says. I will bless the Lord at all times, and His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord, and the humble, the word for humble means the depressed in mind or circumstance, the lowly, shall hear thereof and be glad. I see David in this cave. You see, this is the time when he wrote this particular psalm. I see David in the cave, all these distressed men coming to him, and he has a boast now of confidence in God. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. His praise will continually be in my mouth. I can hear the men saying, David, tell us again about Goliath. Tell us again what it was like, as they all gathered around the cave, and he just rehearses one more time about how his heart was filled with confidence. How he had slain the lion and the bear. How he had gone down into that valley and faced a giant that was defying the entire armies of Israel and causing them to tremble. He said, the humble will hear and be glad. The depressed, the confused, the in debt, the discontent began to hear. Folks, when faith gets in your heart, it's contagious! It's contagious! It's like fear is contagious. Faith is even more contagious. When a man of God, a woman of God stands and says, I have proven God. Yes, I've failed. And yes, there have been times when I've fallen far short of what God wanted me to be. But now, I've come back by God's grace to a place of confidence in Him. I will boast in Him at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. I will not talk about what the enemy says. I will speak about what God says. And I will stand in the strength of every promise He has ever made to me. I remember what God did. I remember where He brought me from. That's why Moses says in Deuteronomy, Speak about the things that God has done in your home. Tell your children. Speak about it in the morning. Talk about it throughout the day. Tell them again at night before they go to bed. Tell them what God has done. Tell them over and over what God has done. It will instill faith in their hearts and cause them to become mighty men and women of God. Tell them you were overwhelmed by your enemies. Overpowered by darkness. But God Almighty came in the power of the Holy Ghost and made you what you could never be and give you strength you didn't naturally possess. Oh, David says, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together. When I get to heaven, I want to look in the video section and go down into that cave and hear the worship services they must have had. David said, oh, magnify His name. You see, when we begin to talk about Him, when we begin to think about His Word, when we begin to look back on the days of His faithfulness to us, there's something of praise begins to rise in our hearts. We begin to glorify Him. Faith begins to rise in the heart. And there's an invitation. Faith always comes with an invitation. Oh, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together. Can you see it in that cave when He takes out this instrument and begins to strum and play and these 400 men begin to join in chorus as one man stands in their midst who is now fully confident in the purpose and plan of God and the ability of God to carry out what He has spoken to him. And everybody begins to worship. And as they worship, faith begins to arise in their hearts. And this man says, I can do that too. Another man says, yes, I can do that. Another man says, yes, God can come upon me. God can raise me up. God can use me to defend Israel. Then David says, I sought the Lord, in verse 4, and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears. My fears. They were only fears. They had no basis in reality. I had God's Word to me and this was my deliverance. And this was my reality. He delivered me from my fears. You know, fear holds more people captive than circumstance. Everyone in this house today, there's probably some area in many people's lives where fear has got you captivated. An area that you just simply have succumbed to the lie of the devil believing you could never go there. You could never walk away from this. You could never change. You could never know the victory. God could never use you. The devil never stops. He is constantly sowing fear. Sowing fear. Sowing fear. Because fear and unbelief are bedfellows. Where you have fear, you automatically have unbelief. Where you have unbelief, you automatically have fear. The two are together. David says, they were only fears. I sought Him and He heard me. And He delivered me from all of my fears. They looked unto Him and were lightened. And their faces were not ashamed. They? I often wonder, who is they that looked unto Him and were lightened? When David is writing this, is he thinking back to the men in that cave? It's only speculation on my part, but is he looking back? The word enlightened means to become like shining waters. He saw them all come filing in, so concerned about the failing kingdom under Saul. And they came walking into that cave, distressed and dead and discontent. And as they begin to worship, as the word of God begins to be expounded, the Bible says they looked unto Him, unto the Lord. In other words, they were lightened and their faces were not ashamed. Their faces became as shining waters and they were no longer cast down. This poor man cried, verse 6, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. And that was David's testimony all of his life. God has been faithful to me. Yes, I've made mistakes, but God has been faithful to me. Yes, I've not always walked in the right path, but God has been faithful to me. Every time I've turned to Him, He's turned and found me right there. And He's put me back on the right path again. And He's put a new song in my heart. And many shall see it and fear and shall trust in the Lord. He's set me upon a rock and established my goings. Yes, I've failed, but God has always been there for me. He's been faithful to me. The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him and delivers them. David said, God's been faithful to me and surrounded me with His presence and His Word. He has been all around me. Those whose hearts turn to the Lord, God literally does surround you with His Word. His Word is on every side. That's why the Bible clearly says, my enemies can come at me from every side. And it doesn't matter which approach they take, the Word is always there because I'm surrounded by the Word of God. He surrounds your mind. He surrounds your heart. He surrounds your life. He surrounds your home. He surrounds your past. He surrounds your present. He surrounds your future. He encompasses all things. He closes you in. I remember one time I was in a service. Somebody had invited me to a service that I was reluctant to go to. They told me this great prophet of God had risen up in Canada. They said, you have to come and hear Him. He has words for everybody. That was a warning right in itself. So in deference, I guess, to a friend, I went. And I sat way in the back. And I listened to this gibberish for as long as I could. And I got up to walk out. And as I got up to walk out, He called my name. Isn't it amazing that Saul always knows where David is? He called my name. And the pastor had been a friend of mine. I didn't want to embarrass the pastor. I didn't know quite what to do. And he said, come up, I have a word for you. Now everybody in the place had had a good word for them. Everybody in the whole church. You've got guys that are living like the devil. You're going to have a miracle ministry. You have somebody else that looks like they just crawled out of a bar. You're going to have a million dollars. It was all stuff like this. It was insanity. And everybody got a good word with me. The first thing, I walked up, I stood in front of him, and I was looking into the eyes of a shark. And I knew it. Cold, lifeless eyes. And I remember just saying, oh, Jesus, I need you now. God, I need you. And he looked at me and said, do I know you? Oh, I felt like saying, boy, do you ever. I know you. And the first thing out of his mouth was, and I just remember standing there at the total mercy of God, and he opened his mouth in an attempt. I believe an attempt to curse me. And then he began to weep and shake. And he said, I see a wall. He said it out loud into the microphone. Didn't even make sense to most of the people. He said, but I knew what it was about. He said, I see a wall. I see a wall. He said, I can't get beyond the wall. Can't get beyond the wall. Isn't that amazing? Then he looked and he said, God is going to make you into a mighty man. And he looked so discouraged that he had said that. And after the service was over, I walked over to him and I was going to say something to him. Because I knew he had misrepresented something. And the Holy Spirit said, leave it. I will deal with it. A few months later, he was struck dumb. Lost his speech for, I understand, the rest of his days. David said, the angel of the Lord encamps around about them that fear him and delivers them. The angel of the Lord encamps around about them. I see a wall, the enemy says. I see a wall. And I can't get beyond it. You see, that's the spiritual realm. If you understand, when you have confidence in God and you want to walk his way, there is a wall around about you. Your enemies will come after you on every side. But if you are walking in truth, they will run into that wall. And the lies of the devil will not be able to get through it. They will not be able to penetrate into your heart. They will not touch your spirit. They will not be able to destroy what it is that God wants to do in your life. The devil wanted to wound me that day very deeply. Very, very deeply. And perhaps sow that seed of fear that would stop me from pursuing the path that God had for my life. The Lord himself promises to be a wall around about those who trust in him. And David then said in verse 8, he said, Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. And blessed is the man that trusts in him. David says, come and taste it for yourself. I see the invitation to these 400 discontent men. Oh, taste and see. I can't do it for you. You can't live on my testimony. You've got to come and taste it for yourself. You've got to come and open this book and taste it and see that it's good. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Blessed is the man. God says, I will bless you if you will trust me. I will surround you. I will keep you. I'll provide for you. I'll make you into what you can't be. I'll take you where you can't go. I'll give you what you don't possess. You'll see your sons and daughters coming from afar. They won't even know why they're coming home. But God says, I'll bring them home. Taste and see that the Lord is good. I'll take you out of mediocrity and I'll cause you to stand among princes. I'll give you what you would never naturally possess in your own strength. I'll give it to you, God said. Come and taste it for yourself. Oh, fear the Lord, his saints. There's no want to them that fear him. There's no want. In other words, there's nothing lacking. God doesn't fall short in one thing. Everything he promised he's going to do. Young lions lack and suffer hunger. The lion is the type of that which is the strongest in the world. But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. They that seek me, God says, those who want truth, you will not find one thing missing in your life that you need. To live as a Christian and to be everything that I've called you to be. I'll bring you home. I'll bring you home in glory. I'll use you to confound those that are strong in their own strength. I'll bring home your sons and your daughters. I'll bring home your grandkids and your kids. I'll bring them all home. Hallelujah. God says, I won't let the enemy touch anything that is yours. I'll be a wall around you and I'll protect you. Today, if you are among those, you can say, Pastor, you talk about David drooling on his beard at the gate. That's exactly where I am in this area of my life. But today, by God's grace, I'm going to get up. I'm coming back to Zion and I'm going to declare God to be faithful. And I'm not going to rest until my enemy is destroyed. I'm going to run into the valley and face my giant. I'm not going to run from this thing any longer. I'm not going to run from these tormenting voices. These lies of the devil. I'm going to face them and I'm going to see them conquered in the power of Christ. Every person who is struggling with the besetting sin. You don't have to be under the dominion of that thing any longer. Don't you ever agree with the lies of the devil. The devil tells you you'll never be free. He's a liar. You will be free. If you will stand up and trust in Christ, you will be free. Christ says, I stake my very honor on your freedom. I stake my honor on your freedom if you trust in me. Hallelujah. Every backslider. Everyone who's grappling with sin. Everyone who feels like they're being defeated in the midst of their battle. I want to invite you to come and join with me at this altar. And we're going to pray a prayer of deliverance and believe God for a mighty victory. If we're going to believe God, we're going to pray we are going to believe God. Hallelujah. For a victory. A mighty, mighty victory. Begin to confess His Word. Don't wait for me to tell you. You already know the promises. If you're a Christian, you already know what God's Word says. Begin to confess His Word. Begin to tell Him that He's truthful. He's faithful to you. He will not fail you. Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Let's all pray together at this altar. Say these words with me. I will bless the Lord. His praise. In the Lord. This is the conclusion of the message.