STEEMCHURCH: King David, a Man of God / all an example to follow.

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David reached out and touched the leather straps that pinched his wrist. I felt safe, but would they be tight? Would they respond in the moment that he threw the smooth stone with his sling? He thought so.

He touched again, but this time to make sure he had the leather bag on his side. There he had four more stones in case he failed with the first one, but he did not think that would happen.

He was confident, simply sure-without any arrogance-that he was doing what God wanted him to do. The enemy movement in front of him and the smell of war that surrounded him did not frighten him. He watched the horizon with bold security as that giant man approached him. I will not get close to him, he thought. Hardly enough. Then he rushed forward resolutely to the battle line to victory!

How many times did you not want to reach a goal, but felt insecure or fearful? Perhaps the challenge seemed too great, or he thought that he lacked the capacity, the education or the means to achieve it. As a young man, David probably had to face some of these same questions. He would wonder, very likely, what life would bring. While caring for his father's sheep, he had plenty of time, not only to think about those things, but also to develop a relationship with the Lord.

It took God years to prepare David for the role he would one day assume as king of Israel. But during that time, David never lost sight of the priorities that God had given him. The day he confronted Goliath, all the precepts that the Lord had taught him converged for the time of the great test.

First of Samuel 17 presents this historic event: when the young man entered the battlefield to face a veteran warrior, the advantage seemed to be in favor of the enemy. But it was not like that. With a fast and sure movement, David hit the target and achieved his goal. He had been taught to believe that, with the help of God, he would triumph - and he succeeded.

Set goals even if the challenge seems great

The nation of Israel had succumbed to fear. King Saul had set up his tent at a safe distance from the battlefield, and he was uneasy about not knowing how he could get out of this horrible predicament. When David showed up, a refreshing sense of hope ran through the camp.

But not everyone was happy to see it; even his brother felt angry because he had come (verse 28). The opposition is always safe every time you say yes to God, especially when you begin to trust that He will do something that seems impossible. However, the idea of ​​failure never crossed David's mind. He had a priority, and this was to defend the good name of God (vv 26, 36, 46, 47). It is that setting goals according to the parameters of God always ensures victory.

Although not all of the goals you set will be of a spiritual nature, each of them must conform to the principles of the Word of God. The secret to achieving them is to have a correct purpose. If your only motivation is to achieve more to have a sense of personal success, it is possible that He will not allow you to reach your goal.

David knew that the Lord had anointed him to be king of Israel, but position and status were not his purpose; his motivation was to be a man of God out of love for the Lord. He did not worry about not having a big house, not much money in the bank, or ideal friends to feel important. His concern was to honor God, and this was the difference between his success and the failure of King Saul.

Many times we set ourselves goals that are too low, or that do not agree with the best that God has for us. They can be easily achieved, but they are of little help in increasing our faith in Him. On the other hand, setting unrealistic goals can discourage us if we do not achieve them. David's desire to defeat Goliath was tremendous, but it was the Lord who placed that desire in his heart and the one who gave David the strength to accomplish the task.

People ask themselves many times: "Will God's plans for me satisfy me?" I tell them: "Of course, God's plans are wonderful, much more than you can imagine, always overflowing with blessings and hope" (Eph 3:20).

If we connect to the dreams He has for our lives, we will not only learn how to set priorities that please the Lord; we will also have a sense of realization and true joy. For goal setting, several things must be considered. They are the following:

A clear idea of ​​what you want to achieve. David knew what he wanted: destroy the enemy. If you allow fear and thoughts of incompetence to invade your heart, you will not achieve your goals. But the moment you begin to believe that God will give you the victory, you will feel a change of attitude. Faith in a sovereign God who loves him unconditionally will fan his hope. Instead of feeling that you can not do something, you will begin to say, like the apostle: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil 4:13, italics added).

A burning desire. People who say, "I hope I can do this someday," can forget about achieving their goals. The passion and deep desire to please and honor God are the fundamental requirements to achieve any goal, no matter how huge this may be.

The trust. I am surprised to hear some people speak of their abilities, their titles and their confidence, no doubt, in themselves rather than in Christ. Now, let's think about the professional history of the apostle Paul, which was quite a report of his theological quality.

He was the "perfect" teacher because of his training, his work and his attitude. However, he writes: "And indeed, I still esteem all things as a loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whose sake I have lost everything, and I have it for garbage, to win Christ, and to be found in him "(Phil 3: 8, 9).

A line of action Regardless of whether your goal is spiritual (such as having more intimacy with God) or personal (such as saving for a vacation), ask the Lord to help you develop a plan. In any case, we must put the objectives in writing and entrust them to Him. But surrender is essential; If you do not give Christ each of the areas of your life, you will never experience the true success that God wants you to have.

A diary. The goals have to be definable and measurable. Keeping a journal of your progress and marking important events will help you stay focused on the goal, invigorated and heading in the right direction. Most likely, if you do not have a deadline to see your goal accomplished, you will never achieve it.

Perseverance. The worst thing you can do is start something and never finish it. If he gives up, the memory of failure will remain engraved in his mind. Therefore, be persistent. Fix your eyes on the goal, and do not deviate to any side. Remember that discouragement is one of Satan's favorite tools, and that he will even tempt other believers to cast doubt on what God has asked you to do.

Control of emotions. Anger, fear, insecurity, disappointment and many other emotions can prevent us from achieving our goal. David's heart was set on the victory and honor of God, and that is why he did not hesitate. Although Goliath mocked him, his trap did not work.

Courage to act. David said to Saul, "Do not let anyone's heart fail because of him, your servant will go and fight against this Philistine" (1 Sam. 17:32). If you let fear take over your heart, you will never have the courage you will need to finish the task. It is biblical to take the time to evaluate the cost of reaching the goal (Luke 14: 28-32), but when it does, that its evaluation be in accordance with the wishes, norms and the Lord's desire for his life, not according to your limited understanding. God sees the whole panorama. Know what will happen later, and recognize how important it is for you to develop trust in Him.

A conscious dependence on God. Many times, great victories are made up of small achievements. David said to Goliath, "The LORD will deliver you into my hand today." He did not say: "Because of my great capabilities I will achieve this goal, win this battle and defeat this enemy." David's heart was willing to exalt and honor God with his life. When that is the motivation for your actions, you will not only achieve your personal goals, but you can also achieve things for God.