Stronghold sermon video audio notes. We all experience a stronghold in our lives – at least one stronghold. Your loved ones do too – your spouse, your children, everyone. It’s the thing that seems to control your life. God wants you to dislodge it and make it a place for his throne. David experienced a stronghold in the natural and converted it to a place of worship.
DAVID THE KING
By Pastor Delbert Young
Stronghold sermon video audio notes
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Stronghold sermon video audio notes
Scriptures: 2 Samuel 2:1, 4, 3:36, 5:3-5, 16:3, Psalms 139:16, Joshua 15:63, 2 Samuel 5:6-7, 8, 9-10, 12
Today our study takes us to a new period in David’s life, David’s rule and reign as King. We all experience a “stronghold” in our lives. Your loved ones do too – your spouse, your children, everyone. It’s that thing that seems to control your life, but God wants you to dislodge it and make it a place for his throne. David experienced a stronghold in the natural and converted it to a place of worship. Let’s talk about how he did that today in our study of David.
In our last study, When the Mighty Fall, we looked at the death of Saul. After that event, we read…
2 Samuel 2:1 In the course of time, DAVID INQUIRED OF THE LORD. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The LORD said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the LORD answered.
We talked about “inquiring of the Lord.” When David inquired of the Lord, he never missed it. We too can inquire of the Lord today and never miss it. Inquire where to go and what to do. Run your options by the Lord then go and do it.
The Lord instructed David to go to Hebron. Hebron? Why Hebron? Why not Jerusalem? Ahhhh! That’s the lesson.
2 Samuel 2:4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah…
David was at the right place at the right time because he inquired of the Lord. We miss being at the right place at the right time because we refuse to inquire of the Lord.
Stronghold sermon video audio notes
Let me explain about Hebron. About 400 years prior, after conquering the Canaanites, Joshua divided the Promised Land into sections for each tribe. Much like our United States was divided into states. When David came back into the land after Saul’s death, it created an initial division in loyalties among the people – north and south, similar to our War Between the States (Civil War 1861-1865). If you were born in the South, you defended and were proud of the South. David was from the south – Judah (Confederate). Saul was from the north – Benjamin (Union).
The northern area was referred to as Israel. The southern area was referred to as Judah. The South wanted David as their leader and annexed from the nation. The north remained loyal to Saul’s dynasty, which had one remaining son of Saul. His name was Ish-Bosheth and he took what was left of Saul’s throne. (Saul also had two other sons by his concubine Rizpah – 2Sa 21:8, 11.)
David became king of the southern area. For 7 1/2 years, David used his organizational skills, people skills, and charisma to become a great politician and diplomat.
2 Samuel 3:36 All the PEOPLE TOOK NOTE and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them.
2 Samuel 5:3-5 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.
All the people took note of David, even the people in the north who once wanted him dead. “Everything the king did pleased them.” Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth, was assassinated. David became king of the entire nation.
Stronghold sermon video audio notes
I want to make certain we point out a principle. Treat people right. Do the right thing. Work hard. Why? One reason is people are taking “note” of you. Those close and those who are not close are watching you. Your friends are watching and your enemies are watching. Use all your gifts and abilities. Get better and better at what you do. If you will, God will cause your enemies to take note of you and raise you up.
Students, not only your parents are watching you. People you have no idea exist watch you. One Sunday a few weeks ago after church, someone came, got me, and said there was someone here to see me. I went and there stood a man, a preacher. He had come to town to minister at another church but wanted to meet me. I had no idea who he was. He told me he read one of my lessons online and it changed his life. He stopped to tell me, “Thank you.” Someone told me who didn’t come to church here, they would acquire my sermon notes, go home after going to their church, and read my lesson. They file and keep my lessons and told me they always learn something.
My point is to work hard. Do the best with what God has given you the talent to do. Treat people right. It’s not bad to be a diplomat. REALIZE PEOPLE ARE TAKING “NOTE” OF YOU.
Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
Samuel originally gave David the prophecy/purpose of David being king some twenty years earlier. Twenty years! David, for twenty years, blended together success, failure, running, fear, attacking, forgiving, wilderness, Adullam caves, Engedi oasis, hate, and love – twenty years. Twenty years he blended together Goliaths, and Sauls, Jonathans, Michaels, Philistines, Nabals, Abigails, clear skies, and stormy skies. Here’s my point. David was required to deal with it all before he came into his kingdom.
God has a plan for your life, a kingdom if you will, just as he did for David. It’s for your life, not only your week, or your year, or a few years. God sees your lifetime.
Stronghold sermon video audio notes
Psalms 139:16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
God ordained you for a lifetime, not for a week, or year, or a few years. You will need to blend success, failure, running, fear, attacking, forgiving, wilderness, caves, oasis, hate, and love – your life. You must blend Goliaths, and Sauls, Jonathans, Michaels, Philistines, Nabals, Abigails, clear skies, and stormy skies. However, one day what God said happens. One day, it all comes together and you come into your kingdom of an amazing life.
What has David learned? David HAS LEARNED to excel. Also, David HAS LEARNED how to kill a giant, lead an army and strategize war tactics. Furthermore, David HAS LEARNED to survive when all odds were against him, that he has the potential to hate and become violent, but also to love and forgive, to listen to his conscience, to be a diplomat, and to “inquire of the Lord.” God had made and formed HIS king – David, a man after God’s own heart.
I need to ask you a question.
Where did God do most of the forming of David? Was it in the easy times in a palace setting, or the difficult times in the wilderness? God did his greatest work in David’s life in the wilderness tough times of life.
Who and what is God making in you? What have you learned so far in your journey? How close are you to your kingdom? At what stage are your butterfly and your diamond? Beautiful and precious things require wormy, upside down, and high-pressure times. God will do his greatest work in you during your wilderness and difficult times of life.
Stronghold sermon video audio notes
If I gave, you time to think and answer, what is the name of the most famous city in the whole world? For many, including me, the answer would be Jerusalem. Jerusalem, Zion, the city of God, is also known as the “CITY OF DAVID.” Jerusalem, nearly centrally positioned in the Promised Land, surprisingly continued to be controlled by Jebusites when David became king. The Jebusites were part of the Canaanite population who Joshua was supposed to destroy but didn’t. Isn’t that interesting? Joshua killed the king of Jerusalem in an open-field battle but never took the city. Even after allotting the land to the tribe of Judah, David’s ancestors never dislodged the Jebusites.
Joshua 15:63 Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.
Jerusalem was central to the entire Promised Land. It was big and it was walled. It was the perfect place for David to establish his throne, but it was a “STRONG HOLD.”
2 Samuel 5:6-7 And the king [David] and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. NEVERTHELESS David took THE STRONG HOLD of Zion: the same is THE CITY OF DAVID.
The Jebusites felt safe in Jerusalem. Of course, they should. As a matter of fact, they existed safely there for generations and centuries. Certainly, they thought, “There’s no way any army will get past these walls. It’s easy for us to stay here in our strong hold. Even the weakest, the blind, and the lame can keep you from overcoming this strong hold.” David wanted to put his throne there, but he could not until he took the strong hold. God left Jerusalem for David to dislodge.
Stronghold sermon video audio notes
In your heart, there is a strong hold. God wants to put the throne of his son Jesus there, but he can’t until your Jebusites – the ancient enemy keeping God from being central in your life – are dislodged. We all have a strong hold to dislodge and it’s right where God wants to put his throne. It handles you so easily. Even its blind and lame stop you from taking it. You are saved and you love the Lord, but God has left a strong hold for you to dislodge. It is that strong hold in your heart that keeps you from completely trusting and completely surrendering your life to God, and you have to conquer it.
2 Samuel 5:7 NEVERTHELESS DAVID TOOK THE STRONG HOLD of Zion: the same is the city of David.
NEVERTHELESS David…!
You will never take the STRONG HOLD of drug addiction… NEVERTHELESS you…!
You will never take the STRONG HOLD of pornography… NEVERTHELESS you…!
Also, you will never take the STRONG HOLD of depression… NEVERTHELESS you…!
You will never take the STRONG HOLD of lust… NEVERTHELESS you…!
There’s no way your marriage will work… NEVERTHELESS you…!
You will never be successful… NEVERTHELESS you…!
You will never graduate college… NEVERTHELESS you…!
Twelve letters! NEVERTHELESS! We serve a God of NEVERTHELESS YOU…!
My parents, nor any grandparents went to college… NEVERTHELESS Delbert…! There was never a preacher in the Young lineage… NEVERTHELESS Delbert…! There’s never been a successful non-denominational, charismatic, contemporary church in this area… NEVERTHELESS Life Gate…!
Stronghold sermon video audio notes
What is your strong hold? NEVERTHELESS! What is your Jerusalem? That place that if you could defeat, you could set up God’s throne in your heart as never before. What is your Zion – place to worship? Why listen to the strong hold saying, “You will never…” when with the same ears, you can listen to the voice of God?
2 Samuel 5:8 When the insulting message from the defenders of the city reached David, he told his own troops, “GO UP THROUGH THE WATER TUNNEL into the city and destroy those ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ Jebusites. How I hate them.”
The mockers felt safe in their tall walled city, mocking saying, “This stronghold is too strong for you. The lame and the blind can keep you from conquering it.” So, if the wall is too tall, conquer it a different way. David took the water tunnel. David would not listen to old VOICES. Instead, he found new CHOICES.
It’s from your new choices you will take your stronghold. The old voices have worked against you. They mock you. The way you have tried to overcome your stronghold of financial debt has not worked. Try the tunnel – the new choice. The stronghold of addiction mocks you and says you are no match for me, so try the tunnel – a new voice. The stronghold mocks and says your marriage will never make it. Try the tunnel – a new approach to redeeming your marriage. In life, learn to stop listening to old VOICES and find new CHOICES.
I think about Life Gate. When we began Life Gate, no one gave us a chance. They didn’t know the God of NEVERTHELESS. They didn’t know my tenacity, my love of God, and our ability to not listen to OLD VOICES and find NEW CHOICES! That’s what we do here.
Stronghold sermon video audio notes
2 Samuel 5:9-10 David then took up residence IN THE FORTRESS and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the supporting terraces inward. And he became more and more powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him.
Notice, the “strong hold” against David became a “fortress” for David. Your weakness can become your strength, but only by not listening to old voices and finding new choices.
David built up the area around. We could say David built his life all around after he took the stronghold and made it a fortress. So much of our experiencing the power of the Lord God Almighty in our lives, our families, our churches, everything, has to do with turning the stronghold into a fortress.
2 Samuel 5:12 And David KNEW that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
There was a moment when David KNEW the LORD had established him. David knew in his knower that the Lord God Almighty was with him and established him. David KNEW.
Do you know that many people who go to church are not sure that the Lord God Almighty is with them and established them? They doubt their salvation and they doubt God will truly help them. I have no doubts of my salvation. I have no doubts that God established me and established Life Gate Church. How am I so sure? Just as David, I look back at all the Lord God Almighty has done and I look around. I know in my knower. How about you? Does your spirit bear witness with his Spirit that you are a child of God (Rom 8:16)? If so, nothing is sweeter. If not, we will fix that shortly.
Stronghold sermon video audio notes
What have we learned today?
(1) People are taking note of you.
People you know and people you do not know to exist are watching you. Use it for your benefit, not demise. How many ever heard of the hockey mom Sarah Palin before a few days ago? She took her gifts and talents and became better and better at them. She is a righteous diplomat. Someone took note of her and she had no idea he was taking note. John McCain took note of her and now she is the Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States of America.
God can do that for you! It’s not only in America, but it is only in God. He can take a shepherd boy from Bethlehem Judah and make him a king, or a hockey mom from Alaska and make her a president! Somebody is taking note of you too.
(2) God’s going to do his best work in you during your tough times.
A butterfly must go through an upside-down and wormy time. A diamond must experience severe pressure. Beautiful lives are no different. (3) God has left a strong hold for you to dislodge. He desires to set up his throne in it and change if from a STRONG HOLD to a FORTRESS for you. If we will, we come closer to being men and women after God’s own heart.
Stronghold sermon video audio notes
Stronghold sermon video audio notes
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