Want to be closer to God? This message teaches us what it looks like to have a heart after God. We’ll learn five ways to get closer to God through David’s life journey.

There are some challenging questions in this message that could help you grow in your relationship with God: Does God hold first place in your heart? Are you as obedient as you think you are to God? Dive in and know that God is already on your side. The battles you are facing are his, and he never loses.

Through this series, you’ll learn how to live well & enjoy God's promises. You are loved by God; He knows your name. He has a plan for your life. Get helpful advice, encouragement, and hope for a life well lived in 2021 and beyond.

Are you walking in faith and victory? Set your eyes on the promises of God. You only have one life journey; say yes to Jesus. Like the parables of the buried treasure and the valuable pearl, stop at nothing to gain your entry into the kingdom of heaven.

Get closer to God and he’ll fight your battles for you.

DO YOU, LIKE DAVID, HAVE A HEART AFTER GOD?

Not one of us is immune from making bad decisions in life. The truth is, we are all born with a sinful nature, however that is not an excuse to continue to sin or make awful decisions. David made some bad decisions at times, yet he had a heart after God.

You have a choice about how you will live and what you will believe. You have an opportunity to live in such a way that glorifies God. You must decide what you believe, where to place your faith, and what is most important in life.

But sadly, many people are spiritually insensitive, some have turned their backs to God while others simply refuse to acknowledge their sin, or that God even exists.

Do you practice partial or complete obedience?

Last week we looked at Saul, Israel’s first king. Prior to Saul becoming king, God spoke and led the people of God through his prophets: men like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Joshua; godly men, imperfect men, and yet they were men who reverenced God and sought the Lord in their hearts. But then we saw how Saul started out well, but over the course of his ungodly decisions and refusal to submit to the will of God, Saul became hardhearted and spiritually insensitive as he walked away from God. Saul never truly repented of his sin. Saul’s relationship with God suffered and was no longer as it should have been because of his wayward heart. Saul’s disobedience towards God was rooted in pride and his worldly view of obedience to God’s command.

Saul viewed partial obedience as obedience. God views partial obedience as disobedience. Something can’t be a “little sinful”. Big or small, sin is still sin in the eyes of God. This is what James wrote to Jewish believers who were scattered abroad.

‘For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker’ (James 2:10-11, NIV).

Saul allowed pride to skew his view of obedience, leaving him disrespectful with an imbalanced and imperfect view of obedience to God. Scripture tells us that, obedience is better than sacrifice.

Saul did not consider God as the sovereign authority because if he had, Saul would have fully obeyed God’s command.

Does God hold first place in your heart?

Remember, life is a journey and along life’s journey we each make decisions that will either drive us away from God or draw us closer to God.

Saul’s own words and actions revealed his heart in respect to how he viewed God. Our words and actions will reveal our hearts toward God. We will see that David’s words and actions reveal his heart for God.

We must never allow anything to get in the way of making God-glorifying life choices.

When we do, we can spiritually spiral away from God:

1. When we allow pride, worldly thinking, or selfish desires to cloud our hearts with doubt and unbelief, we will have an imperfect view of God and our lives will show we care more about us, and little about God.

2. When we have an imperfect view of God, we develop an attitude towards God that is spiritually imbalanced and eternally dangerous.

3. When we stop seeking God and run after our sinful desires, we lose sight of the majesty, power, and sovereignty of God.

4. If we lose sight of God’s majesty and his sovereign authority, we will question God’s authority and find ourselves at odds with God.

5. God’s presence in your life will become less important and your personal desire will become even more important to you than what God desires for you.

6. When this occurs, bad decisions are usually followed by even worse decisions.

7. Your respect for the things of God will shrink back; unaware and unknowingly, God will take second, third, or even tenth place in your heart.

What can we learn from David’s faith?

David’s faith in God was unshaken. He had a high view of God and God was first in his heart and life. He trusted God. David credited God for delivering him in the past, present, and future. He walked humbly before the Lord.

David was the youngest in his father’s family and, visibly, he was the least likely of Jesse’s sons to be anointed king, yet God instructed Samuel to anoint David. David would become Israel’s king. God was not concerned about outside appearance; he was looking at the heart.

David had the heart of a warrior for God and the Lord was with him. David was unashamed of his faith and believed God would give him the victory. In the story of David and Goliath, we get a clear glimpse of David’s heart and life:

‘David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”’ (1 Samuel 17:26).

Notice: David saw the battle as a single Philistine man against the army of the living God.

• David viewed the situation with eyes of faith.

• David viewed the battle as more than a physical battle.

• David viewed the battle as the Lord’s.

With this insight let us read:

‘David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him’ (1 Samuel 17:45-50).

Before we consider David and how he viewed God, I want to read one more verse:

‘Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me”’ (1 Samuel 17:8).

Goliath viewed the battle as simply a physical battle. Goliath saw the battle as against the servants of Saul.

David realized the battle was more than a physical battle, and that the battle was the Lord’s. David knew that Goliath’s words and actions were spoken in defiance towards the living God. David knew in his heart that such a defiance could not go unchallenged.

Prior to Saul being king, it was God who led the people of God. God used individuals, faithful spiritual leaders, to communicate and lead the people of God. It was God who led the people into battle and brought the victory, but when Saul became king, the nation’s surrounding Israel began to view Israel’s king as head and leader. The Israelites were no longer seen as servants of God but servants of Saul.

David had a different view:

• David did not go up against the Philistine giant Goliath as a servant of Saul. Instead, David went up against Goliath in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel.

• David believed in his heart that the Lord would hand Goliath over to him.

• David recognized that the battle before him was the Lord’s battle.

• David knew the world would soon learn and know that there was a God in Israel because of the victory that God was about to bring.

• David advanced towards Goliath with full confidence in God Almighty.

Saul and his men viewed the situation with their physical eyes and only with worldly understanding.

How do you view situations in life?

Do you see situations through faith in God or solely with your physical eyes and worldly understanding?

David viewed the situation with spiritual eyes of faith and with God going before him. He did not foolishly think that he would defeat Goliath himself. David believed God would hand Goliath over to him for the victory. It was God who would defeat the enemy. It was in the name of God Almighty that David set out to battle Goliath.

Nothing about this event had anything to do with David, in David’s mind. It was all about God.

David purposed in his heart to honor God in every way. David’s decisions and life were centered on God. He recognized that it was God who protected him as he cared for his father’s flocks.

When David faced the lion and the bear protecting his father’s flocks, he believed in his heart that God would do the same when he faced Goliath and every other enemy he would face.

“The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:37).

• Do you reflect on how God has saved or delivered you in the past?

• Do you acknowledge that God can deliver you in the present?

• Do you believe God can and will deliver you from whatever threat tomorrow?

Let me suggest that you lift your eyes to the Lord. Know that the battle is the Lord’s. Look at things with your spiritual eyes rather than simply your physical eyes. Begin to take inventory of your heart and consider where you might be if it were not for the Lord in your life.

If we look at things only with our natural eyes, if we look at things according to our own strength, we would be like Saul and his men—living in fear.

David saw the battle lines that were drawn. David heard the threats. David witnessed the fear in the eyes and hearts of the men that day. Neither Saul nor the men in Saul’s army looked to God that day. Instead, they focused on Goliath’s size and his weapons.

David, however, focused on God. He knew God was mightier than Goliath. David could not see how he would lose with God on his side. With God, the impossible is always possible.

Do not let the enemy of your soul speak fear into your heart. Step out in faith. Know in your heart God is mightier than any situation you will ever face.

5 Ways to Get Closer to God

What can we learn from this story of David today?

1. A heart for God begins with focusing on God Almighty.

It begins with making God a priority and centerpiece of your heart and life. It means allowing faith in God to flourish and living humbly before the Lord.

• Spend time in prayer.

• Spend time in God’s word.

• Spent time quietly in his presence and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you in the stillness of the moment.

• Take your eyes off the situation that may be troubling you and look to the Lord.

“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

2. Recall the times God has blessed you and protected you in the past.

Remember the times when:

• God has answered prayers.

• God has worked in your life.

• God has blessed you or opened a door of opportunity.

• God has spoken to you through others or in a sermon.

• God has opened your spiritual eyes.

• You or someone you know was healed.

• You experienced a peace in your soul and knew that all would be OK during the storms of life.

Relive in your heart the day you were saved and always remember Jesus has redeemed you. Live every day dead to sin and alive in Christ.

3. Develop a reverence and high view of God.

Know that nothing is impossible with God. Seek to know Jesus, and the power of his resurrection.

Know that God is all powerful, all knowing, and ever present. Understand that God Almighty is sovereign, and that no authority or power is greater.

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1).

4. Do not walk in fear, but know that the battle is the Lord’s.

Submit and walk humbly before the Lord—he is the Alpha and Omega. David understood this truth and trusted God. Because the battle was the Lord’s, David knew God would be glorified and that all the world would know that there is a God in Israel.

The battle over sin and death has already been won at the cross, and the assurance of the victory is seen in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and the empty tomb. Remember battle is already won in Christ Jesus.

5. Trust God’s timing and direction in your life.

‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”’ (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

God is never too early and he is never late. Allow your faith to grow. God is always with you no matter how alone you may feel at times on the battle field.

David facing Goliath was one of many battles that David faced. David’s life journey to be king of Israel was only the beginning. His faith was tested and, at times, he made a few bad decisions; yet when confronted with his sin, David acknowledged his sin and sought God. David accepted the consequences of his actions and humbly turned back to the Lord.

Last week we saw that Saul started out well but ended far from God. David displayed a humble and submissive heart and ended his life journey well, serving God and serving others.

Know that a heart and life set apart for God is God’s desire for your life journey.

Cast your anxieties on God; the battle is his.

I want to close with these scriptures:

“All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. 3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. 4 The Lord works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster. 5 The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 16:2-5).

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

“and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Like David, live humbly before the Lord and know you are never alone. The battle is the Lord’s.

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