Faith to Conquer Fear
“So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got away; and no man saw or knew it or awoke. For they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.” I Samuel 26:12
God gives Saul into David's hand, this time in a far more expansive way than in the time in the cave (1 Sam 24). In the cave, Saul was personally embarrassed because he was caught off guard but he still had the aide of his senses and his fighting men. There is nothing more frightening than awakening from a deep sleep to sudden, unexpected danger. Even the most hardened warrior instinctively recognizes their complete helplessness during sleep. God humiliates not only Saul but his entire fighting force of three thousand men as they see their lives flash before their eyes when they realize how close they all came to death. David particularly singles out Abner, the commander of his army, suggesting that he is part of those advising Saul to pursue David to eliminate the threat to the future of his kingdom. This is supported by the fact that it is Abner who immediately installs Saul's son Ish-bothsheth on the throne after Jonathan and Saul are both killed in battle (1 Samuel 31).
Abner was Saul's near relative so he and his family would have traditionally been executed by any new King outside Saul's family as a way to establish their reign. Fear is a powerful motivator. It likes to masquerade as rational, but it never is. Humans process powerful emotions like fear in a different part of the brain than rational thinking so the presence of fear makes us quite literally not in our right mind. Fear is the devil's most powerful weapon for this reason.
Faith is the Elect's only means to conquer fear and the only grounds to make wise decisions. David promised covenant love to Saul's son Jonathan and he is in all things a covenant-keeping man. 1 John 4:18 says "There is no fear in [covenant] love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment". The next part of the verse leaves no ambiguity about what fear does in the human heart. "But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." The Lord gives David the ability to demonstrate to everyone that Saul and Abner have nothing to fear nor anyone in Saul's family. The Lord also makes it clear that David is His anointed King and protected by His covenant love. May we walk by faith today knowing that the Lord's perfect love casts out fear.
God gives Saul into David's hand, this time in a far more expansive way than in the time in the cave (1 Sam 24). In the cave, Saul was personally embarrassed because he was caught off guard but he still had the aide of his senses and his fighting men. There is nothing more frightening than awakening from a deep sleep to sudden, unexpected danger. Even the most hardened warrior instinctively recognizes their complete helplessness during sleep. God humiliates not only Saul but his entire fighting force of three thousand men as they see their lives flash before their eyes when they realize how close they all came to death. David particularly singles out Abner, the commander of his army, suggesting that he is part of those advising Saul to pursue David to eliminate the threat to the future of his kingdom. This is supported by the fact that it is Abner who immediately installs Saul's son Ish-bothsheth on the throne after Jonathan and Saul are both killed in battle (1 Samuel 31).
Abner was Saul's near relative so he and his family would have traditionally been executed by any new King outside Saul's family as a way to establish their reign. Fear is a powerful motivator. It likes to masquerade as rational, but it never is. Humans process powerful emotions like fear in a different part of the brain than rational thinking so the presence of fear makes us quite literally not in our right mind. Fear is the devil's most powerful weapon for this reason.
Faith is the Elect's only means to conquer fear and the only grounds to make wise decisions. David promised covenant love to Saul's son Jonathan and he is in all things a covenant-keeping man. 1 John 4:18 says "There is no fear in [covenant] love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment". The next part of the verse leaves no ambiguity about what fear does in the human heart. "But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." The Lord gives David the ability to demonstrate to everyone that Saul and Abner have nothing to fear nor anyone in Saul's family. The Lord also makes it clear that David is His anointed King and protected by His covenant love. May we walk by faith today knowing that the Lord's perfect love casts out fear.