Friday, I shared a word God had given me about recovery. Today, I want to expound on that subject a little more.
I love the story of David and how he recovered all – I believe we all love that story. It’s all about getting back what the enemy had stolen from God’s people and that is something we can all relate to, isn’t it?
After sending that word out, I had a response from a partner, reminding me of a vital part of David’s recovering all. This happened…before David inquired of the Lord…before he pursued the enemy and before he recovered all.
1 Samuel 30, verse 6 says, “Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”
The word encouraged in this verse means… to fasten upon, to fortify, to bind, to cleave, be constant, to continue, be of good (take) courage. Even before this attack, David knew where his strength came from. It came from his God.
On the worst day of David’s life, he was not running to a stranger. Or to a God he didn’t know. He was running to someone he was intimately acquainted with. Someone in whom David knew His character, His love, and His power. David knew these things about God because he had formed a relationship with Him. It was that relationship that David ran to, and it was that relationship that caused him to clearly hear, “Pursue, you will recover all.” It was that relationship that empowered him to pursue his enemy and take back all that was stolen from him.
David knew his God…before the attack. 
I have said it before, but it bears repeating. It is very difficult to build a storm shelter in the midst of a storm. We must prepare and build it BEFORE the storm. In the same manner, it is very difficult, in the midst of an attack, to run to a God that you have no confidence in. A God whom you do not know. It is hard to trust God in the hard times if you have not cultivated a relationship with Him in the good times. He does not desire a people that only come to Him when they are in trouble. He desires a people who want to know Him. Daily, in good times and bad. David knew His God. Therefore, when trouble came, David knew exactly where to run to get strength and encouragement. He ran to God.
David took action. He encouraged himself in the Lord. He bound himself to God and His faithfulness. He reminded himself of all God had done before. He meditated on His faithfulness and His deliverance. To the point that he was encouraged enough to pursue his enemy with confidence and strength.
What do you do when attacks come? Do you run to God? Have you seen His faithfulness in your life? Can you go back and remind yourself of all the wonderful things He has done? The things He has brought you through. Have you cultivated an intimate daily relationship with Him? Do you KNOW Him?
Knowing Him is the first key to being able to inquire of the Lord. Being intimate with Him is the first step to recovering all. So, today, I encourage you, if you don’t have a relationship with God, take time to develop an intimate, daily relationship with Him. As you do, you will find, when attacks come, you have someone to run to that you can trust fully and completely. You will know you can trust Him to speak to you and give you direction. And you will know, when you heed that direction, He will cause you to succeed. It all starts with God and knowing OUR God. Knowing who He is in us and who we are in Him. Start there and succeed.
