The Making of Mighty Men

The Making of Mighty Men
1 Chronicles 11:9-25                                      
May 28-29, 2022

First and Second Chronicles are books that oftentimes people avoid when they're studying the Bible. Admittedly, a book that starts with nine chapters of genealogies-- That's actually how the book starts. A book that starts with nine chapters of genealogies doesn't exactly shout, "Read me, read me, I will strengthen your faith," but they will.

I want to encourage you. These are tremendously inspired and important books for us. They were written with purpose. Now, you got to appreciate the years of research to create genealogies like this and the exacting detail involved. The genealogies have a purpose. The amount of detail has purpose and it's this, you have to remember when this was written.

This is after Israel was destroyed, after Jerusalem was destroyed, after they had been exiled in Babylon those 70 years and now they have returned. Now that they've returned, the nation is weak, the people are discouraged, there is no king. He writes for them to understand. You have every right to be in this land. God called you to be in this land. God gave you this land. He's calling you to be a people of God and then people of faith that will walk in this land in a nearness to the Lord. He wants them to understand that they have every right to long for and wait for a king, a messiah who will one day arise to rule and reign not just that nation but the nations of the world from Jerusalem.

Now, He begins the genealogies with Adam, as we would expect. By the way, as you go through the genealogies, just listing out those names reminds them of all the stories of how God moved throughout the history of Israel. He starts with Adam and then he weaves the story, the genealogies, through Noah and then brings them then through the line until they get to Abraham, the father of faith. He reminded them of Isaac and Ishmael, sons of Abraham, brothers of animosity, the cause of many conflicts in the world still to this very day. Trace their history all the way back to that genealogy who reminded them of Jacob and Esau. These brothers that were born as twins and yet only one of them would receive the promises of God.

He reminds them of the 12 tribes of Israel. No longer is the nation divided. They are now one people, united the 12 tribes together, but only one of those tribes would be the head. The Messiah would be called the Lion from the tribe of Judah. He wants to show them that lion, that expectation, and hope of the messiah.

The first of the lions of the tribe of Judah is David, and all kings would be compared to him. That's the main theme of the book, tracing the line and the history of the messiah that they would take hold of that hope. You have every right to be in this land. God gave you this land. You have every right to hold on to the hope of a messiah because God gave you that hope and He will fulfill the promise.

He brings the line to them to hold on to that promise. It's encouraging even today. For even today, Israel holds on to the hope of a messiah. There is a longing, there is a waiting, there is a praying for the messiah who will come and rule the nation of Israel, but rule the nations of the world. Now, by the miraculous intervening hand of God, they are once again living in that land that God gave them, but there is no king, there is no messiah and so they long, they wait, they pray.

First and Second Chronicles lays the foundation for that hope. I suggest to you that as believers in Jesus Christ, we know who He is. We know the name of that messiah who will come. We know His name. In Hebrew, it's Yeshua Hamashiach. Jesus is the one who will come in the latter days. He will set foot in the Mount of Olives, and He will enter into Jerusalem. They will receive Him as that long-awaited king, that long-awaited Messiah, and they will know Him by the name that we know Him.

It's interesting. It says that they will mourn when they see Him. They will mourn as one would mourn for an only son. You might say, "Why would they mourn? They just got their messiah." Because they will see Him whom they have pierced and know that it was Him who was here all those years before but we rejected Him. He will pour out on them a spirit of grace and supplication. The name of the Lord will reign. He will be King of kings and Lord of lords. That's the hope. That's what he weaves through. After weaving the history of nine chapters of genealogies, he lays the foundation of that messianic hope by recounting the story of David. How God took a simple humble shepherd and made him a lion, a great leader of Israel.

Now, that transformation of God taking David and making him a great lion is an expression of what God can do with simple faith. God even today is looking for people who will have that kind of simple faith who will be willing to make an impact on their generation, who will make an impact in the world in which they are now called to live. I'll tell you God is looking for people even today who will arise in their faith, because we are living in tremendously difficult times. There is virtual warfare all around us. The need for people to arise in their faith is ever more necessary today than any time in the history of the world for we are living in those days leading up to the days that Jesus said in which great travail and trouble will come upon the world.

Now, the story of David is not just a story of God transforming this young shepherd, it's also a story of the men that God brought around David. We know him as the mighty man. For what God did in David inspired these men to believe what God can do in them. It's a story that we're going to see of David's mighty men that were transformed from a group of ragtag outcasts and nobodies into men of renown. Men who had the face of a lion and the heart of David, it says. Great description of them, and they're men of faith.

Now, I suggest it's important to recognize that they're men of faith. They're not just great men of war, they're not just great men who accomplished feats in battle, they're men of faith. In fact, you see this when these men first came to David. When David, of course, sends a word, "Are you for me or against me?" They said, "Oh, sir. We are with you heart and soul for we know who blesses your life. That's why we have come." Now, that is a wonderful declaration. My point is this, they're not just men in war, they're men of faith.

Now, you can learn a lot from men and women of faith. Perhaps the greatest lesson is this, that there is no such thing as great men and women of faith who didn't do something with their faith. In other words, they didn't just believe, their faith was alive, their faith was active. Their faith moved them to move, to do, to act, to accomplish by that same faith. Let me give you a great word out of James 2 where he gives a great lesson out of the life of Abraham with some very deep words of understanding. He said this, "Now, someone may well say you have faith and I have works." He says, "You show me your faith without works, but I will show you my faith by my works."

You see that Abraham's faith was working with his works. As a result of those works, faith was completed, faith was matured. A deep word. Now, you see that same thing in Hebrews 11, that famous chapter that we call the hall of faith. These were great men and women who took their faith and then they did something with it, something for the glory of God.

It says, "By faith, Enoch walked with God and was pleasing to God. By faith, Noah prepared an ark for the salvation of his household. By faith, Abraham obeyed God and went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith, Moses shows rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. By faith, Rahab the harlot welcomed the spies in peace," and on and on.

In fact, he finishes that famous chapter Hebrews 11:32-34 by saying it this way, "And what more shall I say," which is to say, "I got a lot more I could say. For time would fail me if I tell of Gideon, or Barak, or Samson, or Jephthah, of David, and Samuel and the prophets who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword. For weakness were made strong by faith, became mighty and more, put foreign armies to flight by faith.

I.  The Mighty in Faith are Men of Action

We need the heart of those who are willing to trust God today to take that faith and do something with it. David was a mighty man. The men around him were mighty men, and God is looking for those that will make a difference in their generation. He is looking for them even today. Let's read the story. 1st Chronicles chapter 11. As I say, we'll do the verses around this at the Wednesday service but let's begin reading in verse nine.

Now David became greater and greater because the Lord of hosts was with him. Now, right there is a great lesson. It was because of God in his life that he became greater and greater. Then verse 10, "Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him strong support in his kingdom together with all Israel to make him king according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel. Now these constitute the list of the mighty men whom David had."

He begins by a man named Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, chief of the 30. He lifted up his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time. What an amazing feat to take on and to defeat 300 in one battle. Now, after him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. There were three of these. David had one amazing army. Then he had special forces, these 30 and then he had these three. There was a second three also. In other words, he had the best and then he had the best of the best. Then he had the best of the best of the best. These were men of renowned that he's going to highlight for us.

This man, Eleazar, verse 13, was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philippines were gathered together there to battle. There was a plot full of barley, and the people fled before the Philippines. They retreated, they gave way, but they, David and Eleazar took their stand in the midst of the plot and they defended it. In other words, they would not retreat. They would not compromise. They would not fall back. They held on, they defended it and they struck down the Philistines and the Lord saved them by a great victory. Just the two of them.

Then it tells this story. I love this story of one of the great things that happened of these three mighty men, the best of the best and the best. Now, 3 of the 30 chief men went down to the rock to David, into the Cave of Adullam while the army of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim. David was then in the stronghold while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. What was that? Wait, is he saying here that there was a garrison of Philistines in Bethlehem? You recognize Bethlehem? What was the city of David's birth? Bethlehem. What was the city of Jesus' birth? Bethlehem. Are you telling me that there were Philistines, a garrison of them in the very city of David? That's what I'm saying. That's what it says. This was a tragedy of epic proportions. This was before David was king.

There was David in the Cave of Adullam. It was a hot harvest day and David had a craving and he said, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem that, which is by the gate." Now, David, I don't believe for one moment was asking anybody to do anything. He wasn't saying any volunteers? He's just having a craving. He's just reminiscing about how wonderfully cool and refreshing and cold and clear is the water that comes from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.

He just kind of speaks it out loud, "Oh, to have a drink from the well by the gate of Bethlehem."

It says that the three, hearing this, verse 18, "The three broke through the camp of the Philistines. They drew water from that well of Bethlehem which was by the gate and they took it and they brought it to David." Here's where the story is remarkable. "Nevertheless, David would not drink it, but he poured it out unto the Lord. And he said, 'be it far from me before my God that I should do this thing. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went at risk of their lives for the risk of their lives, they brought this to me,' and he poured it out as a drink offering." What a story. We're going to look at this for sure. Therefore, he would not drink it. These things, the three mighty men did.

"Now, as for Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the 30 and he swung his spear against 300 and killed them. He had a name as well as the 30. Of the three in the second rank, he was the most honored and became their commander, but he did not attain to the first three." Those were the best of the best of the best. Then there's Benaiah. Now, Benaiah, I love this man. "Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, son of a valiant man from Kabzeel. Mighty in deeds, he struck down the two sons of Ariel at Moab. He also went down--" look at this. "He went down and he killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day. He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits tall." That was like seven and a half feet.

"Now in the Egyptian hand was a spear like a weaver's beam, but he went down to him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did and he had a name as well as the three mighty men. Behold, he was honored among the 30 although he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his guard," over his own personal bodyguard.

All right, these are the verses that I want us to look at. As I say, we'll mention the rest of these verses at the Wednesday service but there's much for us to take hold of out of these verses, starting with this, the mighty in faith are men of action. Again, it's very important to see, mighty in faith are men of action. There was the 30, there was the three, there was the best of the three. Each of these men represent keys of what it means to be a mighty man or woman of faith today. Because God is still moving today, looking to stir people up in their faith that they would make a difference in their generation.

A.  Jashobe’am – when little is much

Let's look at these mighty men and take hold of some life lessons starting with this one that he mentions in verse 11, Jashobeam. His name is very powerful. His reputation is a man of valiant great feat. But the lesson of the story is that God can do much with little. See, when little is much is the lesson of his life. Now his name in Hebrew has a meaning as many names in Hebrew do. His name means let the people return. Again, the significance of this meaning of this name is very relevant, important. It's almost prophetic of God using his story to call people to return to faith, to return to himself, to return to a people of God.

For this was written after the people had come back, the nation was weak. The nation was little of little consequence. There was no king, so he wants to stir them up. Let this be a people that return to the Lord. Now, in 2 Samuel 23, we know that he was also given a nickname. His nickname was Adino the Aznite. That's not a proper name, it's a nickname. It's important to recognize this meaning. Adino, in Hebrew it means a gentle or tender or slender, maybe even thin. That was the Adino part. The Aznite part, a mighty spear. You put those together, a gentle mighty spear. That is just an interesting combination of a reputation, a gentle mighty spear. Obviously, the spear part because he defeated 300 with one spear at a time. What an interesting thing, a man of character, a man of faith and a man of courage made it mighty.

It's that trusting that God can take little and do much with it. That's the lesson from the story because we understand what it means to be little. We understand what it means to be of no consequence for we're a room full of people that are of no consequence. That's the way that many see themselves. Even David himself was considered of no consequence. Remember the story when the prophet Samuel was told to go to the house of Jesse, David's father. And there in the house of Jesse, he would find the new king that he would anoint to be king over Israel.

He goes to the house of Jesse and he asks for the sentence to be presented to him. Jesse starts with the oldest boy, man of stature, had all the appearance of the thing, but God made it clear, "No, it's not this one." The next one stood in front of Samuel, "It was not this one." And then the next boy and the next boy and the next boy, and finally went through all the boys. Samuel is confused. "Is this all you got? Is there no more?" "Well, there is one more, but it's just David. He's just a shepherd. He's out in the field right now with the sheep. I didn't bring him. He's just David." I love Samuel's response. "Then get him. We'll wait, and we will not sit down until he arrives."

Someone runs out to go get David, "The prophet calls for you." When David came into the room, immediately, Samuel recognized, "Here is the anointed one of Israel." Then God makes it clear. No, God looks at the outward appearance. God looks at the heart. It's a whole different thing. God delights to take those who are little, those who are of small consequence, and make something greater out of their lives. David was even small in stature. But you see the faith of David arising in this famous scene when, of course, David confronts Goliath, that Philistine giant. This, of course, made David famous.

He arrives into the camp to check on his brothers. David was not even in the war. He was considered too young to even be a fighter. His father sent him to bring some gifts and to check on news of the war. He arrives in the kin to the camp and he hears what? He hears this Philistine giant taunting the armies of Israel. David is incensed that no one is answering this. As we know the story, then he comes to the point where Saul, the king allows David to go confront him. Then of course, when the Philippines sees David, just a boy, a small stature, he's filled with disdain. "You send a boy, come here," and he taunts him.

Now, David's response is an epic speech. In fact, it's one of the greatest speeches in the histories of warfare, because listen to what he says. 1 Samuel 17:45-47, "David said to the Philistine, 'You come to me with sword, spear, and a javelin. I come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have just taunted.'" Did you see right away what David is saying? He's recognizing the hand of God in his life. David doesn't get up there and say, "You will now see what a man I am." That's not what he's saying at all. "You come with sword, spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name-- I come to you in the Name of the Lord of Host, God of the armies of Israel, whom you have just taunted."

This day the Lord will do it. The Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and I'll remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the armies of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, so that all this assembly may know." This is where I think he turns to the armies of Israel so that you know too, "that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear. The battle is the Lord's. He will do it. He will give you into our hands."

This is the key to becoming a mighty man or woman of God. Having the faith to believe that God is eager to take the little, the outcast, the people of no consequence and to transform them into those that will make a difference in their generation because God is with you, willing to step out into the thick of the thing and do something for God. Isaiah 41:10 expresses the reason why. "Do not fear because I am with you." That's why. Don't anxiously look about you anxious, anxiety, fear. "Don't look around you with anxiety because I am your God. I will strengthen you. Surely, I will help you. Surely, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." That is faith to believe that God is still looking for people who are of little consequence that trust Him. God will use people like that.

2 Timothy 1:7, "God has not given us the spirit of fear, that didn't come from God, but God has given us the spirit of power and love and a sound mind." Very important words, power and love, and a sound mind. You see men who become mighty because they had great faith, but I suggest to you that at first, they had small faith, but then they moved in the faith that they had and that faith grew as they walked in it, it increased. When you move in the faith that God gives to you, you increase in the faith.

Notice what He says in James 2:22, Abraham's faith was working with his works. As a result of his works, faith was perfected, completed, matured. It's a deep understanding. David grew with his faith when he was just a lonely shepherd practicing with a sling, watching over the sheep entrusted to his care, but I suggest that there was something else happening. David, wasn't just practicing the sling. Surely, he did master it, but there was something else happening. That's when David was out in the fields, worshiping, writing beautiful psalms, praying. Something was happening in David's heart. Something was happening in David's soul. This was the foundation of God using a man like that. It really helps us to understand the significance of that relationship that God desires to have with you and to me.

B.  Eleazar – clinging to his sword

How do you increase faith? Well, that leads us to the second of David's mighty men, Eleazar. The lesson of his life, a man clinging to his sword. Now in verses 9 and 10, it says, "Eleazar the son of Dodo." Again, his name has a meaning. It means God has helped. It's a great word right there again. God has helped the son of Dodo. Now at first, you might think, "Well, yes, anyone called the son of Dodo better be tough, kind of like the famous Johnny Cash song, The Boy Named Sue. You name a boy, Sue, he better be tough. Is it like that? No, not at all. Actually in Hebrew, the name Dodo might be better said the Dow. It means loving. That's actually a really beautiful thing.

In other words, this is a character of a man, not of some ruffian, macho, brash mouth bully. God's not looking for brash mouth bullies, but a man of character, man who had a heart after God and who had a heart after others. What made him a mighty man was that he would not relent. He would not retreat. He would not fall back though everyone else did. They all fell back, but David and Eleazar standing together, men in arms refusing to quit, refusing to retreat, refusing to compromise while others did.

I'll tell you it's a great word today because we need men and women today that are willing to stand up, to hold their ground, to not relent, to not compromise because we live in a time of tremendous compromise. God is calling for people to stand up in their faith and not compromise and don't relent anymore. Amen. Give Him a little of praise. Absolutely. Amen.

Now we read in the count of this story from 2 Samuel 23, that this battle went on so long that at the end of the battle, his hand was actually frozen, locked onto, you might say, the sword so that they had to pry his hand off of the sword. We're talking about hours holding and in battling to the point where it was locked onto that sort. Now that becomes a great picture for us because you know that the word of God is the sword of the Spirit that comes out of Ephesians 6:17, "Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." What picture is that? Mighty men and women who will cling to the word so strongly refusing to relent in their grasp of the word of God that their hearts are locked onto it.

They know it's the authority of God. They know it's the power of God. They know that God sends it with His purpose and it accomplishes that which He send it to accomplish. Amen. Yes, let's give the Lord praise. Absolutely.

See, because when you hold onto the word of God, you are reminded of who He is. You are reminded of what God can do. You are reminded that God's promises are sure. Therefore, it's no wonder that when it comes to spiritual warfare, the enemy tries to disarm believers of the sword. He would do this by suggesting that you deny the authority of God's word or that you deny the truthfulness of God's word, and some do. Those who hold on firmly know that it is the authority of God. It is the power of God. It is the truth of God and they will not relent. Therefore, God uses it in their lives to strengthen their faith.

Notice Romans 10, 17, "Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ." Hold strong, cling to, lock your heart on too. Now, it's important to recognize that Eleazar was a mighty man not only because he clung to the sword, grasped so firmly, so unrelentingly that his hand locked upon it, not only was that true, but I suggest that it was also because he knew how to use it. It's one thing just to hold onto the thing, but you better know how to use it. If that thing's in your hand, you better know how to use it. I suggest to you that he was a master at its use. That's what made him a mighty man. He practiced it. He used it, become a master at the battle.

Therefore, if the word of God is the sword of the Spirit, the same great spiritual truth applies. Better know how to use it. 2 Timothy 2:15, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." You know how to use it.

I will speak of an illustration. Some years ago for Father's Day, my wife gave me this book. She knows I like to read. The book was called The Complete Gentleman. Now, you might think she was hinting at something, but that's not the point of the book at all. It was a history book. It was a history going through the history of what it meant to be a gentleman, going all the way back to the time of knights in the middle ages and on the sword fighting days, you know. I'm reading this book. It's very fascinating as I say, I like reading history, but there is a comment that jumped out, and right away, I saw this spiritual application.

The thing that jumped out to me was this comment, "a gentleman masters whatever he does." I like that. That's a great word. A gentleman masters whatever he does. Then, of course, he's talking about the sword. He said, "in those days, of course, a gentleman would have a sword strapped to his side". His point was, you got a sword strap to your side, you better know how to use it." He said, "if you got a sword strapped on and you don't know how to use it, this thing is not going to end well and so the gentleman would master." Whatever he does, he masters it, he practices it in the evenings with the other men, he practice it.

C.  Benaiah – in a pit with a lion on a snowy day

It's like the iron sharpening iron sort of thing, practicing, practicing, practicing. He masters whatever he does. I suggest to you that Eleazar was a master. God is looking for people today who will arise in their faith, who will cling and know that it's the word of God but also they have learned to master it. They know how to use it well. For it is the truth of God applied to their lives. Then we look at Benaiah in 11:22, I love this Benaiah. What a figure of a man in a pit with a lion on a snowy day. Benaiah stands out. It says, "He was the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel." Now, that right there speaks to the influence of a father of the son of a valiant man. Not only was he a man of valor and great deed, but so was his father.

Now, it helps a lot to have a father like that. It's a great advantage in life to have a father like that. I suggest that many don't have fathers like that. Now, if you are one of those who had a great father, then you are blessed indeed, but many do not. Now, I personally understand for many of you know my story. My father was an alcoholic. I didn't have a valiant man of God for a father. I thought that it was my tremendous disadvantage. In fact, it came to a head in my life when I was 21. Actually, it was my 21st birthday.

When on your 21st birthday, it's a time to look at your life and that's what I was doing. I was looking at my life and I was upset. I was actually angry. Look at this, everybody else, they have a good father. At least that's-- Now, I come to understand that's not the way it is, but that's the way I thought it was. Everybody has an advantage over me. They all had good father. I did not and it was my tremendous disadvantage. Life is a great struggle now. Not only was he an alcoholic, very angry, abusive, cantankerous, abusive, and poverty-stricken. I had every disadvantage in life and I'm letting God know it.

Then, if you've ever had that word of God just pressed on your heart. That's what happened to me on my 21st birthday, that word of God pressed on my heart. "I will be your father now and I will be a father like no earthly father could ever be. I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. I will walk with you on the journey. I'll put my hand on your life. When I put my hand on your life, it is the favor of God." Well, I'll tell you it changed my life. I took hold of that. It was a tremendous healing moment. I believed what God pressed upon me and it truly changed my life. Even to the point where later on in my life, I got to lead my father to faith in Christ, and got to baptize my father with my own hands. God is able to take and give us. Amen.

I want to say that word to you because there are people here even now who have not had a good father, and you think it's every disadvantage in your life, but I'm here to tell you that God is your father now. Everything that was disadvantaged is now changed because God can transform pain into purpose. He can take that life and He will make His name known. "I will be your father now, and I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. I will be a father to you like no earthly father could ever be." God is saying that word to anyone in this room who thinks that you have every disadvantage in life.

"No, I would be your father now. When I put my hand on your life as your father, it is the favor of God." Now, walk in that. It is a tremendous healing. Great truth. He struck down an Egyptian, a man 5-cubits tall with just a club. It says of him. "He went down and killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day." Some commentators suggest that he chased the lion into the pit before he jumped into it. Most people run when they encounter a lion, but Benaiah jumped down into the pit on a snowy day. Thus, he became a man of renown. A man of tremendous valor. It reads, we read that David then placed him as chief of his bodyguard. I want a man like that to be chief of the bodyguard. Sure, can you imagine his resume?

I like to imagine scenes. I probably have too much imagination I suppose, but I love imagining the scene where there's this hiring manager and he's reviewing resumes to recommend to David. "We need to hire someone to be chief of the bodyguard for the king." The first applicant stands before him. "Your qualification, sir." "I studied security at the University of Jerusalem." "Uh-huh. Yes, next." The next applicant stands. "Your qualifications, sir." "I was a security officer at the Jerusalem Square Mall." "Uh-huh. Next. Your qualification, sir." "My name is Benaiah, son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel. I killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day." Now, there's a resume right there. Hire that man, I say to you. He's chief of the bodyguards because he defeated the natural fear that resides in the souls of men.

II.  Be a Drink Offering to God

There is a natural fear that resides in the souls of men, but Benaiah would do what others would not do. He took risks that others would not take. He sees the opportunity and it made him a man of renown and a man of valor. I say to you that there are many people who have great opportunities in their lives. But God says, "then step forward and do that which others will not do and defeat the natural fear for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you."

Then lastly, we're going to close with this. I love this story of these three mighty men with David in the cave of Adullam when he has this craving for water. I want to bring the application to us this way, you be a drink offering to God. I'll show you what I mean. It's a powerful story. It's harvest time. It's hot. It's dry. David has a craving. Again, he's not asking anybody to do anything. He's not asking for volunteers. He just has a craving. "Oh, to have a drink from the well by the gate of Bethlehem. The cold, pure, cool water. Oh."

He remembers well. It was the city of his birth. He had drawn from that well many times. "Oh, to have a drink from that well by the gate of Bethlehem." He's just expressing. The three there were in the cave. They heard David say that, “Oh, to have a drink from the well.” They hear this and then I just imagine the scene, them looking at each other.

"You're thinking what I'm thinking? David says he wants a drink from the well by the gate of Bethlehem. You thinking what I'm thinking?" "Yes." "You want to do it?" "Let's do it. It's the three of us." But all it takes is three mighty like this.

The three of them, they go out of the cave. They crossed the lines. They break through just the three of them. One of them could fell 300 himself. Another one refuses to compromise. These are mighty men. They break through the line. They go to the well. They draw the water. They put it in the water container and they bring it to David. "David, you said that you wanted a drink. Here's a drink." "Where did you get that?" "From the well by the gate in that land. My king, it's for you, sir, my king." What David did next is amazing. I say, what David did next was an expression of his relationship to God. It came out of his desire to honor God. It was out of his faith.

A.  Strong faith strengthens others

I suggest to you that strong faith has an impact. It strengthens the people around you. Strong faith strengthens others. For what David did next was amazing. "You wanted the drink, sir. My king, here is that drink from that well from the gate of Bethlehem." "I cannot drink this. I cannot drink this. Only God deserves an honor such as this. This kind of love, this kind of devotion belongs to God and God alone. I cannot drink this."

Do you wonder how these men responded? Did they see David pouring this out then they say, "Can you believe this? I hope you never want a drink again." No, I don't think so. You know what I think? I think they would've stood around, four of them. David says, "I cannot drink this. Only God gets honor like this." He pours it out as a drink offering. Do you know what I think the three would've said? "This, my friends, is a holy moment. This is a beautiful holy moment that we are witnessing now," and I suggest to you that they loved David all the more

B.  By this well, others may drink

David was called a man after God's own heart and it's things like this that made his reputation famous. David knows that there is a well of water and by this well, others may drink. This is the point. David knew there was a well that refreshes the soul and he drink from that well often. Psalm 23:1-3, "The Lord is my shepherd," he wrote, "I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul."

There is a well. David had drunk from it many times. There is a well. God wants you to drink from this well. It restores, it refreshes, it renews, and from this well, others may drink. David took this group of people. It says that they were outcasts, discontented, bitter to Saul, and what'd he do? He took men like this, made them men of renowned, men with the heart of a lion because David poured into them. David knew the well from where he used to drink and he taught others to drink from the same.

Jesus said this in John 4, "Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I give shall never thirst. The water that I give shall in him become a well of water springing up to eternal life." The blessing when you drink of this well what it does to you, what it does to your soul, what it does to your faith, what it does to your life is a tremendous blessing that overflows onto the people around you. God is looking for people that are willing to make a difference in their generation, to make a difference in the lives of the people around them. God is looking for people who will arise in God's purpose. Let God move because you have drunk from this well that refreshes and restores the soul.

I tell you there are many things today in this world that people drink from that's quite poisonous to the soul, but there is a well from which you drink and your soul is made alive.

When you drink from this well, others are blessed because your life has been transformed. Let's pray.

Father, we are so thankful to you because you have shown us that living water it would transform the soul. That when we drink of it, your presence in our lives transforms so that people like us, simple people of little consequence have been transformed by it to be used to make a difference in our world, our generation, our time.

Church, how many would say to the Lord today, "I want to arise in my faith. I want to make a difference in my generation. I want to drink from this water of life that my soul would be transformed within me. That you would make me into one that you can use to make a difference in this world. I want your purpose. I want the meaning of God moving in my life. God, that's my prayer. That's what I want. Church, tell me you would say that to the Lord. It's a prayer. It's a desire. If that's your heart, your desire, your prayer, would you just raise your hand to the Lord as an expression of that prayer? Just raise your hand to the Lord. "God, I'm just saying to you, I want to drink from that living water. I want my soul transformed. I want to make a difference. I want my faith to arise. God, move in power. I'm asking, do this in me, Lord. Do this in me, I'm asking. In Jesus' powerful name, and everyone said.