God’s Way of Shaping Us: Testing, Discipline, Teaching

 

Sermon - Testing, Discipline, and Teaching
Psalms 92:1-5; Luke 9:7-9; Philippians 2:14-15
Sermon Text: 1 Samuel 21:10-15; David’s Psalms – Psalm 34

In today’s message, David is shown to be in a time of suffering. One must realize that God was with David. In last week's lesson, David fled from one place to another. Today, he takes a sword and flees. David’s heart was filled with fear and dread. Saul’s army was approaching him, driven by Saul’s jealousy and the deployment of his soldiers — these were the causes of David’s fear.

But even if there are reasons to fear, is it right to be afraid? Psalm 34:1 says the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him. Why fear, then? Fear arises due to:

1.      Doubt

2.     Real danger

However, according to the Word of God, one should not fear either of these. Yet all believers experience both kinds of fear. David was in a time of trouble — a time when he was afraid — and so he fled. The places where David fled were both dangerous. Staying in Saul’s kingdom posed a threat to him. Even the place where he asked the priest for bread was within the jurisdiction of King Saul — that too was dangerous.

So, David had to cross Saul’s borders and go to Gath, a city in the land of his enemies. He had to choose between two dangerous places and decided to go to Gath. Historians noted that David, choosing to move from a less dangerous to a more dangerous place, acted without much wisdom. Yet, the reason for David’s actions was his fear.

Why Did God Allow Such a Situation in David’s Life?

God allowed David to experience this crisis for two key reasons:

1. To lead him into what is good and cause him to forsake what is evil.
2. To transform his character, even though he was already a good man, into one who reflects the true righteousness of Christ.

Afflictions are not uncommon in the life of a believer. Jesus, in His model prayer, teaches us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation.” In English, this emphasizes not being led into testing, Do not bring us into testing."

Though temptation exists, and believers are often led to its edge, God does not tempt anyone Himself (James 1:13). However, He may lead us up to the place of testing, to confront the reality of our faith and obedience.

Understanding Temptation:

1. If temptation is never faced, it cannot be recognized.
2. If it is not recognized, one cannot learn how to overcome it.
3. Without overcoming, one cannot grow in Christian maturity and experience.

Thus, God may lead a person up to the place of testing, especially when:

• They refuse to turn from wickedness
• They disregard God’s Word and correction

In such cases, He permits a deeper testing.

The testing allowed by Satan is dangerous and severe, but even this is under God's sovereign control. Falling into the hands of the living God is a fearful thing (Hebrews 10:31). Though God is patient, if a person continually resists His voice, He may eventually hand them over to testing for correction.

Consider the illustration of a sheep: If a sheep consistently refuses the shepherd's call and warning, despite repeated attempts to guide it back, the shepherd may allow it to go its way. In doing so, the sheep falls into a pit — not because the shepherd desires harm, but because the sheep would not listen.

This is what it means when God "leads into testing."
It is not out of wrath, but out of love — to awaken, refine, and restore.

David was allowed to take a certain path, but this was not God's will—it was David’s own decision. Leaving Saul’s territory and entering the land of his enemies was not pleasing to God. Instead, if David had cast off his fear and fled into the wilderness or any other place while depending on the Lord, that would have been acceptable to God. That would have been God's way.

However, David’s decision to go to Gath—the city of Goliath, his former enemy—was not a wise one. He presumed that Saul’s enmity was more dangerous than that of the Philistines, imagining that their hatred may have cooled. Yet this was a misjudgment. Though God permitted him to go to Saul’s city and even to Gath, He was not pleased with that decision. Nevertheless, God was watching over David, protecting him, and did not let him fall into the full force of testing.

When King Achish and the Philistines recognized David as the one about whom women had sung in the streets—"Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands"—David became afraid. To survive, he pretended to be insane, acting like a madman. This sequence reveals several key weaknesses:

1.      Fear

2.     Acting according to his own will

3.     Seeking refuge among enemies

4.     Resorting to deception and pretending to be mad

These are all the ways of weak humanity, not the path of divine strength. David failed to seek the Lord before taking this step. He did not inquire of God, and thus he fell into confusion. (Had God revealed Himself and said, “Do not fear, I am with you,” things might have been clearer. But He did not.)

God permits man to walk in his own ways, but only for a time. He may remain silent for a season, allowing fear to run its course, and then at the appointed time, He intervenes.

In Gath, it may have seemed as though David escaped by his own schemes, but truly it was because he was the Lord’s anointed. God's hand was upon him, and God delivered him. While David tried to escape by his own devices, ultimately it was the grace of God that protected him. Even though David attempted to save himself, it was God’s help that made the escape possible. His effort alone would have failed had it not been for divine intervention. Though it’s not wrong to try to escape danger, David had strayed from the path of faith.

In Psalm 34, written after this episode, we see David’s heart returning to reverence and devotion toward God. Although fear led him to flee, his psalm reflects his spiritual longing and renewed dependence on the Lord despite his human weakness. At that moment, David had Goliath’s sword in his hand. Carrying such a weapon into the city of Gath—Goliath’s own hometown—should have led to his death. But David was protected by God. He was not saved because of his own efforts, or because he pretended to be insane. It was not because of his human strategy, but because God intervened. He was saved not by acting like a madman, but because God chose to deliver him.

Going to a king while visibly carrying Goliath’s sword was, in itself, an act of foolishness. Yet when the king sent him away, David fled.

Today, many believers are following the same pattern:

1. They run in fear, like David.
2. They walk in their own ways, not God’s.
3. They adopt their own methods, not the Lord’s.

These things are not commendable. Yet when God helps believers, even in such moments, they think that their method worked. No—God saves by grace, not by flawed methods.

David was not delivered because of his own plan, his clever acting, or his reasoning. He was delivered because of God’s mercy and divine guidance. When we face trials, we must not resort to wrong or deceptive means. If God helps us, it is not because of our methods, but because of His grace.

So, let us not say, “This is how I did it and succeeded.” Instead, we must say, “God in His mercy helped me, despite my weakness.”

God’s Way Is the Right Way:

1. God’s Will
2. God’s Way
3. God’s Method

These are what lead to deliverance. God has revealed these through His Word so that we may study them and walk accordingly. In David’s case, God allowed him to walk in his own path, yet still delivered him—because God is gracious, not because David’s choices were righteous.

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days, Satan quoted Scripture, saying:

“He will command His angels concerning you… they will lift you up in their hands.”
This is taken from Psalm 91:11–12,

Here’s the deeper meaning:

1. David chose his own path
2. Jesus walked in God’s appointed path

If a man chooses to walk in his own way, he cannot expect divine deliverance. But if he walks in God’s ordained path, then even in the face of danger, the angels of God will lift him up.

In Matthew chapter 4, when Satan quoted that verse, he used it to try and make one depart from the way of God. He tried to make the person forsake it halfway. But the truth is that when a man walks in the way of God, God will deliver him. Satan concealed this and instead presented it as an impulse of arrogance. That is Satan’s way. Yet, it can also be called man’s way — for the way that man thinks is often the way of Satan.

Satan said, "God will lift up those who walk in His way, and even if they fall, He will catch them. He will lift them up so that their foot doesn’t strike a stone." But this was a deceptive teaching from Satan. The Lord recognized it immediately.

God did not deliver David because he used his own path. Yet, because of God's mercy, he was still rescued. In the same way, even when evangelists pray and go according to God’s will, if danger comes, He will protect them. But if they walk according to their own ways, He will let them walk. And if they fall, He may remain silent. He will not intervene. Even if they pray, He may simply deliver them. Because they walked in God's way, was staying in Saul’s village a loss? Or was staying in Gath a loss? It was Gath that brought loss.

This is like a man escaping from a lion’s mouth only to fall into a bear’s mouth. When you chase a lion away, it may run — but not a bear. Still, it was God who delivered David, and He did so because of His mercy. But if one remains in their own path, He will not deliver.

When we are walking, there’s a visible road for the feet. As we go forward, there are three paths:

1.      A village path

2.     A forest path

3.     A field path.

Therefore, we should pause and ask someone for direction. In the same way, we must ask God and walk according to His way.

David thought there was danger with Saul, but none in the city of Gath. But because David fled, the soldiers of Achish may have thought: “If David kills Saul, then the kingdom of Israel will be ours.” They might have also said: “You killed Goliath because of enmity — now if you join us and kill Saul too, we will be your friends.”

God led David. Yes, David truly went, and the Lord truly led him. It is an even greater thing that God led him to his enemies. It is more marvelous than protecting him from reaching them — for allowing him to draw near and yet rescuing him is a greater work.

God let David go to his enemies and then delivered him — this is a wondrous act.

In Matthew chapter 4, the Lord, led by the Spirit, went to be tempted by the devil. That was a divine path. In this chapter, the man, the believer — is none other than the Lord Himself. The Lord went to the place of temptation. When He was tempted, He overcame. Likewise, the Lord will lead us to the place of testing, deliver us, and grant us victory.

Sometimes, He may not even let us go into the trial. But when David went to Gath, it reminded the people of Gath of two things:

1.      Their defeat (because David had killed Goliath),

2.     David’s visible victory.

It was as though God was declaring to the enemy: “Because of My anointed one, you were defeated. My anointed one alone was victorious.”

In the same way, God shows Satan: “He (My child) has already conquered all these things. Now I am leading him to you — not for your victory, but to show that the victory still belongs to My children.”

May the Lord imprint these few words into your hearts and help you always! Amen.