Self Defeat, Or God's Victory

Scripture:
1 Samuel 30:1-8 (NASB)

Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way. When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. Now David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all.”

Devotional:

When you are facing troubles, who do you turn to?  Do you face them on your own?  Do you rely on your strength alone?  There have been times when I didn’t seek God during hardships.  How much harder I made it up on myself.  Other times I knew I didn’t have the strength and had to rely on God.  In those instances the mountains before me were nothing more than little hills.  

Seek the Lord first in all things.  Draw upon His strength.  Relying on Him will bring victory.  Seek to be in God’s will follow His prompting and you will be given strength to overcome any and everything that is thrown your way.  Look through the Bible and you will find case after case where God emboldened, strengthened, and were victorious.  Again I ask you who do you rely on.  Do you rely on your own strength?  Do you seek God’s unending might and power?  Are you in self defeat, or God’s victory?