Bible Text: 1 Samuel 27 | Preacher: Pastor Steve | Series: David: Committed Living
The Sin of Independence
David is going to make IRRATIONALITY seem RATIONAL
1 Samuel 27:1 But David kept thinking to himself, someday Saul is going to get me. The best thing I can do is escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for me in Israelite territory, and I will finally be safe.
 
Psalm 22:1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Beware of Self-Pity
Someday Saul is going to get me. The best thing I can do is escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for me in Israelite territory, and I will finally be safe
How Quickly We Forget God’s Promises!
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
1 Samuel 27:2-4 So David took his 600 men and went over and joined Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath. David and his men and their families settled there with Achish at Gath. David brought his two wives along with him—Word soon reached Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he stopped hunting for him.
Beware of Walking Away from the Lord
David is making a decision to have PEACE AT ANY PRICE
Wait and Stand Still for the Lord!
Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!
1 Samuel 27:5 -7 Then David said to Achish, If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you? So Achish gave him Ziklag that day. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. Now the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months. 
Who Do We Need To Find Favor With?
Be careful to not compromise God’s purposes
David was walking away from the Lord and outside of HIS Will.  It is amazing how much we can accomplish with our own wisdom and RATIONALIZE it as PROOF that God is on our side!
Blessings are Not Necessarily Confirmation of God’s Will
Evidence kept coming to validate David’s decision:
1 Chronicles 12:22 Day after day more men joined David until he had a great army, like the army of God.
When you Walk Away from the Lord’s Will it will Lead to Trouble and Making Bad Decisions!
1 Samuel 27:8-9 David and his men spent their time raiding the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites—people who had lived near Shur, toward the land of Egypt, since ancient times. David did not leave one person alive in the villages he attacked. He took the sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing before returning home to see King Achish.
David is Living a Secret Life
1 Samuel 27:11 No one was left alive to come to Gath and tell where he had really been…
BUT David could not hide:
1 Samuel 27:10 Where did you make your raid today? Achish would ask…
Be Careful to Never Take Advantage of God’s Grace
1 Samuel 29:4 But the Philistine commanders were angry. Send him back to the town you’ve given him! they demanded. He can’t go into the battle with us. What if he turns against us in battle and becomes our adversary?
David Would Pay the Price of his Sin, Disobedience, Rebellion, Arrogance and Rejection of the Lord’s Will
1 Samuel 30: 3-5 When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, they wept until they could weep no more… 
But It Is Never To Late To Turn Back To God
DAVID TURNS TO THE LORD FOR HELP!
1 Samuel 30:6 David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him.
But David found strength in the Lord his God
Romans 2:4-8 Or did you think that because he’s such a nice God, he’d let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he’s not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.  You’re not getting by with anything. Every refusal and avoidance of God adds fuel to the fire…Real Life for those who work on God’s side, but to those who insist on getting their own way and take the path of least resistance, Fire! (THE MESSAGE)
Communion Service
Matthew 26:26-29 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, take this and eat it, for this is my body. And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.