First, who are the three mighty men. The first is Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite. He was chief of the three. He raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.The second mighty men was Eleazar son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. "He was with David when they defied the Philistines assembled there for battle, and the men of Israel had departed.10 [Eleazar] arose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword. The Lord wrought a great deliverance and victory that day; the men returned after him only to take the spoil." The third and last of the mighty men was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.
David longs for a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate. It was a well near the gate of his home town of Bethlehem. So the three mighty men broke through the army of Philistine and they drew water from the well in Bethlehem and had brought it back to David. But David instead of drinking it poured it out. More importantly, he poured it out to the Lord.
David decides not to drink it because three of his mighty men had risked their lives to bring him water that he had longed for. How many of us are really willing to risk our lives for the Lord? Many of us can say we can die for Jesus but how many of us have the heart to risk our lives to satisfy the longing desires of God? Where is our action? And even if we had the heart to risk our lives, do we have the history as the three mighty men had in finding victory against great odds. Do we have history in overcoming and receiving victory in the great spiritual battle for the Lord?
Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite raised his spear to kill 800 men in one encounter. Where is the blood stain of the demons on our spiritual sword? Are we truly living for the Lord? Are we living His Word when it says "How could one have chased a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight?"
When Israel had fled, Eleazar fought and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary. How many Christians have spiritually fought to the point of weariness? How many of us have prayed for hours until we had no more strength? How many of us have worshiped or stayed behind when everyone else went home? How many of us stayed behind to continue praying and worshiping?
Unlike many of us today, Eleazer might have had no choice. He had to fight until weariness because his life depended on it. But scripture says it was the Lord who had brought the great deliverance and victory that day! However, God requires our will to persevere until the end. Eleazer fought with every fiber of his physical being clinging on to his sword and it was God who gave him the strength and victory. How many of us have labored for the Lord until we were totally exhausted? In verse 9, it states that the men of Israel had departed and they only had returned after him to take the spoil. Today is no different. Human nature including many Christians run from tribulation rather than confronting the mountains of their lives. We want everything for free. We rather eat the cake instead of cooking it. We run from problems but we will return for the spoils.We want the glory of the war without breaking a sweat. Many of us can work for many hours exhausted so we can get that check and perhaps buy some nice things for ourselves but how many Christians can pray until they are exhausted for their loved ones who may be terminally sick or in spiritual distraught? Sadly, many will not pray for hours for their terminally sick loved ones because they think when they die they will go to heaven. And most sadly, their loved ones who may be terminally sick have become a burden to them rather than an opportunity to find deliverance and victory through the Lord.
Unlike many of us today, Eleazer might have had no choice. He had to fight until weariness because his life depended on it. But scripture says it was the Lord who had brought the great deliverance and victory that day! However, God requires our will to persevere until the end. Eleazer fought with every fiber of his physical being clinging on to his sword and it was God who gave him the strength and victory. How many of us have labored for the Lord until we were totally exhausted? In verse 9, it states that the men of Israel had departed and they only had returned after him to take the spoil. Today is no different. Human nature including many Christians run from tribulation rather than confronting the mountains of their lives. We want everything for free. We rather eat the cake instead of cooking it. We run from problems but we will return for the spoils.We want the glory of the war without breaking a sweat. Many of us can work for many hours exhausted so we can get that check and perhaps buy some nice things for ourselves but how many Christians can pray until they are exhausted for their loved ones who may be terminally sick or in spiritual distraught? Sadly, many will not pray for hours for their terminally sick loved ones because they think when they die they will go to heaven. And most sadly, their loved ones who may be terminally sick have become a burden to them rather than an opportunity to find deliverance and victory through the Lord.
The Philistines were gathered at Lehi on a piece of ground full of lentils and the Israelites fled from the Philistines. And Shammah son of Agee the Hararite stood in the midst of the ground full of lenti and defended it and slew the Philistines and the Lord brought a great victory. How many of us Christians today are holding our ground. Even today, many Christians like the Israel flee when fear or the enemy is gathered. The Lord is willing to give us a great victory but HE requires us to hold our ground. Are we willing to hold on to our lips rather than lash back? Are we willing to hold on to our ground through great persecution? Are we willing to die for the Lord or for another rather than try to save our own lives? How do we fare when secular people, family members, or even church members mock or attack our faith? Will we hold our ground or will we run and join the ranks of the coward? How easily do some of us give in?
You see the mighty men were not gathered with hundreds or thousands of other men who had fought or held their ground. They were pretty much on their own and alone. We must ask ourselves whether we will be a mighty soldier for the Lord and for the cross fighting against great odds and holding our ground or will we be like the majority and flee. If we flee from our problems, what will be our testimonies? When we decide to be a solider for the Cross, like our Lord, we will in many instances stand alone for Truth but the many will flee toward religion to save their own flesh. These three mighty men were mighty because they had loved their king and was willing to die for him. They loved him to the point of death willing to fight against all odds. And as a result, the Lord gave them the deliverance and victory.
Today, if we are only willing to fight and risk our lives just as the mighty men of David, the Lord is faithful and even today, He will give us the spiritual deliverance and victory. But we must be willing to lay down our lives for the King of KINGS. We must be willing to fight the spiritual battle. We must be willing to fight the hordes of demons from hell. Do the demons know who you are? Do they know your name? Are you a threat to them? They know Jesus and they know Paul but do they know you? Because if they do not know you, then they will defeat you as they had beaten the seven sons of the priest, Sceva, who had attempted to cast demons out. The demons from the one man had beaten, stripped, and made naked the seven sons who had fled (Acts 19). Are you willing to fight for the Lord? If you are willing to fight and die, then He will give you the deliverance and victory in your life.
When the three mighty men brought the water from the well, David poured it out to the Lord. He basically made it an offering to God. When we receive something valuable in which someone may have worked very hard or if they had risked their lives for it, how many of us are willing to give it to God rather than enjoy it ourselves? Many today even struggle to give God His tenth making all kinds of arguments, excuses, and nonsense. Many are too busy looking for the useless things they do not use to give to God rather than their best or first fruits. David was an anointed king. He did not see himself having such privilege over his men to receive anything better.
Although David was anointed to be a king and to rule God's people, he poured out the water and said "Be it far from me, O Lord, to drink this. Is it not [the same as] the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" Even though he was in a position of authority, he did not lord over God's people. He considered himself a sheep. He considered himself one of the men. He did not see himself any greater than those who had risked and given their lives. He did not consider himself anyone special. And this is why his men loved him dearly. He was a sheep as they were sheep.
Let us learn to be mighty in our spiritual battles knowing the Lord will give us deliverance and victory. Let us learn to be sheep whether we have been called to lead God's people or whether we are just part of the flock. Let us love one another with the heart to give up our lives for one another if necessary.
Glory to God for His Message
Glory to God for His Message
Fire of God Ministries
Steve Yong Kim
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