I Sam. 30:1-6 describes one of David’s darkest days. He and his 600 men had been encamped at Ziklag in the Philistines’ land. David had allied himself with Achish, a Philistine lord, since King Saul was trying to kill him. The Lord spared David from going into battle against the Israelites as a Philistine ally, so David and his men went back to Ziklag to find their camp burned, looted, and families captured by the Amalekites. David and his men grieved deeply, weeping until they could no more. So dark were the people’s moods they threatened to stone David, but David strengthened himself in the Lord.
Tests, trials, and tribulations are realities of life. Christians are not exempt from trials; in fact, Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33). As Christians, however, we are to act differently from the world when facing tests. Jas. 1:2 exhorts us to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” When walking by faith and not by sight, believers know the truth of God’s word overcomes the temporary facts of life we see with our natural eyes (2 Cor. 4:18). The truth of God’s word declares we are favored by God, and He is always thinking how to bless and promote us (Jer. 29:11).
The Lord desires to promote and increase us; but before promotion, there are faith and obedience tests to pass. The Lord permits these tests to come into our lives not to punish us but to promote us. Our attitude toward the test determines whether we pass or take it over. (You don’t fail--you just take the test until you pass.) The key to passing every test is to die to self (Gal. 2:20). The Lord wants believers to mature beyond living by feelings into living by faith. Tests are designed to transform us into the image of Christ, and each step into Him means more of our selfish desires must die. Death always precedes resurrection.
David’s life is a type of Christ (the Anointed One and His anointing). David was anointed by the prophet Samuel to be king over Israel. However, David went through tests, trials, and tribulations before the crown was placed upon his head. In Lk. 3:21-22, Jesus was baptized by His cousin John, and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him symbolizing the anointing of God. Lk. 4:11-13 details the wilderness testing Jesus went through before He began His anointed earthly ministry. In fact, Lk. 4:14-21 depicts Jesus announcing His ministry by reading from Isaiah about the anointing and its power to preach, heal, deliver, restore, and transform mankind.
Throughout the Bible, tests were a sign promotion was just over the horizon. Hebrews 11 is a chronicle of the hall of faith - and each person mentioned faced tests of faith. Each also understood the concept of “it’s darkest before dawn.”
In the army, I learned about the concept of “Before Morning Nautical Twilight” (BMNT). This is the time of day that is the darkest. It’s also the time when your body is in it deepest sleep mode. Normally, it is around 3-4 a.m., just before any sign of the sun’s rising. Standard infantry tactics call for attacks to commence during this time in order to catch the enemy at its lowest level of alertness.
Spiritual warfare is similar to natural. Satan attacks when we are least prepared. The smokescreen of deceit Satan uses is just as dark as BMNT and often proves successful against those reacting with carnal weapons (their feelings or natural senses) instead of faith. Many live defeated, dejected, and beleaguered lives because they gave into the enemy’s tactics during the darkest time, not realizing the sun was just over the horizon. When we live by natural sight (feelings), we become hopeless, confused, and defeated in the darkness of our situations. However, those living by faith have spiritual eyes (vision) to see through the natural circumstances into the realm of victory in the promises of God (2 Cor. 4:18; 2 Pet. 1:2-4).
Our reaction in the attack (test, trial, tribulation) has a direct impact upon the duration of darkness and length of trial. For David, Ziklag to Zion (when he was anointed to be king over Judah) was only three days (2 Sam. 1:2-4). For Israel, coming out of Egypt and facing their wilderness should have been less than two weeks, but it ended being forty years because of their lack of faith in God’s Word.
Satan’s greatest weapon is our ignorance of God’s Word regarding our position in Christ. Jesus said that known truth makes us free (Jn. 8:32); however, we are bound and destroyed from ignorance of God’s Word (Isa. 5:13; Hos. 4:6). Fear is Satan’s desired reaction to man’s ignorance of Truth. Fear results from our living by feelings instead of by faith. The potential for fear increases the darker our situations become. Fear is at its zenith at BMNT. One of the keys to success when facing the darkness is to control our words. Jesus, when teaching His disciples on the Mount, spoke directly to this issue: “Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear’” (Matt. 6:31) Instead, Jesus exhorted the disciples to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, for provision is supplied through faith in Him (Matt. 6:33).
Paul wrote that all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, or “so be it” (2 Cor. 1:20). Peter wrote that we already have all things that we need for life and godliness and have the potential to become a partaker of the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:2-4). Our solution has already been established in the kingdom realm. Our responsibility is to create a bridge of faith which extends from the natural into the invisible, spiritual realm which will support the weight of God’s Word being transported into our situations.
Faith’s results are transported through our believing and speaking God’s Word (2 Cor. 4:13). Jesus describes these two hinges (believing and speaking) on the door of faith in Mk. 11:22-24. We must believe in God’s Word then speak to the mountain (problem, darkness, trial) to remove and be cast into the sea. All too often we don’t speak God’s word which is full of mountain-moving faith, but we speak fear-filled words which entrench, prolong, and even increase the problem. Mk. 11:23 says we have whatever we say, or we prophecy our own futures. If we are not where we want to be in life, we have to change what we are saying! Murmuring and complaining will result in defeat and death in the wilderness just like the faithless generation of Israelites who did not believe God’s Word. Prov. 18:21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Jesus said you will be justified or condemned by your words (Matt. 13:37). Our tongues are attached to our hearts (Matt. 13:34), so we must be very mindful of what we allow into our hearts. What is stored in the heart will always be revealed by words, and we reap the results of what we say. Seedtime and harvest is a perpetual law (Gen. 8:22). Our words are seeds (Mk. 4:14), and we sow them on the ground of our hearts which produces a crop after its own kind. We make the choice of living in God’s blessings or under the curse of the law through our own words (Jas. 3:8-10).
The apostle Paul exhorted the Galatians concerning this issue of sowing and reaping saying that whoever sows to his flesh (voices his feelings) will reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit (speaking God’s Word) will of the Spirit reap everlasting life (including abundance in our present life). Paul goes on to encourage the Galatians not to grow weary, for the season of harvest is just over the horizon (Gal. 6:7-9). God’s delays are not His denials--what you sow, you’ll reap if you don’t lose hope and begin doubting God’s Word.
Remember BMNT; it’s always darkest before the dawn. We know the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings - dispelling all darkness and releasing us to triumph in Christ (Mal. 4:2-3; 2 Cor. 2:14). Amen.
Tests, trials, and tribulations are realities of life. Christians are not exempt from trials; in fact, Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33). As Christians, however, we are to act differently from the world when facing tests. Jas. 1:2 exhorts us to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” When walking by faith and not by sight, believers know the truth of God’s word overcomes the temporary facts of life we see with our natural eyes (2 Cor. 4:18). The truth of God’s word declares we are favored by God, and He is always thinking how to bless and promote us (Jer. 29:11).
The Lord desires to promote and increase us; but before promotion, there are faith and obedience tests to pass. The Lord permits these tests to come into our lives not to punish us but to promote us. Our attitude toward the test determines whether we pass or take it over. (You don’t fail--you just take the test until you pass.) The key to passing every test is to die to self (Gal. 2:20). The Lord wants believers to mature beyond living by feelings into living by faith. Tests are designed to transform us into the image of Christ, and each step into Him means more of our selfish desires must die. Death always precedes resurrection.
David’s life is a type of Christ (the Anointed One and His anointing). David was anointed by the prophet Samuel to be king over Israel. However, David went through tests, trials, and tribulations before the crown was placed upon his head. In Lk. 3:21-22, Jesus was baptized by His cousin John, and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him symbolizing the anointing of God. Lk. 4:11-13 details the wilderness testing Jesus went through before He began His anointed earthly ministry. In fact, Lk. 4:14-21 depicts Jesus announcing His ministry by reading from Isaiah about the anointing and its power to preach, heal, deliver, restore, and transform mankind.
Throughout the Bible, tests were a sign promotion was just over the horizon. Hebrews 11 is a chronicle of the hall of faith - and each person mentioned faced tests of faith. Each also understood the concept of “it’s darkest before dawn.”
In the army, I learned about the concept of “Before Morning Nautical Twilight” (BMNT). This is the time of day that is the darkest. It’s also the time when your body is in it deepest sleep mode. Normally, it is around 3-4 a.m., just before any sign of the sun’s rising. Standard infantry tactics call for attacks to commence during this time in order to catch the enemy at its lowest level of alertness.
Spiritual warfare is similar to natural. Satan attacks when we are least prepared. The smokescreen of deceit Satan uses is just as dark as BMNT and often proves successful against those reacting with carnal weapons (their feelings or natural senses) instead of faith. Many live defeated, dejected, and beleaguered lives because they gave into the enemy’s tactics during the darkest time, not realizing the sun was just over the horizon. When we live by natural sight (feelings), we become hopeless, confused, and defeated in the darkness of our situations. However, those living by faith have spiritual eyes (vision) to see through the natural circumstances into the realm of victory in the promises of God (2 Cor. 4:18; 2 Pet. 1:2-4).
Our reaction in the attack (test, trial, tribulation) has a direct impact upon the duration of darkness and length of trial. For David, Ziklag to Zion (when he was anointed to be king over Judah) was only three days (2 Sam. 1:2-4). For Israel, coming out of Egypt and facing their wilderness should have been less than two weeks, but it ended being forty years because of their lack of faith in God’s Word.
Satan’s greatest weapon is our ignorance of God’s Word regarding our position in Christ. Jesus said that known truth makes us free (Jn. 8:32); however, we are bound and destroyed from ignorance of God’s Word (Isa. 5:13; Hos. 4:6). Fear is Satan’s desired reaction to man’s ignorance of Truth. Fear results from our living by feelings instead of by faith. The potential for fear increases the darker our situations become. Fear is at its zenith at BMNT. One of the keys to success when facing the darkness is to control our words. Jesus, when teaching His disciples on the Mount, spoke directly to this issue: “Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear’” (Matt. 6:31) Instead, Jesus exhorted the disciples to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, for provision is supplied through faith in Him (Matt. 6:33).
Paul wrote that all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, or “so be it” (2 Cor. 1:20). Peter wrote that we already have all things that we need for life and godliness and have the potential to become a partaker of the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:2-4). Our solution has already been established in the kingdom realm. Our responsibility is to create a bridge of faith which extends from the natural into the invisible, spiritual realm which will support the weight of God’s Word being transported into our situations.
Faith’s results are transported through our believing and speaking God’s Word (2 Cor. 4:13). Jesus describes these two hinges (believing and speaking) on the door of faith in Mk. 11:22-24. We must believe in God’s Word then speak to the mountain (problem, darkness, trial) to remove and be cast into the sea. All too often we don’t speak God’s word which is full of mountain-moving faith, but we speak fear-filled words which entrench, prolong, and even increase the problem. Mk. 11:23 says we have whatever we say, or we prophecy our own futures. If we are not where we want to be in life, we have to change what we are saying! Murmuring and complaining will result in defeat and death in the wilderness just like the faithless generation of Israelites who did not believe God’s Word. Prov. 18:21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Jesus said you will be justified or condemned by your words (Matt. 13:37). Our tongues are attached to our hearts (Matt. 13:34), so we must be very mindful of what we allow into our hearts. What is stored in the heart will always be revealed by words, and we reap the results of what we say. Seedtime and harvest is a perpetual law (Gen. 8:22). Our words are seeds (Mk. 4:14), and we sow them on the ground of our hearts which produces a crop after its own kind. We make the choice of living in God’s blessings or under the curse of the law through our own words (Jas. 3:8-10).
The apostle Paul exhorted the Galatians concerning this issue of sowing and reaping saying that whoever sows to his flesh (voices his feelings) will reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit (speaking God’s Word) will of the Spirit reap everlasting life (including abundance in our present life). Paul goes on to encourage the Galatians not to grow weary, for the season of harvest is just over the horizon (Gal. 6:7-9). God’s delays are not His denials--what you sow, you’ll reap if you don’t lose hope and begin doubting God’s Word.
Remember BMNT; it’s always darkest before the dawn. We know the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings - dispelling all darkness and releasing us to triumph in Christ (Mal. 4:2-3; 2 Cor. 2:14). Amen.