You WILL Recover!

Based on 1 Samuel 29-31

God has an interesting way of setting us up for victory-sometimes, at first, it may even look like failure...until further down on our walk of faith we realize the bigger picture. We can't stop short of trusting in God just because things displease us. All we need is more prayer & seeking God! Don't run from the giant! Face it! David constantly faced his giants head-on with a heart for God, and he recovered all.

"And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my Lord the king? And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle."
1 Samuel 29:8‭-‬9

Achish favored David, but his men knew that David was from Israel-the very land they were about to fight. The men of Achish thought David might turn on them in battle, so they thought it best for him to stay behind. Achish heeds to his men's words, but he has some important choice words for David. He says David is a good man, as an angel of God! God knew what He was doing; he always does! He was going to use David for something else-while also not allowing David to fight his own people in Israel!

"So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep." 1 Samuel 30:3‭-‬4

In this turn of events, David and his men headed back to their home in Ziklag, and they found that it had been overtaken, including their wives and children. This was devastating-another setback! Not only was he sent away from battle, he came back to nothing! But David did something we all must do when things look like failure-he turned to God. He wept, but he turned to God!

"And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."
1 Samuel 30:6

The people even spake of stoning him! They were trying to blame David for this mess! But David encouraged hinself in The Lord his God!

"And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all." 1 Samuel 30:8

In the face of failure, what looked like hopelessness and defeat, God said David would WITHOUT FAIL RECOVER ALL! David would win yet another battle. He would not be a failure. He would get everything back, including all the wives and children! Imagine-if he would have been in battle with Achish, he may have not been able to recover all this! Especially because there was another helpful person David was to meet which would help him...God's timing is perfect!

"And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company."
1 Samuel 30:15

An Egyptian servant of the Amalekites was weak on the side of the road, and David helped him and restored him. This happened to be someone who was a part of the troops who took over David's land of Ziklag! In having compassion on him, the man took David to where his troop was so David could recover all! Right place, right time!

"For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike." 1 Samuel 30:24

Even the men who did not go fight with David received spoil of the battle after David recovered all. They were still loyal to David, so David told his men they deserved what they recovered just as much as those who fought. David was such a man of compassion! He said, "they shall part alike." He was no respecter of persons, just like God does not have favorites...but He wants all to be in His favor! And this happens when we trust Him and turn to Him instead of turning away!

"All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth–shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days."
1 Samuel 31:12‭-‬13

Saul fell upon his own sword in battle, and his sons were also killed. The Philistines cut off Saul's head and hung up their bodies on display, but some men came and removed the body and lamented over Saul & his sons, fasting seven days. Eventually, when David hears the news, he will act the same way. He will not rejoice in relief, but he will cry and weep. He remembered that at one point, Saul was God's anointed. This was a man whom David faithfully served for years. He knew him since he was a child. David had a heart of compassion, a heart after God's own heart, and he was always able to recover...HE RECOVERED ALL!