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A MAN OF WAR FROM HIS YOUTH - My Manner of Life Series 008
"And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth."
Manner of life cannot be taken for granted. How you've been living your life can have effects on how you'll manifest. Everyone knows that in competitive sports. What you don't train for, you rarely can do well in.
When King Saul tells David not to dare Goliath because he has been a man of war from his youth, he simply intends that having been a man of war from his youth has helped Goliath with skills and experience. He's not such to dare for any random or presumptuous person. Such fellow who has been in the act and in the profession is not easily defeated. That therefore hints at Goliath's manner of life.
When it concerns battles, he has been doing it since he was David's age. Goliath could probably be in his 40s at the time of this statement. How difficult it'll be for someone who knows nothing about warfare to stand up against him.
Even David knows this to be true. He rather immediately sets out to assure Saul.
I Samuel 17:34-37, KJV
"34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee."
David had to do this so that his worthiness would be seen. Else, everybody will be in doubt of his capabilities.
It therefore means David also has been a man of war, though no one knows until when he shared his experiences. It also means there'll be people in life whose training may not be associated with what's popular or could be said to be organized but however still be valid.
I'm sure Goliath didn't train for warfare by having to conquer wild animals. All he did would have been practice with swords, shields, spear etc while David's is crude (a sling and a stone), yet it becomes the leverage for God to strike Goliath down.
What has been your manner of life? Have you been used to solving problems from your youth? What is your consistent manner of life? This is what wins in the day of battle. Hypocrisy or pretentiousness don't win. You can't pretend to be who you are not all the days of your life and think you'll have breakthroughs at the juncture of tests and confrontation. Never! If David had not fought bears and lions indeed, learnt to take risks before the Goliath encounter, all would be betrayed. His confession would be proven to be lies.
You can't call yourself who you are not without the substance of a close walk with that life and think that life will jump on you. I have the assurance to tell anyone that I'm not a liar to say I'm a man of God. Apart from the fact that God called me, I have also accepted the call and chosen to take the consecration of a man of God upon myself. I'm simply working worthy of my calling.
Ephesians 4:1, KJV
"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called."
If someone is a professional boxer or wrestler and all he does is to party, get drunk and eat oily and pickled food that'll be disastrous to his body, that means he's not working worthy of his vocation (in this case, his career). Goliath is said to have a manner of life. It is that he has been a man of war from his youth. He has accustomed his body with warfare. He knows the way of war. He has seen it all. Such man is not defeated easily. As a matter of fact, that's why the Bible could call him a champion - unbeaten and undefeated.
Only few ever clinch such testimony. Why? Consistency isn't cheap. People only do hit and run nowadays. To be called a man of war from your youth, a man of God from your youth, a business man from your youth takes showing up even when it is hard. Loyalty and love are what must have been tested.
Your consistent manner of life is a blessing that you'll need one day. Live well for your calling/career and you'll reap its benefits one day in the multitude of grace that'll work for you.
PRAYER/CONFESSION: When those who started early are being counted, I'll be one of them. I refute indiscipline and the defilement of sin that want to lure me to break my consecration.
BIBLE IN A YEAR
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