And David Perceived He Was King

Samuel was weeping when God told him to go anoint David. There may be a Saul we are weeping over, but God has a David standing in the field that we need to anoint. We must fill our horn with oil, and be on our way. Samuel didn’t live to see his greatest most unlikely prophecy fulfilled—David becoming the next king of Israel. The greatness of Samuel’s life birthed the greatness in David’s life. At significant times, God will send influential people into our life to shift our thinking, increase our anointing and transition our identity. In our father season, He sends us to influence others.

God will always allow an element of opposition to remain—it forces us to live in Him. God sends those required to reach our destiny. Eliab despised and judged David as David was approaching his greatest victory. Eliab said to David, “With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness?” (1 Sam. 17:28, NIV). Eliab was trying to devalue David as a warrior in front of the other warriors, by devaluing in his ability as a shepherd. The enemy will try to devalue our present activity as we are about to step into a new assignment. He questions our motivation and attacks our value in front of others. The enemy’s fear is that we will move into our prophetic destiny of greater purpose.

As David delivered food to his brothers, he found himself on Eliab’s “turf.” Eliab was trying to keep David out of the circle of influence he had created for himself among Israel’s army. David may have been anointed king of Israel in front of him, but Eliab was territorial, and tried to block David’s advancement. To be king during those times, you needed to be a warrior who led the armies as the commander into battle. Saul rightfully questioned David’s ability to fight Goliath. David had been qualified by heaven by defeating the lion and the bear. Goliath was infuriated that they would send a teenager to fight him. He felt dishonored. “Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?” (1Sam. 17:43). Goliath didn’t realize that he was facing the next-in-line unknown anointed king of Israel.

The enemy was attacking David’s identity before he even faced Goliath through the king and his older brother. The celebration that Samuel had released over David’s life, as he anointed him, fortified David to navigate through these negative attitudes. David wasn’t recognized as a warrior by others, but Samuel recognized more than a warrior in David. The identity shift that David experienced was more important than the victory over Goliath. David ran towards Goliath a shepherd boy, but he walked away a leading warrior. Every victory is designed by God to shift our identity and reveal our purpose.

Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage… But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” So when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah. (1 Sam. 18:17–19)

Notice the negativity David spoke of himself to King Saul after a historical victory that delivered the nation. His faith said that he would be the next king of Israel, but his identity

could not yet support it. David put himself down on the same day that God exalted him; “Who am I and what is my family?” It may have been an acceptable way to speak humbly when honored in Israel, but it will not give anyone access to their inheritance from heaven. It opened the door for the enemy to steal David’s honor, reward and blessing through an insecure king. Our negative words, after an amazing victory, can actually block a pending blessing.

Negative words will come out of our mouth when the honor given to us is greater than our identity perception. The next level of honor and authority can only be maintained by an identity shift. Our current faith can obtain honor that our past identity cannot contain. Our faith believes what God can do through us under the anointing, but our identity reveals and empowers our purpose on earth through God to others.

As our identity shifts through faith encounters and numerous victories, we will expect more, possess more and accomplish more. When we agree with God about our new identity, it empowers us to operate with new honor that opens new doors with greater assignments. If our faith agrees with God’s ability, but our perception of our identity still speaks against that honor, we will still have a blessed life, but it will lessen our destiny.

When Saul presented Merab to David as his wife, David did not actively receive her. He should have said: “Thank you King Saul for honoring me with the hand of your daughter in marriage for my victory over Goliath. I will receive Merab as my wife at the appointed time you set.” Please receive the reward of your faith. It is key to your destiny.

Instead, David talked about himself and his family in a negative light. King Saul simply agreed with David. If we have a lesser opinion of ourselves than others do, they will eventually agree with us. Stop focusing on your family and yourself, David, and remember what God spoke over you. God is your Father. You are a privileged son. If David had agreed with God concerning his identity, it would have been an easier journey. All of us must learn like David to see ourselves as Father God does. Pursue with passion the purposes of heaven over your life like David and bring God great glory with your life. Enjoy Father God and enjoy your journey of great impact.