David had become an overnight celebrity and favorite son in Israel after he killed the Philistine giant, Goliath. Jealous Saul tried unsuccessfully to kill David, but he escaped to the cave of Adulam, where four hundred men who were in debt, in distress, and disconnected from society joined him. These men were the outcasts of society, the black sheep no one wanted, and didn’t meet the standards or expectations of Society or the Religious Establishment.
David hid in the cave and made it his stronghold, until he could see what God would do with him. He enters the cave with a lot of blood on his hands. He was a fighter, and even in his teenage years was not afraid to fight a bear or lion, or the giant, but David needed to learn that to lead others, it takes more than a slingshot and a sword and sheer grit. His courage needed to be tempered with the fruit of the spirit for the needed new kind of leader to emerge to replace Saul. In the dark cave of solitude, with nothing but his harp, God engaged David and implemented a new season of change in his heart, sprit and soul. David now had four hundred men who looked to him for leadership, and they too needed to be changed before they could emerge as the mighty men of valor God wanted them to become. Day-by-day God’s spirit honed David into a new vessel teaching him to first — Practice Patience. David needed to be willing to wait on God’s timing to inherit the throne, and to trust that God would take care of Saul without David’s interference or retaliation. David needed the patience to do simple things perfectly, in order to acquire the skill to do difficult things more easily. You see friend, like David, if we can ultimately experience a God-like change we can lead others, and if we accept the radical change that God brings our way, we grow, but if we resist change there is the potential to suffocate spiritually.
Second – David needed to get into the proper position and spiritual alignment to receive God’s promises. God was telling David, “If your actions inspire others to dream and grow more, to learn more, do more and become more, you are on your way to becoming My leader and king.” Like David, we too need to learn subjection to a greater wisdom than our own.
Thirdly, David needed to learn to prioritize his life for God in order to lead those whom God sent into his care. David was quick to fight, to defend the sheep and God’s name, but he also needed to be patient and learn to wait on God. Without these characteristics, he would have ultimately broken under the pressures of life and leadership like Saul did. If David adopted a motto while in the cave, it was probably something like this — Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. Like David, we too must seek to become men and women of spiritual value; in order to become men and women of spiritual success.
While in the cave, David took time to be alone with God by engaging in quiet time, worshipping and playing his harp before the Lord. From this, Psalms 34 was birthed. David came to understand that he was a child of prophetic delay going through a transitional season of change and he learned to love the process as much as the reward. And most importantly, he found that spiritual Incremental increases led by the spirit are greater than instantaneous gratifications of the flesh which get ahead of God’s timing.
Maybe you find yourself in a cave like David while the Lord is transforming you into a new creation. Remember dear friend, the Holy Spirit, God’s skillful surgeon has been commissioned to probe deeply on the inside of our innermost being and separate the precious from the vile and common. To receive all that God has for us, like David, we must give God all that we have that rightfully belongs to Him, and embrace the spirit as He works His perfect will in our lives to mold us into a Godly vessel. To get permanent results there must be permanent change. Only then will our passion find purpose and like David, we will be entrusted to do daring things as we walk in the light of His revelation knowledge.
“And all of us, as with unveiled face, because we continued to behold in the Word of God as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into HIs very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another for this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3:18)
Meet the Author
Alan Bullock
Alan Bullock has a BA in Biblical Studies, a Master’s Degree in Biblical Counseling, and an earned Doctor of Theology. In addition, Alan is a Certified Pastor Counselor, a member of The International Association of Christian Counseling Professionals (IACCP), and also a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC).