1. DAVID THE SHEPHERD KING #9 Sleeping With The Enemy – Part 1 1 Samuel 27-30

2. The Bible has a great deal to say about the subject of apostasy, that is, falling away from God. –Hebrews 3:12 –2 Peter 3:17 –Isaiah 1:28 –1 Timothy 4:1 –John 6:65-66 Heb 3:12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God 2 Peter 3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, Isa 1:28 But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together, And those who forsake the LORD will come to an end. 1 Tim 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons John 6:65-66 And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father." 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore

3. The Bible has a great deal to say about the subject of apostasy, that is, falling away from God. Not only is the Bible full of verses that warn us about falling away from God – we have accounts in the Bible of those who actual did it – some returned to God and some did not –The list of biblical backsliders includes names like Saul, Solomon, Amon, Rehoboam, Amaziah, Jonah, Demas, and David …… David? –Was David a backslider? Did David ever fall away from God? –Most of us probably don’t think of the “man after God’s own heart” as having been a backslider, yet, during one particular 16 month period of his life, prior to his becoming king of Israel, David actually got so discouraged with the way things were going in life that it appears he abandoned the Lord and the lord’s people and went a lived with the enemy.

4. The Bible has a great deal to say about the subject of apostasy, that is, falling away from God. Not only is the Bible full of verses that warn us about falling away from God – we have accounts in the Bible of those who actual did it – some returned to God and some did not It is the Bible’s account of that period of David's life that I want us to consider in this and the next lesson –In these lessons we will be studying 1 Samuel 27-30 –Since the warnings about backsliding or falling away are given by the Bible to all of God’s people, as we look into this portion of Scripture, I want to encourage you to make the application of it as personal as possible –We will look at those things about David’s apostasy that might be common to us at times

5. The Bible has a great deal to say about the subject of apostasy, that is, falling away from God. Not only is the Bible full of verses that warn us about falling away from God – we have accounts in the Bible of those who actual did it – some returned to God and some did not It is the Bible’s account of that period of David's life that I want us to consider in this and the next lesson This portion of David’s life can be divided up into five periods – each of which is common ground to many instances of backsliding today

6. DAVID BECAME DISCOURAGED AND LOST FAITH IN THE LORD 1 Samuel 27:1 –What we are hearing in this verse are the words of a very weary man. The mad pursuit of David by Saul had not let up (1 Samuel 23:14) –If you have been a child of God very long you can probably relate to being weary at times. The road seems long and hard at times. Perhaps there have been times when you were so weary you actually considered giving up That is where David is at this point. 1 Sam 27:1 Then David said to himself, "Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand." 1 Sam 23:14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.

7. DAVID BECAME DISCOURAGED AND LOST FAITH IN THE LORD 1 Samuel 27:1 Several things contributed to David's discouragement, and they are things that discourage us as well. First, he sought relief from his difficult situation and his effort failed. –I refer to the incidents of David risking his life to spare Saul, once in the cave (1 Sam. 24) and again in the camp of the Israelite pursuers (1 Sam. 26). –When you’ve done all you know to do in human strength and a situation doesn’t get any better, or maybe even gets worse, it is easy to get discouraged. –Some of you may know what it is like to seemingly be locked into a circumstance that defies natural resolution

8. DAVID BECAME DISCOURAGED AND LOST FAITH IN THE LORD 1 Samuel 27:1 Several things contributed to David's discouragement, and they are things that discourage us as well. First, he sought relief from his difficult situation and his effort failed. A second thing that probably contributed to David's discouragement was this: it seemed like God had forgotten His promise made so long ago through Samuel the prophet. –Samuel died, probably of old age, without ever seeing David become the new king. That day when David was anointed seems so long ago. –What about waiting on the Lord? What about trusting in the Lord? David had lost sight of those things. He was now thinking horizontally and not vertically.

9. DAVID BECAME DISCOURAGED AND LOST FAITH IN THE LORD 1 Samuel 27:1 Several things contributed to David's discouragement, and they are things that discourage us as well. First, he sought relief from his difficult situation and his effort failed. A second thing that probably contributed to David's discouragement was this: it seemed like God had forgotten His promise made so long ago through Samuel the prophet. This is a major cause of apostasy – losing sight of or hope in the promises of God –Thus, we need encouragement (Hebrews 3:12-13) –David was discouraged and desperately needed some encouragement – all of us get that way sometimes –Sometimes a well placed word of encouragement can be the only thing that stands between us and apostasy Heb 3:12-13 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin

10. DAVID BECAME DISCOURAGED AND LOST FAITH IN THE LORD 1 Samuel 27:1 Several things contributed to David's discouragement, and they are things that discourage us as well. First, he sought relief from his difficult situation and his effort failed. A second thing that probably contributed to David's discouragement was this: it seemed like God had forgotten His promise made so long ago through Samuel the prophet. This is a major cause of apostasy – losing sight of or hope in the promises of God The first phase of David’s apostasy, then, was that he lost faith in the Lord. –It wasn’t that he was dabbling in some gross sin – he just lost the will to go on –The second phase of David's apostasy followed very closely once he lost hope

11. HE ABANDONED THE LORD AND HIS PEOPLE AND CROSSED OVER TO THE ENEMY 1 Samuel 27:2 –In other words, David finally gave in - he was weary of the opposition. –David decided to go where he thought Saul would not pursue him – the enemy camp. 1 Sam 27:2 So David arose and crossed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

12. HE ABANDONED THE LORD AND HIS PEOPLE AND CROSSED OVER TO THE ENEMY 1 Samuel 27:2 1 Samuel 27:3-4 –Notice, the opposition stopped when David crossed over! Saul gave up the search. At last David had what seemed like peace – at least for the moment. –Often that is what happens in the early stages of apostasy. When a person finally gives up or gives in, crossing over the line and abandoning hope in the Lord, there is sometimes what seems to be relief. It is momentarily like having been swimming upstream against a swift current and then suddenly letting go and going along with the flow. It seems much easier. 1 Sam 27:3-4 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's widow. 4 Now it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him

13. HE ABANDONED THE LORD AND HIS PEOPLE AND CROSSED OVER TO THE ENEMY 1 Samuel 27:2 1 Samuel 27:3-4 On occasion I have talked with people who have left the Lord and heard them say, “Things are so much easier now. No more hassle.” –That is probably because there is no more satanic opposition. Satan doesn’t fight for what he already has. –But don’t be fooled! That relief is only temporary – and we will see it in this account in David's life The person who lets go and goes with the flow of the current will be at the mercy of that flow, surely to be crushed in the rapids below at some later time. –“… and those who forsake the LORD will come to an end.” (Isa. 1:28)

14. HE ABANDONED THE LORD AND HIS PEOPLE AND CROSSED OVER TO THE ENEMY 1 Samuel 27:2 1 Samuel 27:3-4 On occasion I have talked with people who have left the Lord and heard them say, “Things are so much easier now. No more hassle.” By the way, did you notice the effect that David’s going over to the enemy had on his men? They went with him! –David was a leader. Men followed him. David shared the grave responsibility that all leaders have and need to be reminded of from time to time: the direction of your life will have a profound effect on the life of others. –You cannot fall away without effecting the lives of others … spouses … children … friends … students –If you are right now close to giving up and can’t think of a good reason to keep fighting – think of the effect you will have on others. This is reason enough to hang in there until you can get some help or until God comes through

15. HE ABANDONED THE LORD AND HIS PEOPLE AND CROSSED OVER TO THE ENEMY 1 Samuel 27:2 1 Samuel 27:3-4 On occasion I have talked with people who have left the Lord and heard them say, “Things are so much easier now. No more hassle.” By the way, did you notice the effect that David’s going over to the enemy had on his men? They went with him! David abandoned the Lord and his people and crossed over to the enemy.

16. In our next lesson we will see how: –David adapted to life without the Lord –David reaped the results of life without the Lord –David finally came to his senses and returned to the Lord Apostasy is a real danger – be careful … encourage one another – be aware of your example...