"But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God… Then David inquired of the Lord, saying, 'Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?' And He answered him, 'Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.'" — 1 Samuel 30:6, 8 (NKJV)
Often, the circumstances we find ourselves in don't seem to warrant pursuit. In fact, they make you want to retreat because the circumstances we're currently in are weighty. When you've been attacked on every side and depleted in every way, it's natural to wonder why we would want to pursue what was lost or even seek justice.
Yes, in our minds we may say, "I want back what was stolen," or "I want justice." But the effort required, the work, the fight, the endurance, is not always easy. It can even feel foolish when those who once stood in your corner begin to shift, especially when the evidence of God is not yet visible to the natural eye.
Honestly, I can only imagine what King David must have been experiencing. He knew God was with him, and those who followed him had seen firsthand God's favor on his life. Yet even they struggled to understand how God could allow such devastation. And many are experiencing a similar situation. You know God called you, and you know His favor rests on you. Yet you find yourself facing a major attack or attacks, some things have been taken from you, and are affecting not only you but those connected to you. It may be your health, your finances, your work, your ministry, or even a word the Lord gave you. Now you're wondering… Should I still pursue?
May I offer you a word of encouragement: do what David did and encourage yourself in the Lord. Take some time and pull away to listen for His instruction, and when He says, "Pursue," you pursue, with everything in you. Why? Because the Lord says you will recover it all. There is no greater guarantee!
However, here's the truth: the enemy is after your faith and your trust in God. And when we lose those, we've lost everything. While I can relate to and understand the attacks may be real, and the effects felt, their power is nothing in comparison to our God. What may seem overwhelming to you is easily broken by the Lord your God!
Father God is only asking you to believe, to stand firm in your faith, and refuse to lose your faith and trust in the One who never fails and always keeps His promises. When God, the Creator of heaven and earth, tells you to pursue, you don't hesitate. On the contrary, you move, period! When Father God affirms your success and your recovery of everything that was lost or stolen, you take Him at His word.
His word declares this: "God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" No — He keeps His Word, and His promises are Yes and Amen. Now go, pursue and recover all, in Jesus' name. Amen.
