Skip to content 1 Chronicles 11-12: Is There a Process to God's Plan? Jun 22 · 15 min ...more
1 Chronicles 11-12: Is There a Process to God's Plan?
June 22, 2026 · 15 min
Exploring how God shaped David through trials—anointing, refuge, and gradual growth—encouraging believers to embrace God's refining process.
Series Stand on the Word - Video On Demand June 22, 2026 · 15 min · Stand on the Word - Video On Demand
Exploring how God shaped David through trials—anointing, refuge, and gradual growth—encouraging believers to embrace God's refining process. ...more Show the full description Show less Exploring how God shaped David through trials—anointing, refuge, and gradual growth—encouraging believers to embrace God's refining process.
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Is There a Process to God's Plan? 0:10 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Thanks for joining me this morning as we continue our journey through the book of Chronicles. We're looking at chapters 11 and 12 today. Verse 14, but they took0:22 their stand in the middle of that field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory. Well, as you can see, I'm on the road this morning, but I didn't wanna miss our time together.0:34 I was in Georgia this weekend. We had a great time, had a couple of events. 1 of them was a breakfast. We had a number of folks that are with us on this journey through the Bible. And it was so encouraging to0:45 hear from them how the Word of God is blessing them, encouraging them, and how this journey has just been a blessing to them and their families. With that said, this is a great time, as0:57 I mentioned before, as we approach this oasis of the Psalms to invite friends and family to join us. Great on ramp to stand on the Word to this 2 year journey. Text the word Psalms1:09 to 67742. That's Psalms to 67742. We're gonna send spend the summer in the Psalms. I mean, it's gonna be so encouraging. So invite friends to join1:21 us. Okay. So here in Chronicles we've now moved past the names. We've finished the longest genealogy in the bible and we're back on the story of David. Now remember that this was written1:33 according to the scholars, many of them believe it was Ezra the priest, and he borrowed from the documents that had been in existence, the historical record, and part of that is what we read in1:45 Samuel. So, much of this is going to sound familiar. However, however, be very alert as you read because there is there are additional facts and more1:56 information contained in here. So you are gonna find we are gonna find some of those nuggets as we read through. Alright. 1 topic that we're gonna explore in these 2 chapters today is this, this question.2:08 Is there a process to God's plan? Alright. Verse 1, chapter 11. Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron, saying, indeed, we are all your bone and your flesh.2:21 Also in times past, even when Samuel was king, you were the 1 who led Israel out and brought them in. And the Lord your God said to you, you shall shepherd my people Israel and be ruler2:33 over my people Israel.' Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord and they anointed David king over2:44 Israel according to the word of the Lord by Samuel. Remember that word had come a long time ago. Alright, so we were here reading once again that David2:56 became king over all of Israel. Now recall from the book of Samuel that Ishbosheth had become king over Israel after the death of3:08 Saul. Alright, and David was made king over Judah. Now, this fault line within the tribes, between the tribes, that became evident after3:20 the death of Saul would reappear and permanently divide the nation after Solomon, David's son, died. Now, as to the question, is there aDavid's Rise and Key to Success 3:32 process for God's plans to come into to being? Alright, David had been anointed king when he was about 10 to 15 years old. Alright, he3:44 served under Saul, he was in Saul's military, he was in his court, but Saul's jealousy and his attempt to kill David sent David on the run and became a fugitive. While he was on the3:56 run during 1 of those times, he found refuge with Samuel. We read that in 1 Samuel chapter 19. Now, he was probably in his early to mid twenties at that point. Now,4:08 this is what I am about to say is not recorded in Scripture, but many Jewish and Christian scholars suggest that it was highly probable, and I would agree, that Samuel during that time encouraged4:20 David, reaffirming God's promise. When, I mean, David was on the run, he was living in caves. The king wanted to kill him. I mean, the future did not look very bright for him. I'm certain that Saul that, Samuel4:30 encouraged him once again with the promise of God. So, encouraged him once again with the promise of God. So in chapter 12, we also see this process in4:42 how David's army was built. So it was gradual, it was incremental. Chapter 12, we see that with his army, 20 and verse 20 of chapter 12. When he went4:54 to Ziklag, those of Manasseh who defected to him were Adonah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad,5:06 Elihu, and Zilethai, captains of the thousands who were with Manasseh. And they helped David against the band of raiders, for they were almighty men of valor, and they were5:18 captains in the army. For at that time, they came to David day by day to help him until it was a great army like the army of God. So 1 by 1, men of5:30 valor went to David until he had an army of 350000 troops. Can God do things in an instant? Absolutely. In fact, God can do in a heartbeat what we cannot cannot do5:42 in a lifetime. The question is not about God's ability, it's about ours. David's preparation to be king was a process. The same is true for us and I5:53 know personally that where I am today, which is where I believe God has me for this moment, I'm to be here at this point in my life, but it was a process to get here. It was a process6:05 of preparation. And there have been a lot of shaping, equipping, and refining experiences along this journey, some, quite frankly, that I didn't enjoy.6:17 But today, I see how it all fits together. And there's a principle in scripture that we see over and over, I call it the promotion principle. It is God's process of preparing6:29 us for what He is calling us to do. And oftentimes, just as we see in this natural world, there are promotions and there are advancements, but there's preparation along the way.6:41 Look at Jesus' words in Luke chapter 16 verse 10. He says this, He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and he who is unjust in what is least is6:53 unjust also in much. So, if we take what we've been given, the opportunity that others may look down upon and we may think, oh, that's not that big of a deal, but if we embrace it with7:05 zeal for the Lord and do our work as unto the Lord, we'll find that the Lord will promote us. Now, here's an example. This stand on the word journey through the Bible started over7:17 15 years ago, but it didn't start, you know, with thousands of people each day joining us together on this journey. It began as a study simply for my family. The Lord led me to7:29 do that and and and challenged me to pastor my family, shepherd my children and my wife. And I will tell you, if that had been the sum total of Stand on the Word, this journey, it would have been enough because that7:41 was such it's been such a joy just to teach my family the Word of God and see the fruit come forth in their lives. And, by the way, fathers, I know we just7:53 celebrated Father's Day yesterday, but let me encourage you: no matter what stage you're in in life, men, maybe you're not a father yet, alright, or maybe you're a new father, maybe you've been8:05 a father, maybe you're, maybe you're a grandfather, doesn't matter. Shepherd your family. Walk with them through the Word of God. What does that mean? That means not8:17 only teaching them the word of God but modeling the word of God. See, especially with young children, they pick up more on what they see than what they8:28 hear. So God prepares us with the small things before He entrusts us with the really big things. David's journey began with him having to be personally faithful8:40 and trust in God's promises in the face of difficulty and rejection. And remember, he didn't take matters into his own hands when Saul was trying to kill him, he trusted God.8:53 Then, God brought him a small band of men, and remember we looked at them, they all had issues, he learned how to lead them and that band grew into a big army and eventually God9:05 gave him Judah and he reigned over the tribe of Judah as king for 7 and a half years in Hebron. Then after that, God made him king over Israel. But you know, that was9:17 over 2 decades in the process of being prepared to lead. God's plan, His process is preparing us through the9:29 experiences of life to prepare us for what He has called us to do. Now keep in mind, what if, what if, along the way David would have said, you know what, I'm not doing that. I'm supposed to be9:40 king. Remember Samuel said, I was a king, I'm to be king, He anointed me. I'm not leading this band of misfits. You know what, what would have happened? He would have missed his opportunity9:53 to serve God. Zechariah 4 10 tells us: Do not despise these small beginnings. Don't despise the small things. When I 1st started in broadcasting, you know, I now have10:05 a program that's almost on 900 radio stations across the country. We have a weekend program that's now on Newsmax. When I started, it was, I was paying to to10:16 air a commentary on a local radio station that 7 o'clock on Saturday mornings when there were 2 people listening, me and my wife, and that was it. But the Lord used that. It wasn't to reach10:28 other people. What I found out later, it was to prepare me to communicate and to be able to think concisely and get that message out there. Alright. I wanna go back, to chapter 11 to10:40 point out 1 more observation from today's reading. Look at verse 4 of chapter 11. And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus, where the Jebusites were and the and the were the10:52 inhabitants of the land. But the inhabitants of Jebe said to David, you shall not come in here.' Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. Now David said, 'Whoever attacks the JebusitesTaking a Stand for Victory 11:03 1st shall be chief and captain.' And Joab, the son of Zuriah, went up 1st and became chief. Then David dwelled in the stronghold, therefore he called it the city of David and he built a city around it11:15 from the milo to the surrounding area. Joab repaired the rest of the city. So David went on and became great and the Lord of hosts was with him. What was the key to11:27 David's success? Remember, David would take the nation to its zenith and Solomon would continue that trajectory. What was it? Here it is right in front of11:38 us, the Lord of Hosts or the Lord of Armies was with Him. The power of God working in us and through us makes all the difference in the world. We cannot do it in our own11:50 strength. Paul in Ephesians 6 after he had gone through all of Ephesians about how we are to live the Christian life in the workplace, in the home, in this broader12:02 society, this is it, Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, in Ephesians 6 10. Alright, I said there was 1 more thing, I actually have 1 more. There's12:14 1 other encouraging passage in this chapter that I want to point out before we wrap up. Verse 13: He was with David at Pazdan. Now there the Philistines12:26 were gathered for battle and there was a piece of ground full of barley, so the people fled from the Philistines, but they stationed themselves, they took the stand in the middle of that field, defended it and killed the12:37 Philistines, so the Lord brought about a great victory. In the 2nd half of this chapter we have a roll call of the mighty men of David that really were the key to his success. Some of these12:49 men had served with him when he was in Saul's army. This incident apparently occurred when David was fighting for Saul against the Philistines. The Philistines13:01 came at harvest time and that was to deprive the people of the food and the people were intimidated and they were scared and so they fled. But the men, these mighty men, took a stand in the13:13 midst of that barley field. They took a stand and look what God does. He showed up and He saved them and the people by a great deliverance. You see, sometimes,13:25 sometimes all it takes to see a mighty display of God's power is for someone to take a stand. Father, thank you for your word and, Lord, we're13:37 so encouraged by, the truths that we find in your word and their application to our lives that the Holy Spirit points out. So we continue to seek the direction of the Holy Spirit, the13:48 insight of the Holy Spirit on how to apply your word to our lives in this world in which we live. And so, Father, continue to guide us on this journey. Thank you for your love. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you for the13:59 process of preparing us each and every day through experiences, through challenges, through blessings to be prepared to serve you, Lord, as you have called us andPrayer and Closing Challenge 14:11 equipped us. And may we be found faithful, and may we not shun, may we not look down upon those opportunities, whether they be large or small, to14:23 honor you with our service and faithfulness. For we pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Alright. Thanks for joining me this morning, and until next time, keep standing on the word of God.14:36 Today's study comes from the Stand on the Word Bible Reading Plan, available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you14:48 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 Is There a Process to God's Plan?3:30 David's Rise and Key to Success11:00 Taking a Stand for Victory14:00 Prayer and Closing Challenge
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