Scripture
When the Philistines heard the Israelites had anointed David to be the king of Israel, all the Philistines went up to kill him. David heard about this and went down into the fort at Jerusalem. The Philistines came and camped in Rephaim Valley.
David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Should I go up to fight against the Philistines? Will You help me defeat them?”
The Lord answered, “Yes, I certainly will help you defeat the Philistines.”
Then David went to Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines in that place. He said, “The Lord broke through my enemies like water breaking through a dam.” That is why David named that place Baal Perazim (“The Lord breaks through”). The Philistines left the statues of their gods behind at Baal Perazim, and David and his men took them away.
Again, the Philistines came up and camped in Rephaim Valley.
David inquired of the Lord again and got this answer: “Don’t go up the valley. Go around them to the other side of their army. Attack them from the other side of the mulberry trees. When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, you must act decisively because that is the sign that the Lord has gone out in front of you to defeat the Philistines.”
David did what the Lord commanded him to do, and he defeated the Philistines. – 2 Samuel 5:17-25
Declaration/Prayer
Lord, there are so many lessons to learn from this passage. The most important one is to always inquire of You for plans and strategies while being open to a different or unconventional approach to the problem or opportunity. From his experiences as a humble shepherd boy to his valiant slaying of the giant Goliath to his rise to the throne of Israel, David developed a lifestyle of relying on You, shutting out distractions, and listening for Your counsel. In this time of wrapping up the year and goal setting for next year, help me be like David and listen carefully for Your Baal Perazim “break through” and turn the moment into momentum. Amen.
