Introduction

Good day to all, let us read from 1 Samuel chapter twenty-nine. The theme of the previous chapter was David with God and Saul without God, highlighting the most tragic thing in this world: to have God's presence initially, only to lose it later. This is a critical matter. It is a tragedy for a Christian to lose God's presence, and the events that befell Saul serve as a prime example of losing that divine presence.

I previously delivered a sermon titled God Regretted Making Saul King. The state of Saul after losing God's presence was exceedingly miserable. Can everyone place greater emphasis on God's presence? Because the situation with and without God's presence is vastly different. People with God's presence will see God's protection in even the most difficult circumstances, while those without God's presence will find even being king a source of turmoil, constantly panicked, disoriented, and in great distress.

This chapter recounts events that took place in the Philistine camp. Writing does not always follow a chronological order; sometimes, two events occurring simultaneously are narrated separately. In fact, 1 Samuel chapters twenty-eight and twenty-nine both discuss the Philistines attacking Saul, although they address the same event. Chapter twenty-eight describes Saul's reaction upon seeing the Philistines encamped across from him, while chapter twenty-nine uses a flashback, recounting the Philistines' march to attack Saul. Chronologically, chapter twenty-nine precedes chapter twenty-eight.

Chapter twenty-eight narrates Saul's extreme fear when facing the Philistine army. He placed his hopes on the deceased Samuel, seeking his counsel through a medium. Saul had reached a point of desperation, utterly helpless. Because God had completely abandoned him, even fervent prayer was futile. This illustrates that having God's presence and losing it are worlds apart. In contrast, chapter twenty-nine highlights how precious it was that David had God's presence in his adversity. Everyone must remember never to lose God's presence, because behind human suffering lies the presence of demons. It is deeply tragic when people lack God's presence and are left only with the presence of demons.

Regrettably, people are often unaware of this, and what we see most often is people losing God's presence. You might be a pastor or oversee a church, but without God's presence, you are like Saul. The reason is, do the things you value align with what God values? It's devastating if they differ by even ten percent. While studying this, I also contemplated why the Israelites, despite reading the Bible, became Pharisees—it was also due to losing God's presence. Later, when Jesus incarnated and came into the world, the Pharisees crucified Him, yet they were absolutely certain they were right.

The Importance of God's Presence

Let's consider an example to understand what problems God's presence can solve. God's presence does not merely address issues of sustenance or daily life; it resolves the fundamental question of the kind of life one will lead. Saul, for instance, reigned for forty years, day in and day out, year after year. As his reign neared its end, a battle led to his demise. Meanwhile, David sought refuge with Achish, akin to a Chinese person during the war of resistance against Japan, seeking refuge within the Japanese army. When Achish intended to march to war against Saul, he asked David if he would join. If you were David, would you go at this moment?

To illustrate further, imagine you were a puppet soldier under the Japanese, and the Japanese wanted to attack the Eighth Route Army; would you go? In reality, you wouldn't dare to refuse, and the thought would cause you distress and conflict. Fear not! God's presence will reveal His completeness at such times. We must understand that in our lives, we often encounter difficult circumstances, none of which are within our control. The presence of God is so vital in our lives because we inevitably face such helpless and difficult situations.

When Saul was pursuing David, David had opportunities to kill Saul but refrained. Now, he was expected to follow King Achish to fight the Israelites, a choice not his to make. Moreover, he couldn't show reluctance and had to verbally express his commitment to following Achish to kill Saul. Could God resolve this problem? Absolutely! God can surely deliver us in our predicaments. Miraculously, help appears, and even if you want to go, others won't take you.

At the Philistines' pre-battle rally, Achish gathered his soldiers, and everyone was enthusiastic about the upcoming battle, while David found himself in a dilemma. If one often faces such dilemmas, God's presence is truly essential. Let me offer a warning: whether you are a pastor or hold another position, be careful. If you lose God's presence, you will end up like Saul, and no one can save you, not even summoning the deceased Samuel from the grave.

So, what do you truly value? If what you value is not what God values, that is not Mingding Destiny. If what you value is what God detests, it's a tragedy! Having reverence for God resolves many problems. Never consider God's presence unimportant and prioritize your own concerns; that can only lead to a wretched end!

I, too, often find myself in difficult and painful situations. Sometimes, observing the growth of the brothers and sisters I shepherd fills me with despair—and that is no exaggeration. Therefore, I often say that I am grateful to God if these things do not happen during my lifetime; so much the better. In the history of Israel, there was a king to whom God, through a prophet, foretold tragedies that would befall Israel. God then promised that these things would not happen during his lifetime, to which the king replied, So much the better. I can only say the same.

I earnestly hope that the brothers and sisters will all value God's presence, but if you insist on neglecting God's presence and instead value those murky things, these two chapters tell you that it is easy to become a King Saul but much harder to become a King David. Ponder the dilemmas we face; are they not similar to the plight that David faced?

David's Predicament

David was in dire straits, having to feign loyalty and assuring Achish that it would be inhuman not to attack the enemies of his lord and king, all while his heart was in turmoil, caught between a rock and a hard place. Can we, as brothers and sisters, have David's wisdom when facing adversity? Many Christians say it is wrong to lie, but if David were to tell the truth at this moment and truly join the battle, he would be killing Israelites, becoming a puppet soldier and a traitor. However, it is difficult to play the role of a fake traitor. Faced with such circumstances, God's presence is invaluable.

The Philistine commanders advanced with their units of hundreds and thousands; David and his men brought up the rear with Achish (1 Samuel 29:2).

With each step David took with the army, he drew closer to the battlefield. Once on the battlefield, David's former master, King Saul, would immediately become the enemy of David's current army. What if Achish ordered David to kill Saul? David's heart was in turmoil, and every step was arduous, filled with extreme distress. He would carry the stigma of being a traitor for the rest of his life; whether he fought or not, he was doomed. Yet, David could not plead for his people, as doing so would expose him. Only our God can resolve such dilemmas.

If our God were not a miraculous God, a God who could manifest His power in adversity, and if our faith were not founded on God's power, then you would slowly become a traitor. How many Christians are unaware of God's power? If we believe in a powerless God, the end will be utterly miserable. We must know that when facing adversity, we must believe that God can help us overcome it.

But David said to Achish, What have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I came to you until now that I should not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king? (1 Samuel 29:8).

Although David, when speaking to King Achish, still affirmed that his lord's and his king's enemies were also his enemies, and that he would certainly fight bravely for Achish and the Philistines, at that moment, his heart cried out in despair, imploring God to help him, while outwardly pretending to be carefree and joyous. Whether David did so out of cleverness, pretense, or other motives is not important; God knew David's predicament and would not hold his words against him.

Therefore, people must become clever in this world and emulate David. I believe I would do the same in that situation. Because in adversity, who else can you rely on but God? Brothers and sisters, never think that God is powerless. Chinese Mingding Destiny theology believes in a powerful God. We must know that God is the God who saves us, and our God will surely deliver us from such predicaments. As the army marched 30 kilometers a day, drawing closer to the battlefield, David could not sleep at night. He prayed and pleaded with God, seeking and relying on God in his adversity.

Seeking and Relying on God in Adversity

How many of us have experienced God's grace? Even if we have not faced adversity as great as David's, we have encountered some smaller trials. Some doubt whether God is truly effective, but if God is effective in great adversity, He will surely be effective in smaller trials as well. God's power will always be effective when we face adversity in the future. Some among us have families who worship the deceased. One brother, after believing in the Lord, felt it inappropriate to worship the dead. When his family held rituals for a deceased relative, he struggled with whether to speak out, fearing he would be accused of being disrespectful. This brother prayed fervently and mustered his courage once.

The elders in the family, being Christians, forbade him from participating. And that was the end of it. Sometimes, we feel that God is not effective, but God is always effective, and beyond our imagination, it depends on whether we seek and rely on Him in our difficulties. If we seek and rely on God in difficulties, there are many ways to solve the problem.

Each family has its own customs when someone passes away. Some people believe in God but do not know that our God is a God of great power. People begin to compromise, turning false traitors into real ones and real Christians into fake ones, simply because they do not know the power of God. Now, everyone should gather their faith and be strong. In reality, nothing is a big deal. People just need wisdom and learn how David handled problems.

These short 11 verses in this chapter vividly describe David's predicament at the time. In this predicament, David prayed and called on God at every step, fighting against the fear and discomfort in his heart, and even all the negative thoughts inside, finally emerging by relying on the power of God. We also call on God and rely on Him in our difficulties. The miracles and wonders among us are countless, more than can be counted.

Do you know the power of God? If we are willing to trust Him and choose to seek Him in difficulties, many things will exceed our imagination. Those who could not graduate with a doctorate did so after prayer; those who could not find a job found one after prayer. So, do we begin to value God's presence? If we do not value His presence and become like King Saul, it will be a tragedy. Everyone should gradually begin to experience God little by little.

God's Miraculous Acts

I thank my God, who is a wonderful God, the God of the living, who watches over us and protects us every day. Everyone should know that God is with people like David, while people like Saul can only lose God's presence. It depends on what people value. As David followed the army, God worked. A group of Philistine leaders became angry with Achish, questioning why he brought David along.

The Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men? Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?” (1 Samuel 29:4-5)

These leaders' brains were clearly waterlogged at this moment. Whether David was a true or false traitor could have been easily tested by taking him to the battlefield, assigning him to the front lines, and specifically arranging for him to confront King Saul. However, the thoughts and intentions of the Philistine leader Achish were being played with by God till he was completely disoriented. Even if you lived in the era of Manchukuo, under Japanese control, God could make the Japanese think you are a good person no matter how they looked at you. If the God you believe in is a God of great power, your boss will always think you are a good person, but the key is whether you have God's presence. This is God's miraculous work. Even when the boss looks at you unfavorably, it is God who makes him see you that way.

The Philistine commanders asked, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, who has been with me these days or even years? I have found no fault in him from the day he left Saul until now.” (1 Samuel 29:3)

Achish said, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’ Now get up early in the morning with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave with them. When you are up early in the morning, depart as soon as it is light.” (1 Samuel 29:9-10)

Achish felt that David was particularly good. Whether David himself did particularly well or not is not important. What matters is that God was with David, and Achish simply saw David as good. At this time, the Philistine leaders were angry with Achish, questioning why he brought David along, which made no logical sense at all. Achish just liked David, but when it came to the crunch, Achish's subordinates saw David in a bad light. However, David had been waiting for this opportunity all along. He had been walking with difficulty, and finally, someone said they would not bring David along. This is because God was at work, letting them say they would not take David to fight Saul. For God, solving such a matter is very easy.

When building a church, it must be a church with God's presence; when being a pastor, one must be a pastor with God's presence; when being a district leader, one must be a district leader with God's presence; when being a Christian, one must be a Christian with God's presence. Building a church and losing faith in God is a tragedy because you only care about your own affairs. Brothers and sisters, listen to my advice, value God's presence and don't pay attention to trivialities and nonsense. If a person has God's presence and then loses it, it is a complete disaster, like King Saul. If you draw a card for your previous pastor or current pastor and see God saying, I regret that I made Saul king, it is really talking to us, reminding us not to follow the path that Saul took.

This passage says that Achish thought well of David, while the leaders thought ill of him, and the matter was resolved. David was overjoyed because the matter was resolved so beautifully. David not only solved the problem but also showed his loyalty, and Achish owed him a favor, resulting in a perfect ending. So, a person without God's presence is a tragedy, while a person with God's presence is a comedy, miraculously turning the situation around.

Do Not Be Afraid; Do Not Be Discouraged

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Brothers and sisters, we must start to be strong. Even if we are pretending to be traitors, we must do it more convincingly than the real ones. Like David, do not be discouraged or afraid. God is a God of great power. There is no problem that cannot be solved in God, because we have Mingding Destiny in us. We will also govern the kingdom of God, govern God's people, and shepherd God's flock in the future. Death is still far away. Moreover, to die and leave this world to be with the Lord is better by far. So, what do we fear? We are neither afraid nor discouraged because our faith is not built on human wisdom or persuasive words but on the powerful evidence of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, our faith is no longer like the faith of the evangelicals but like the faith of the Apostle Paul. There is no problem that God cannot solve. All our problems can be solved in God. I thank God that I often think I am not good enough. Fortunately, I think I am not good enough, because nothing can be solved by myself, but everything is solved by God. Our God is omnipotent; what is impossible with man is possible with God. Fear and panic do not solve problems. If a person is afraid and panics, they will not be able to fulfill God's promises.

When healing and delivering people, I find that they have fear inside when I pray. I will teach them that fear is a very small evil spirit. First, get rid of the spirit of fear, and then other problems can be solved. So, it is very clear in Revelation that the cowardly will be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur. If you say that you have been timid since birth, why were you not timid when you bossed around at home? You were very brave when arguing with me, isn't that the problem?

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)

Therefore, never be afraid or panic. Know that God's presence can solve all problems when facing any difficulty. Never lose God's presence and build our faith on the foundation of God's power. God's presence is built on the foundation of Mingding Destiny. We must ask ourselves why we are living. I tell you, once you live for yourself, God cannot be with you. If you value the few things you have, God cannot be with you. Without God's presence, it will bring difficulties like Saul, and these difficulties are unsolvable. Because Saul valued the throne he possessed and his son inheriting the throne, although he also fought battles, those battles were for himself, and he eventually lost God's presence. Isn't this a tragedy? God's presence is built on the foundation of Mingding Destiny.

Conclusion

I encourage everyone to obtain Mingding Destiny, and first, you must know why you are living. If you think something is important to you, but God does not think it is important, then it is troublesome. The previous chapter talked about why Saul was rejected, because he gave his mercy to God's enemies. Brothers and sisters, quickly summarize why God rejected Saul? By all means, don't mess around.

The Chinese Mingding Destiny I founded, Mingding Destiny is a very crucial issue. What do you live for, and what do you value? If what you value is what God hates, you better start by changing yourself. Don't think that God made a mistake. If you don't change, you will fall into Saul's situation over time where no one can save you; losing Mingding Destiny is a tragedy.

May God bless everyone!