Kingdom Overtakers And Overcomers ( 2)
DAVID was a kingdom overtaker. He overcame and took over territories and kingdoms for God.
There are four examples of David’s exploits that mark him out as a kingdom overtaker. Firstly, he strategically took over Zion by using volunteers like Joab ( 1 Chronicles 11).
Secondly, he overcame Goliath and delivered Israel from ridicule ( 1 Samuel 17: 42- 48). Thirdly, when the Amalekites ransacked his base at Ziklag, he went after them and recovered all they took from the camp ( 1 Samuel 30). Fourthly, In 2 Samuel 8: 1- 14, we read that David took over Moab, Syria, Ammon, the Philistines, the Amalekites, and the Edomites and his influence stretched to River Euphrates in presentday Iraq. These are marks of an overtaker and overcomer.
His ability to take over nations was very remarkable. We read that he forced Moab into subjection in a dramatic way he set a mark for those who were killed and those who were spared. He compelled Moab to pay tribute to him. This looked strange because Moab had earlier played host to David and his parents ( 1 Samuel 22: 3- 4). David’s influence stretched to the River Euphrates where he conquered Rehob, King of Zobah, the son of Hadadezer. David took from him 1,000 chariots, 700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. When the Syrians came to help Hadadezer, King of Zobah, he killed 22,000 of them. “And David took the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. Also from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze.“( II Samuel 8: 7- 8 NKJV).
All the treasures David gathered from the nations he subdued he dedicated to the Lord ( 2 Kings 8: 11).
Kingdom over takers and overcomers ha ve certain mindsets and characteristics: They are visionaries ( 1 Chronicles 11: 4- 9); they a re bold and courageous. ( 1 Samuel 17: 4448); like the sons of Issachar, they are spiritually discerning to know what God will have them do at any point in time; they conquer the spirit of fear; they are God- dependent. David always sought the face of the Lord before he took any steps ( 1 Samuel 30; 7- 8); they are tough- minded optimists who believe in the possibility of taking over kingdoms for God; they are resilient ( 1
Sam. 17: 28- 29); they persevere ( 1 Sam. 17: 33; 30: 9- 11); they are empathic, that is, high in emotional intelligence ( 1 Samuel 30: 23- 26); they are anoint ed by God; and they have strong i ntimacy with God. We find all these qualities in Mordecai, Esther and David. Twice, in verses 6 and 14 we read that the “Lord preserved David wherever he went.” The NIV rendering of these texts reads, “… The Lord gave David victory wherever he went,”,( 2 Samuel 8: 6 NIV). Kingdom over takers and overcomers get victor y because of the grace of God working through them and not because of their abilities.
As Paul repeatedly said, our victory is through Christ.“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ,” ( I Corinthians
15: 57 NKJV).
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragra nce of His knowledge in ever y place,” ( II Corinthians 2: 14 NKJV).
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us,” ( Romans 8: 37 NKJV).
We all have territories waiting to take over for God. The over 3 billion unreached people are ready to be possessed by Christ. Like the Psalmist commands: “Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession,” ( Psalms 2: 8 NIV).