SHARPEN 2016 - LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF DAVID | Pankaj Bhagwane

This message was preached at the RegionsBeyond India Leadership conference 2016.

This message was preached by Pankaj Bhagwanew who  is an Elder at One Nation  Mumbai.

For the audio please click here

God is doing something amazing in Regions beyond. We are on the tipping point and we are just about to get into a different season- a new wine skin. This prophetic word was also for the next generation. But there is a lot to learn from the generation that has gone before us.

He is raising up an army and there is something beautiful kept for the next generation. If we don’t get it, we will miss out big time!

From the story of David- he was known as the man after God’s own heart. Today we sit here as leaders with visions to see fulfilled. I want to pick out some truths from David’s life. If we keep them dear to our heart, we will see what we want to accomplish.

Although we know him as a man after God’s own heart, when God chose him as king over Israel, and sent Samuel to anoint him, Samuel was going to make a mistake by choosing someone handsome and big built. But God reminds him that he looks at the heart. God is far more interested in David’s heart. At that point, he finds David’s heart clean and clear

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Q. What is going on in your heart? What are your motives?

Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. Luke 6: 45- “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Whatever is in our heart comes out in our life. God is interested in our hearts. He can get a task done by anyone and anything. What is happening in our heart will be reflected in what we do.

David had a chance to kill Saul, but he says, in 1 Sam 24:6- . he proved that he had a pure heart even in his commitment to Jonathan. After hid death, he looked for someone from his family to show him kindness. David is the same guy who was anointed as king at 16, running away from SAUL at 17 and became king at 30. In these 14 years, he had a lot to learn.

Q. What was going on in his heart? What was he doing?

Jesus came as a son of David. We have much to learn from his character. If we apply that to our life, we will build something beautiful for his glory.

God has called Regions Beyond to build something beautiful and great for his glory.

1.      David did odd jobs. He was a servant hearted leader. He tended his father’s sheep even after being anointed as king. He took sandwiches to his brothers, played the harp for King Saul. Whatever David did, he did it with a pure heart. Jesus said, anyone who wants to be great, needs to be the least of all.

We will see our visions fulfilled if we carry it with a heart like Jesus’.  

In Philippians 2 Paul urges that our attitude should be the same as Jesus who became a servant, who did not grasp the equality with God, but gave his life on the cross. That is what God is calling us as individuals.

2.      David knew what it is be a servant. He did not despise small beginnings. When we get called, we forget what we are called into. When he called us, we were not qualified. Paul says, think of what you were when you were called. Not many were wise or influential but God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. Remember where we come from. God wants to display his wisdom in our lives. We are all called and we are all qualified.

God has put great things in our heart which need to come out to make something beautiful. God had to remove a heart of stone and put a heart where his laws are written, a heart of flesh. We don’t carry a heart of stone anymore. What’s going on in our hearts will produce what we do in our life. David was a servant.

In 2009 when I got baptised in the Holy Spirit, I was a different man. I wanted to do something great in this nation. I was radically changed. In the middle of a job change I didn’t want that job. God had done something in my heart.

One encounter with Jesus changes a life. In the group I lead, lives were transformed. When Steve came to gateway, he heard of this group, and called me during the week and asked to visit the group. He came and ministered amongst us. There was an amazing presence of God. My roommate at the time, was in great need which was miraculously met. His life was transformed.

3.      God wants us to be available for him. In small things he was available. God gave me heart for this nation. Don’t question God’s ability. Where we come from, we were all foolish.

4.      David was a man of Prayer. When he was busy tending sheep, he would play the harp and sing songs to the Lord. the fruit of prayer will be patience, boldness, faith, humility. David took the battle with goliath to the next level. He saw the giant from the eyes of God. He knew God closely. He had intimacy with god with which we will accomplish what God has accomplished in our life.

People and churches, are waiting for us. The message of Christ which is in our hand, is hope for people. to be people who accomplish what God has placed in our heart, prayer is important.

5.      David was a man of humility. David was anointed as king in the presence of his brothers. Yet, he served his brothers.

6.      David is a team guy. In 1 sam 22 we see that he gathered those who were in distress- mighty men who were later greater than him. David wasn’t perfect. The difference between our sin and the sin of those who are not saved is that we know our standing in Christ. Only in Christ can we become perfect.

7.      David finished well. In his heart, there was no jealousy, no envy, no insecurity. 1 kings 1: 47-48- Solomon was anointed as king, to be a king after David.

Q. Whom are you raising? Whom are you bringing along? These are important questions we must ask ourselves to fulfil the call of God in our lives to build something beautiful that glorifies God.