1 Samuel 30:6-8
[6] And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
[7] And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.
[8] And David inquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.
David and his men were sent to the land of the Philistines. Since most men of fighting age were gone to fight, the Amalektite raiders decided to take advantage of what appeared to be a lack of defense. Upon coming back from one battle David returned to a horrific sight. Everything and everyone was gone and all habitations were destroyed by fire. The men, already weary from the battle with the Philistines walked 60 miles march only to be completely devastated. In their weariness they blamed the person who proposed that they even stay in Ziklag to begin with! But David, being a man of faith and now dealing with an internal turmoil, did the only thing he knew to do. He encouraged himself! He gained strength through encouragement to fight on.
1 Samuel 30:9-16
[9] So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.
[10] But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.
[11] And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;
[12] And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
[13] And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.
[14] We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.
[15] And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.
[16] And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
600 went, they stopped by a brook, or what can be viewed as a temptation to give in and rest from the weariness and loss. Although 200 stayed the rest pursued. And in the weariness of marching on away from the brook God moved the solution in their path in an unexpected time. You see, they would have never got to the enemy without first showing love and charity to the abandoned Egyptian. They were victorious with 400 against thousands! And just when you think they were in the clear, they were presented with yet another internal strife. This was related to greed and selfishness. The argument presents itself as, “now that you have the spoils of victory how do you spread them out?”
1 Samuel 30:23-25
[23] Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.
[24] For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.
[25] And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.
Not everyone is going to win every battle together, but you must remember to divide the spoils of your victory and portion with those who fainted before you in weariness. They seemed to have already forgotten who it was that helped them to get to the fight. We often forget who it is that had to help us encourage ourselves in a conflict of things that were closest and most valued.
In closing remember to have the same approach whether you are facing an outside enemy or an internal strife. Encourage yourself and allow God’s love to prevail and divide charity to everyone! Through and by this people can be drawn to a relationship with Jesus Christ!