Behave Yourself Wisely

More than ever before, as we all know, this is a perilous season. Satan is aggressive and like a roaring lion, he is seeking whom to devour, but at the same time God in His loving kindness is seeking whom to deliver. That is why there is a tremendous increase in the activities of leadership in the household of faith today. God called the leaders of this season to be town criers that the kingdom of God is at hand. They are endowed with wisdom to organize various prayer meetings, office and house fellowships, men and women fellowship, Bible Studies, Christian breakfast meetings, prayer night vigils, internet ministries, etc., so as to give people the divine information they need to live through the perilous season. In 1st Samuel chapter 18, David was reported that, he behaved himself wisely. This statement appeared in 4 verses in the chapter – namely verses 5, 14, 15 and 30. It was not a coincidence that this happened in only one chapter in the book, I believe it was divinely arranged because God is giving the whole world the message of the season.

The first contact of David with King Saul after Samuel had secretly anointed him as the king in Israel was when he was invited to the palace of King Saul to play his harp so that the king could be relieved of the evil spirit from God that was tormenting him. From then on, David was going in and out in the presence of the king. He saved the face of the King and all the people of Israelites from the forty days harassment of Goliath when he fought him and became victorious over the war giant of the Philistines. He became an armor bearer of King Saul. His friend Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved him with passion and with all his heart. Saul promoted David to be a captain over a thousand and David behaved himself wisely and the Lord was with him.

After David defeated and demoralized the Philistines in battle, the women took to the street to rejoice upon the victory their men had over their enemies. They began to sing songs of joy, praising their warriors. They sang to each other saying, Saul kill his thousands and David kill his ten thousands. When King Saul heard this he was enraged with envy and jealousy. He said, “They have credited David with ten of thousands but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom. Saul became tormented again with the evil spirit. And David was playing the harp for him so that he could be relieved. Two times the king attempted to kill David. In hateful rage Saul threw javelin to David in attempt to kill him but David was evasive on the two occasions. And yet, David behaved himself wisely. Saul became afraid of David because he knew that the Lord was with him.

King Saul had earlier vowed that anyone who can defeat the Goliath the Philistines giant would be given the daughter of the king. When it was time for the king to honor his vow, he gave his eldest daughter, Merab to Adriel the Meholatite to the detriment of David. But David behaved himself wisely.

After this, David fell in love with Michal another daughter of Saul. The news came to the king Saul and he sent message through his servants that he will give Michal to David. He even assured him that he would not ask for bride price. The only humble request of Saul in lieu of bride price for Michal would be 100 foreskins of Philistines. The disgraceful removal of the foreskins of the war-heroes of Philistines was intended to be a scheme of hatred of the Philistines towards David so that they could determine with vengeance to kill David at all cost. Think of this beloved of the Lord; the heart of man is desperately wicked. Saul intended to use the relationship of David and his daughter to ensnare David that Philistines might kill him. David behaved himself wisely again and the mighty hands of God were with him. Instead of 100 foreskins of the Philistines he brought 200 to Saul and Michal was given to him to be his wife.

David had every reason to revolt against King Saul for his ingratitude after he removed the reproaches of the giant Philistines against the Israelites. He had every reason to be angry with King Saul for not living to his word as a king when he gave his daughter Merab to Adriel the Meholatite. David had every reason to defend himself when King Saul attempted to kill him with javelin. David was aware of the evil intentions of King Saul when he asked for 100 foreskins of Philistines as bride price for Michal. Saul did not hide his evil schemes; with 3000 soldiers he pursued David to eliminate him. Two times God delivered Saul into the hands of David when the king slept off in the Valley of Engedi but David behaved himself wisely, he did not kill the king. David said, “Who can kill the anointed of the Lord and be guiltiness?

Perhaps we ponder and ask ourselves, what is it to behave oneself wisely? The interpretation of this phrase is that when we allow the counsel of God to rule in our life even in the face of tribulation. It could mean upholding righteousness against the wickedness of this world and humbling oneself in obedience to the law of God. Or in  simple every day saying, it could mean, “Take life easy as it comes.” Better still it could mean, “Let God have His own way in the situation of our lives. Whatever may be our own interpretation of this phrase, let us learn that we are to behave ourselves wisely in any situation we find our self as long as we know that God is in that situation with us.

We may be wondering why David behaved himself so wisely. Among other things the answers were that David knew that the covenant of God is upon him. Secondly, he knew that his loyalty was not limited to king Saul who made him a captain of a thousand but principally unto God Almighty who had began a good thing in his life from the shepherd field of his father, Jesse in Bethlehem. Thirdly, it was not in the interest of Satan that the will of God might manifest in the life of David, because the Bible revealed the 3-way attack of Satan, “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy . . .” (John 10:10) Regardless of the obvious wickedness of Saul, David humbled himself before the king and obeyed him.

Even if you did not realize this before now, you are called out of the wicked world and the covenant of God is upon your life, in the same way the covenant of God was upon David’s life. Perhaps for a laudable purpose which God is yet to unfold to you, He is protecting and preserving you daily. You have been anointed to specifically function in a unique way for the glory of God. Therefore, your faithfulness, your commitment and righteous attitude to the calling of God upon your life and the way you touch others with the beauty of Jesus Christ will determine your promotion and how far you will go in the ladder of life.

When you are over 500 miles away from your family and friends, alone at the battle line of this wicked world, away from members of your church and your pastor, you are expected to behave yourself wisely under the fear of God in all righteousness. Do not dipping your hands into sinfulness of this world and do not participate in their abominable activities so that you will not become a hindrance in the manifestation of mighty hand God in your life. If those who know you do not see you in far away country, the eyes of the Lord is watching over you.

God expect you to behave yourself wisely in your relationship with your spouse and every member of your family, by fixing every faulty foundation of your family and live an exemplary life. When God commanded His children in the book of Ephesians, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord,” and “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her,” God is telling the couples to behave themselves wisely by honoring His laws in their homes. God expect to see oneness in the spirit between husband and wife so that their prayers will not become an abomination.

In this world of unprecedented hostility towards righteousness when the children of God are under constant persecutions, God expect you to behave yourself wisely. Let the mind of God be in you. In the face of anger take counsel from the wisdom of God that says, “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8-9) “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32) “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls.”(Proverbs 25:28) There could be a situation whereby you are sure that you are absolutely right and that you are not at fault at all. If at this very point you decide to follow the path of peace, your actions is not tantamount to weakness. Like David you are simply behaving yourself wisely leaving the vengeance in the hand of God.

Brethren, in any situation you find yourself in this New Year, always rest assured that the eyes of God are upon you. In our environment where people show off with their personal-right legally and thereby relegate the righteousness of God to the background. Because you are no longer operating as the worldly people, learn the important fact that you do not possess any personal right that you can lay claim upon as your own because your righteousness is of the Lord. Always allow the mind of God to be in you and subject yourself to the wise counsel of God and behave yourself wisely in all situations. The year will surely yield its abundance of prosperity to you and the peace of God that passed all understanding will be your portion, in Jesus name, Amen. 

Michael A. Eleyinafe