# Dealing with Someone After You

Key Passage: 1 Samuel 23
Date: June 7, 2024

Dear praying friends, praise the Lord, it is so exciting that we have been able to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in the country of Mexico for over 15 years. Thank you so much for your faithfulness through your love, prayers, and support that are helping us to make a difference.

The Lord has blessed in so many wonderful ways, allowing us to win souls personally and through mass evangelism, helping to establish several churches, teaching and training nationals, and preparing books and videos to train in evangelism and help Christians grow in their relationship with the Lord and in their effectiveness for His service. The Lord has truly been good to us, allowing us to see multitudes trust Christ as their Savior.

We are so thankful that in spite of everything that has happened with the coronavirus, that we still have been able to give out the gospel every day. Of course, we have not been able to do the mass evangelism that we were doing before, but praise the Lord, there are so many ways that the Lord can use us to share the gospel with others. Truly, the gospel is the power of God and the salvation.

Recently, my wife was in a health food store, and she struck up a conversation with a worker named Hector. Right there in the store, he prayed to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. Praise the Lord, God is still in the soul-winning business. Amen.

It says, I would ask that you would please pray, especially for the overall health of my family. Recently, I had a little battle with my health, but praise the Lord, I am doing great now. If you could please pray for my health, for my wife’s health, and for our son Michael’s health as we serve the Lord Jesus Christ. I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you once again for all your love and prayers. They are truly making a difference. Please pray for God’s provision, protection, and power for us personally and for the ministry we have been reaching for… for the ministry we have of reaching precious souls for the Lord Jesus Christ. We love you all in the Lord. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, and may God use you in a greater way for His glory and honor. God bless. Yours for souls, Darrell Ratcliffe. Peace and prayer.

Let’s go to the Lord in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, I do thank you for our missionaries. Thank you for missionaries that have been on the field as the Radcliffs have for 15 years, Lord. I know it’s tough on families, Lord, especially if they have loved ones here in the United States. Lord, I just pray that you give them an extra blessing, protection, and provision. And Lord, just give them Your joy and Your happiness that can only come from You as they serve You. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

1 Samuel chapter 23. It’s been six Wednesdays since we’ve been on the life of David. We’re doing a series on that. We’ve had many different things going on. I’ve been in town, and so we’re getting back to it. Let me just kind of get everybody on board. I think most everybody here knows the life of David for the most part. We’re kind of at this stage where David is young. He killed Goliath, and God used him to win many battles in victory against the Philistines. And Saul is just out of his head, jealous. Really, the last message we preached was on Saul the narcissist.

It’s very interesting. If you’ve ever studied up in our day and time, they use a term quite a bit: narcissist. He just fits the description to the teeth. In fact, I think the last time we covered was 527. It is very interesting. But let me just kind of go through that just to touch before we get to tonight’s subject. Saul was all about him.

He had everyone gathered around him, and it wasn’t honest, not at all. To a narcissist, truth just gets in their way. They are going to get what they want if they have to twist or change the truth, whatever the lie, in other words, to get what they want. It’s all about them and what they want. They are always a victim. It’s amazing. Saul said, “Nobody told me that David’s after me.” Well, David wasn’t after him, but he just can’t believe no one told him. He actually says these words, “There’s none of you that is sorry for me.” Isn’t it amazing? He is trying to kill David, but he is wanting everybody to think he is the victim. They are very manipulative. They are masters at spinning things, kind of like the news. They are the spin masters.

They will spin something so quick. Often they are the ones that caused the problem, and you will leave crying for them. They are very manipulative. They often accuse others of doing what they are doing. Saul was trying to kill David, and he was accusing David of trying to kill him. This is very common with a narcissistic person.

They have no empathy. They do not share in the hurt of others, the feeling. Remember Saul had all the priests and the families killed in the city there, and he did not think anything about it. They just do not have empathy for others. They do not feel their hurts, if you will. He got others to do his work, remember Doeg the Edomite. He is the one that did the dirty work. Usually narcissists are pretty good at delegation. It does not mean if somebody is good at delegation, they are a narcissist, but typically a narcissistic person is fairly good at delegation. Saul would often get others to do his dirty work. So, that gets us in the right frame of mind where we are at, what is going on, what type of person David is dealing with.

I thought the Lord would have us discuss this subject: dealing with someone that is after you.

If you live long enough, you are going to have someone that is after you. You wonder, “Why are they after me? Why are they trying to get me everywhere?” You are not going to be able to figure it out. They are just going to be after you. Here it is physically, but often it is not physical. It is just different at any angle they can get. They are after you. You are going to have that in life, especially if God uses you much. You are going to have that, especially if God calls you to leadership. It is just nobody likes it. It is not pleasant, but it is going to happen. How do you handle it? That is what David is going through.

I remember Brother Duane Dauphett. He was pretty high up in his company. He told me one time, “Pastor, this is part of it. When you get leadership, you are kind of putting the bullseye on your back. You are just part of it. You are going to get some people who come after you.” Whether it be that, or sometimes David is not somewhat of a leader at this point. He has some men gathered around him. He is not keen, but he is just saying, you are going to have people come after you.

I look over to see Josh Patterson, and praise the Lord, Josh Patterson is in college. He is at a good college, a Christian college, a great place. But I guarantee you, if you get around a bunch of students, somebody will come after you sometime. I see some of you shaking. You go to work, and you get around coworkers, and you are just like, “What did I do?” You are not going to be able to figure it out. They are just going to come after you. It happens in our teen group. It happens in teen groups; it happens in churches. If we can keep it all out of here, that would be great, but you cannot. It is just part of life. So, how do you deal with it? This is what David is going through, and they are just going to try to pull some truths out of it and try to find some knowledge and some truths. Hopefully, God will use it in our hearts.

We are going to read just one verse to get us going. Chapter 23, verse number 14. Would you please stand as we read God’s word together? 1 Samuel 23 and verse number 14 of God’s word: “And David abode in the wilderness in strongholds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph, and Saul sought him every day.”

I look out; I see Destiny back there. There may be somebody in school, and every day she goes to school, they are trying to get her any way they can. This was what David was going through. But notice the last line is a wonderful line: “But God delivered him not into his hand.” That is the key.

Let’s pray. Just ask God to use it on all our lives tonight. Father, Lord, help us to learn, help us to glean. Lord, I try to seek what You would want us to gather from Your word on this subject, and Lord, use it. Father, thank You that sometimes You grow us by allowing us to go through these things. Help us to grow when we go through it. Father, help us to learn and go that way tonight. Father, we thank You for what You do. I ask for Your Spirit and Your moving and Your guidance tonight. In Jesus’ name I ask, amen.

Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated. So, what do you do? What do you do when people sometimes decide you are the guy they are going to shoot at? What do you do? Look back in chapter 23 right there. Let’s start in verse number one, if you would, for a moment or two here.

1 Samuel 23, verse number one. Are you there tonight? Amen? Good deal. Verse number one: “Then they told David, saying, ‘Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing floors.’” Then David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and smite these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go, smite the Philistines and save Keilah.” David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.” By the way, he went, and God did bring a great victory. David and his men won, and they saved that city. Imagine that—they saved the city. God used David to save them.

Now look down at verse number seven. “And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah.” And Saul said, “God hath delivered him into mine hand.” Narcissistic people often use the Lord—I should say, use the name of the Lord. It is very common. God gets blamed for a whole lot. “Well, I think it is God’s will. God let me do this.” Friend, that does not necessarily mean that is true. That is the same thing Saul is doing here. God had not delivered David into Saul’s hand, but Saul said, “God hath delivered him into mine hand, for he is shut in by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.”

Now look down in verse number 10. Saul goes down there to go after David. Verse number 10: “Then said David, ‘O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down as thy servant hath heard?’ O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” Then said David, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me up, deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will deliver thee up.” Then David and his men, which were about 600, arose and departed out of Keilah and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah, and he forbore to go forth.

Amazing. After God used David to deliver those men, they were going to turn on David. That is just the way it is sometimes. But here is the thing: notice how David was walking in the will of God. Continually, every angle, every decision, he sought the Lord: “What do You want? The Philistines have come over there to Keilah. Do You want me to go over there and fight?” “Yes.” “Are You going to deliver them into our hands?” “Yes.” The men complained, “Man, we are afraid over here. We do not want to go over there and fight the Philistines. They are pretty mighty people over there.” So, he sought the Lord again, and the Lord said, “Go, and you win.” And he did, and he went. Then the word got out Saul was coming down to get him, and he sought the Lord about that. David continually wanted to make sure he was doing what God wanted him to do.

Now, here is the thing: when someone is after you, who knows why? By the way, do not stay awake at nighttime trying to figure out why they are after you. Somebody gave me a great Christmas gift. It is a little thing, looks almost like a soap dish, about that big. I got it right by my nightstand, right by my bed. This one says, “Give it to the Lord and go to sleep.” Amen. That is why I got it right there by my bed. You cannot figure out why they are after you. But look, if you are doing what God wants, there is peace. I do not know why they are after me. I do not know what they want. But, Lord, I am doing what You want me to do, and there is peace there. During that time, do not get caught up too much in the fight and all that. Keep your direction vertical. Satan is always pulling, trying to get your heart and your mind and your attention and your emotions on the horizontal, but that is secondary. The primary, the main thing, is right here. Friend, if God wants to bless you, all hell cannot stop God from blessing you. Just stay right during that time. Do not get caught up in the fray and the fussing and the fight, and seek His direction out of everything. Stay right with God during that time.

Actually, the Lord would like to use those times to get us closer to the Lord. I think maybe David was just more avid: “Lord, I’ve got to have Your direction because if I make the wrong move, they are going to get me. So, Lord, I need Your leadership.” That is a good thing if it led David to pray and seek the Lord more.

It is a great verse. You probably know the verse. Look over in Proverbs 3, verse number 6. Proverbs 3:6. It is just 12 words, 12 words. You can divide it into two halves: six words in each. The first six words are what we do. The last six words are what God does. Great verse, great promise found here. Proverbs 3:6.

Proverbs 3:6. Great promise. Here it is: “In all thy ways acknowledge him.” That is what we do. Here is what He does: “And He shall direct thy paths.” That is a promise. He shall. Friend, if you are acknowledging Him in all your ways, you are sincerely seeking that and you are honest about it, do not worry that God is playing some weird game on you and He is not going to show you His will. He will direct it in His time. Sometimes there is a waiting period there by faith, but He will direct. You do not have to worry about God showing you. He has a million ways to do that. He is God.

“In all thy ways acknowledge him.” Here is what we do sometimes: we are just off doing our own thing, doing what we want to do, until we get in that trouble spot. “All right, Lord, I am acknowledging You.” I said, “In all thy ways.” That means in my home life, my music life, my movie life, my tongue life, what I say to whoever, whatever—in all thy ways acknowledge Him. It does not mean you have to be perfect because you are not perfect. Nobody is perfect. But you acknowledge Him: “Lord, You are God. You have control. My finances, Lord, You are the one that gave it to me. It is not mine anyway. It is Yours. What do You like me to do with the finance?” Just in all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall guarantee it. Praise the Lord. This is the Wednesday night crowd. You are in church. I believe for the most part you are trying to acknowledge Him in all thy ways. If you are sincere and you are open to the Holy Spirit, and, “Lord, I want to acknowledge You in all my ways,” He will direct.

It is going to be that time you are just maybe waiting in the valley of decision—I call that the never-fun valley to be in—but He will direct in His time. David, in the midst of Saul being after him, just sought the Lord: “Lord, what do You want about it?” It seemed like about everything he did, he sought the Lord: “Lord, what do You want here?” That is a good thing. Make sure you stay right with God.

Temptation is to get back in there and fight fire with fire, and you lose God’s blessings. Stay right with God. Stay seeking the Lord during that time. Let us find out what else. Number one, we said, just stay walking in the will of God during that time. Then let us find out something else about how David handled it when Saul was after him every single day. Every angle Saul could find, he was after him. What do you do during times like that? You are going to have times like that. It is sad when it is in marriage like that, but you will find that sometimes. God can handle that too. You stay right in that thing.

Look at this. What did David do about it? Look in chapter 23, verse number nine. “And David knew that Saul secretly practiced mischief against him.” And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring hither the ephod.” Notice that David knew that Saul was secretly practicing mischief. He knew what was going on. He saw Saul for what he was.

Let us look at it. He had a couple of other places. Look in verse number 15: “And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life.” And David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. Chapter 24, if you would please. Chapter 24. This is really an amazing one here. This is where David has an opportunity to kill Saul, and he does not. I believe this is the one where he is in the cave, and then Saul comes into the cave. Saul does not know David is hid inside the cave. David comes out. David could have killed him. In fact, the man that was with him said, “Let us kill him. God has delivered him into your hand.” David said, “No, no. I am not going to lift my hand against God’s anointed.” Afterward, David held up the piece of the robe that he cut off and said, “Look, I could have killed you, but I am not going to do that.”

We are picking it up here, all right? We are in chapter 24. We are going to read a couple of verses, so stick with me here. Start in verse number 10: “Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord hath delivered thee into mine hand in the cave. And some bade me kill thee.” (It is David talking to Saul.) “But when I spared thee, I said, I will not put forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed.” Moreover, “See ye not the skirt of thy robe in my hand? For in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe and kill thee not, know thou that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee. Yet thou huntest my soul to take it. The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.” Notice this what David says, as saith the proverb of the ancients, “Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked,” but “mine hand shall not be upon thee.” David saw him for what he was. He knew what was going on, but he said, “I am not going to seek vengeance.”

Verse number 14: “After whom is the king of Israel come out? After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.” The Lord therefore be judge and judge between me and thee, and see and plead my cause and deliver me out of thine hand.

It came to pass when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul that Saul said—this is interesting—Saul gives a speech. It is a little bit harder to tell how sincere he is, but I want you to notice something at the end of it. We are in verse number 16: “That Saul said, ‘Is this thy voice, my son David?’” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept, and said to David, “Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. Thou hast showed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me; forasmuch as when the Lord hath delivered me into thine hand, thou killest me not. For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? Wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord that thou wilt not cut off thy seed after me, that thou wilt not destroy thy name out of my father’s house.” And David sware unto Saul.

Notice this: Saul went home, but David and his men got them up into the hold. Here is the thing I want you to see. Even after the speech and even after Saul crying, David had not bought it yet. David saw him for what he was. So many people live in denial. Sometimes they do not want to see the truth. You need to see it for what it is, not so you can go around town spreading rumors and talking bad and being bitter about them, but for your sake and for your growth so you do not have any influence in the wrong way. Do not live in denial. David saw Saul for what he was worth.

Sometimes we do not want to admit the truth. We live in denial a little bit because we do not admit we have been seeking after truth for years. Do not live in denial. Sometimes people do not admit the truth: “Well, I love them too much.” No, love sees the truth and yet loves them still. I am glad God knows the truth about me, but He still loves me. While we were yet sinners, right in the middle of our mess, God loved us. As Christians, we are not called to stick our head in a hole somewhere in the sand and deny the truth. We are called to see it through God’s eyes with wisdom, but not be mean and bitter and hateful. Love them still, but know what is going on. Even after this spill from Saul, and he even cries and says you are more righteous, you are going to be the king and all this, David had not bought it. David still said, “I am just not going to put myself in that fellow’s hands. I just do not see it quite yet.” By the way, forgiveness is one thing; you ought to forgive always, but trust is earned. It is right to see it for what it is, but handle it right.

David will not allow himself to be fooled by Saul again. Do not live in denial because sometimes you are continually hurt over and over and over again because you want to admit the truth. Sometimes I do not want to pass it down to the people behind me because I want to admit the truth. I need to admit the truth and see it for what it is.

So, what do you do? Sometimes you are just going to be after you. Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever just woken up and said, “Did somebody put that kick me?” Have you had that in school going on? Brother Frank was one of the guys who put it on somebody else’s back. I know he did, I am sure. I think all of us are gifted there a little bit. But have you ever woken up and just felt like, “Man, is it pick on day?” It is going to be like that sometimes, and that is what David is going through in a great way. David, every step, said, “Lord, I have to make sure I am doing Your will.” Then David saw Saul for what he was worth and handled it right, but he knew what was going on.

Let us look at a couple of things here real quickly. Look in chapter 24. Most of you know what is coming up here—chapter 24, look in verse number four. “And the men of David said unto him, ‘Behold, this is the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee.’” Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privately. “It came to pass afterward that David’s heart smote him because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.” He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.”

Look down in verse number 10: “Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord hath delivered thee today into mine hand in the cave, and some bade me kill thee, but mine eyes spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against the Lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.”

Look over in chapter 26. This is another time. They are in a valley. Saul and his men go to sleep. David and his men sneak over there. He could have killed Saul. Let us find out what David does here. Chapter 26, verse number 8: “Then said Abishai to David, ‘God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day. Now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear, even to the earth at once; and I will not smite him twice.’” This time this guy said, “You ain’t got to do the dirty work, David. I will do it for you. Take care of him.” And David said to Abishai, “Destroy him not; for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” David said furthermore, “As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go down to battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lord’s anointed.”

Here is the thing: David had some principles. One of his principles said, “I am not going to lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed.” He kept bringing that up again and again. He said, “I am not going to do it.” That is a principle I have. In the midst of that, when someone is coming against you, you are going to be tempted to break some of your principles that God has put in your heart. You are going to have a temptation to sly away from your principles that you know you ought to do. Friend, live by principles even during those times. Let God put some principles, some standards, some convictions in your heart, your mind, and you say, “It does not matter what is going on, who is saying what, I am going to live by these standards.” You just say, “I am not going to do it.”

One of David’s principles: “I am not going to lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed.” Wouldn’t it be good for America to say, “You know what? God, Romans 13, has ordained and anointed, allowed those policemen to be the police, and I am not going to lift my hand against God’s anointed”? Wouldn’t it be a good thing? But people do not live by principles nowadays. There are over 600,000 law officers in the United States, and when one messes up, they just go crazy after the ones that God—that is the authority God has put there. No principles. We will just say it that way. Amen. No principles.

Friend, get some principles and say, “Hey, as my principle, I am not going to go against it.” By the way, those people they know—the vast majority of police are good. I guarantee those same people that are out there writing and doing all that, let their house get broken into, you know who they are going to call? Because they know they are there to protect them and serve them. That is why. But no principles. David said, “I have a principle. I am not going to lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed,” and he lived by his principle.

Can I say this? Do not fight against your boss. If you need to go talk to him, go talk to him. But do not fight against your boss. It is always so much easier to tell someone how to do something than to do it. About a thousand people tell that boss how to do it, but you have never been that boss. Do not fight against your boss.

If you need to go talk to him, go talk to him. Do not fight against your pastor. I used to have a guy years ago; he would come talk to me. I was always glad—and I mean this—if you have something, come talk to me. I really do mean that. We never saw eye-to-eye on a fairly good amount of things. He would come to my office, and we would talk. He would tell me his side; I would tell him my side. More often than not, honestly, he would leave and say, “Well, I am glad at least to come tell you my side.” But do not fight against your pastor.

In our married life, we have had to leave two different churches where we didn’t kind of see eye-to-eye with the pastoral staff. We did not cause much trouble. We did not hang around and criticize. We just quietly got out of there and went and did what the Lord led us. That is right to do. Do not fight against your pastor.

Can I say this? Do not fight against your husband. I think it is right for a wife to tell her husband what she thinks. A wise man is going to want to know what his wife thinks. But unless you have told him what you think, and unless he is going directly against God, it is all right. I told you what I think; the pressure is on you. I am not going to fight against you. Now, if he is wanting to go out there and drink a six-pack, other than that, it might be different; you obey God rather than the man. But do not fight against your husband.

Hey, young people, can I say this? Do not fight against your parents. I imagine every young person in the world has times that they think, “What in the world is my mom and dad doing?” Do not fight against them. Just say, “All right, they are the parents.” Do not fight against them. The Lord has put you in that home for a reason. Say, “I am not going to fight against them. I am just not going to do it.” I have principles.

David had some principles, and he said, “Look, I am just—I am not going to lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed.” David knew exactly what was going on, but David had some principles, and he said, “This is what I am going to do.” Get some principles. Have principles.

One last thing, and we are done. Look back at verse number five of chapter 24. When someone is coming after you, they are trying every way they can to get you: deal with that by walking with God, walking in God’s will, seeing them for what they are, living by principles, keeping your principles, not changing your principles in the midst of it.

Then just a quick thought here, verse number five, chapter 24: “And it came to pass afterward that David’s heart smote him because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.” Here is the thing: in the midst of the battle, do not get hard-hearted. Keep a tender heart. David still had a tender heart. His heart smote him.

Life has battles. Raising children—it is a battle. Sometimes you have a battle with other people who are trying to lead your kids wrong. It is a battle. There are a lot of battles in life. But in the midst of the battle, do not get hard-hearted.

I heard a story that they were at a meeting, a lot of preachers. John Rice was the senior preacher. Somebody preached, and old John Rice came down the aisle, got down to the altar, and John Rice was down there shedding tears. I like that. I do not want to get hard-hearted. David, in the middle of this, still had a tender heart. His heart smote him.

We were with Brother Teter a couple of years ago. He has been pastoring that church for a long, long time. We got to go out to eat with him. He started telling us about when he got saved, and he started crying. I thought, “When I get in my 70s like that, I want to be soft-hearted like that. I do not want to get mean and old and grouchy and negative and mad at the world. I want to be tender-hearted like that.”

David still had a tender heart. Battles—if you are not careful, you just lose your heart. In the Christian world, there is part of earnestly contending for the faith, and yet if you are not careful, you lose your tender heart. Do not do that. Keep your tender heart. David had a tender heart. What a wise man.

Remember that first verse? Saul was after him every day, but the Lord said, “I am not going to let Saul get David.” When the Lord says something like that, it does not matter who is after you; God is the ultimate one. You stay right with the Lord. He can take care of all those battles. Stay tender-hearted and seek His direction. Keep your principles during those times. See it for what it is. But at the end of the day, the Lord said, “You are not going to get David.”

Would you bow your heads, close your eyes? Very quickly tonight, very quickly.

Heads bowed, eyes closed. You say, “Preacher, God spoke to my heart. I need to keep my heart, my mind on the Lord in the middle of the battles.” If that is you tonight, slip your hand up. “That’s me right there.” “Me too.” God bless you. Thank you for letting the Lord work in your heart.

Maybe you are here tonight. You say, “I need to be honest with the Lord about myself, about those around me. I want discernment. I want to see it for what it is, and I am asking God, ‘Give me discernment.’” If that is you tonight, you lift your hand. “Preacher, I need discernment.” God bless you. Me too. God bless you.

Maybe here tonight you say, “I need to live by principles.” Young people, it would be so good to get some principles and say, “I am going to live by it.” Maybe you are here, I say, “I already have principles, but I have not been living by them, but I need to get back to living by principles.” God spoke to my heart about that. If that is you, “That’s me right there.” God bless you. Me too. I would like to get back to it more. God bless you.

Maybe you are here and you say, “I want to keep or get back to having a tender heart. I am asking the Holy Spirit to give me a tender heart.” God spoke to my heart about that right there, even in the midst of the battle, having a tender heart. Anybody there tonight? “That’s me right there.” “That’s me.” God bless you. Let us stand, if you would. Please, we will have a word of prayer, and our instruments will play. Let us just spend some time with the Lord. Father, thank You. Lord, all these problems and situations in the Bible, and You do not leave them out. So much we can learn from Your word. Father, help us to take it into our lives tonight and grow from it. Lord, bless these people, please. We thank You for what You do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Would you come spend some time with the Lord as they play?

The Bible has so much in there. It’s just a wonderful book. It’s amazing. And praise the Lord for the Bible. Praise the Lord you’re here on a Wednesday night. You’re in church. And praise the Lord for that. I apologize. A couple people have wet shoes. I understand our back door back there. I apologize about that. How about we just move somewhere else? That’s a good idea right there, amen. And praise the Lord for it. It’s exciting and glad you’re in church. I know everybody would like to go to be with service of Ms. Reith, and I appreciate you. So many people want to, and I understand some can’t. And Brother Glenn understands that. But you’d be praying to be a blessing to Brother Glenn, the family. And God will use it. And praise the Lord. Brother Anthony was down here with this guy Sunday morning. And I’ve talked to Brother Glenn. I didn’t know if he gotten saved Sunday when I was with Brother Glenn. And I was telling him, maybe God used Mr. Ethan. He liked that. When he hears that person, he’ll like that. And so, but pray for them if you would. They understand not about it can come; some of you can’t. That’d be great. Looking forward to seeing the church family up there in Kentucky and praise for Brother John Casey, our new deacon, and excited about him getting ordained on Sunday night. Brother John, would you at least work prayer, please, Brother?

Original File: Dealing with someone after You - Pastor Paul Chisgar Wednesday PM 7820