How to be a Quiet Warrior

David left a legacy as a warrior. The same day that he killed the giant Goliath from Gath of the Philistines, the Israelite women came out and danced in the streets saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

Later in his life, when David wanted to build a house for the Lord, the Lord told him no. "Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou has been a man of war…" (1 Chron 28:3b)

Between his coming-of-age event when he killed Goliath and when he wanted to build a house for the Lord, he won many battles. Some of those were while he was a king in waiting, as Saul was still king.

Not all of David's battles were as public as the Goliath challenge. But all were as important.  Consider the time before David was king, when he and his own army of men were running from Saul, who was jealous of him and trying to kill him. David figured the only way to avoid Saul once and for all was to go live with the enemies of Gath in Philistine territory. Remember, that was where the defeated Goliath was from. David made friends with the king, Achish, and asked if he and his men could have a little piece of land so they could stay out of his way. Achish agreed, and so David and company lived a quiet life among the enemy. Well, quiet maybe, but David still carried on as a warrior, defeating the enemies of God, even while he lived in their midst. It's quite the fascinating story.

Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.  And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.  And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.  And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.  And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.  And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.  And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever. (1 Sam. 27:6-12)

The king of Gath didn’t realize that David and his men defeated three cities and that he had just expanded the Israelites' land. Notice how David acted like everything was normal when he visited the enemy king. Meanwhile, the true king of Israel, Saul, didn't even know that David had fought and won these battles. No one was going to dance in the streets over these victories. They were quiet, but necessary and sure victories.

And the point is, sometimes we have to be quiet warriors for God. The enemies we have to fight off are not people. The enemies we fight off sometimes are our thoughts that carry us away. We use our thoughts to imagine things that haven’t even happened yet. Our thoughts cause us to worry, or doubt, or be afraid. We can’t let those enemy thoughts get control of our minds.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Cor. 10:3-5)

We battle with negative, destructive thoughts. We battle unkind thoughts and thoughts that condemn ourselves or others. We need to cast away those negative thoughts. That is our battle. No one else may know about these battles, but they must be won.

The winning strategy is to stop listening to ourselves. Stop paying attention to our thoughts that aren’t true. The Bible even tells us what kind of thoughts to allow into our minds:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Phil 4:8)

We have special gear to wear to this battle. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Eph. 6:11-18)

In summary, to stand against enemy thoughts and enemy temptations, we need to know the truth of the Bible and apply it to our thoughts and actions. We need the shield of faith so the fiery darts of the wicked will bounce off. Let's become experts in that like David was an expert warrior.