PROCESS — THE JOURNEY OF BECOMING
PART 5
DAVID: FROM SHEPHERD TO KING
THE PROCESS OF ANOINTING, WILDERNESS, WARFARE, CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP
«“The anointing may announce what God has chosen, but the process develops the man who can carry it.”»
FOUNDATION SCRIPTURES
1 Samuel 16:11–13 (KJV)
“And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.”
Psalm 78:70–72 (KJV)
“He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.”
---
1. DAVID WAS ANOINTED BEFORE HE WAS ENTHRONED
One of the greatest mistakes people make concerning process is assuming that anointing means arrival.
David was anointed king in 1 Samuel 16.
But David did not immediately sit upon the throne.
There was a gap between:
THE ANOINTING AND THE THRONE.
There was a process between:
PROPHECY AND MANIFESTATION.
There was development between:
CALLING AND CAPACITY.
There was preparation between:
DESTINATION AND ARRIVAL.
Samuel poured oil upon David's head, but David still had to return to the sheep.
This is powerful.
The oil did not eliminate the process.
The oil did not exempt David from development.
The oil did not make him instantly ready for everything attached to the throne.
Rather, the anointing introduced David to a destiny for which the process would prepare him.
PRINCIPLE:
An encounter with God can reveal your destination without immediately transporting you there.
Somebody can receive a prophetic word today concerning where God is taking them, but there may still be years of preparation between the prophecy and its fulfillment.
Do not despise the years.
They may be building the person who will eventually carry the promise.
---
2. DAVID WAS ANOINTED IN PRIVATE BEFORE HE WAS RECOGNIZED IN PUBLIC
David's first major appearance in the biblical narrative was not in a palace.
It was not on a battlefield.
It was not before thousands of people.
It was in the field.
He was keeping sheep.
His own father did not initially consider him when Samuel came looking for the next king.
His brothers were presented first.
David was somewhere doing something that seemed ordinary.
But heaven knew who he was.
This teaches us something profound:
Your present environment may not accurately reflect your future assignment.
David looked like a shepherd.
But God saw a king.
David was carrying sheep.
But God was preparing him to carry a nation.
David was protecting animals.
But God was developing the heart of a protector.
David was fighting predators.
But God was training a warrior.
David was learning responsibility in obscurity before receiving responsibility in visibility.
THE FIELD WAS A CLASSROOM.
Before David learned how to lead men, he learned how to care for sheep.
Before he commanded soldiers, he protected animals.
Before he governed a kingdom, he governed himself.
Before people followed him, he learned to follow God.
---
3. THE SHEEPFOLD WAS NOT A WASTE OF TIME
Sometimes people become frustrated because their current assignment appears too small compared with what they believe God has shown them.
But David teaches us:
A small assignment can be preparation for a large assignment.
David could have said:
“Why am I still here keeping sheep when I have already been anointed king?”
But he did not.
He returned to his responsibility.
This is one of the marks of maturity:
You do not abandon today's responsibility because of tomorrow's revelation.
If God has shown you a throne, learn how to faithfully manage the field.
If God has shown you a ministry, learn how to serve.
If God has shown you leadership, learn how to follow.
If God has shown you nations, learn how to love people.
If God has shown you increase, learn stewardship.
DO NOT LET A FUTURE REVELATION MAKE YOU DISRESPECT A PRESENT ASSIGNMENT.
---
4. DAVID'S FIRST BATTLE WAS NOT GOLIATH
When people talk about David, they often begin with Goliath.
But David had already fought battles before he ever stood before Goliath.
1 Samuel 17:34–35 (KJV)
“And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth...”
Notice the progression.
SHEEP → LION → BEAR → GOLIATH → ARMIES → KINGDOM
David's public victory was preceded by private victories.
The battlefield did not introduce David to courage.
The field had already developed it.
Goliath did not create David's faith.
Goliath revealed the faith that had already been developed.
PRINCIPLE:
What you overcome in private can prepare you for what you will confront in public.
There are battles you are facing today that may be training your spiritual muscles for tomorrow.
---
5. DAVID LEARNED COURAGE BEFORE HE LEARNED CROWNS
David's courage was not produced by the palace.
It was produced in obscurity.
He had learned to stand between the predator and the sheep.
That is leadership.
Leadership is not merely standing in front.
Leadership is standing between danger and those entrusted to you.
David did not ask:
“What can I gain from these sheep?”
He asked, in effect:
“How can I protect what has been entrusted to me?”
That mentality would later become essential when he became king.
REAL LEADERSHIP BEGINS WITH RESPONSIBILITY, NOT POSITION.
---
6. THE GOLIATH EXPERIENCE WAS ANOTHER STAGE OF THE PROCESS
When David arrived at the battlefield, he heard Goliath defying Israel.
Everyone saw a giant.
David saw an uncircumcised Philistine challenging the armies of the living God.
1 Samuel 17:45 (KJV)
“Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts...”
David understood something that fear had made Israel forget:
The size of the opposition does not determine the size of God.
David's previous process had taught him that God could deliver.
He had history with God.
The lion became evidence.
The bear became evidence.
The wilderness became evidence.
Now Goliath became another opportunity to trust the God who had already proven Himself.
YOUR HISTORY WITH GOD BECOMES FUEL FOR YOUR NEXT BATTLE.
---
7. DAVID DID NOT USE SAUL'S ARMOUR
Saul tried to put his armour on David.
But David could not operate effectively in another man's equipment.
1 Samuel 17:39 (KJV)
“And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it.”
David eventually removed it.
This is another dimension of process:
You must discover what God has put in you.
There is a temptation to imitate another person's methodology, expression, personality, ministry style, career path or success formula.
But God did not anoint David to become Saul.
David had to fight with what he had proven.
Five smooth stones.
A sling.
Faith.
Courage.
Experience with God.
PRINCIPLE:
You cannot successfully carry another man's armour simply because it looks impressive.
Process teaches you what belongs to you.
---
8. DAVID'S VICTORY OVER GOLIATH DID NOT END HIS PROCESS
This is extremely important.
David killed Goliath.
And many people would have assumed:
“Now David has arrived.”
But another process began.
David became celebrated.
Women sang about him.
Saul became jealous.
David entered a season of persecution.
The man who had defeated a giant now had to learn how to deal with a king who wanted him dead.
THE GOLIATH SEASON WAS FOLLOWED BY THE SAUL SEASON.
This reveals a principle:
Every new level can introduce a new dimension of process.
Sometimes the greatest challenge after defeating the giant is learning how to behave when people begin to notice you.
The giant tests your courage.
Success tests your character.
---
9. DAVID HAD TO LEARN HOW TO HANDLE SUCCESS
1 Samuel 18:7–8 (KJV) records the people's celebration:
“Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
Saul heard it.
And jealousy entered his heart.
David's promotion created tension.
This is a lesson many people do not consider.
We prepare ourselves to survive failure.
But do we prepare ourselves to survive success?
Can you remain humble when people praise you?
Can you remain teachable when people celebrate you?
Can you remain submitted when your gift becomes visible?
Can you continue to honour God when men begin to honour you?
SUCCESS REVEALS THINGS THAT FAILURE SOMETIMES HIDES.
---
10. DAVID HAD TO LEARN RESTRAINT
Perhaps one of the deepest parts of David's process was his relationship with Saul.
Saul became David's enemy.
David had opportunities to kill Saul.
Yet David refused to take the throne by violating God's order.
In 1 Samuel 24:6, David said:
“The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, the LORD'S anointed...”
This is remarkable.
David knew he had been anointed king.
David knew Saul was standing between him and the throne.
David had an opportunity.
But David understood:
A legitimate destination does not justify an illegitimate method.
He refused to manufacture God's promise through fleshly means.
PRINCIPLE:
Never use the wrong method to obtain the right promise.
If God has promised it, you do not need to become sinful to obtain it.
You do not need manipulation.
You do not need betrayal.
You do not need revenge.
You do not need to destroy another person to become what God called you to become.
---
11. DAVID'S PROCESS DEVELOPED THE ABILITY TO WAIT
David had been anointed.
Yet he waited.
He had defeated Goliath.
Yet he waited.
He had been recognized.
Yet he waited.
He had opportunities to take the throne.
Yet he waited.
This is one of the hardest dimensions of process:
WAITING WHEN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED.
It is easier to wait when you do not know what is ahead.
But when you have seen something by revelation, waiting can become difficult.
David knew the throne was coming.
But he did not know exactly when.
And God used the waiting period to develop him.
WAITING IS NOT ALWAYS DELAY.
Sometimes waiting is development.
Sometimes God is not withholding the throne.
He is preparing the king.
---
12. DAVID'S WILDERNESS WAS A TRAINING GROUND
David spent significant time in caves and wilderness places.
1 Samuel 22:1–2 (KJV) says:
“David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam... And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him...”
This is fascinating.
David was becoming a leader before he had a kingdom.
People began gathering around him.
The future king was learning leadership in a cave.
THE CAVE BECAME A LEADERSHIP SCHOOL.
He had to learn:
- How to lead difficult people.
- How to build loyalty.
- How to make decisions under pressure.
- How to protect people.
- How to manage conflict.
- How to remain dependent upon God.
- How to lead without visible resources.
- How to inspire people who were themselves broken.
God was preparing David to shepherd a nation by first teaching him to shepherd people in the wilderness.
---
13. SOMETIMES GOD DEVELOPS LEADERSHIP THROUGH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EASY TO LEAD
The people who gathered around David were not initially described as society's strongest and most comfortable people.
Yet David led them.
This teaches us:
Leadership is not proven by how well you lead people who already agree with you.
Leadership is proven when you can bring order, direction and purpose into complexity.
A leader must learn to handle different personalities, weaknesses, expectations and pressures.
The wilderness can become God's laboratory for leadership.
---
14. DAVID LEARNED TO SEEK GOD FOR DIRECTION
One repeated characteristic of David was his dependence on God for direction.
1 Samuel 23:2 (KJV):
“Therefore David enquired of the LORD...”
Again:
1 Samuel 23:4 (KJV):
“Then David enquired of the LORD yet again.”
David did not merely assume that because God had called him, every decision was automatically obvious.
He asked.
He listened.
He sought God's direction.
CALLING DOES NOT CANCEL THE NEED FOR GUIDANCE.
In fact:
The greater the assignment, the greater the need for divine direction.
---
15. DAVID'S PROCESS WAS ALSO A PROCESS OF SELF-GOVERNMENT
David could fight Goliath.
But could he control himself?
Could he restrain anger?
Could he wait?
Could he forgive?
Could he refuse revenge?
Could he honour authority?
Could he handle praise?
Could he remain humble?
These are deeper questions than:
“Can you perform?”
A person may have tremendous gifting and very little self-government.
But influence without character becomes dangerous.
THE GREATER THE PLATFORM, THE GREATER THE NEED FOR INNER GOVERNMENT.
Before God gives a person influence over people, He often works on that person's ability to govern himself.
---
16. DAVID'S PROCESS WAS NOT PERFECT
This must also be acknowledged.
David became one of the greatest kings in biblical history, yet his story includes serious failures.
His sin involving Bathsheba and Uriah in 2 Samuel 11 reveals that even a person who has passed through significant preparation can still fall.
This gives us a sobering lesson:
Process does not make you incapable of falling.
Process must produce continued dependence on God.
David needed grace not only in the wilderness but also on the throne.
He needed God not only when he was running from Saul but also when he was powerful.
NEVER OUTGROW YOUR DEPENDENCE ON GOD.
The greatest danger may not always be the wilderness.
Sometimes it is the place where everything seems to be working.
---
17. DAVID'S RESPONSE TO CORRECTION MATTERED
When Nathan confronted David concerning his sin, David did not defend himself indefinitely.
He acknowledged his sin.
2 Samuel 12:13 (KJV):
“And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.”
This is another dimension of maturity:
The ability to repent.
A mature believer is not someone who never makes mistakes.
A mature believer is someone who knows what to do when confronted with the truth.
David's life reminds us that God's dealings with us must continue beyond promotion.
---
18. JESUS IS THE GREATER SON OF DAVID
The David story ultimately points beyond David to Jesus Christ.
David was a shepherd.
Jesus declared:
John 10:11 (KJV):
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
David fought enemies to protect sheep.
Jesus gave His life to redeem His sheep.
David was a king.
Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
David's kingdom was earthly and temporary.
Christ's kingdom is everlasting.
David was anointed with oil.
Jesus is the Christ—the Anointed One.
David's throne pointed forward to the greater Davidic King.
Luke 1:32–33 (KJV) declares concerning Jesus:
“The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
Therefore, when we study David's process, we should not merely admire David.
We should see the greater prophetic picture:
The process points us ultimately toward Christ.
---
19. WHAT DAVID'S PROCESS TEACHES US
1. ANOINTING DOES NOT MEAN ARRIVAL.
The oil can come before the throne.
2. OBSCURITY CAN BE PREPARATION.
The field may be training you for the palace.
3. SMALL RESPONSIBILITIES MATTER.
Faithfulness with sheep prepared David for a nation.
4. PRIVATE VICTORIES MATTER.
The lion and bear prepared David for Goliath.
5. YOUR HISTORY WITH GOD MATTERS.
Previous testimonies strengthen present faith.
6. DO NOT WEAR ANOTHER PERSON'S ARMOUR.
Discover and develop what God has entrusted to you.
7. SUCCESS MUST BE MANAGED.
Promotion can expose character.
8. DO NOT FORCE THE PROMISE.
David refused to kill Saul merely because the throne had been promised to him.
9. WAITING CAN BE TRAINING.
The wilderness may be developing your capacity.
10. LEADERSHIP CAN BEGIN BEFORE POSITION.
David led people before he had a crown.
11. SEEK GOD FOR DIRECTION.
Calling does not eliminate dependence.
12. CHARACTER MUST GROW WITH GIFTING.
A powerful gift without character can become dangerous.
13. NEVER OUTGROW DEPENDENCE ON GOD.
The throne requires God just as much as the wilderness did.
14. REPENTANCE IS PART OF MATURITY.
When corrected, humble yourself.
15. THE PROCESS IS BIGGER THAN THE DESTINATION.
God was not merely preparing David for a chair.
He was forming a shepherd who could carry responsibility for people.
---
20. THE DAVID PROCESS
We can summarize David's journey like this:
SHEPHERD
↓
OBSCURITY
↓
ANOINTING
↓
PRIVATE BATTLES
↓
GOLIATH
↓
PUBLIC RECOGNITION
↓
PERSECUTION
↓
WILDERNESS
↓
LEADERSHIP
↓
WAITING
↓
RESTRAINT
↓
TESTING
↓
THRONE
↓
KINGDOM
↓
FAILURE & REPENTANCE
↓
LEGACY
Every stage had something to teach him.
The field taught responsibility.
The lion taught courage.
The bear taught persistence.
Goliath taught public faith.
Saul taught restraint.
The wilderness taught leadership.
Waiting taught patience.
The throne taught stewardship.
Failure taught repentance.
Legacy taught generational impact.
---
21. WHAT SEASON ARE YOU IN?
Perhaps you are currently in the shepherd season.
Do not despise it.
Perhaps you are in the lion-and-bear season.
Keep fighting.
Perhaps you have been anointed but not yet enthroned.
Keep preparing.
Perhaps you are facing your Goliath.
Remember what God has already done.
Perhaps you are in a Saul season, where people misunderstand or oppose you.
Do not allow persecution to corrupt your character.
Perhaps you are in an Adullam season.
Learn to lead.
Perhaps you are in a waiting season.
Do not manufacture the promise.
Perhaps you are experiencing promotion.
Do not forget the God who brought you there.
And perhaps you have fallen.
Do not run from God.
Repent.
Return.
Receive mercy.
Grow again.
---
22. THE DANGER OF WANTING DAVID'S THRONE WITHOUT DAVID'S PROCESS
Many people want:
David's crown.
But they do not want:
David's cave.
They want:
David's throne.
But not:
David's waiting.
They want:
David's victory over Goliath.
But not:
David's years of preparation with sheep.
They want:
David's influence.
But not:
David's development of character.
They want:
The manifestation.
But not:
The formation.
But the kingdom principle remains:
«God is not merely interested in getting you somewhere. He is interested in who you become when you get there.»
---
23. THE DAVID PRINCIPLE
David's life gives us this powerful equation:
ANOINTING + PROCESS + CHARACTER + DEPENDENCE ON GOD = CAPACITY FOR KINGDOM RESPONSIBILITY
The anointing reveals possibility.
The process develops capacity.
Character protects influence.
Dependence on God sustains the assignment.
---
24. A WORD FOR THE PERSON IN PROCESS
Do not conclude that God has forgotten you because you are still in the field.
David was in the field.
Do not conclude that the prophecy has failed because you are not yet on the throne.
David was anointed long before he became king.
Do not conclude that the wilderness means rejection.
David's wilderness became a leadership school.
Do not think your private battles are insignificant.
The lion and bear were preparing David for Goliath.
Do not take shortcuts because you are tired of waiting.
David had opportunities to kill Saul, but he refused to manufacture his destiny.
And do not allow your future to make you careless with your present.
The field matters.
The cave matters.
The wilderness matters.
The waiting matters.
The battles matter.
The lessons matter.
Because one day, you may look back and realize:
“God was not wasting my years. He was building me.”
---
25. DECLARATION
I declare over my life:
I will not despise my process.
I will not despise small beginnings.
I will not abandon today's assignment because of tomorrow's revelation.
I receive grace to be faithful in obscurity.
I receive grace to develop before I am displayed.
I receive courage for my lions.
I receive strength for my bears.
I receive faith for my Goliaths.
I receive wisdom for my wilderness.
I receive restraint in seasons of persecution.
I receive humility in seasons of promotion.
I will not force what God has ordained.
I will not use an ungodly method to obtain a God-given promise.
I will not wear another man's armour.
I will discover what God has placed within me and develop it faithfully.
My gift will not outrun my character.
My influence will not outrun my maturity.
My platform will not become greater than my dependence on God.
I will wait well.
I will serve well.
I will lead well.
I will repent when corrected.
I will remain teachable.
I will remain dependent upon God.
And when my appointed time comes, I will not merely arrive at the destination—
I will have become the person capable of carrying what God has placed in my hands.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
---
PROCESS — THE JOURNEY OF BECOMING
DAVID'S MESSAGE TO EVERY BELIEVER:
THE FIELD IS NOT THE END.
THE CAVE IS NOT THE END.
THE WILDERNESS IS NOT THE END.
THE WAITING IS NOT THE END.
THE BATTLE IS NOT THE END.
KEEP BECOMING.
Because what God is preparing you for will require a version of you that the present season is developing.
“HE CHOSE DAVID ALSO HIS SERVANT...”
Psalm 78:70
Evang Ayi.Mk.I
To God Be All The Glory!
PART 5
DAVID: FROM SHEPHERD TO KING
THE PROCESS OF ANOINTING, WILDERNESS, WARFARE, CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP
«“The anointing may announce what God has chosen, but the process develops the man who can carry it.”»
FOUNDATION SCRIPTURES
1 Samuel 16:11–13 (KJV)
“And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.”
Psalm 78:70–72 (KJV)
“He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.”
---
1. DAVID WAS ANOINTED BEFORE HE WAS ENTHRONED
One of the greatest mistakes people make concerning process is assuming that anointing means arrival.
David was anointed king in 1 Samuel 16.
But David did not immediately sit upon the throne.
There was a gap between:
THE ANOINTING AND THE THRONE.
There was a process between:
PROPHECY AND MANIFESTATION.
There was development between:
CALLING AND CAPACITY.
There was preparation between:
DESTINATION AND ARRIVAL.
Samuel poured oil upon David's head, but David still had to return to the sheep.
This is powerful.
The oil did not eliminate the process.
The oil did not exempt David from development.
The oil did not make him instantly ready for everything attached to the throne.
Rather, the anointing introduced David to a destiny for which the process would prepare him.
PRINCIPLE:
An encounter with God can reveal your destination without immediately transporting you there.
Somebody can receive a prophetic word today concerning where God is taking them, but there may still be years of preparation between the prophecy and its fulfillment.
Do not despise the years.
They may be building the person who will eventually carry the promise.
---
2. DAVID WAS ANOINTED IN PRIVATE BEFORE HE WAS RECOGNIZED IN PUBLIC
David's first major appearance in the biblical narrative was not in a palace.
It was not on a battlefield.
It was not before thousands of people.
It was in the field.
He was keeping sheep.
His own father did not initially consider him when Samuel came looking for the next king.
His brothers were presented first.
David was somewhere doing something that seemed ordinary.
But heaven knew who he was.
This teaches us something profound:
Your present environment may not accurately reflect your future assignment.
David looked like a shepherd.
But God saw a king.
David was carrying sheep.
But God was preparing him to carry a nation.
David was protecting animals.
But God was developing the heart of a protector.
David was fighting predators.
But God was training a warrior.
David was learning responsibility in obscurity before receiving responsibility in visibility.
THE FIELD WAS A CLASSROOM.
Before David learned how to lead men, he learned how to care for sheep.
Before he commanded soldiers, he protected animals.
Before he governed a kingdom, he governed himself.
Before people followed him, he learned to follow God.
---
3. THE SHEEPFOLD WAS NOT A WASTE OF TIME
Sometimes people become frustrated because their current assignment appears too small compared with what they believe God has shown them.
But David teaches us:
A small assignment can be preparation for a large assignment.
David could have said:
“Why am I still here keeping sheep when I have already been anointed king?”
But he did not.
He returned to his responsibility.
This is one of the marks of maturity:
You do not abandon today's responsibility because of tomorrow's revelation.
If God has shown you a throne, learn how to faithfully manage the field.
If God has shown you a ministry, learn how to serve.
If God has shown you leadership, learn how to follow.
If God has shown you nations, learn how to love people.
If God has shown you increase, learn stewardship.
DO NOT LET A FUTURE REVELATION MAKE YOU DISRESPECT A PRESENT ASSIGNMENT.
---
4. DAVID'S FIRST BATTLE WAS NOT GOLIATH
When people talk about David, they often begin with Goliath.
But David had already fought battles before he ever stood before Goliath.
1 Samuel 17:34–35 (KJV)
“And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth...”
Notice the progression.
SHEEP → LION → BEAR → GOLIATH → ARMIES → KINGDOM
David's public victory was preceded by private victories.
The battlefield did not introduce David to courage.
The field had already developed it.
Goliath did not create David's faith.
Goliath revealed the faith that had already been developed.
PRINCIPLE:
What you overcome in private can prepare you for what you will confront in public.
There are battles you are facing today that may be training your spiritual muscles for tomorrow.
---
5. DAVID LEARNED COURAGE BEFORE HE LEARNED CROWNS
David's courage was not produced by the palace.
It was produced in obscurity.
He had learned to stand between the predator and the sheep.
That is leadership.
Leadership is not merely standing in front.
Leadership is standing between danger and those entrusted to you.
David did not ask:
“What can I gain from these sheep?”
He asked, in effect:
“How can I protect what has been entrusted to me?”
That mentality would later become essential when he became king.
REAL LEADERSHIP BEGINS WITH RESPONSIBILITY, NOT POSITION.
---
6. THE GOLIATH EXPERIENCE WAS ANOTHER STAGE OF THE PROCESS
When David arrived at the battlefield, he heard Goliath defying Israel.
Everyone saw a giant.
David saw an uncircumcised Philistine challenging the armies of the living God.
1 Samuel 17:45 (KJV)
“Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts...”
David understood something that fear had made Israel forget:
The size of the opposition does not determine the size of God.
David's previous process had taught him that God could deliver.
He had history with God.
The lion became evidence.
The bear became evidence.
The wilderness became evidence.
Now Goliath became another opportunity to trust the God who had already proven Himself.
YOUR HISTORY WITH GOD BECOMES FUEL FOR YOUR NEXT BATTLE.
---
7. DAVID DID NOT USE SAUL'S ARMOUR
Saul tried to put his armour on David.
But David could not operate effectively in another man's equipment.
1 Samuel 17:39 (KJV)
“And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it.”
David eventually removed it.
This is another dimension of process:
You must discover what God has put in you.
There is a temptation to imitate another person's methodology, expression, personality, ministry style, career path or success formula.
But God did not anoint David to become Saul.
David had to fight with what he had proven.
Five smooth stones.
A sling.
Faith.
Courage.
Experience with God.
PRINCIPLE:
You cannot successfully carry another man's armour simply because it looks impressive.
Process teaches you what belongs to you.
---
8. DAVID'S VICTORY OVER GOLIATH DID NOT END HIS PROCESS
This is extremely important.
David killed Goliath.
And many people would have assumed:
“Now David has arrived.”
But another process began.
David became celebrated.
Women sang about him.
Saul became jealous.
David entered a season of persecution.
The man who had defeated a giant now had to learn how to deal with a king who wanted him dead.
THE GOLIATH SEASON WAS FOLLOWED BY THE SAUL SEASON.
This reveals a principle:
Every new level can introduce a new dimension of process.
Sometimes the greatest challenge after defeating the giant is learning how to behave when people begin to notice you.
The giant tests your courage.
Success tests your character.
---
9. DAVID HAD TO LEARN HOW TO HANDLE SUCCESS
1 Samuel 18:7–8 (KJV) records the people's celebration:
“Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
Saul heard it.
And jealousy entered his heart.
David's promotion created tension.
This is a lesson many people do not consider.
We prepare ourselves to survive failure.
But do we prepare ourselves to survive success?
Can you remain humble when people praise you?
Can you remain teachable when people celebrate you?
Can you remain submitted when your gift becomes visible?
Can you continue to honour God when men begin to honour you?
SUCCESS REVEALS THINGS THAT FAILURE SOMETIMES HIDES.
---
10. DAVID HAD TO LEARN RESTRAINT
Perhaps one of the deepest parts of David's process was his relationship with Saul.
Saul became David's enemy.
David had opportunities to kill Saul.
Yet David refused to take the throne by violating God's order.
In 1 Samuel 24:6, David said:
“The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, the LORD'S anointed...”
This is remarkable.
David knew he had been anointed king.
David knew Saul was standing between him and the throne.
David had an opportunity.
But David understood:
A legitimate destination does not justify an illegitimate method.
He refused to manufacture God's promise through fleshly means.
PRINCIPLE:
Never use the wrong method to obtain the right promise.
If God has promised it, you do not need to become sinful to obtain it.
You do not need manipulation.
You do not need betrayal.
You do not need revenge.
You do not need to destroy another person to become what God called you to become.
---
11. DAVID'S PROCESS DEVELOPED THE ABILITY TO WAIT
David had been anointed.
Yet he waited.
He had defeated Goliath.
Yet he waited.
He had been recognized.
Yet he waited.
He had opportunities to take the throne.
Yet he waited.
This is one of the hardest dimensions of process:
WAITING WHEN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED.
It is easier to wait when you do not know what is ahead.
But when you have seen something by revelation, waiting can become difficult.
David knew the throne was coming.
But he did not know exactly when.
And God used the waiting period to develop him.
WAITING IS NOT ALWAYS DELAY.
Sometimes waiting is development.
Sometimes God is not withholding the throne.
He is preparing the king.
---
12. DAVID'S WILDERNESS WAS A TRAINING GROUND
David spent significant time in caves and wilderness places.
1 Samuel 22:1–2 (KJV) says:
“David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam... And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him...”
This is fascinating.
David was becoming a leader before he had a kingdom.
People began gathering around him.
The future king was learning leadership in a cave.
THE CAVE BECAME A LEADERSHIP SCHOOL.
He had to learn:
- How to lead difficult people.
- How to build loyalty.
- How to make decisions under pressure.
- How to protect people.
- How to manage conflict.
- How to remain dependent upon God.
- How to lead without visible resources.
- How to inspire people who were themselves broken.
God was preparing David to shepherd a nation by first teaching him to shepherd people in the wilderness.
---
13. SOMETIMES GOD DEVELOPS LEADERSHIP THROUGH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EASY TO LEAD
The people who gathered around David were not initially described as society's strongest and most comfortable people.
Yet David led them.
This teaches us:
Leadership is not proven by how well you lead people who already agree with you.
Leadership is proven when you can bring order, direction and purpose into complexity.
A leader must learn to handle different personalities, weaknesses, expectations and pressures.
The wilderness can become God's laboratory for leadership.
---
14. DAVID LEARNED TO SEEK GOD FOR DIRECTION
One repeated characteristic of David was his dependence on God for direction.
1 Samuel 23:2 (KJV):
“Therefore David enquired of the LORD...”
Again:
1 Samuel 23:4 (KJV):
“Then David enquired of the LORD yet again.”
David did not merely assume that because God had called him, every decision was automatically obvious.
He asked.
He listened.
He sought God's direction.
CALLING DOES NOT CANCEL THE NEED FOR GUIDANCE.
In fact:
The greater the assignment, the greater the need for divine direction.
---
15. DAVID'S PROCESS WAS ALSO A PROCESS OF SELF-GOVERNMENT
David could fight Goliath.
But could he control himself?
Could he restrain anger?
Could he wait?
Could he forgive?
Could he refuse revenge?
Could he honour authority?
Could he handle praise?
Could he remain humble?
These are deeper questions than:
“Can you perform?”
A person may have tremendous gifting and very little self-government.
But influence without character becomes dangerous.
THE GREATER THE PLATFORM, THE GREATER THE NEED FOR INNER GOVERNMENT.
Before God gives a person influence over people, He often works on that person's ability to govern himself.
---
16. DAVID'S PROCESS WAS NOT PERFECT
This must also be acknowledged.
David became one of the greatest kings in biblical history, yet his story includes serious failures.
His sin involving Bathsheba and Uriah in 2 Samuel 11 reveals that even a person who has passed through significant preparation can still fall.
This gives us a sobering lesson:
Process does not make you incapable of falling.
Process must produce continued dependence on God.
David needed grace not only in the wilderness but also on the throne.
He needed God not only when he was running from Saul but also when he was powerful.
NEVER OUTGROW YOUR DEPENDENCE ON GOD.
The greatest danger may not always be the wilderness.
Sometimes it is the place where everything seems to be working.
---
17. DAVID'S RESPONSE TO CORRECTION MATTERED
When Nathan confronted David concerning his sin, David did not defend himself indefinitely.
He acknowledged his sin.
2 Samuel 12:13 (KJV):
“And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.”
This is another dimension of maturity:
The ability to repent.
A mature believer is not someone who never makes mistakes.
A mature believer is someone who knows what to do when confronted with the truth.
David's life reminds us that God's dealings with us must continue beyond promotion.
---
18. JESUS IS THE GREATER SON OF DAVID
The David story ultimately points beyond David to Jesus Christ.
David was a shepherd.
Jesus declared:
John 10:11 (KJV):
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
David fought enemies to protect sheep.
Jesus gave His life to redeem His sheep.
David was a king.
Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
David's kingdom was earthly and temporary.
Christ's kingdom is everlasting.
David was anointed with oil.
Jesus is the Christ—the Anointed One.
David's throne pointed forward to the greater Davidic King.
Luke 1:32–33 (KJV) declares concerning Jesus:
“The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
Therefore, when we study David's process, we should not merely admire David.
We should see the greater prophetic picture:
The process points us ultimately toward Christ.
---
19. WHAT DAVID'S PROCESS TEACHES US
1. ANOINTING DOES NOT MEAN ARRIVAL.
The oil can come before the throne.
2. OBSCURITY CAN BE PREPARATION.
The field may be training you for the palace.
3. SMALL RESPONSIBILITIES MATTER.
Faithfulness with sheep prepared David for a nation.
4. PRIVATE VICTORIES MATTER.
The lion and bear prepared David for Goliath.
5. YOUR HISTORY WITH GOD MATTERS.
Previous testimonies strengthen present faith.
6. DO NOT WEAR ANOTHER PERSON'S ARMOUR.
Discover and develop what God has entrusted to you.
7. SUCCESS MUST BE MANAGED.
Promotion can expose character.
8. DO NOT FORCE THE PROMISE.
David refused to kill Saul merely because the throne had been promised to him.
9. WAITING CAN BE TRAINING.
The wilderness may be developing your capacity.
10. LEADERSHIP CAN BEGIN BEFORE POSITION.
David led people before he had a crown.
11. SEEK GOD FOR DIRECTION.
Calling does not eliminate dependence.
12. CHARACTER MUST GROW WITH GIFTING.
A powerful gift without character can become dangerous.
13. NEVER OUTGROW DEPENDENCE ON GOD.
The throne requires God just as much as the wilderness did.
14. REPENTANCE IS PART OF MATURITY.
When corrected, humble yourself.
15. THE PROCESS IS BIGGER THAN THE DESTINATION.
God was not merely preparing David for a chair.
He was forming a shepherd who could carry responsibility for people.
---
20. THE DAVID PROCESS
We can summarize David's journey like this:
SHEPHERD
↓
OBSCURITY
↓
ANOINTING
↓
PRIVATE BATTLES
↓
GOLIATH
↓
PUBLIC RECOGNITION
↓
PERSECUTION
↓
WILDERNESS
↓
LEADERSHIP
↓
WAITING
↓
RESTRAINT
↓
TESTING
↓
THRONE
↓
KINGDOM
↓
FAILURE & REPENTANCE
↓
LEGACY
Every stage had something to teach him.
The field taught responsibility.
The lion taught courage.
The bear taught persistence.
Goliath taught public faith.
Saul taught restraint.
The wilderness taught leadership.
Waiting taught patience.
The throne taught stewardship.
Failure taught repentance.
Legacy taught generational impact.
---
21. WHAT SEASON ARE YOU IN?
Perhaps you are currently in the shepherd season.
Do not despise it.
Perhaps you are in the lion-and-bear season.
Keep fighting.
Perhaps you have been anointed but not yet enthroned.
Keep preparing.
Perhaps you are facing your Goliath.
Remember what God has already done.
Perhaps you are in a Saul season, where people misunderstand or oppose you.
Do not allow persecution to corrupt your character.
Perhaps you are in an Adullam season.
Learn to lead.
Perhaps you are in a waiting season.
Do not manufacture the promise.
Perhaps you are experiencing promotion.
Do not forget the God who brought you there.
And perhaps you have fallen.
Do not run from God.
Repent.
Return.
Receive mercy.
Grow again.
---
22. THE DANGER OF WANTING DAVID'S THRONE WITHOUT DAVID'S PROCESS
Many people want:
David's crown.
But they do not want:
David's cave.
They want:
David's throne.
But not:
David's waiting.
They want:
David's victory over Goliath.
But not:
David's years of preparation with sheep.
They want:
David's influence.
But not:
David's development of character.
They want:
The manifestation.
But not:
The formation.
But the kingdom principle remains:
«God is not merely interested in getting you somewhere. He is interested in who you become when you get there.»
---
23. THE DAVID PRINCIPLE
David's life gives us this powerful equation:
ANOINTING + PROCESS + CHARACTER + DEPENDENCE ON GOD = CAPACITY FOR KINGDOM RESPONSIBILITY
The anointing reveals possibility.
The process develops capacity.
Character protects influence.
Dependence on God sustains the assignment.
---
24. A WORD FOR THE PERSON IN PROCESS
Do not conclude that God has forgotten you because you are still in the field.
David was in the field.
Do not conclude that the prophecy has failed because you are not yet on the throne.
David was anointed long before he became king.
Do not conclude that the wilderness means rejection.
David's wilderness became a leadership school.
Do not think your private battles are insignificant.
The lion and bear were preparing David for Goliath.
Do not take shortcuts because you are tired of waiting.
David had opportunities to kill Saul, but he refused to manufacture his destiny.
And do not allow your future to make you careless with your present.
The field matters.
The cave matters.
The wilderness matters.
The waiting matters.
The battles matter.
The lessons matter.
Because one day, you may look back and realize:
“God was not wasting my years. He was building me.”
---
25. DECLARATION
I declare over my life:
I will not despise my process.
I will not despise small beginnings.
I will not abandon today's assignment because of tomorrow's revelation.
I receive grace to be faithful in obscurity.
I receive grace to develop before I am displayed.
I receive courage for my lions.
I receive strength for my bears.
I receive faith for my Goliaths.
I receive wisdom for my wilderness.
I receive restraint in seasons of persecution.
I receive humility in seasons of promotion.
I will not force what God has ordained.
I will not use an ungodly method to obtain a God-given promise.
I will not wear another man's armour.
I will discover what God has placed within me and develop it faithfully.
My gift will not outrun my character.
My influence will not outrun my maturity.
My platform will not become greater than my dependence on God.
I will wait well.
I will serve well.
I will lead well.
I will repent when corrected.
I will remain teachable.
I will remain dependent upon God.
And when my appointed time comes, I will not merely arrive at the destination—
I will have become the person capable of carrying what God has placed in my hands.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
---
PROCESS — THE JOURNEY OF BECOMING
DAVID'S MESSAGE TO EVERY BELIEVER:
THE FIELD IS NOT THE END.
THE CAVE IS NOT THE END.
THE WILDERNESS IS NOT THE END.
THE WAITING IS NOT THE END.
THE BATTLE IS NOT THE END.
KEEP BECOMING.
Because what God is preparing you for will require a version of you that the present season is developing.
“HE CHOSE DAVID ALSO HIS SERVANT...”
Psalm 78:70
Evang Ayi.Mk.I
To God Be All The Glory!
PROCESS — THE JOURNEY OF BECOMING
PART 5
DAVID: FROM SHEPHERD TO KING
THE PROCESS OF ANOINTING, WILDERNESS, WARFARE, CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP
«“The anointing may announce what God has chosen, but the process develops the man who can carry it.”»
FOUNDATION SCRIPTURES
1 Samuel 16:11–13 (KJV)
“And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.”
Psalm 78:70–72 (KJV)
“He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.”
---
1. DAVID WAS ANOINTED BEFORE HE WAS ENTHRONED
One of the greatest mistakes people make concerning process is assuming that anointing means arrival.
David was anointed king in 1 Samuel 16.
But David did not immediately sit upon the throne.
There was a gap between:
THE ANOINTING AND THE THRONE.
There was a process between:
PROPHECY AND MANIFESTATION.
There was development between:
CALLING AND CAPACITY.
There was preparation between:
DESTINATION AND ARRIVAL.
Samuel poured oil upon David's head, but David still had to return to the sheep.
This is powerful.
The oil did not eliminate the process.
The oil did not exempt David from development.
The oil did not make him instantly ready for everything attached to the throne.
Rather, the anointing introduced David to a destiny for which the process would prepare him.
PRINCIPLE:
An encounter with God can reveal your destination without immediately transporting you there.
Somebody can receive a prophetic word today concerning where God is taking them, but there may still be years of preparation between the prophecy and its fulfillment.
Do not despise the years.
They may be building the person who will eventually carry the promise.
---
2. DAVID WAS ANOINTED IN PRIVATE BEFORE HE WAS RECOGNIZED IN PUBLIC
David's first major appearance in the biblical narrative was not in a palace.
It was not on a battlefield.
It was not before thousands of people.
It was in the field.
He was keeping sheep.
His own father did not initially consider him when Samuel came looking for the next king.
His brothers were presented first.
David was somewhere doing something that seemed ordinary.
But heaven knew who he was.
This teaches us something profound:
Your present environment may not accurately reflect your future assignment.
David looked like a shepherd.
But God saw a king.
David was carrying sheep.
But God was preparing him to carry a nation.
David was protecting animals.
But God was developing the heart of a protector.
David was fighting predators.
But God was training a warrior.
David was learning responsibility in obscurity before receiving responsibility in visibility.
THE FIELD WAS A CLASSROOM.
Before David learned how to lead men, he learned how to care for sheep.
Before he commanded soldiers, he protected animals.
Before he governed a kingdom, he governed himself.
Before people followed him, he learned to follow God.
---
3. THE SHEEPFOLD WAS NOT A WASTE OF TIME
Sometimes people become frustrated because their current assignment appears too small compared with what they believe God has shown them.
But David teaches us:
A small assignment can be preparation for a large assignment.
David could have said:
“Why am I still here keeping sheep when I have already been anointed king?”
But he did not.
He returned to his responsibility.
This is one of the marks of maturity:
You do not abandon today's responsibility because of tomorrow's revelation.
If God has shown you a throne, learn how to faithfully manage the field.
If God has shown you a ministry, learn how to serve.
If God has shown you leadership, learn how to follow.
If God has shown you nations, learn how to love people.
If God has shown you increase, learn stewardship.
DO NOT LET A FUTURE REVELATION MAKE YOU DISRESPECT A PRESENT ASSIGNMENT.
---
4. DAVID'S FIRST BATTLE WAS NOT GOLIATH
When people talk about David, they often begin with Goliath.
But David had already fought battles before he ever stood before Goliath.
1 Samuel 17:34–35 (KJV)
“And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth...”
Notice the progression.
SHEEP → LION → BEAR → GOLIATH → ARMIES → KINGDOM
David's public victory was preceded by private victories.
The battlefield did not introduce David to courage.
The field had already developed it.
Goliath did not create David's faith.
Goliath revealed the faith that had already been developed.
PRINCIPLE:
What you overcome in private can prepare you for what you will confront in public.
There are battles you are facing today that may be training your spiritual muscles for tomorrow.
---
5. DAVID LEARNED COURAGE BEFORE HE LEARNED CROWNS
David's courage was not produced by the palace.
It was produced in obscurity.
He had learned to stand between the predator and the sheep.
That is leadership.
Leadership is not merely standing in front.
Leadership is standing between danger and those entrusted to you.
David did not ask:
“What can I gain from these sheep?”
He asked, in effect:
“How can I protect what has been entrusted to me?”
That mentality would later become essential when he became king.
REAL LEADERSHIP BEGINS WITH RESPONSIBILITY, NOT POSITION.
---
6. THE GOLIATH EXPERIENCE WAS ANOTHER STAGE OF THE PROCESS
When David arrived at the battlefield, he heard Goliath defying Israel.
Everyone saw a giant.
David saw an uncircumcised Philistine challenging the armies of the living God.
1 Samuel 17:45 (KJV)
“Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts...”
David understood something that fear had made Israel forget:
The size of the opposition does not determine the size of God.
David's previous process had taught him that God could deliver.
He had history with God.
The lion became evidence.
The bear became evidence.
The wilderness became evidence.
Now Goliath became another opportunity to trust the God who had already proven Himself.
YOUR HISTORY WITH GOD BECOMES FUEL FOR YOUR NEXT BATTLE.
---
7. DAVID DID NOT USE SAUL'S ARMOUR
Saul tried to put his armour on David.
But David could not operate effectively in another man's equipment.
1 Samuel 17:39 (KJV)
“And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it.”
David eventually removed it.
This is another dimension of process:
You must discover what God has put in you.
There is a temptation to imitate another person's methodology, expression, personality, ministry style, career path or success formula.
But God did not anoint David to become Saul.
David had to fight with what he had proven.
Five smooth stones.
A sling.
Faith.
Courage.
Experience with God.
PRINCIPLE:
You cannot successfully carry another man's armour simply because it looks impressive.
Process teaches you what belongs to you.
---
8. DAVID'S VICTORY OVER GOLIATH DID NOT END HIS PROCESS
This is extremely important.
David killed Goliath.
And many people would have assumed:
“Now David has arrived.”
But another process began.
David became celebrated.
Women sang about him.
Saul became jealous.
David entered a season of persecution.
The man who had defeated a giant now had to learn how to deal with a king who wanted him dead.
THE GOLIATH SEASON WAS FOLLOWED BY THE SAUL SEASON.
This reveals a principle:
Every new level can introduce a new dimension of process.
Sometimes the greatest challenge after defeating the giant is learning how to behave when people begin to notice you.
The giant tests your courage.
Success tests your character.
---
9. DAVID HAD TO LEARN HOW TO HANDLE SUCCESS
1 Samuel 18:7–8 (KJV) records the people's celebration:
“Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
Saul heard it.
And jealousy entered his heart.
David's promotion created tension.
This is a lesson many people do not consider.
We prepare ourselves to survive failure.
But do we prepare ourselves to survive success?
Can you remain humble when people praise you?
Can you remain teachable when people celebrate you?
Can you remain submitted when your gift becomes visible?
Can you continue to honour God when men begin to honour you?
SUCCESS REVEALS THINGS THAT FAILURE SOMETIMES HIDES.
---
10. DAVID HAD TO LEARN RESTRAINT
Perhaps one of the deepest parts of David's process was his relationship with Saul.
Saul became David's enemy.
David had opportunities to kill Saul.
Yet David refused to take the throne by violating God's order.
In 1 Samuel 24:6, David said:
“The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, the LORD'S anointed...”
This is remarkable.
David knew he had been anointed king.
David knew Saul was standing between him and the throne.
David had an opportunity.
But David understood:
A legitimate destination does not justify an illegitimate method.
He refused to manufacture God's promise through fleshly means.
PRINCIPLE:
Never use the wrong method to obtain the right promise.
If God has promised it, you do not need to become sinful to obtain it.
You do not need manipulation.
You do not need betrayal.
You do not need revenge.
You do not need to destroy another person to become what God called you to become.
---
11. DAVID'S PROCESS DEVELOPED THE ABILITY TO WAIT
David had been anointed.
Yet he waited.
He had defeated Goliath.
Yet he waited.
He had been recognized.
Yet he waited.
He had opportunities to take the throne.
Yet he waited.
This is one of the hardest dimensions of process:
WAITING WHEN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED.
It is easier to wait when you do not know what is ahead.
But when you have seen something by revelation, waiting can become difficult.
David knew the throne was coming.
But he did not know exactly when.
And God used the waiting period to develop him.
WAITING IS NOT ALWAYS DELAY.
Sometimes waiting is development.
Sometimes God is not withholding the throne.
He is preparing the king.
---
12. DAVID'S WILDERNESS WAS A TRAINING GROUND
David spent significant time in caves and wilderness places.
1 Samuel 22:1–2 (KJV) says:
“David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam... And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him...”
This is fascinating.
David was becoming a leader before he had a kingdom.
People began gathering around him.
The future king was learning leadership in a cave.
THE CAVE BECAME A LEADERSHIP SCHOOL.
He had to learn:
- How to lead difficult people.
- How to build loyalty.
- How to make decisions under pressure.
- How to protect people.
- How to manage conflict.
- How to remain dependent upon God.
- How to lead without visible resources.
- How to inspire people who were themselves broken.
God was preparing David to shepherd a nation by first teaching him to shepherd people in the wilderness.
---
13. SOMETIMES GOD DEVELOPS LEADERSHIP THROUGH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EASY TO LEAD
The people who gathered around David were not initially described as society's strongest and most comfortable people.
Yet David led them.
This teaches us:
Leadership is not proven by how well you lead people who already agree with you.
Leadership is proven when you can bring order, direction and purpose into complexity.
A leader must learn to handle different personalities, weaknesses, expectations and pressures.
The wilderness can become God's laboratory for leadership.
---
14. DAVID LEARNED TO SEEK GOD FOR DIRECTION
One repeated characteristic of David was his dependence on God for direction.
1 Samuel 23:2 (KJV):
“Therefore David enquired of the LORD...”
Again:
1 Samuel 23:4 (KJV):
“Then David enquired of the LORD yet again.”
David did not merely assume that because God had called him, every decision was automatically obvious.
He asked.
He listened.
He sought God's direction.
CALLING DOES NOT CANCEL THE NEED FOR GUIDANCE.
In fact:
The greater the assignment, the greater the need for divine direction.
---
15. DAVID'S PROCESS WAS ALSO A PROCESS OF SELF-GOVERNMENT
David could fight Goliath.
But could he control himself?
Could he restrain anger?
Could he wait?
Could he forgive?
Could he refuse revenge?
Could he honour authority?
Could he handle praise?
Could he remain humble?
These are deeper questions than:
“Can you perform?”
A person may have tremendous gifting and very little self-government.
But influence without character becomes dangerous.
THE GREATER THE PLATFORM, THE GREATER THE NEED FOR INNER GOVERNMENT.
Before God gives a person influence over people, He often works on that person's ability to govern himself.
---
16. DAVID'S PROCESS WAS NOT PERFECT
This must also be acknowledged.
David became one of the greatest kings in biblical history, yet his story includes serious failures.
His sin involving Bathsheba and Uriah in 2 Samuel 11 reveals that even a person who has passed through significant preparation can still fall.
This gives us a sobering lesson:
Process does not make you incapable of falling.
Process must produce continued dependence on God.
David needed grace not only in the wilderness but also on the throne.
He needed God not only when he was running from Saul but also when he was powerful.
NEVER OUTGROW YOUR DEPENDENCE ON GOD.
The greatest danger may not always be the wilderness.
Sometimes it is the place where everything seems to be working.
---
17. DAVID'S RESPONSE TO CORRECTION MATTERED
When Nathan confronted David concerning his sin, David did not defend himself indefinitely.
He acknowledged his sin.
2 Samuel 12:13 (KJV):
“And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.”
This is another dimension of maturity:
The ability to repent.
A mature believer is not someone who never makes mistakes.
A mature believer is someone who knows what to do when confronted with the truth.
David's life reminds us that God's dealings with us must continue beyond promotion.
---
18. JESUS IS THE GREATER SON OF DAVID
The David story ultimately points beyond David to Jesus Christ.
David was a shepherd.
Jesus declared:
John 10:11 (KJV):
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
David fought enemies to protect sheep.
Jesus gave His life to redeem His sheep.
David was a king.
Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
David's kingdom was earthly and temporary.
Christ's kingdom is everlasting.
David was anointed with oil.
Jesus is the Christ—the Anointed One.
David's throne pointed forward to the greater Davidic King.
Luke 1:32–33 (KJV) declares concerning Jesus:
“The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
Therefore, when we study David's process, we should not merely admire David.
We should see the greater prophetic picture:
The process points us ultimately toward Christ.
---
19. WHAT DAVID'S PROCESS TEACHES US
1. ANOINTING DOES NOT MEAN ARRIVAL.
The oil can come before the throne.
2. OBSCURITY CAN BE PREPARATION.
The field may be training you for the palace.
3. SMALL RESPONSIBILITIES MATTER.
Faithfulness with sheep prepared David for a nation.
4. PRIVATE VICTORIES MATTER.
The lion and bear prepared David for Goliath.
5. YOUR HISTORY WITH GOD MATTERS.
Previous testimonies strengthen present faith.
6. DO NOT WEAR ANOTHER PERSON'S ARMOUR.
Discover and develop what God has entrusted to you.
7. SUCCESS MUST BE MANAGED.
Promotion can expose character.
8. DO NOT FORCE THE PROMISE.
David refused to kill Saul merely because the throne had been promised to him.
9. WAITING CAN BE TRAINING.
The wilderness may be developing your capacity.
10. LEADERSHIP CAN BEGIN BEFORE POSITION.
David led people before he had a crown.
11. SEEK GOD FOR DIRECTION.
Calling does not eliminate dependence.
12. CHARACTER MUST GROW WITH GIFTING.
A powerful gift without character can become dangerous.
13. NEVER OUTGROW DEPENDENCE ON GOD.
The throne requires God just as much as the wilderness did.
14. REPENTANCE IS PART OF MATURITY.
When corrected, humble yourself.
15. THE PROCESS IS BIGGER THAN THE DESTINATION.
God was not merely preparing David for a chair.
He was forming a shepherd who could carry responsibility for people.
---
20. THE DAVID PROCESS
We can summarize David's journey like this:
SHEPHERD
↓
OBSCURITY
↓
ANOINTING
↓
PRIVATE BATTLES
↓
GOLIATH
↓
PUBLIC RECOGNITION
↓
PERSECUTION
↓
WILDERNESS
↓
LEADERSHIP
↓
WAITING
↓
RESTRAINT
↓
TESTING
↓
THRONE
↓
KINGDOM
↓
FAILURE & REPENTANCE
↓
LEGACY
Every stage had something to teach him.
The field taught responsibility.
The lion taught courage.
The bear taught persistence.
Goliath taught public faith.
Saul taught restraint.
The wilderness taught leadership.
Waiting taught patience.
The throne taught stewardship.
Failure taught repentance.
Legacy taught generational impact.
---
21. WHAT SEASON ARE YOU IN?
Perhaps you are currently in the shepherd season.
Do not despise it.
Perhaps you are in the lion-and-bear season.
Keep fighting.
Perhaps you have been anointed but not yet enthroned.
Keep preparing.
Perhaps you are facing your Goliath.
Remember what God has already done.
Perhaps you are in a Saul season, where people misunderstand or oppose you.
Do not allow persecution to corrupt your character.
Perhaps you are in an Adullam season.
Learn to lead.
Perhaps you are in a waiting season.
Do not manufacture the promise.
Perhaps you are experiencing promotion.
Do not forget the God who brought you there.
And perhaps you have fallen.
Do not run from God.
Repent.
Return.
Receive mercy.
Grow again.
---
22. THE DANGER OF WANTING DAVID'S THRONE WITHOUT DAVID'S PROCESS
Many people want:
David's crown.
But they do not want:
David's cave.
They want:
David's throne.
But not:
David's waiting.
They want:
David's victory over Goliath.
But not:
David's years of preparation with sheep.
They want:
David's influence.
But not:
David's development of character.
They want:
The manifestation.
But not:
The formation.
But the kingdom principle remains:
«God is not merely interested in getting you somewhere. He is interested in who you become when you get there.»
---
23. THE DAVID PRINCIPLE
David's life gives us this powerful equation:
ANOINTING + PROCESS + CHARACTER + DEPENDENCE ON GOD = CAPACITY FOR KINGDOM RESPONSIBILITY
The anointing reveals possibility.
The process develops capacity.
Character protects influence.
Dependence on God sustains the assignment.
---
24. A WORD FOR THE PERSON IN PROCESS
Do not conclude that God has forgotten you because you are still in the field.
David was in the field.
Do not conclude that the prophecy has failed because you are not yet on the throne.
David was anointed long before he became king.
Do not conclude that the wilderness means rejection.
David's wilderness became a leadership school.
Do not think your private battles are insignificant.
The lion and bear were preparing David for Goliath.
Do not take shortcuts because you are tired of waiting.
David had opportunities to kill Saul, but he refused to manufacture his destiny.
And do not allow your future to make you careless with your present.
The field matters.
The cave matters.
The wilderness matters.
The waiting matters.
The battles matter.
The lessons matter.
Because one day, you may look back and realize:
“God was not wasting my years. He was building me.”
---
25. DECLARATION
I declare over my life:
I will not despise my process.
I will not despise small beginnings.
I will not abandon today's assignment because of tomorrow's revelation.
I receive grace to be faithful in obscurity.
I receive grace to develop before I am displayed.
I receive courage for my lions.
I receive strength for my bears.
I receive faith for my Goliaths.
I receive wisdom for my wilderness.
I receive restraint in seasons of persecution.
I receive humility in seasons of promotion.
I will not force what God has ordained.
I will not use an ungodly method to obtain a God-given promise.
I will not wear another man's armour.
I will discover what God has placed within me and develop it faithfully.
My gift will not outrun my character.
My influence will not outrun my maturity.
My platform will not become greater than my dependence on God.
I will wait well.
I will serve well.
I will lead well.
I will repent when corrected.
I will remain teachable.
I will remain dependent upon God.
And when my appointed time comes, I will not merely arrive at the destination—
I will have become the person capable of carrying what God has placed in my hands.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
---
PROCESS — THE JOURNEY OF BECOMING
DAVID'S MESSAGE TO EVERY BELIEVER:
THE FIELD IS NOT THE END.
THE CAVE IS NOT THE END.
THE WILDERNESS IS NOT THE END.
THE WAITING IS NOT THE END.
THE BATTLE IS NOT THE END.
KEEP BECOMING.
Because what God is preparing you for will require a version of you that the present season is developing.
“HE CHOSE DAVID ALSO HIS SERVANT...”
Psalm 78:70
Evang Ayi.Mk.I
To God Be All The Glory!
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