Just Let God Handle It - Pastor Stacey Shiflett
- Pastor Shiflett
- Dec 10
- 5 min read
Just Let God Handle It
1 Samuel 26:6–11
Intro: Let’s take a few minutes to look at the situation David is faced with in this story.
To fully comprehend the difficulty of this encounter, we must review the details of David’s life.
Saul’s hatred was not provoked by David’s failures but by David’s faithfulness.
By Saul’s own mouth, God was no longer with him.
· 1 Samuel 28:15 And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams:
Yet David experienced God’s presence upon his life.
· 1 Samuel 16:13 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.
Saul’s cowardice to fight Goliath was overshadowed by David’s courage.
Saul’s insecurities were threatened by David’s successes.
His jealousy was ignited by the very one God sent to help him and minister to him.
· David loved Saul.
· David honored Saul.
· David protected Saul.
· David fought Saul’s battles.
· David soothed Saul’s troubled spirit.
· David saved the kingdom that Saul ruled.
· David literally delivered Israel from the Philistine bondage.
Yet David’s loyalty was rewarded with:
Excommunication — He becomes a fugitive in his own nation.
Separation — Forced to abandon his wife, his home and his best friend, Jonathan.
Isolation — Only the distressed, indebted, and discontented follow him.
Persecution — Hunted like an animal by the man he supported.
Not for a few weeks or months.
Not a single year
But for nearly a decade, David’s life consisted of caves, betrayal, exile, hiding, fleeing, and fighting for survival.
Life’s greatest hurts often come, not from enemies, but from the people we once helped.
The Saul’s in your life can be represented by:
· Unfair treatment – Saul tried to kill David twice: 1 Samuel 18:11; 1 Samuel 19:10
· Unwarranted hatred - 1 Sam. 18:29 Saul became David’s enemy continually.
· Unreliable promises – 1 Sam. 24:17-22 Saul promised to leave David alone.
· Unlawful measures – 1 Sam. 25:44 (taking David’s wife awa from him) SEE 2 Samuel 3:13–14
· Unreasonable behavior – 1 Sam. 26:2 – Saul brought 3,000 men with him?
And the question becomes: What do you do when your “Saul” won’t stop chasing you?
I. The Opportunity that was Possible
· 7 …Saul lay sleeping within the trench…
David stumbles upon the rarest of moments; an opportunity to end his nightmare.
His enemy; the man who has terrorized him, is asleep, unguarded, and vulnerable.
This was the moment many dream about.
A chance to end their suffering.
A chance to stop running.
A chance to strike back.
God will often allow opportunities that look like a shortcut to relief.
These moments test not our strength, but our character.
Just because something is possible does not mean it is permissible.
And just because you have the opportunity to take revenge doesn’t mean you should.
II. The Opinion that was Plausible
· 8 …God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand…
Abishai read the situation and came to what appears to be a logical conclusion.
“This is divine intervention! God is obviously giving you the green light!”
And on the surface, his opinion made sense:
The timing was perfect.
The danger was real.
The suffering had been long.
The opportunity seemed providential.
Be careful - not every open door is God’s doing.
Satan will use trusted friends to mislead you if you’re not careful.
People who love you can still misinterpret God’s will.
Human logic does not always align with divine leading.
III. The Offer that was Persuasive
· 8 “…let me smite him… I will not smite him the second time.”
Abishai is not offering assassination; he’s offering David a much deserved relief.
He’s not suggesting David dirty his own hands - he’ll do it for him.
This was a tempting offer:
END the running.
END the fear.
END the injustice.
END the hardship.
Abishai is the voice we all hear in tough times: “You deserve better!”
“You shouldn’t have to put up with this!”
“Take matters into your own hands!”
I’ve lost count of the times my friends have offered to “take care of that” for me.
Satan often disguises temptation as expediency.
IV. The Objection that was Prudent
· 9 …Destroy him not…
David stopped Abishai immediately.
Why? Because David’s restraint is rooted in principle, not emotion.
The flesh always wants revenge now.
But God calls us to a higher path.
· Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
David refuses to kill Saul because:
Saul’s position was still God-ordained.
David refused to step outside of God’s timing.
David did not want to achieve God’s promise using ungodly methods.
David’s wisdom is clear: If you have to sin to solve your problem, you don’t want that solution.
Spiritual maturity isn’t seen in what you start, but in what you refuse to start.
Restraint is often more powerful than revenge.
Strength is not measured in the pain you can inflict; but in the patience that you exhibit during your trial.
V. The Observation that was Patient
· 9–11 …the LORD shall smite him… or his day shall come to die… or he shall descend into battle…
David lays out three possible futures for Saul:
God will deal with him personally …the LORD shall smite him…
Time will deal with him naturally …or his day shall come to die…
Circumstances will deal with him providentially …or he shall descend into battle…
But David concludes with this realization: “The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand…”
He refuses to become the judge, the jury, or the executioner.
David is saying, “I will not take God’s job. I will trust God’s timing.”
Patience is not a sign of weakness.
Patience is surrendering the outcome to God.
A fruit of the Spirit is LONGSUFFERING.
God’s delays are never God’s denials.
Let God handle the Sauls in your life.
He knows how to deal with them better than you ever could.
Conclusion: Let God Handle It!
Opportunities may tempt you.
Opinions may push you.
Offers may persuade you.
But obedience and patience will protect you.
David refused to take the shortcut.
Instead, he took the God-route — the harder path, but the holier path.
· When you are mistreated…When you are wronged…When you want to strike back…
Remember David’s example:
Don’t handle it yourself.
Just let God handle it.