BIG IDEA:
PROSPERITY FLOWS OUT OF THE PRESENCE AND FAVOR OF GOD
INTRODUCTION:
In studying and applying any OT passage on prosperity, it is helpful to learn from the material blessings how to seek God for spiritual blessings (not that God does not provide us with material blessings as well — but the focus seems to be on spiritual blessings)
I. DAVID – A MODEL OF DIVINE PROSPERITY (a type of Christ)
Key = Prosperity connected with the presence and favor of God (:12,14,28)
“the Lord was with him”
Examine the different realms in which God prospered David:
a. Friendship — Loyalty and Love of Close Friends (:1-4)
b. Work — Achievements and Increasing Responsibilities
1) Submissive to authority (:5)
2) Prosperity from the Lord characterized everything David gave himself to
3) Promoted despite Saul’s suspicious, envious spirit
4) Ability to take the most difficult task and still overachieve (:25-27)
c. Reputation — Respect and Admiration of the People
everyone admired David except for Saul (:5-8, 16, 30)
d. Talents — Gifted with Natural Abilities Such as Music (:10)
e. Marriage — Prosperous in Marriage
f. Character — Fruit of Spiritual Character
1) Humility (:18,23)
2) Courage and Faith (:17,26)
3) Wisdom (:30)
g. Persecution — Protected from Ambush
II. SAUL — A MODEL OF DIVINE REJECTION
Key = Divine Rejection connected with a bitter spirit
a. Double minded — vacillating between positive and negative attitudes
b. Jealous over the prosperity given by the sovereign God to another servant of God (:7-8) – Very insecure … and with good reason
c. Suspicious and Critical — Imputing the worst possible motives (:9)
d. Dominated by Evil (:10)
e. Fearful of Righteousness (as lived out by the godly — :12,15,29)