The LORD preserved David whithersoever he went...repeated four times in 2 Samuel 8 and 1 Chronicles 18. Why was this the case and how can we experience the same thing.2 Samuel 8:6Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.2 Samuel 8:14And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

God has made His people to "drink of the river of His pleasures." What a beautifully descriptive phrase of all that God does for us.Psalm 36:8 - They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

How silly, how foolish are you willing to look to praise and honor your God? David was willing to set aside what people might think of him as king in order to praise and serve the Lord because that was more important to him. 2 Samuel 6:22 - And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

Though God's people provoked Him over and over again, yet He was faithful to them because of the "multitude of His mercies."Psalm 106:44-45 - Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.

Submit to God in your daily walk by asking Him questions. David did this exact thing by inquiring of the LORD on two similar occasions and God directed in two distinct ways.2 Samuel 5:19 - And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.2 Samuel 5:23 - And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.

In our "self talk", we need to remind ourselves of all of God's blessings and benefits in our lives. It's so easy to forget!Psalm 103:2 - Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

It is God's will for the Christian to live estranged, separated, at odds with, the lusts of our flesh instead of accommodating those lusts and allowing them to define you. The children of Israel were not estranged from their lust and it wound up costing them dearly.Psalm 78:30 - They were not estranged from their lust.⁠#sin #victory #lust #christianliving

Three tribes experienced God's help in their battle because they "cried to God" and they cried to God because "they put their trust in him". We can experience God's help (God's grace) in the same way!1 Chronicles 5:20 - And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.

What does it mean that God preventest David with the blessings of goodness? It means that God met him in the way and had left behind blessings of goodness in the path that God wanted David to walk. God does the same for us today!Psalm 21:3 For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.

How do we protect ourselves from the designs of the devil in our lives? Simply "by the word of thy lips."Psalm 17:4 - Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.