"The Life of David": 4 Fear in Control

Focus Passage: 1 Samuel 18

There is a place for fear, but it should never control our lives. On a mountain highway with sheer drop offs, fear keeps us cautious and may save our life. However fear may deny us the chance to see friends or travel distances if our fear of heights prevents us from flying in airplanes. Fear can be a blessing when we keep it in check. Saul has been told that God will tear the kingdom of Israel from him and his family (1 Sam 15:28). He has pushed the Lord out of his life and has been tormented by an evil spirit (1 Sam. 16:14). He is now a man who lives in fear of everything around him and may be wondering who the Lord will give his kingdom to. In that moment of fear, a young man of amazing talent comes on the scene.

• Competing for love v.4.  Saul looked with horror at the affection that Jonathan bestowed on the young man from Bethlehem. The crown prince treated David with honor by giving David his robe and weapons. It was an act of admiration and deep friendship. Who was this man who was working his way into Saul’s family? Jonathan was royalty and David was a mere boy from a backward town. Saul felt like he was competing for the love of his son with this boy.

• Competing for popularity v.8. Saul would put the boy in his proper place. He sent David out into battle expecting him to fail. Yet, whatever David was called to do, he did with great success. Soon the officers and the people wanted him to have a high rank. Soon the crowds were singing that David’s successes were greater than Saul’s. It was as if God was giving David success. Was he the one that God planned to give the kingdom to? Fear welled up in Saul’s heart at each of David’s triumphs.

• Plan A: Put David in danger v.16 There is only one thing to do with such fears. You get rid of them. Saul sent David out to lead the dangerous campaigns. David was so popular that he did not dare kill David. Let the enemy kill David in battle and rid Saul of this rival. Yet, David won battle after battle and his fame and popularity grew. Saul saw this threat grow as the people loved David and gladly followed him into battle. He was young, but all of Israel was singing his praises. 

• Plan B: Give David an impossible task v. 25. Saul tricked David into taking on an impossible task so that he could be rid of David. Saul offered the hand of his daughter to David if David would bring back the tokens of 100 defeated Philistines. David took up the offer and brought back 200 foreskins as the bride price. Saul had no choice but to give his daughter in marriage to David. David was now officially part of the royal family and was admired by the people.

When fear takes control of you, you have fuzzy vision and foolish actions. Instead of seeing David as a blessing to the kingdom, he sees David as a rival who must be eliminated. When he can’t eliminate David, Saul fears him even more. Such is the power of fear. The only answer is faith. Repentance was possible up until the day Saul died. He might still lose the kingdom, but God would have a place for a repentant servant. When we have fears that seem to control us, we need to bring them to God in prayer so that our fear doesn’t cause us to destroy ourselves. Saul’s fear would lead him to spend years trying to destroy David. He would eventually die at the hands of the Philistines because he did not have General David at his side.