David was crowned King, then immediately he was attacked by the Philistines. He had just lived with the Philistines as a friend, but his ultimate assignment from God would be to destroy the Philistines as King. Remember, he was anointed as King but was constantly under attack by Saul, who should have been his friend. So he still was not crowned as King.

Upon the news of Saul’s death, the Philistines formed an army and immediately came against David. There is something truly worthwhile knowing about what David might have learned as he lived with the Philistines. Israel was still living in the Bronze Age: weapons were made of bronze.

The Philistines had entered the Iron Age, and now were making weapons of iron. He and his men learned this technology from the Philistines while they lived there in exile. So this would explain one of the many reasons that God made David’s journey to becoming King a long hard road. There were many things David needed to learn and know before he sat on the throne.

When David heard of the attack formed in the valley below Jerusalem, he locked himself into the citadel and sought God. This was the kind of leader

God was looking for and always is.  God is willing to give us unfair advantage in life if we will just feed and lead his people.

David asked God if he should go out against the Philistines and fight them frontally in a pitched battle. God said yes. This story is in II Samuel  Chapter 5. So they went out and routed the army of the Philistines as God had promised.

The Philistines reassembled the defeated Army and came back into the valley for attack. They knew they had to destroy David now are that God might be with him. David did something extremely important for us to see. He locked himself back into the citadel and saw God in prayer again.

It is so common for humans to just make assumptions. Would it not have been really easy for David to assume that God would be with them if they went back against the same enemy, same place; after all God said yes the first time? But he sought God’s direction again as we all should. This time God said no. God said not to go out against them this time but go and hide in the balm trees, mistakenly translated as Mulberry trees in English, and wait until the wind blows in the tops of the trees.  They were to lay an ambush; God had chosen the strategy and the timing. If David had not asked, it would have been a disaster; but now a great victory was at hand because a man went into his prayer closet with God and talked to him. Leadership matters. Friendship with God matters.

I believe it’s extremely significant that there were balm trees. These trees made healing ointments used by the physicians of the time. I believe this is an important symbol for us to see now. I am certain that until the Body of Jesus Christ, the followers of the Way, embraces the strategy of healing and wait upon God until we move against our enemies, we will not see breakthrough.

I’m not just speaking of physical healing here. I believe that virtually everyone has parts of their heart that are broken. Jesus said in Isaiah 61 that the Holy Spirit had been given him, and to us, to preach the good news to the poor and to bind together the broken hearts.

Many of us today, probably most, would rather see the return of God’s favor in the form of wind and fire as it happened in the chamber among believers at Pentecost. But I believe that God wants to bring deep permanent healing into the hearts of people–especially his friends(ref. John 15.) Until we embrace this, I do not think we are in God’s plan for awakening. This is another one of the unique characteristics of our time in history. A vibrant healthy church can only survive. “When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.” Isaiah 59:19

People who do not see this or understand it will be deeply disappointed and left behind. He wants faithful shepherds and faithful people. We cannot be completely faithful if burdened down with brokenness in our heart: chronic fear and shame, pain and heartache, anger and rage, sorrow and sadness.

We’re not supposed to have these things in our heart. Jesus said he came to set us free. Yet, I have prayed for healing with people for the things I’ve just mentioned and more; people said they wanted to get rid of them; but they resisted at the moment of release.

So many of us are afraid. We fear that if we let go of these imposters, who pose as security guards but are really our enemies, the feeling would be unbearable: one like falling off a cliff is often described.

This is of course a lie but we have grown accustomed to tolerating these impurities in our heart, and believing the lies. I’m not speaking of feelings in the moment, anger is appropriate for a short time, or the beautiful sadness that comes with loss that can lead to joy in time.

I’m speaking of dirty feelings that we can’t shake but we hate to feel. And speaking of inappropriate hopelessness, helplessness, and all the other pain that fills our hearts instead of joy, love, and hope.

We will not be ready for the battle  that comes at the point of spiritual breakthrough until we sit under the balm trees and embrace God’s healing of our hearts. When that happens, the Angels of breakthrough will blow the winds and we will defeat our enemies. When God says to us, “Go and fight” or the reverse, “hide and ambush” we cannot be believing the voices that say, “You are crazy” or “that was not God was it” or “I want to go whack the Philistines I hate them. Surely God is saying what I want to hear…”

Of course this is not a war today that kills people, rather a war that loves them to death. Many of us have been called to live with our enemies. God has placed us strategically to learn the new technologies that will dominate the marketplace. We wonder why has God isolated us and made us live with our enemies. You will probably know the answer soon if you don’t know yet.

Remember: if people who once posed as your friends come to attack you, do not be surprised. Further, do not be surprised if you learn how to win from them. Also don’t be surprised if they are overwhelmed by God’s love and join you.