I want to speak a message entitled "Lion Killers and Risk Takers".
2nd Samuel 23:20-23, "Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valient man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.
And he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptians hand, and killed him with his own spear.
These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard".
Father, this morning we thank you for your word. We thank you for your presence here. Spirit of God, I pray that you would stir our hearts and let this word settle deeply in our spirit. May we decrease and may you increase in this place, amen.
Benaiah was one of David's mighty men. In this chapter we are introduced to the man who did some spectacular things for God. They are listed here for a reason. These are men who did powerful things, not only in the name of the Lord but for their country and for David their King. When you look at their resume and their background your jaw drops open because of what they have done in the name of Jesus and for God that is absolutely outstanding.
Benaiah was someone whom David respected. He appointed him over his guard because he knew that there was something about this man that set him apart from everybody else. He was a man of action, full of courage. David saw something in him that David knew about himself. They had a lot in common. You remember that David was a lion killer and a giant killer as well. 1st Samuel 17:34-37 talks about David, "But David said to Saul, your servant used to keep his father's sheep and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth: and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing as he has defiled the armies of the living God. Moreover David said, "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, he will deliver me from this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord be with you!"
How many know David and Benaiah share a kindred spirit together? David recognized a fellow lion killer. He knew what was going on inside of him and because of that he knew he could trust him and made him the head of his army. What set Benaiah apart is that he chased down the lion, got it cornered in a pit on a snowy day and he killed it. I don't know if you've ever tried to deal with something in the snow? It's cold and miserable and you don't have good footing but he saw something that had to be dealt with and went and faced it head on. He chased that lion down into a snowy pit and killed it. It doesn't matter who you are, lion killer looks good on any resume. You could apply at McDonalds and have no experience but if you've killed a lion they'll probably hire you. It doesn't matter where you are, they'll respect you.
When most people see a lion they run in the other direction. Lion killers are a different breed. There's something unusual about these people. Lion killers don't see a problem, they see an opportunity and they're ready to face it head on. They refuse to turn their back on it. This breed of people face a problem, a giant or a lion and they go right after it. They don't grab a lion by the tail so they could turn around and bite them. They grab life by the mane, hold on tight and do something with it. How many know that God is raising up lion killers and risk takers today?
The Bible says that the devil is like a roaring lion. He's not a lion but a cheap imitation of a lion of the tribe of Judah. Satan wants to be God but he isn't. It doesn't matter how hard he tries, he can't even come close. 1st Peter 5:8 says, "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour". James 4:7 says, "Therefore, submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you". Lion killers realize that the reason the devil wins is because people won't resist. Most people will run or surrender in fear and temptation. They get worn out, desperate and confused but those who resist win. Resist and you win.
Benaiah was a lion killer. He chased it into a pit and took care of the problem. David went and chased a lion and a bear to get back what they stole. David wasn't scared. As a matter of fact when the lion or the bear came in to take one of the lambs from him, he went after it and chased it down. He didn't run from it or hide from it, he said, "Something has been taken that belongs to me and I'm going to take it back". He went after it, struck it down and took it right out of its mouth. How many are tired of the enemy having his way with your life, your family, and your stuff? Christians need to stop turning their back on the enemy and running in fear but start resisting him, go after it and take back what God gave you, and what God promised you. God is raising up lion killers.
Benaiah was a lion killer, David was a lion killer and they both realized that if they didn't deal with the lion, if they didn't kill the problem then it would remain. It would just keep stalking them and keep coming back around. If it didn't harrass them it would harrass someone else and eventually someone would get hurt. The biggest regret we have at the end of our lives will not be the things that we wish we could do again. I don't know how many of you have started to realize this but the older I get the more I realize that there are no do overs. He's the God of second chances but there's no reason to sit back and dwell on regrets of the past, "I wish I could go back and do this differently, I wish I could do this again". The truth is you just don't get to. The things that we will regret because we have that maturity as life goes on, we will regret the things that we would have done, the things we could have taken hold of. Teddy Roosevelt gives a quote that I love and I think is one of the best quotes that there ever is, "It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or how the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and falls short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows the triumph of high achievement, who at the worst if he fails at least he fails while daring greatly so that his place will never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat". The things we will regret at the end of our life are the things we didn't attempt, the things that we didn't take hold of, the opportunities we don't seize, the dreams that we don't pursue or the enemies that we don't go after.
Men and women of God have always done and dared to obey the Lord Jesus Christ and when they have, great things have taken place. Great people of passion have stepped out and trusted that God had a plan for their life. The other week I was taking the boys to school and a song came on the radio called "The Motions". This morning when I got in the car to come to church that was the first song that came on the radio. It's like God was saying, "that's exactly what I told you to preach this morning, you're right on track". The lyrics go something like this, "This might hurt, it's not safe, but I know I've got to make a change. I don't care if I break, at least I'll be feeling something because just ok is not enough. Help me fight through the nothingness of life. I don't want to go through the motions or go through one more day without your all consuming passion inside of me. I want to spend my whole life giving everything instead of going through the motions. No regrets, not this time, I'm going to let my heart defeat my mind. Let your love make me whole. I think I'm finally feeling something, because just ok is not enough. Help me fight through the nothingness of this life because I don't want to go through the motions. I don't want to go through one more day without your all consuming passion burning inside of me". That's a great prayer to pray and that's God's desire for us. No more just going through the motions or just doing things half way for God. Lion killers and risk takers begin to accomplish the things that God has for their life.
Throughout history the church has mostly focused on things we should not be doing. Don't do this, don't do that, can't touch this or touch that. But the truth is this, you can do nothing at all and still do nothing right. God has a plan for our life. He has stuff for us to accomplish and do. Holiness is not just getting certain things out of our life, it involves living up to God's potential for our lives. God created us for a purpose and not just to sit on our blessed assurance. He has got a plan for our life, a purpose for our life, things to do that will blow our mind, accomplishments that you can do for his glory that can change the world and other people's lives. God has a plan.
James 4:17 says, "Therefore to him who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, to him it is sin". Our calling as Christians has much more to it then just to arrive safely at death's door. When you get to heaven you want to have just something filled behind your name? Not just getting there safely. God desires all of us to accomplish something of significance with our lives. Significance has nothing to do with how large or how small, it means fulfilling God's plan for our life. Did you know that God has a plan for you? Many people don't try because of fear. The lions rise up, the problems rise up, the challenges rise up, so they quit trying. But we are not to live in fear. It's not supposed to be lions and tigers and bears, oh my! When they rise up, go get em and conquer them in the name of Jesus. "Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world".
God has a plan. All of us were born with a sense of destiny and you know it. When you were born you sensed it inside of you, there was this roaring in your spirit man. When you gave your life to Jesus that roaring and that voice came back saying "I love you, there is a plan for you and a purpose". In America we say that if you're going to do something great you should be president or the quarterback of the team or someone that is known by everybody in the newspapers. But the truth is this, some of the greatest people have never been in the newspaper, will never be in a history book and may not be known by anybody else but they have obeyed God's will for their life and because of it nothing has ever been the same. He is faithful.
Shakespeare said this, "There is nothing so common as the desire to be remarkable". The truth is you are remarkable in the Lord. We want to do something. I know very few people who have ever said in their life that they just want to be a nobody. The truth is that deep down it's there in our spirits. Somehow for many this has been stolen from them. If that sense of remarkableness, if that sense of destiny has been stolen from you regardless of what life has brought, you resist the devil and get it back. How many know it wasn't his in the first place? It was something God gave you, it was his purpose and plan for you and it doesn't belong to the enemy or anybody else. It's not even up to anyone else's opinion, it is the plan and the purpose that God made you and I for and he's called us to do remarkable things. The truth is this room is filled with remarkable people.
There are two things that you will find in those that have trusted in God. Number one is faith and number two is intestinal fortitude (faith and guts). I like the jewish word for it, "hudspah". People who are filled with boldness not because they are arrogant and prideful but because they are people who will walk in the spirit of God that has filled them and they will stand up for him and for what is right, strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. As a matter of fact we are commanded to be this way. Ephesians 6:10 says, "Finally brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might". Joshua 1:9 says, "Have I not commanded you, be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid nor be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go". How many of you this morning have the spirit of God residing inside of you? You've been saved, set free, born again, and washed in the blood. His spirit resides inside of us. He says, "Don't be afraid". Too many people walk through this life in fear.
People asked me, "Are you afraid to go preach on Halloween day? that's the devil's day. Halloween day is not the devil's day. "This is the day the lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it". The devil didn't make any day. He can do whatever he wants, he has no authority over us. People get so scared over what the devil can do. I remember when we were at a church back in Phoenix when we were studying to be ministers, people did wild stuff back then. There were witches that decided to come out and pray against the church and had gone up on the mountain where a lot of us had gone up to pray. They had drawn a pentegram on the ground and sacrificed some goats trying to curse the church. I remember when we were in the hall there just praying and seeking the face of God. Randy was a trucker in his late thirties when he was with us. He was a big man, the type of guy who could pick up any hitchhiker and they would never mess with him. Not only was he big but he loved people. You could never touch him because he would either love you to Jesus or beat you to death, it just didn't matter. One time Randy was up on the hill and all of a sudden you heard someone screaming like a girl and Randy came running down into the church. He had seen the goats that were on the mountainside and was freaked out from the blood. You have to understand, we didn't have any money and when we saw dead goats on the mountain we thought, "Great, a barbecue". Glory to God, let the witches do what they want, they can't touch the church of God. So many Christians live in fear but the devil can't touch you if you belong to the Lord. If financial challenges come he said he's our provider and he will meet our needs. If we get sick he is our healer. Whatever we need he is almighty God so why do we walk in fear?
Lion killers and risk takers understand who their God is. So many people wallow in self pity filled with fear and uncertainty. God is with us, why do we live that way? Why do we walk around feeling sorry for ourselves? Why are we waiting for the other shoe to drop all the time? Why do we let our imaginations run wild? If you've got a problem, face it head on with the power of God and understand that he will take care of it. If the enemy is trying to do something in your family, get on your knees and seek the face of God and God will overcome it. If there's something that's going on in your life, the power of God can break the back of the enemy because he's just a cheap imitation. The great men and women of the Bible had faith and guts. They were filled with the spirit of God.
I want you to turn with me to Hebrews chapter 11:17-35. It's called the Heroes of the faith. We're not even starting at the beginning, it goes all the way back to Adam, Abel, Enoch and Noah. We're going to start at verse 17, "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called", concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden 3 months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the King's command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King; for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the Harlot, Rahab, did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destute, afflicted, tormented- of whom the world was not worthy".
Sometimes faith and risk look a lot alike. Faith is never safe but it is a sure thing. I've prayed this prayer, "God, if you were writing this Bible today, I want my name to be on the wall with the heroes of faith. I want to be among the lion killers and the risk takers". How many know today he is still writing that list? That list has been extended. He just stopped there because if we were to keep adding to it the stories would be amazing. Some of the names we know by heart but some of the people throughout history have done incredible things for God but their names aren't listed. I think of the Mark Bontaine's and the Mother Theresa's and the Billy Graham's. These we all know but there are many just like them today who labor in the Lord and do what God has called them to do and they are life changers and risk takers.
I was going to stop at all the safe stuff before I got to the part where some were sawn in two and some were stoned and God told me, "Don't you dare, don't you dare paint the picture that it's always rosy to be a man of faith and a lion killer". If you're going to serve Jesus then sometimes part of the risk means that you might have to give your whole life. Not everyone has to but some will. When Stephen was staring up into heaven while he was being stoned I'm sure he wasn't glad it was happening but I know that he looked full in the face of Jesus and he gave his everything for God. It was a witness to those then and it is a witness now. What we know is that a Stephen sacrifice helped to raise up a Paul that began to write half the word of God and it began to change the world. Sometimes what it takes is lion killers and risk takers.
Hudson Taylor said, "Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God there is no need for faith". What is he calling you to do? Don't measure it by everybody else but by what God has called you to do. My prayer has been, "Lord, if you're going to write it then I want my name on that wall". Do we have the guts to live by faith? Do we have the guts to trust God? All those who are in the word and everyone who has ever served. The devil may act like a lion but Jesus is the lion of the tribe of Judah, fierce enough to have an enemy, no enemy his equal, yet gentle enough to carry his children. Lion killers put their back not to God because they're in rebellion but because they're going forward and behind you is the lion of the tribe of Judah. He's fierce enough to defend you, fierce enough to be there with you and fight every battle that you'll be in, but gentle enough to carry you right in his hands and you'll know that you're safe in his arms.
Jesus was crucified because he was driven not to be safe but to be a sacrifice for those that he loved. He risked it all so that you and I could have life. When we are afraid to live by faith we rob God of the glory he wants to reveal to the Lord through our life. One danger that everyone of us face is to stop moving forward and settling, or to relive our past and repeat old mistakes. The truth is that many former lion killers have lost their nerve but God has called us to be lion killers and risk takers through our whole life.
Benaiah was promoted because he never stopped going for his all. As a matter of fact, all his life he fought lions and that's why David wanted him by his side to become part of his bodyguard. All of David's life he fought the giants and the lions and he never stopped. God gave him rest and there were times of peace but he kept going forward. David saw more than just a giant and a lion killer. He saw a man that would be faithful, submitted to authority, submitted to God's plan to what he had. Benaiah was submitted to that authority, loyal and obedient throughout his whole life.
1st Kings 1:5-8 tells us about it. "Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be King" (He was ready to rebel against David) and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty to run before him. And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, "Why have you done so?". He was also very good looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom. Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah. But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah". Benaiah sided with the King at all times. He sided with the side of right, he sided with God. He knew who the Lord had placed in authority and he began to make sure that all his life he was faithful even when others stood out and didn't do what was right. This lion killer and giant slayer and risk taker still stood by what was right.
Verse 32 says, "And King David said, "Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada". So they came before the King. How many know the King knows who he can count on? God knows who he can count on. God knows who are with him and who will stay by him even when it's not popular with everyone else, even when certain people rise up against his word and declare a different thing. The King also said to them, "Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel, and blow the horn and say, "Long live King Solomon". Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah". Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the King and said, "Amen"! May the Lord God of my lord the king say so too".
Benaiah had guts. While across town an insurrection was taking place he wasn't afraid. He said, "I know what the King wants and we're ging to make sure that the right successor is in place. We're going to stand up for what is right and we're going to go out into the streets and make it right". Many people today are trying to dethrone God. They're trying to say there's a different way and trying to say different things and create a way that isn't right in the eyes of God. God is looking for lion killers and risk takers who will stand up for him in the marketplace and go out against the tide of popular opinion and still declare that Jesus is Lord. How many know that Lion killers and risk takers are those who God calls today?
These men had guts and they went out and did what was faithful. Because Benaiah was faithful, 1st Kings 2:35 says, "The King put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar". Promotion came. By this time in his life he wasn't a young man anymore. He could have sat down and said, "Remember when I killed the lion in the pit on a snowy day? When I was a young man I took care of that spectacular man, I brought him down and I've done my part. I've done it all". Then he could have just lived in the past and left it there. He realized that real lion killers and risk takers are that all through their life. This wasn't a young man anymore and he now had wisdom and gray hair. All of his life he stood up for what was right going after the lions and the betrayers just as Jesus went after Satan.
Today the church needs you and me to stand up and to be a light in the world. Risk is a choice that might open you up to the possibility of loss or injury. But the truth is all of life is a risk. Step out, dare to do something with your life. Many of life's greatest opportunities are disguised as lions. What has God called you to do? What is the risk he's asked you to take? What is the lion he's called you to defeat? What is the problem that you need to face?
When I was researching this message I ran across something called, "The Lion chasers manifesto". I decided I liked it and want to read it to you this morning. I want to call it, "The risk takers and lion killers commitment". It says I will quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. I will quit focusing on self preservation and will be willing to take risks. I will quit trying to be who I'm not and start being myself. I will quit holding out or holding back. I will quit running away. I will burn sinful bridges and blaze new trails. I will not let what's wrong with me keep me from worshipping what's right with God. I will go after the dream he's given me that is God sized enough to fail without him. How many know that if you could do it on your own then you're just getting it done in your own strength? Something worth doing needs God behind it all the way. I will stop complaining and find creative ways to become part of the solution. I will step out of my comfort zone and value every experience, even the difficult ones. I will worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. I will follow him wherever he leads me. Lion chasers, lion killers, commitment. How many will make that your prayer?
