Your Servant Has Killed Both the Lion and the Bear!

A word of encouragement to all who tend the flock of God!

This past Sunday, while sitting under the teaching of Pastor Willie at Calvary Temple of Christ
in Yuma, AZ, the following verses were flashed up on the screen amongst others. They nearly jumped of the page at me.

But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; 1 Sam 17:34-36 NIV

Those of you who have shepherding responsibilities now, whether as a senior pastor, a youth worker, a home group leader or as a parent, know the heartache of losing a lamb. Sometimes it is beyond our control because of job transfers or moves. Sometimes they are lured by the promise of greener pastures. But sometimes, it is the enemy carrying them off through sin and deception- addictions or anger and resentment or the result of gossip and backbiting, etc.

It is at just such a time, I would encourage you to recognize several things.

There are those who cannot be rescued or, worse, do not want to be rescued. There are others who see no problem and wander off on their own. They just made a decision to go another way.

But still there are others carried off by the enemy!

Our Lord wants His sheep cared for and protected from the enemy- the lion and the bear. Since it is His will that they be protected, then He will not only give to you, His shepherds, the wisdom(that word of wisdom) to know how to deal with each situation, but when the time comes you will have all that you need to go after that lion or that bear and strike it and rescue the sheep from its mouth. If it turns on you, and it will, you will have the strength and the know-how (that word of knowledge) to seize it by its hair, strike it and kill it!

It will not matter the nature of the sin or what manner of weapon the enemy employs, with God's will comes grace which is, among other things, the divine enablement to fulfill His will!