Keion Henderson - Outsmarting the Obstacle

Today I want to talk about the subject of outsmarting the obstacles. I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said that the things that hurt us instruct us. I am already preaching! It normally takes me at least 30 minutes to get ready. The things that hurt us instruct us. What if I told you, my brother, my sister, my friend, that your obstacle is actually the canvas that God has given you to paint your masterpiece? What if I told you, listen, that there will be glory after this? And before you turn me off and decide that I’m not talking to you, this message is for the entrepreneur and the artist. This message is for the eclectic and the structured. This message is for baby boomers and millennials, and genders. This message is for the seniors and the teenagers. This message is for the rich and the poor, the famous and the unknown, for the best-selling author and the soccer mom. It doesn’t matter who you are; everybody-and I do mean everybody-at some point in your life will be confronted with an obstacle. It is my desire today to let you know that embedded in every obstacle is a benefit. Most people never benefit from the obstacle because they are typically paralyzed by it. But what if I told you that behind every dark cloud, the sun is still shining? I want to help you get rid of all of your excuses. Oh, pastor, I’m too short; I’m not tall enough; I’m scared; I’m poor; I don’t have the money! Oh, I can’t do what you do because my city isn’t as progressive as yours. My city is behind; it’s not big; it’s not major. I didn’t have a father growing up; I didn’t have a mother growing up. Oh, I had this; I had that; I’m unhappy with my job. Oh, my boss isn’t fair. Oh, it’s my relationship-that’s why I’m struggling. Oh no, no, it’s the economy. No, it’s the government; it’s politics. Ah, it’s this; it’s the mayor; it’s the president; it’s the city officials; it’s racism. All of those things exist. But what if I told you, listen, that what you are feeling right now is in pain? What if I told you that what you’re feeling is actually instruction? What if I told you that what you feel isn’t designed to hurt you but is designed to instruct you? I love watching shows where people train dogs; I love the phenomenon of it. And every once in a while, you’ll see a dog trainer training a dog, and the owner will be upset because it looks like the trainer is hurting the dog. The dog trainer will say, «I’m not hurting the dog; what I’m doing is changing the focus of the mind .» When I touch a certain place, it causes the dog to get out of aggression and into instruction. What if I told you that every time God pokes you, He’s trying to instruct you? What if I told you that God sees you growling and fixated, focused on something, getting ready to chase a parked car? And every once in a while, He’ll touch you just to get your attention. What if I told you that it isn’t rejection; it’s instruction? What if I told you that God was using your own cross just to get your attention? I know you’re saying, «But pastor, you don’t know how long I’ve been on this cross; I’ve been up here three days!» To every man is given a measure of grace. I don’t know how long you have to struggle; I don’t know how long your strife is going to last. I don’t know how long you’re going to be in your wilderness; I don’t know how long you’re going to be frustrated. I don’t know that; but what if I told you that what you are feeling is God 's subtle touch to get your attention? It is in this text that we see David. In our text, David sees Saul. To understand this text, you have to grasp the very complicated relationship between David and Saul, because God has anointed Saul as the king. Saul has lost his anointing, and now David is his replacement. David is getting ready to take over at a time when Saul is not ready to let go. God has switched the oil from David to Saul, and Saul has to deal with the fact that he has to respect his replacement. He 's struggling with that concept because he’s used to being in charge, used to being at the top, used to being number one. He’s used to the women bowing, and all of a sudden he hears another song: «Saul has killed his thousands, but David has killed his tens of thousands.» He’s got all of this stimuli surrounding him that is really hurting his ego. Now we get to a place, and I told you I would condense this text because I’m more concerned with getting you this lesson than with reading these 30 verses to you-you can do that on your own. What is happening right here is that Saul is having to adjust to a new life, and so is David because now David is walking into his assignment. Saul is insecure about David 's advancement and now doesn’t know what to do...