King David

The Lord said about King David that he was a man according to His own heart and desire. Luke writes, “And when he had removed him, he raised David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David, the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will” (Acts 13:22). The wisdom behind selecting King David and how David has become a man after God’s own heart lies in six characteristics. Modern believers need these six characteristics to become man or woman after God’s own heart. If you have read 1 Samuel 16:18, you will find these six characteristics. It says that one of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite (first), who is skillful in playing, (second), a man of valor, (third), a man of war, (fourth), prudent in speech, (fifth), a man of good presence, (sixth), and the Lord is with him.”

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1. Cunning in Playing or Skillful Man of God

God the Father does not like the unskillful or slack hands or feet. Solomon wrote, “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich” (Prov 10:4), so God is pleased with the work of experts or skillful men. When the Lord told Moses to build the tabernacle, He asked him to select skillful men, so “Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work following all that the Lord has commanded” (Ex 36:1). Since God does not change, He still desires those who are skilled at what they do and give it all they’ve got.

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2. Mighty Valiant Man

When we see King David´s life, we see that he was a mighty valiant Man of God. King David feared no man, knowing “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Bravery is sometimes a sign of the Holy Spirit’s presence and an anointing from God; therefore, if modern Christians truly want to become faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ, they need to be ready for spiritual warfare and battle like a mighty and valiant man or woman of God. We’re facing war in all areas of our lives from the enemy. Believers all around the world know that it’s not easy to live life on this earth today. We need to become brave men or women of God because “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12).
 

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3.  A Mighty Warrior

A man or woman of war is someone who not only fights against the enemy but also strives to keeps others safe. Truly faithful Christians must fight spiritual battles with the Devil and his dark forces to win, but thankfully, believers “have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death” (Rev 12:11).

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4. Prudent in Matters

Being prudent means using wisdom and language according to the situation. I think if King David were not prudent in matters, he would have never prayed to God for his son Solomon, whom God has a heart of wisdom. Because of King David´s quality, his son asked God to give him wisdom, and he did. Solomon asked, “Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who can govern this your great people” (1 Kings 3:9). Truly faithful Christians must learn the importance of being prudent in matters. These types of believers will lead our generations into a wealth of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.

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5. A Comely Person

According to vocabulary.com, “If your manners are comely, it means you know the right way to act to put people at ease. Comely is related to the word for becoming something attractive and appropriate. One example is, “You’re comely wearing that blouse,” however, it’s related to their spiritual beauty or beauty of holiness. King David had a spiritual beauty, and that’s why he worshipped God and announcing the angels also worship God with the beauty of holiness. Modern Christians should have this attribute if they want to grow in the faithfulness and grace of God.

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6. The Lord is With Him

“The Lord is with him” means He is with all those who have all the above-mentioned qualities. God cannot work with you if you lack these six qualities. As a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:17), we should have many more Christ-like qualities. However, these are the basic ground or foundational characteristics of the people with whom God is well pleased.

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Excerpts from whatchristianswanttoknow.com by. Usman Raza