This word is about a week late to posting.

Last week, closer to the turn of the new year, I felt like not only had things we had been dealing with over recent months shift and release but almost as if the chapter of the last decade of our life had also turned.

In the bible there is a story from the life of David where, his earlier major victory of rising up to face a giant and defeating him occurred. From there he went on to do other things, minister to the king, made new alliances and gained new best friends. He walked in a new level of exposure and authority for this season. He even married into the kings family. But eventually hardship overcame his new circumstances and he could no longer remain where he was at anymore. David could not control this, despite his calling and anointing.

The very person he had gained favor with by defeating Goliath had grown the desire to eliminate David. David remained the same but the season and circumstances around him changed. This was the Lord’s doing and was a necessary part in David’s growing process. The coming hardships are what forged David’s character to lead in Christ, through Christ, and with him,

Despite his previously achieved positions of influence and authority, David needs to leave this place. David leaves empty handed with nothing and no one into his next season. To the naked eye, one could not see his calling and the fact that he had previously already been anointed King. He visibly carried nothing with him into his next season, but what he DID carry was the only thing that mattered, his history in God, his calling and his anointing for it.

I’m almost to the point in the story I’ve been getting to. David arrived at the temple of the Lord at the time while fleeing (the first place he ran to was God’s dwelling, the place of God’s presence) and while there, God had two things for him. The bread of God’s presence, Christ crucified’s living word to nourish, sustain, and feed David. And secondly, what I’ve been aiming at, it that it seems to me a season where God himself is handing his people back, and placing in their hands again, the sword of authority they gained a decade ago when they slew the giant, that big thing from your past that you gained victory in that’s been wrapped in your mantle and hidden away for some time. You may have wondered even it even really happened or if it even mattered since it feels like it was sitting in an unvisable room in your life. It feels like God is saying, I need you empty handed and with me for this next season. Here, I’ve created circumstance where you are only getting sustenance from my words to you, and in this place I’m bringing out your distant past great victory with me and I’m calling that history and authority to the forefront again to pick up, carry, and walk with into your next season.

David asked the priest do you have any weapons–what can carry in my hands to be useful with now? The priest said I only have one weapon here to give to you, your own sword back, the sword you slew Goliath with. Let me hand your beginning, the thing that started it all, your history of victory in God, back to you, it is the mantle you will walk in again. David–alone, disposed of, and running away from the city toward the wilderness again (his old stomping grounds)–was handed back directly from God’s presence what had always been stored and kept there safely all along.