Anesti Ministries

Walk away from conflict.

David did not trust Saul any longer. He hoped that by leaving Israel, Saul would stop pursuing him. David was not escaping out of fear, but to avoid further conflict. Sometimes the best thing we can do during a conflict is to walk away. Proverbs 17:14 teaches to abandon quarrels from the beginning before things get out of control. You cannot control how other people behave towards you, but you can de-escalate conflicts by distancing yourself from them.

God’s favor in enemy territory.

David takes refuge in the land of the Philistines, Israel’s ancient enemy. It is not certain whether this Achish mentioned in 1 Samuel 27:5 is the same one mentioned in 1 Samuel 21:10. The previous time David sought refuge in Gath, he acted insane to save himself from being killed by Achish. This time, David openly presents himself as a mercenary to Achish. God gave David favor in the eyes of Achish, who unexpectedly gave David the stronghold of Ziklag. David wrote in Psalm 23:5 that when we walk righteously before God, He will protect us from all threats.

Trusting God in the detour.

Achish thought that he could use David to destroy Israel. But Achish did not know that David secretly used the opportunity to destroy Israel’s enemies instead. David was not in Israel but he managed to continue serving God. Pursuing God’s call is a journey that is often filled with detours. There may be seasons in your life when you feel like you are outside of God’s calling. But Romans 8:28 reminds us that God can turn negative circumstances for your ultimate good. God uses every detour to accomplish His plan for your life.