Most people are pretty familiar with the story of King David, regardless of the particulars of one’s religious upbringing or background. There’s something about his story, I believe resonates with a lot of people. He didn’t come from money, handsome, but small in stature, a shepherd boy. Unassuming, to be perfectly honest. (1 Samuel 16: 11-12) However, I want to discuss David’s journey from David, the boy to David, the King.

When Samuel made his way to Bethlehem to anoint the next king over Israel, David was literally the last person anyone had in mind, including his own father to become the next king over Israel. He didn’t have the name, money, stature, or look to even be considered as king like his brothers were. But when God speaks, chains are broken. And the horn of oil flowed over the top of David’s head in the presence of his brothers. David had been anointed. (1 Samuel 16:13)

God called David out of hiding. How wonderful it must have felt for David to have finally be seen. David’s anointing was so strong that Saul, the current king was drawn to him and given favor because of it. God’s anointing was so powerful that Saul didn’t even realize that he was opening the door for David to replace him. God is going to open doors for you that you never even have to touch. However, that same door that David walked through was going to put him in the same room with a man who would stop at nothing to get rid of him.

The thing with anointing is that it brings you purpose but it also brings you pain. Saul began to realize how strongly God was with David and grew jealous. Saul began to set David up in the hopes that he would fall into the hands of the king’s enemies, but when David would come out with the victory, Saul knew that God was with him and that his reign as king over Israel was coming to an end. (1 Samuel 18:22-29)

Don’t worry or become discouraged when you start to get attacked by people you thought were with you and for you. They’ll love you when they believe you are no threat to their success but hate you once you start gaining an identity separate from them. David was the son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, then Saul’s armorbearer. But once David started accumulating recognition with his defeats over Israel’s enemies, he started to become known as simply David. (1 Samuel 18: 30) Your enemies are right where God wants them. God is allowing you to see people for exactly who they are, so you don’t become distracted by the hurt that you inevitably abandon the vision that God is about to bring you into.