We live in a time where the emphasis is on being strong, being a better version of ourselves and exploring the latent power of the soul by being self confident and self motivated. However, the scripture presents a very different picture when we look at the lives of great patriarchs like David. We see from His life that he was indeed a man after God’s own heart, as he lived aeons ahead of his generation, and operated new testament standards and principles right in the old testament (1 Sam 13:14; Ps 16:8-11).
1 Samuel 13:14 KJV
But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
Psalm 16:8-11 KJV
I have set the LORD always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
He was a man that understood the heart of the Father and lived after the same (Ps 42:1). Little wonder, he wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit many Messianic psalms, that painted word pictures of Jesus’ first coming, His earthly ministry, and eventual crucifixion (Ps 22:16-21; Ps 31:5).
Psalm 42:1 KJV
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, So panteth my soul after thee, O God.
Psalm 22:16-21 KJV
For dogs have compassed me: The assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: They pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: They look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, And cast lots upon my vesture. But be not thou far from me, O LORD : O my strength, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; My darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion’s mouth: For thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
Psalm 31:5 KJV
Into hand I commit my spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth
David as young boy and even as the king of Israel understood in a deep sense one of the forgotten treasures in God’s kingdom and economy among God’s people; brokenness. After he was confronted by prophet Nathan of sinning against God in committing adultery and murder, he went through a period of deep contrition and brokenness as he writes in one of the classical and autobiographical psalm: ” the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: and a contrite heart, O God thou wilt not despise” Psalm 51:17.
What is brokenness or a broken spirit?
* It is the spirit that has come totally to the end of itself. All independence, all self will and all self righteousness have been purged out.
* It is when we come to the place where we have no hope but in God. When we come to the end of our own resources.
* Where we have no claims upon God, but we simply turn to Him for His mercy and His faithfulness, not trusting on our own merits, but clinging only to God.
We see in the above Psalm of David that as as great and powerful as the Holy Spirit of God is, He has a weakness or what I will call a ” *soft spot”, which is ” brokenness “. Anywhere the Holy spirit sees brokenness, He comes to the rescue, and He comes to help and save, as He will never despise or reject anyone with a contrite heart or broken spirit.
In my little walk with the Lord, I had a personal experience in 2021 on this subject that revolutionized my Christian life and experience. I had a prior invitation to share the word of God as a guest minister in a denominational church, as they were having a revival meeting to commemorate their ninth year anniversary. As the days of the meeting drew nearer my heart was heavily under attack from people from different quarters, as there were arrows of slander, accusation and assassination of character flying around that weighed down my heart and soul, and I couldn’t pray nor had the strength to pray, and cancelling my invitation to the meeting was not an option.
So I turned to God in prayer. All I had the strength to say or could muster in prayer was ” Lord have mercy and help me, and let your strength be made perfect in my weakness, as I am weak and helpless”. This was all I could say at different intervals in my prayer as I had come to the end of myself and knew that only God could help me. I went to the revival meeting trusting in God’s grace and mercy, and He showed up and manifested Himself in great power and glory at the meeting like I had never experienced in all my years of preaching and ministering from one place to another.
This experience taught me a great lesson that I have carried on with in life and ministry ever since, that we can only see God in His fullness and Majesty in redemption, salvation, glory and power when we come to the end of ourselves, and are people that walk before Him in brokenness and with contrite hearts.
God bless you!!!!
