David had run out of options. He was faithfully serving Saul and using his gift of worship to obediently sooth his earthly king. He was a commander of a powerful army with many victories under his belt. He had a wife who loved him, a friend who would lay down his life for him, and the people’s vote as leader of the nations. He’d been anointed, appointed, and empowered by the one true God.

Yet his very life was in danger every single second of the day by the earthly king he obediently served. He never knew from one minute to the next if he would be serving or if he would be speared.

Saul had strategically set him up for failure time and time again. He plotted for David to be killed in battle. He even gave him his daughter who was sure to be a snare for him who practiced her dad’s deception.

But each time the earthly king sought to destroy David’s life, God would spare him and give him a way of escape. I can imagine that David had to be scratching his head and thinking, “Did I just dream up the anointing by Samuel?”, “Did God really mean it when He appointed me King?” “Why on earth am I fighting the enemy with my every breath if I’m to be royalty?” (okay-this is how I would have responded-lol)

When Michal used deception, King Saul’s own plan for David’s death backfired. Michal’s deception spared David’s life and frustrated Saul. And when David had no where else to run, he turned to Samuel. The prophet who had obediently anointed David, was the location he ran to to seek shelter. He went to to the “place” of the promise.

We can take this and apply it our own lives. When we are in the midst of a deceptive and vicious spiritual battle, and all we can see is the enemy surrounding every side and getting closer and closer to defeat, we have the choice to run and hide in the shelter and protection of Jesus Himself. We can go back to the promises He’s given through His Word, the assignments, appointments and anointing He’s spoken to us in the quiet and stillness of our time with Him. We can come out of hiding, and press in to the goodness and promises of God. His Shield that wraps around us will be sure to provide protection in our darkest of nights and greatest battles.

Every plan the enemy sets up for us is thwarted and often times, like it did with Saul, turns right back around on the enemy to trip him up. The enemy is not a person, like it was in the case of David and Saul. The enemy is spiritual warfare that we can’t see. So when we hide in the provision of God’s promises and love, we aren’t hiding from a physical person. We are hiding from the enemy of our souls. We must stay rooted in our identity that is clearly given to us, and like David, we must run to the “place” of safety and security.