Pursue, Overcome, & Recover All
   The story is told in 1st Samuel chapter 30 about David and his valiant men returning to Ziklag only to din their entire like thrown into chaos their homes had been burned to the ground, and all that was precious to them, including their wives and children had been taken from them.

   1 Sam. 30:1-6 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on their third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it to the ground. 2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam and Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

   Consider well what these men must have felt like. All that they had labored for, all that they had fought for, all that they loved was taken from them. Their past their present and their future was gone, seeming lost forever. What did they have to live for? Their hopes and dreams were gone. What had been their beauty, was turned to ashes. Their Souls were grieved unto death.

   David also was not only grieved in his heart for his loved ones, but he was greatly distressed. Because not only had he lost all the he loved in this world, but his men attributed the blame for their loss to David and they spoke about stoning him to death. But instead of resigning himself to futility and failure David encouraged himself in the Lord. David inquired of the Lord saying shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overcome them. The Lord then answered David saying, pursue for thou shalt surely overtake them and without fail thou shalt recover all. In this instance David could have lost his life, his wife and all of his worldly possessions as well as his friends wives, children and worldly possessions. Or if not the loss of life, David could have spent the rest of his life, in shame, in discouragement, and in despair – and who could blame him? But David chose rather to encourage himself in the Lord, and through the Lords Encouragement Rise up from the ashes of distress and despair. And regain all that the enemy had taken from him.

   My friends it may be that you have encountered situations and circumstances of life that have brought you into great distress and discouragement. Events may have happened where you have lost loved ones, or personal possessions or positions of prestige and honor in the eyes of others. It may seem as though all of your hopes and dreams have become nothing but ashes. Possibly, it may be with you as it was with David that others are blaming you or possibly you have been blaming yourself. You have two options; you can resign yourself to failure and futility living the rest of your days in blame and shame, or you can do as David did and you can encourage yourself in the Lord. Inquiring of Him and receiving instruction in how to triumph over the situation at hand. Then possessing the directives and the confident assurance if the Lord, you will rise up from ashes of discouragement and despair.. To pursue, for if you pursue, you shall surely overtake, overcome, and without failure you will recover all.