LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil

Monday, 13th July 2026

INCREASED CAPACITY

SCRIPTURE READING   1 Chronicles 12:1-8

Some Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valour, men trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles on the mountains: 1 Chronicles 12:8

David rose to leadership at a young age. As a teenager, he defeated the Philistine giant, Goliath, and was instantly hailed as a national hero. Unfortunately, King Saul, who was the sitting king of Israel, did not handle David's success well. The king turned against David and drove him into exile.

How was David going to survive in this harsh world he was thrown into? At the time of his exile, David had some people joining him. These were people who were also exiles from society because of their own problems and challenges. It was out of this ragtag group of social misfits that David raised an exceptional group of fighters. He trained them. 

These are some of the characteristics of David's warriors.

- Courage.

 David's men had valour, which is another word for bravery. They did not shrink from battle. When the going got tough, they kept going. People who are scared of the battles they face tend to let themselves be pushed over by adversity. That is not the way of the child of God. The Lord wants us to face life with courage.

- Expertise.

 David's men were experts with the weapons they had. They did not have much, but their expertise enabled them to use tmakeleastmost of what they hadetimes life give us very little, but when we gain mastery, we can do so much with the least that we have. David himself had exemplified that virtue by defeating Goliath with the expert handling of a slingshot.

- Speed.

David's men acted swiftly. They did not waste time. They got to business and quickly achieved results. When the Lord commands, we must act quickly and decisively. Laziness and procrastination will deny us the victory that is ours in Christ.

As we battle the issues of life, we must also build these capacities into our lives. May the Lord train us to win with these qualities.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, increase my capacity to courageously do great things with the little I have in my hand. In Jesus' name, Amen.