THE DANGER OF LEANING ON HUMAN WISDOM
JULY 14, 2026
TEXT: 1 SAMUEL 27:1-12
KEY VERSE: “And David said in his heart, ‘Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul…'” (1 SAMUEL 27:1)
Yesterday, we discussed one of the instances where Saul laid siege to David’s life. David was a man who always enjoyed the protection of God. He was rescued by God from the lion and the bear, from Goliath, and from King Saul.
Saul hurled his spear at him several times in an attempt to kill him. He traced him to the Wilderness of En Gedi as well as the Wilderness of Ziph. But despite having passed through all these challenges unscathed, it was surprising that David decided to act merely on his own instinct. He told himself that if care was not taken, Saul would eventually track him down and kill him. In order to be free, he felt the best thing he could do was to run into the land of the Philistines. It was recorded on several occasions that David prayed before taking different steps. However, it was surprising that, in this instance, David acted impulsively. He simply reasoned within himself and concluded that that was the best decision for him to take. This shows us that even as believers, we must be very careful, as decisions made on impulse can actually mar things for us.
KEY FACTS
- Human wisdom often begins with self-reliance. The Bible says that David said in his heart, not that he sought the heart of God over the issue. David spoke to himself rather than to God. The beginning of wrong decisions is when we rely mostly on our own thoughts rather than allowing God to guide us. God wants us to involve Him in all our actions and decisions, and the reward is that He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). Never believe that you are overly wise. Seek God for constant guidance. Seek guidance from God before you take that huge step. Many have found themselves in the wrong marriage or relationship because they felt marrying such a person was the right thing to do. Many have sought admission into the wrong school, studied or are studying the wrong course, invested in the wrong business, done ministry in the wrong geographical location, travelled overseas without seeking divine guidance, and taken many other impulsive steps.
- Human wisdom is often brought about by fear and anxiety. David told himself that he would perish one day if he remained near Saul for too long. This fear made him forget that he had been anointed to reign over Israel. Fear made him forget the faithfulness of God. Fear has the capacity to exaggerate and magnify one’s problems such that one seemingly sees no way out of them. However, when we take time to seek the face of God over prevailing issues, we find that our faith is strengthened, and faith magnifies God (2 Timothy 1:7; Isaiah 41:10).
SEARCHLIGHT:
Let fear and panic not push you into making decisions rashly.
PRAYER:
O LORD, endow me with wisdom and insight, in Jesus’ mighty name.
BIBLE READING:
Psalm 39-41, Revelation 8
PASTOR MICHAEL OMOLE
