When trying to understand what it takes to truly follow Jesus, looking at someone who has done it well before you is a good place to start.

As I thought through who would be a good example of a following Jesus’ teachings, several names from the Bible came to mind, but the one that stuck was King David. I know his story is in the old testament and occurred before Jesus ever walked the earth, but his life embodied several key teachings that Jesus modeled in His life here.

Commitment To God
In everything he did, David worked hard at honoring God and following him. It was not a mistake that David is referred to as “a man after God’s own heart.” We can see David’s heart all through the psalms.

We also see this commitment to honoring God through the actions of his life. His confrontation with Goliath was all about defending the honor of his God(1 Samuel 17). David, a teenager among soldiers, took on the mighty Goliath and killed him. He proved with one act that God can be trusted and that they just need to have faith.

On two occasions, David had the chance to kill Saul, who was chasing and trying to kill David, but he did not. His reason for not following his friends advice, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.(1 Samuel 24:6)”

Honoring God at all times and in all situations is a trademark that David followed throughout most of his life.

The Passion Of Following God
Again, we look at the confrontation with Goliath. David, in his passion for defending God, approached the king requesting that he be able to take on Goliath.

Pastor Greg Laurie pictured David coming before Saul and those in the room mocking him; doubting his ability to take on Goliath. As Saul offers David his armor and it renders David immobile, Laurie pictures more laughter and mocking. But David endured it because of the passion he had within him.

As the story continues, we see that passion again in the battle with Goliath. David did not tentatively move toward Goliath. It says he, “ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him[Goliath].(I Samuel 17:48)” David had no doubt he would win in the strength of the Lord. The mighty Goliath fell and honor returned to God.

Keeping Connected To The Source Of Strength
David shared his heart with God. He did not keep anything from God and we see that so clearly in the psalms that he has written. In times of fear, anger, depression, and joy, David shared with God in honest communication about his needs, questions, and desires.

David truly chased after God’s heart by sharing his heart. I believe that this benefited David more than it did God. God knew where David was at and what He was feeling, but God cherished David’s desire to share the details of his life. It is the embodiment of James 4:8, which I have quoted many times but it is so true, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

He Sought A Right Relationship With God And Others
David sought a relationship with God. He worked at it. He made a choice to follow God with all his heart. David strived to make every event of his life count toward honoring God.

At the same time, he worked hard to have relationships with those around him that also honored God. He expressed forgiveness toward Saul and his enemies through his Psalms and through his actions (sparing Saul’s life). In his friendship with Jonathan, we see many examples of David honoring their friendship and commitment to each other.

David desired the same righteousness in his life that Jesus calls us to in his teachings. David wanted to love God with all his heart and love his neighbor as himself.

Chasing God While Being Human
Throughout his life, David’s commitment to God, his mission, and hunger to follow God represent the teachings of Jesus well. But it is important to remember that David was human. He made mistakes along the way (some really big ones), he was not perfect. But he continually returned to God and rested on the grace and forgiveness that comes from God.

Jesus does not desire perfection from our lives, but when we do mess up (and we will) He expects to return in humility and seek the forgiveness and grace that is available to us through Jesus.

3. A consistent, on-going relationship with God built on communication (prayer), trust, and faith.

Communication With The Father
Just like any other relationship, a relationship with the Creator of the Universe needs to have certain elements to it to work. There needs to be a constant, regular, communication. In this case, that happens through prayer.

This prayer thing is far more than just getting on your knees and bowing your head once or twice a day. The communication with God needs to be regular and on-going. As your driving down the road or heading down the hallway to deal with a rebellious child, every minute of every day needs to be focused on communicate to God. When the focus is always on God then your actions in any situation will reflect God.

A great example of this can be seen in the life David. In every situation in his life, he would constantly communicate with God. All throughout the Psalms, prayer are lifted up in both good and bad situations.

Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen to my cry.
Give ear to my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.

May my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.

Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,
though you test me, you will find nothing;
I have resolved that my mouth will not sin. – Psalm 17:1-3

Hear my prayer, O LORD,
listen to my cry for help;
be not deaf to my weeping.
For I dwell with you as an alien,
a stranger, as all my fathers were – Psalm 39:12

I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness
and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. – Psalm 7:17

Trust And Faith Are Key
A relationship with the God of the Universe absolutely needs to be based on faith and trust.

FAITH: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

TRUST: reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing (Dictionary.com)

Faith and trust describe our part in the foundational beliefs of following Jesus. Believing in what we can not see and a reliance on a God whose character is worth trusting.

FAITH
It takes faith not only to believe that God exists but also to believe that Jesus lived, died, and was resurrected. Jesus commented on this very thing during a post-resurrection encounter with the disciple Thomas. He said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.(John 20:29)”

It also takes faith to believe that the Holy Spirit lives within us. Even though the Holy Spirit can not be seen, we know He is resident within us. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. – (I Corinthians 6:19-20)”

It does takes faith to believe the Bible is the true, accurate, and inspired Word of God (Although with all the archaeological evidence proving the Bible it makes it a little easier). Faith is a definitely an important piece to following Jesus with all of our heart.

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith. – Romans 1:16-18

TRUST
Any relationship is not really a relationship without trust. Think of those deep, true, friendships that are in your life. The type of friendship where you can share your heart without worrying about others finding out. It is that kind of deep, trusting, relationship God is looking for with His creation.

God honors that kind of relationship all throughout the Bible:

…the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. – Psalm 32:10

Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.- Psalm 40:4

“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. – Jeremiah 17:7

Trusting God and what He says in His Word is a key to truly believing in Jesus and following Him with all your heart.

Without trust, there is no real relationship with God. Without faith, there is no true belief in God. Without a belief in God, there is no following Jesus.