By Pastor Femi Phillips (JP) 08064955507.

Text: 1Sam 17:20-29.

INTRODUCTION: Life is full of opportunity and it is for those who are ready to maximize it. Having an opportunity to be connected is good but utilizing the opportunity is the best.

Appointment: is having a date or an opportunity to express what you have in stock or what you are capable of doing.

It's also seen as giving a position to a person to function
It's an arrangement to have a date with someone at a particular location and time

Destiny: is the desire or design of God for individual in life.

The predetermined plan of God for us as His children. Jer.1:5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” NLT.
Project a future already decided by God that someone will be great.

Let me quickly take a look at destiny and luck here so we can see and understand that they are not the same:

Destiny: is seen as a predetermined course of events that is often considered to be an irresistible power. It is based on our beliefs. Also known as fate and is usually considered to be inevitable or unavoidable.
Luck: is seen as success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own action. It is the accidental way things happen without being planned. Therefore, when luck brings success we call it good luck, but when it brings failure will call it bad luck.

David is the focus in our text for the study 1Sam.17:20ff.

1Sam.17:17"One day Jesse said to David, “Take this basket of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and carry them quickly

to your brothers" NLT. The process to his appointment to destiny started with the instructions of his father sending him to his brother.

Let's consider the following about David:

He listened to the assignment. Vs.17 "One day Jesse said to David, “Take this basket of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and carry them quickly to your brothers."
He understood the assignment.
He obeyed the call.
He took a step and he got to the place and saw the brothers.
He saw a challenge and he was inquisitive to know more about the situation.1Sam.17:24 "As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out from the Philistine ranks. Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel..."
He got the right information he needed to connect him without knowing it was for his appointment.1Sam.17:26 "David asked the soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?” NLT.
He was diligent and articulate in hIs calculation.
He finally got to the king where he had an appointment with his destiny. 1Sam.17:32 "David said to Saul, let no man’s heart fail because of this Philistine; your servant will go out and fight with him." AMP.
He maximizes the opportunity by showcasing his stuff, his worth and what he has done and what he can do.
He trusted and depends on God for everything, before and now. 1Sam.17:38 "The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!” NLT.
Goliath disdained and looked down on David. Castigated him 1Sam.17:44 “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled."
He challenges his authority and the audacity of Goliath against Gods people; David saw it as an insult and aberration. 1Sam.17:45-47 "David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. (46) Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!
The appointment to his destiny eventually came when he conquered Goliath. 1Sam.17:50 - 51 "So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. (51) Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran." NLT.
Appointment with destiny announced him to the world without struggling, but the aftermath of it is a story for another time. 1Sam.18:7 "And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” ESV.
The appointment with destiny of David needs to do with his dedication to duty because he was diligent with all that his hands found doing. What about you? are you not always complaining? Food for thought.
Be reminded that there is always a cause of events or a reason for you to have an appointment with destiny. Example of Saul who became the first king of Israel. Kish had a son named Saul. 1Sam.9:2 "His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land. 1Sam.9:3 "One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” His servant led him to his appointment with destiny by asking him to inquire from a man of God. 1Sam.9:6 "But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
There's a divine arrangement for his appointment with destiny. 1Sam.9:16 "About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”
He has a date with destiny and was appointed as the first king of Israel.1Sam.10:1"Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul and said, “I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession.""

Let me quickly draw your attention to the dream of Joseph that led to the conspiracy, envy and jealousy of Joseph’s brothers. This singular action of his brothers prepared him towards a date with destiny. You will remember that his brothers connived to destabilize the purpose of Joseph. He went through hell and he was tormented but the following was noticed:

He was sold to exile as a slave
He was focused
He was determined
He was faithful
He didn't compromise the opportunity to lose focus. Gen.39:9 "No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.” NLT.
He met himself in prison in other to have a date with destiny.
He was remembered by providence when no one can interpret the king's dream. Gen.41:14 "Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh."
He interpreted the dream and proffered solutions that fast tracked his appointment with destiny
Gen.41:32 - 33"As for having two similar dreams, it means that these events have been decreed by God, and he will soon make them happen. 33. "Therefore, Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt.He became the prime minister in the foreign land where he was authorized to rule and take decision on behalf of the king over the entire land. Gen 41:40"You will be in charged of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.”

Note: Every appointment with destiny exhibits the following

Elevation

Glorification

Testimony

Celebration

Responsibilities

Phil.2:9-10 "Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10. that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth"NLT. Every appointment with destiny comes with lifting. Are you ready for your appointment today. You must let loose those things that are hindrance to your divine appointment. it is then that you can get it.

Conclusively, Luke.9:62 "Jesus said to him, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [to the things behind] is fit for the kingdom of God."AMP. It is note that every appointment with destiny always come with excitement. I know and I believe that today is your appointment with destiny and you will be excited. Only be focused, determined and believe and it will be your turn for celebration in Jesus name.

Thank you for listening and God bless you.