Counsel for your wars
David inquires before battle
David, an experienced and gifted warrior, faces the Philistines and could easily rely on his own proven instincts. Instead, he stops and inquires: shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand? Only after God answers does he move. Later, in a similar situation, God gives a completely different battle plan — proof that yesterday's instinct was not enough for today's war.
Proverbs names the principle: by wise guidance you wage your war, and victory is in many advisers. The bigger and riskier the decision — your wars — the more counsel and inquiry it requires, not less. The high-stakes moment is exactly the wrong time to go it alone.
“Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?”
— David, inquiring of the LORD — 2 Samuel 5:19 (WEB)
For your biggest, riskiest decisions, get abundant wise counsel and seek God. Don't charge into your 'wars' alone.
“For by wise guidance you wage your war, and victory is in many advisers.”
David, a proven warrior, still inquired before every battle rather than trusting his instincts. A leader formed here brings the most counsel and prayer to the highest-stakes decisions. He knows yesterday's wisdom may not fit today's war. The inner work is humility precisely where confidence runs highest.
Surround your biggest decisions with abundant counsel and prayerful inquiry, not less. Resist the urge to trust your gut and move fast on high-stakes matters. Seek fresh guidance rather than assuming a past approach still applies. Make the riskiest moments the most counseled ones.
On big, risky decisions, leaders trust their gut and move fast, exactly where the cost of error is highest. The blind spot is bringing the least counsel to the decisions that most need it.
Name the biggest decision in front of you. This week, treat it like a war — bring it abundant counsel and prayerful inquiry before you act, rather than trusting your gut.
On the biggest, riskiest decisions, the temptation is to trust your gut and move fast — and that is precisely where the cost of being wrong is highest. David, gifted as he was, inquired before every battle, and was given fresh guidance each time.
What is the big, high-stakes decision in front of you right now — and are you bringing it the abundant counsel and inquiry that a war deserves?