Blog Detail

In June 1997, I was privileged to be invited as a guest on a live radio program. It was a Christian Community Radio Station called “Radio Adullam” – located in the small town of Evander in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. As a young evangelist and undergraduate student in the University at that time, I was so excited to share my salvation experience and preach the word of God to the audience. After the program, I asked the white man, a Pastor of an English Reformed Church, who brought me to the place, to tell me the meaning of the word Adullam. He told me Adullam is a Hebrew word in the Bible and it is derived from the “Cave Adullam” – meaning a place of refuge. Then I decided to check it out, and discovered it was where David hid himself with his men when King Saul sought to kill him. Before David became King, he was terribly harassed and chased all over by Saul to be killed. At one point, King Saul nearly pinned him to the wall with a javelin. To escape from Saul’s incessant assassination attempts, David sought for a refuge in the Cave Adullam.

In 1 Samuel 22:1, we are told that, “David escaped to the Cave Adullam.” From there in the cave, the hand of God came so mightily upon David such that all the impotent folks with him became great and mighty men of valour. This is what happens when you abide in the secret place of the Most High. The question is: Where is your Adullam? Today a lot of people seek refuge in wrong places – and as such – they get wounded, and even killed in the process. Hear me, you cannot seek refuge from Satan and have a good night’s sleep. No way! Unfortunately, Satan hasn’t got the capacity to do good no matter how hard he tries. So, don’t be deceived by his gifts that look good. What you don’t see behind the gift is enslavement the moment you accept it. But when you seek refuge in God, you enjoy endless peace and pleasure. For the blessing of the Lord makes rich and he adds no sorrow with it (Proverbs 10:22). You see, there’s a realm where there’s no devil. It’s the secret place of the Most High. For he that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1). Listen, the devil cannot get there. He hasn’t got the capacity to reach there. The devil only gets you when you are off guard – not watchful, unprepared for a surprise by the enemy – and far away from God’s protective Adullam.

That reminds me of the antagonistic relationship between the Lion and Buffalo. I am an ardent viewer of the National Geographic Channel. It does not cease to amaze me to see how the Lion preys the Buffalo that is off guard from the group. In 1 Peter 5:8 the Bible declares that, “Our adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Naturally, the strength of the Buffalo against any attack comes when they are together. Therefore, knowing the danger of attacking herds of Buffalo, the Lion seeks for the one that strays away from the rest of the group. Like Satan, the Lion is very intelligent – they don’t attack anyhow. They apply a strategy in killing the straying Buffalo by first closing its mouth so it does not shout or call the attention of others; and secondly by getting the Buffalo down on the ground as quickly as possible. Once the Buffalo is down, the battle is over. Then the Lions begin to devour their meal. This same strategy is what the devil applies when attacking people today. He looks for our weak point, and then waits for the right opportunity to strike.

You see, the devil has no new strategy against mankind. It’s the same old strategy he used on Adam and Eve right from the Garden of Eden that he still uses on man. He has no need to change it because man keeps falling for his – deception, lies, fear, and intimidation – all rooted in ignorance. The Lord says in Hosea 4:6, “For my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Ignorance is a disease. It has robbed man of the beautiful fellowship and relationship he should be having with God. Remember, “If God be for you who can be against you” (Romans 8:31). But you need not lose your guard. As long as you remain in God’s shelter, no devil, no power, no weapon of the enemy fashioned against you shall prosper. Hallelujah! As you go this week – remain in God’s protective presence – your Cave Adullam. With love, Elvis!