The Driven Church

Study 19: 1 Samuel 14: 24-34: Trent Evans

A Pure Heart

This study from 1 Samuel 14 explores how faithful obedience to God leads to victory, while pride and man-made restrictions bring about unnecessary struggle. Trent walks through Jonathan’s courageous trust in God, which sparks divine intervention against the Philistines, contrasted with Saul’s pride-driven oath that forces his army into a fast God never commanded. That legalistic burden weakens the people and leads them into further compromise. The study highlights how both legalism and liberalism distort our ability to recognize God’s provision and emphasizes the need to remain anchored in Scripture, not personal agendas or cultural pressures. It invites listeners to examine areas where pride may be limiting what God wants to do through their lives, and calls for a return to humble, Word-centered living

Study 18: 1 Samuel 14: 15-23: Trent Evans

Don't miss the opportunity

This sermon explores 1 Samuel 14 with a focus on faithful obedience to God's leading, contrasting Jonathan's bold, God-centered action with Saul's hesitant and sight-driven leadership. As Jonathan and his young armor bearer step forward in faith—despite overwhelming odds and without waiting for ideal circumstances—God delivers a powerful victory, sending panic through enemy ranks far beyond human visibility. The sermon emphasizes that spiritual victories are initiated through trust and action rooted in God's Word, not through manipulation or convenience. It calls listeners to personal faith that moves beyond emotion or intellect, urging believers to respond when God calls, even when alone, outnumbered, or unsure because God often works in unseen ways through the faithful to bring redemption to many. This episode is an invitation to study Scripture deeply, act courageously, and trust God’s unseen hand.

Study 17: 1 Samuel 13: 24 , 14: 1-14: Trent Evans

Be Courageous   

 

This sermon from 1 Samuel 13:23–14:14 invites listeners into a deeper understanding of how God works through unlikely people in overwhelming circumstances. The focus centers on Jonathan’s courageous initiative to confront a superior Philistine force, armed with only one sword and accompanied by a young, unnamed armor bearer. Through Jonathan’s quiet obedience and bold faith, we’re shown that God is not limited by numbers or strength—His victory can come “by many or by few.” The passage emphasizes that courage often grows in the company of fear and that faithfulness sometimes requires walking thorny, slippery paths with no public affirmation. This study challenges believers to trust God’s leading even when the terrain is harsh and victory seems improbable, reminding us that spiritual bravery is rooted not in our own strength but in God's unfailing power and presence.

Study 16: 1 Samuel 13: 15-22: Trent Evans

 Full Armor of God

This sermon from 1 Samuel 13:15–22 invites listeners into a deep reflection on spiritual warfare, obedience, and the critical importance of being equipped with the Word of God. Though at first glance the passage appears to be a transitional narrative, it reveals profound truths about how God's people are often unprepared for spiritual battles when they neglect God’s instruction and provision. The message emphasizes that disobedience disrupts peace with God, that spiritual discipline is an expression of His love, and that the enemy aims to isolate believers and disarm them spiritually. Listeners are challenged to examine whether they are properly armed with God’s Word—personally, not just through their leaders—so they can stand firm in battle and intercede for their families, communities, and fellow believers. It’s a sobering yet empowering call to take hold of the spiritual tools God freely gives and live in active readiness for the battles already underway

Study 15: 1 Samuel 13: 1-15: Trent Evans

Trust in His timing

This sermon on 1 Samuel 13 walks through Saul’s unraveling as king, revealing how pride, fear, and impatience erode obedience to God. Listeners are led verse by verse through the text to understand how Saul's insecurity leads him to claim credit for his son’s victory, offer unauthorized sacrifices, and shift blame rather than take responsibility. The teaching emphasizes the consequences of disregarding God's commands, the danger of letting fear drive decisions, and the vital need to wait on God's timing. The message calls believers to examine where they run when afraid, inviting them to find their hiding place in the Lord and trust Him—even when trembling. This study podcast guides listeners into deeper faith by illuminating both the scriptural context and personal implications of obedience, humility, and spiritual leadership.

Study 14: 1 Samuel 12: Trent Evans

Don't cease praying

 

In this sermon on 1 Samuel 12, listeners are guided through Samuel’s farewell address, where he recounts Israel’s history of deliverance and their repeated cycles of disobedience, urging the people to remember God’s faithfulness and warning them against trusting in human strength over God’s sovereignty. Samuel calls Israel to revere the Lord and obey His commands, emphasizing that neither a king nor human schemes can replace dependence on God. He demonstrates the importance of personal, not merely corporate, faith by contrasting Israel’s outward religiosity with genuine heart devotion. Ultimately, the sermon challenges believers to pursue a life of integrity, rooted in repentance, continual prayer, and unwavering trust in God’s righteous character, encouraging deep reflection on how obedience and remembrance of God’s past faithfulness shape present and future faithfulness.

Study 13: 1 Samuel 11:1-15 : Trent Evans

This sermon, drawn from 1 Samuel 11, guides listeners through Israel’s transition from God as their direct king to the appointment of Saul as the first earthly king. It emphasizes the danger of making compromises with the enemy—illustrated through Nahash’s demand to gouge out the right eyes of the people of Jabesh Gilead—and highlights the spiritual lesson that any deal with the enemy leads to distorted vision and disgrace. The message invites believers to see how God, through His Spirit, empowered Saul to act in deliverance, reflecting God’s sufficiency and faithfulness. Ultimately, it calls the church to remember their own “Gilgal”—a place of first love and God’s demonstrated faithfulness and challenges listeners to examine whether they’ve experienced true spiritual transformation and deliverance through Christ.

Study 12: 1 Samuel 10: 14-27: Trent Evans

This sermon explores Israel's transition from a theocracy under God's direct rule to a monarchy led by King Saul, as depicted in 1 Samuel 10. The message focuses on the people's rejection of God's kingship despite His proven faithfulness and provision, symbolized by the Ebenezer stone at Mizpah. The speaker emphasizes how God confirmed Saul's calling through specific signs, yet Saul initially hid in fear and baggage, a metaphor for how personal insecurities and past wounds can hinder our obedience to God’s assignments. The sermon challenges listeners to examine their hearts, lay down their "baggage," and choose God's leadership over self-rule, urging believers to walk in obedience and trust God's approval above human praise.

Study 11: 1 Samuel 10:1-13 Trent Evans

This sermon focuses on the unfolding of God’s purpose in Saul’s life as seen in 1 Samuel 9–10, offering a rich study of how God prepares, calls, and empowers individuals for His assignments. The message highlights the transition of Israel from a theocracy to a monarchy, emphasizing Saul’s anointing as king, not for personal glory but to fulfill God’s assignment. Through Saul’s encounters with Samuel, we see how God provides confirmation, changes the heart (lab—mind and will), and supplies the power needed for the task. Listeners are encouraged to seek stillness before God, study His Word diligently, and recognize His work of preparation and empowerment in their own lives. This podcast invites believers into a deeper reflection on Scripture’s call to obedience, readiness, and trust in God’s plan.

Study 10: 1 Samuel 9; 1-24: Trent Evans

Don't Discount

In 1 Samuel 9, we witness how God orchestrates His purposes through the search for lost donkeys by Saul and his servant, leading them to a divine appointment with the prophet Samuel. This chapter challenges us to recognize that God’s plans often unfold through the seemingly mundane or insignificant moments of our lives. Saul’s anointing as king reveals the contrast between human desires—seeking outward strength, stature, and reputation—and God’s deeper concern for the condition of the heart. The text invites us to reflect on how God uses ordinary events to prepare us for significant tasks and how His kindness, woven throughout the details of our lives, calls us to choose Him daily. It underscores the weight of our choices, the enduring consequences they have for ourselves and others, and the ever-present grace of God guiding us, even when we stray from Him.