Only a Boy Named David

We’ve all sung the song.  We’ve all heard the story.  We’ve all been inspired by a little guy taking on the big guy and winning. Ok Pastor Don, we know the story.  Why look at it again?  Why waste the time?  Sure, we know the story, but have we gotten the point of the story?  Have we applied it to our lives as we struggle against the giants in our lives? Go back and re-read the story in 1Sam. 17.  Go ahead.  I'll wait.

What an amazing story!  David, sent out by his father to take supplies to his brothers, is simply going about his daily life when he meets the giant.  Goliath was huge.  The bible says that he was a cubit and a span tall.  A cubit is 18 inches and a span is 9 inches, so that would make Goliath 9’9” tall.    And check out his equipment.  Look at Verse 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; (about 126 lbs)  V.6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.   7 His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, (between 30-50 lbs) and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. (about 15 lbs)  Goliath is wearing or carrying over 200 lbs of armor and weaponry.  And he has a guy with him who’s only job is to carry his shield.

Not only was Goliath huge, but he had an attitude!  And I’ve met people today that still carry the same attitude. Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.   9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us."   10 Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other."  

It’s the bully syndrome.  I’m bigger and might makes right.  Come and see if you can do anything about it.  It’s one of the first lessons we learn in the schoolyard.  If you’re a runt, watch out.  And the Israelites had the same reaction that I had whenever the schoolyard bullies came around.  I would try to run and hide.  At the very least, I grew afraid and uncomfortable.

David is going about his duties and greeting his brothers, when the giant enters his life.  He didn’t get up that morning and say, “Hey, think I’ll go kill a giant today.”  His only thought was to do what his father had asked him to do.  But when he gets there, here’s Goliath.  And Goliath has an attitude.  It’s a Yo Mama attitude.  Or closer,  a Yo Daddy attitude. Yo Daddy, yo God, is so weak he can’t even stand up against me.  Yo Daddy is a loser.  If ya’ll are so tough, somebody come on out and do the deed!  Come on, let’s see what you got! And the attitude didn’t sit well with David.

So here he is, just seeking to be faithful to his father’s calling, and now there’s a giant with an attitude.  Ever had one of those days?  When you’re just trying to be faithful and do what your Father asks you to do, and before you know it, you’re smack up against a giant with an attitude.

Pretty intimidating, isn’t it?  Before you know what’s happening, some big, giant, hairy problem is all over you with attitude.  And your first reaction is just like the armies of Israel.  Run, hide and tremble in fear.  Sit there behind your tent and wish that someone would do something to take care of this thing.  Just make it go away.

Why is it when we can’t figure out a solution ourselves, that we just sit and hope the problem goes away?  How is it that we can sit and pine over the problem for days and weeks, anxious and worried about it, but stuck, unable to do anything about it?  It looms large and we feel overwhelmed.  No blows have been exchanged—only words, or ideas.

It’s in times like that when faith gives way to fear, and fear has its way with us.  We let it run rampant in our souls, a giant that keeps us intimidated and paralyzed in our spiritual walk.  We cower in the corner listening to the taunts of  giant fear inside our souls as the icy fingers of dread wrap themselves around the core of our being and begin to choke the life and even the will to live right out of us.  Ahhh, Maybe that’s why we need this story.

We’re the little guy.  Problems, fears, anxieties, issues…those are the giants.  What would God have us do with the giants.  Go back in the story and look at David. 44  "Come here," he said, "and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"   There’s the giant talking.   It’s enough to intimidate any of us.  Come here and I’ll rip you up!  Come here and I’ll finish you.  And while the rest of the army hides, David has a response. 

Check out v. 45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.   46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.   47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands."  

Do you see the response?  Turn to those fears, those anxieties, those issues and in the name of Jesus confront them.  Say, “this day the Lord will hand you over to me and I’ll strike you down.  For the battle is the Lord’s and he will give all of you into our hands.

Notice something.  David relied on the Lord, but he still had to go out to meet the giant.  Some people feel they can’t do anything unless they are rescued.  You still have to pick up the rocks.  You have to put in your time.

David had put in hours practicing with the sling.  The sling was considered a weapon of war.  In their conflict with Israel, the Benjamites, mustered on one occasion, according to Judges 20:16 “seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.”  It was an instrument of war…but they had to put their time in to be effective.  David had spent hours practicing, so that he knew how to use his weapon.  He trusted God, but he still picked up and used a stone.

God wants us to trust Him, but in order to have the faith that we need, we have to put in the time.  Our best weapon in spiritual warfare is the word of God.  The only way to win is to recognize that the battle belongs to the Lord, and launch the rock of His promises.  His promises can turn fear back to faith, anxiety to trust, and uncertainty to a calm assurance. 

2 Peter 1:3-83 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.   4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.   5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;   6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;   7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.   8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We can be victorious too, but we have to put in the time.  We have to practice.  And as the test come, we can learn to meet each one with faith.  And each test passed takes us up to a greater challenge. The lion, the bear and then the giant.

And with that experience under your belt you can begin to meet whatever challenges you face with a renewed faith and trust.  Giants are there to get our attention, but God never intended that they stop us.  He only wants us to refocus on Him and what He wants to do for us.  That’s truly a reality.

Whether it be in our personal lives, or our corporate life as a church, God wants us to face the giants, recognizing that the battle is not ours, but the Lord’s.  And that’s reality.

Reality check here my friend.  What are you turning back from in discouragement and defeat that you should be meeting in faith with the promises of God? Where are you talking discouragement and impossibility when you should be quoting, “For with God all things are possible.”?   What has you cowering in a corner today?

Stand up.  Go out in faith, and with God’s help, kill the giant.