In 1 Samuel 17, the Bible tells the famous story of David and Goliath. Israel and the Philistines were at a standoff, facing each other on mountains with a valley in between. What kept them from rushing together and fighting to the death? A man named Goliath.
Goliath was the Philistines’ champion, or middleman, who stood in the valley taunting the Israelites (1 Samuel 17:4). A man of massive size and strength, he stood nine feet, nine inches tall. He challenged an Israelite soldier to fight him. If the Israelite won, the Philistines would be their servants. If he lost, the Israelites would be the Philistines’ servants. One giant man brought fear and dismay to the hearts of the Israelite army.
But one young man, David, rose with courage and defeated the giant. To the Israeli and Philistine armies, it seemed he won with only a simple stone and slingshot. But young David came with the power of his own Champion, Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts. Unlike the Philistines, David’s trust was not in a giant human being with massive armor. His trust was in the God who had no limits.
Like it or not, we will face many giants in life. They come in the form of sickness, financial lack, broken relationships, and mental challenges. But we can choose to be, not a Philistine trusting in fallible man, but a David who trusted in God to provide his victory.
Let’s look at some principles we can learn from David’s example:
Know Your Cause
“…Is there not a cause?” (1 Samuel 17:29)
David knew there was a cause to fight for. It was more than the salvation of his countrymen. It was for the honor of the Lord of Hosts to Whom they belonged. This was his motivation.
Our motivation for standing up to the devil may be to receive relief from his attacks. But the result of our victory is so much more than that. It honors what Jesus paid for on the cross and provides a testimony that will encourage others.
Don’t Look at Your Enemy
“…your servant will go and fight with this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:32).
When David found out about Goliath and the reward that would come with his defeat, David didn’t calculate whether he would win. He didn’t bring out his mathematical instruments to determine the size of Goliath’s armor versus the speed of his slingshot. He didn’t bring out a measuring tape to compare his stature to Goliath’s height. No, he simply said he would fight.
One of the worst things we can do when facing a devilish giant is to analyze what we’re up against. It only brings fear and leads to more confidence in the problem than it does in God. Instead, we’re to keep our eyes on Jesus and His promises (Hebrews 12:2).
Don’t Fear
“The Lord…will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37b).
Repeatedly, David showed no signs of fear. His actions, attitude, and words showed how undaunted he was by the ugly challenge that stood before him.
Like David, we do not need to fear our enemy. God is on our side just like He was with David. His power works for us every time we step out and use our authority (Matthew 16:17). His power is greater, which gives us reason to stay fearless.
Watch Your Mouth
“…the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:47).
David spoke only of victory. Nothing negative, fearful, or discouraging came out of his mouth. This was a habit as a shepherd, as a warrior, and as a king. He encouraged himself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6).
The Bible says that life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). If we want God’s life in our situation, we must match our words to His. Rather than speaking fear and discouragement, we must speak the Word—which only holds faith and power.
Don’t Trust in Man’s Plans
“You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Hosts…” (1 Samuel 17:45a).
While the Philistines boasted in their human weaponry, David boasted in the power of God. He had more confidence in God’s power than the armor King Saul tried to loan him (1 Samuel 17:38–40). His trust was only in God.
Though God might tell us to use some natural resources, we must first decide to fight with God’s power and His assigned weaponry. This is what makes any natural means powerful and successful. When we put our full trust in His power and His Word, God will back our natural acts of obedience with His supernatural power. Our victory was not by his might or their power, but by the Spirit of God (Zechariah 4:6).
Don’t Consider What People Think
“… and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, ‘Why did you come down here?… I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle’” (1 Samuel 17:28).
David’s own kin couldn’t understand his faith. They accused him of pride. Even King Saul pointed out how young he was (1 Samuel 17:33). But this didn’t deter David. He didn’t listen to the false accusations or their discouraging words. He kept his confidence in God and ignored what others thought.
Some people will not understand our faith. They will try to discourage us with unbelief and small thinking. But in our hearts and minds, God’s Word should always override theirs. Their word should never hold more power in our lives than God’s unfailing Word.
Act with Quick Confidence
“So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:48).
David didn’t hesitate when it was time to fight. He didn’t cower behind a rock to give himself a pep talk. As the enemy waited, he didn’t give discouraging thoughts time to take root in his mind. With confidence, he ran toward his enemy.
We should never delay when faced with a giant. We act with confidence, leaving no room for reasoning or second thoughts. A delayed response to the devil’s lies leaves him room to taint our faith. But quick faith-actions of speaking and acting on God’s Word shut the devil’s mouth and speed up our victory.
Goliath didn’t think he had anything to fear. He was full of pride, depending on his size, strength, and armor. But this led to his downfall. Had he known the power he was up against, he would have fled into the Philistine camp.
Your enemy is the devil (John 10:10). Unlike Goliath, he knows well the power that stands against him. He was kicked out of heaven with that same power. He hopes that you will never discover or act on the power that’s got your back. Though his symptoms and lies may sound cocky, he fears you acting on that power because it will lead to his defeat.
When you trust in your Champion, you will win. But not only will you win, but you will also receive great plunder, like the Israelites did when they raided the Philistines’ tents (1 Samuel 17:53)! No victory in the kingdom of God occurs without you taking home the blessings of being a child of God. The devil must restore sevenfold (Proverbs 6:30-31). Prepare for it!
PRAY THIS
Jesus, you are my champion. I put my trust in You, and not in man’s strength. As I act in faith, I know my giants will fall as Your power does the work. My confession is victory, and not defeat. I will joyfully take home the plunder as I rejoice in You, my Champion!
TESTIMONY TIME!
A couple of weeks ago, my husband Michael suddenly felt like he should check the front tires on his truck. One of his tires was so worn that it could have popped at any moment. Michael, of course, did NOT drive home with this tire!
Michael drives 50 miles to and from work every day. Had he returned home with that tire, he would have had a blowout that could have caused a major accident. Why did he suddenly think to check his tires? The Holy Spirit prompted him.
John 14:16 says that one of the Holy Spirit’s roles in our lives is to be our Helper. He helps us make the right decisions, comforts us when we’re down, AND alerts us when we’re in harm’s way. Never ignore the Holy Spirit’s alerts. Your life could depend on it!
Have a testimony of something God’s miraculously done for you? Please share in the comments! I’d love to hear about it!
IT’S COMING!
If you appreciated the message in this article, you’ll love my newest book, Milk and Honey: Possessing Your Promised Land! It’s still scheduled for release in NOVEMBER! We’ll cover the lives of men of faith…and much more!
MORE BOOKS FOR YOU!
If you’d appreciate more uplifting reading, go to my Books by Christa in the menu. God’s Word holds all the answers you need!
ENJOY THIS FAITH-BUILDING SONG!
