Good Shepherd

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep (John 10:11).

When I was a little boy, the first passage of Scripture I ever memorized was Psalm 23. This psalm starts, of course, with the words, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” These famous words have brought comfort and hope to people of all ages throughout the centuries. It’s wonderful to know that we can trust in God to take care of us.

Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd. What is the job of a shepherd? Taking care of sheep. And who are Jesus’ sheep? You and me! We are His sheep, and He is our faithful Shepherd. We can rely on Him to take care of us and supply for all of our needs.

When Jesus says that He is the Good Shepherd, the word “good” has two connotations. First of all, Jesus is morally good. All of His actions are for our benefit. He is perfect and never sins, never thinks or plans evil. He is completely righteous.

The second connotation of the word “good” is that Jesus is good at being a shepherd. He excels at His job. He knows exactly what we need and provides for us as no one else can. His strength is inexhaustible and His knowledge is complete.

Finally, we know that the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep, and of course that is what Jesus did for us. On the cross, Jesus died so that we might have life. We were destined for death and destruction, but He saved us through His death. He sacrificed all for us. He is truly the Good Shepherd.

The Door

John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

I remember one time when my team was going to another school to play them in a basketball game. This school happened to be our archrival, the team we wanted to beat more than any other! When we arrived at the school, we began looking for the door through which we could enter, but to no avail. It seemed that every door was locked, and we walked all the way around the large building in the freezing weather. Finally, we found the one door that was open, and we were very happy when we made it inside. I can’t remember whether we won this game or not, but at least we made it in because of the door. Doors give us access!

The third way Jesus described Himself in the book of John was by saying, “I am the Door.” In other words, He is the only access we have to the Father, to heaven, to eternal life. Outside the door of Christ is death and sin, but through the Door is life and peace. No other door will ever give us access to the blessings and favor of God.

Jesus promised that if we entered through Him, we would be saved and would have pasture. In other words, through Him we have sustenance, all we ever need in life. He informs that He is the Door to salvation, but that is not the only Door He is. He is also the Door to joy, peace, healing, deliverance, and freedom. Every spiritual blessing is in Christ and Christ alone. So let’s not be distracted by any thing the world has to offer; let’s not chase after blessings from any other streams. Jesus is the Door, and let’s enter through Him!

Light of the World

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

When I was a missionary in India, one common irritation we suffered was loss of electricity. This problem was especially acute during the evening; when the electricity went off, so did your light! I remember many times when I was attempting to finish something and suddenly lost light-my activities were stopped or hindered on several occasions. The many experiences of being plunged into darkness made me very grateful for the times when the light does shine! Light, whether it comes from the sun, the moon, fire, or a lightbulb, is an essential quality to life.

In the second of the “I Ams” from the Gospel of John, Jesus proclaims, “I am the Light of the World.” Jesus came to earth that the world may have true Light. Since the fall of Adam, mankind had been stumbling in darkness for thousands of years, but Jesus came that all of that might change. He came to bring light.

Jesus promised that those who followed Him would not walk in darkness. Darkness is the condition of all those who do not know Christ. Unbelievers are trapped in a maze, without light to see where they are going. They cannot find satisfaction, fulfillment, or righteousness because of the darkness in which they are.

That is why Jesus as the Light of the world is such excellent news! All who believe on Him can see and can be righteous. We can accomplish God’s purposes for us. God desires us to allow our entire lives to be brought under the light of His truth. As believers, it is imperative that we come to Christ for Light and allow that Light to shine on every part of our lives. Don’t allow any part of your life to stay in the darkness.

Furthermore, as believers we are called to shine Christ’s light. We are not the Light, but can be reflectors of it. The very origin of all light, both natural and spiritual, is God. It is from His glory that all things shine. We can never shine on our own, but can mirror the glorious light of His existence. It is a tremendous privilege we have, to show forth the image of God’s light. Let’s be reflectors for Him!

Something Greater (Part 4)

(I have been posting "Something Greater" the last four days. This is the last installment in the series.)

4) Join the Army

Ezekiel 37:10, “So I spoke as he commanded me, and the wind entered the bodies, and they began to breathe. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army of them.”

Okay, I know we’ve done this before, but let’s go through our vision one more time. First our scattered dry bones became skeletons, then they received the covering of muscle and skin. In the third step, they received breath from the Spirit of God and came alive. They’re finished now, right? Well, not exactly. Although they are living, fully formed people, what are they currently accomplishing? Not a whole lot, unless you consider standing around in a valley to be particularly challenging! That is why step number four was necessary-they became an exceedingly great army.

If we are going to accomplish God’s purposes in our lives, if we are going to enter into greater realms of power, holiness, and victory, it is not enough just to be connected to Him and to others. It is not sufficient just to receive His righteousness or the power of His Holy Spirit. You see, after He has done these wonderful things internally, we must then join His army and spread these externally!

One thing about an army is that it always has a mission, a goal. Armies do not move aimlessly, but they have a specific purpose in mind. And as part of God’s army, we have a mission, we have a message to spread-“Holiness to the Lord!” We need to burn for the Lord before our friends, family members, classmates, coworkers, neighbors, and all others, that from our lives people receive a message of hope. That from our lives people realize that there is a way out of their sins, there is a way that they can live in righteousness, peace, and joy.

After all, who likes to stay on the sidelines? When I’m playing a sport, I always want to be out on the field, or the court. I hate watching while others are having all the fun! And in God’s Kingdom, I also don’t want to be an observer. I don’t want to stand on the sidelines while the pastor does all the preaching, while the missionary shows all the kindness, while the cell leaders invite all the people to church. I want to be an active participant in God’s Kingdom, spreading His message in any way that I can. Who wants to stand around just breathing in the valley? God has not done mighty things in our lives so that we can keep all the experiences to ourselves-He wants us to spread the news! Holiness to the Lord!

So join God’s army today. Allow God to use you as one of His arrows being shot out to the world. Don’t wait until the enemy attacks you to go to battle, but allow God to lead you on the offensive, going forward with His message, clothed in the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:13). When we march with God’s army, we have this guarantee-we will always be victorious for He makes us more than conquerors (2 Corinthians 2:14, Romans 8:37).

So Who Wants the Greater?

As you have read this article, I pray that you have received a fresh desire to enter into greater things with God. I pray that any complacency that has taken hold of you has been broken and you have been awakened to seek Him with new passion, vigor, and energy. There is a greater life out there that we can live in today. If we follow the four steps from Ezekiel 37, we can expect God to bring us into something greater in our lives. He desires to lift us up, and we need only to move with Him. So cry out to God for something greater in your life-He is waiting to answer your prayer!

Something Greater (Part 3)

(I am currently posting "Something Greater". Check back for the final exciting installment tomorrow!)

3) Receive the Breath of God

Ezekiel 37:9, “Then he said to me, Speak to the winds and say: This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so that they may live again.”

We have already observed step number one, when our scattered dry bones became perfectly connected skeletons. Then those skeletons were covered with muscle and skin, taking on the proper form of a human body. They still were not finished however-they had no life! If we could see the vision how Ezekiel saw it, the valley would still look rather like a morgue and not really the kind of place we would want to hang out in! So God instructed Ezekiel to prophesy to the wind to come and breathe into these dead bodies.

In the Scriptures, wind and breath always represent the Holy Spirit. In Genesis 1, it was the Spirit of God that moved upon the waters to bring about order to the formless mass of the world; in Genesis 2, it was the Spirit of God that breathed into Adam to bring him to life; and in Acts 2, it was the Spirit of God that came into the upper room like a mighty rushing wind! Of course, it was that same Holy Spirit who breathed into these dead bodies to bring them to life, and it is the exact same Holy Spirit who desires to breathe into your heart today!

So we see clearly that the third step to entering into God’s greater is to receive a fresh touch from His Holy Spirit. If you have not been initially baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, cry out to God today for this glorious experience. And if you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, cry out to God for more of His glorious presence in your life. Ephesians 5:18 instructs us to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit-however much of the Holy Spirit’s power, anointing and glory you have received, there is more that He can give you. We all need the Holy Spirit’s constant touch to bring us to life.

In John 20:22, Jesus breathed on His disciples and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Why did He give them this instruction, telling them to “receive” the Holy Spirit? It must mean they had a choice-if they had wanted to, they could have rejected the gift! You see, there is nothing we can do to earn the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or an increase in His anointing. It is a gift, not something that we deserve. However, that does not mean that we have no part to play in receiving-we still have to make the choice to accept what is being given to us! When the Holy Spirit is being poured out, we need to make the choice to open our hearts and allow Him inside.

If my long-lost uncle came to me one day to give me a check for one million dollars, what would happen if I refused to open my hands, zipped up all of my pockets, and ran away from him as quickly as possible? I would miss out on the free, undeserved gift. In the same way, if we close our hearts and resist the Holy Spirit, He will not force Himself upon us. So today, let’s make the choice to always receive what He wants to give to us, to open our hearts and open our mouths and pray, “Lord, breathe into me that I might live. Give me new life by Your Spirit!”

Something Greater Part 2-New Coverings

(I will be posting "Something Greater" in four parts. This is part 2. Check back tomorrow for the next installment!)

2) Accept New Coverings

Ezekiel 37:8, “Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.”

Let’s return again to our vision. At the beginning, Ezekiel saw the dry bones scattered all over the valley. Then in the first step, all the bones became connected with each other in their proper places. However, that did not mean they were all set to receive something greater from God-they were still just a bunch of skeletons lying around in a valley! At that point, the scene would have looked far more like a bad horror movie than a revival service. So in step number two, these skeletons were covered with muscles and skin-they now had fully formed bodies and once again looked human!

This experience represents the spiritual covering we need to receive as believers today. What is the covering God wants to put upon you? The covering of His righteousness, the righteousness which comes through faith in Jesus Christ. His righteousness will cover us like a robe (Isaiah 61:10), making us a brand new person. Without the righteousness of Christ upon us, we will be like the skeletons in the vision-ugly, hideous, and without any useful form.

What would you rather wear anyway, a beautiful robe or some filthy rags? Isaiah 64:6 tells us that our righteousness, or all the good things we can do on our own strength, are no better than filthy rags, soiled garments that are an embarrassment to all around. Too often believers try to be righteous in their own strength, in their own power. You want to be a good Christian, so you tell yourself you’re going to stop committing a certain sin. Or you make a list of rules, swearing to follow them-ensuring yourself that if you can just follow those rules, then you will please God. But trying to be righteous in your own power is futile-you will always return to your sin or exchange it for a new one. Sin’s vicious cycle cannot be broken with our meager might!

That’s the bad news, but the good news is that when you accept the righteousness of Christ you can beat sin every single time! True righteousness does not come by following an external list of rules or through our own willpower, but through realizing the victory Christ won on the cross and accepting that victory in faith. If we cry out to God for His righteousness to cover us, He will give us power to live a life that glorifies Him. It won’t be accomplished through our discipline or good works, but His righteousness will change us on the inside and then enable us to have discipline and display good works.

In Zechariah 3, the prophet saw a vision of Joshua the High Priest standing before the Lord in filthy clothes. Satan was standing next to Joshua, reminding the Lord of all of Joshua’s terrible sins. How did the Lord respond to this situation, hearing the sins and seeing the filthy garments of the man who was supposed to be his servant? Did God condemn him and cast him out? No, the Lord rebuked Satan and gave Joshua a completely pure set of new clothes! And that is how God wants to respond to you-He wants to cast your old sins away and change your heart so that you can go and sin no more! But for this exchange to happen, you must ask God for His righteousness. Repent of your sins, repent of your self-reliance, and ask God today for His power to be all that He wants you to be.

Something Greater (Part 1)

(I will be posting "Something Greater" over the next four days. Here is part 1. Stay tuned for the full series!)

There must be something better!

Have you ever stumbled around in your attempt to do something, wishing there was a better, more efficient option for you to complete your task? I remember an experience that took place while I was a missionary in India. I had only been there a few weeks when I was eating a lunch with many pastors and leaders after a Bible school inauguration. In the Indian fashion, we were all eating this lunch without utensils, using only our hand. I remember sitting there, desperately trying to navigate through my meal of rice and chicken curry without looking like a complete imbecile! Unfortunately, I was not so successful in my attempt. I remember looking up to see an older lady laughing at me-everyone else in the room was smiling and trying to avoid eye contact! Finally, the hostess came up to me with a very sympathetic look on her face and asked me caringly, “Do you need a spoon?” I gratefully accepted and was then able to finish my meal in a much more confident fashion-the spoon enabled me to enter into a much greater relationship with my food!

As Christians, sometimes we live at a much lower level of spirituality than God has intended for us. He has called us to a life of righteousness, peace and joy-to a life of holiness and victory, where we are more than conquerors in every situation. And yet too often we accept a life of defeat, a life where we are victims of our circumstances rather than conquerors, a life with depression and fear and sin. There is something far greater out there for us!

So our question becomes-how do we enter into this greater life? Fortunately for us, the Bible answers that question! In Ezekiel 37, a beautiful picture is painted of how God wants to bring us in to great things. This passage of Scripture was written when God’s people, the Israelites, were captives in the land of Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel was given a vision by God, and in this vision he saw a valley full of dry bones, scattered all around (Ezekiel 37:1,2). These dry bones represented the Israelites-God’s people were currently scattered, in defeat, and leading hopeless lives. What good is a dry bone? Maybe useful for a dog, but that is about it! Sometimes, we feel like those bones-tired, discarded, and forgotten.

But what was God’s reaction to these dry bones? Did He tell Ezekiel to leave them alone? Did He condemn them? No, He instructed Ezekiel to prophesy to them so that they could come to life (Ezekiel 37:4-6)! He gave a message of hope! And in His instructions to Ezekiel we can see four steps to receiving something greater from God. Four steps for us to enter the victorious, glorious life He has called us to!

1) Get Connected

Ezekiel 37:7, “So I spoke these words, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as they had been before. ”

I like to use the Internet. When you are online, there is a huge wealth of information available to you. Your computer is communicating with other computers all around the world, enabling you to converse with friends in different zip codes (or countries!), find out the facts on a project you’re working on, or just check out the latest news! But what happens when a computer goes offline? Suddenly, that whole world is no longer available to you. When your computer disconnects, you are missing out on a lot.

Let’s go back to Ezekiel’s vision. Remember, what he first saw was a valley with dry bones lying scattered everywhere. There was a tibia here, a fibula there-craniums and metatarsals and metacarpals just lying strewn all about! What a mess! But here in step number one, Ezekiel saw all of the bones connect with each other in their proper places. The scattered bones became ordered skeletons.

Spiritually, the first step to entering into a greater life is to Get Connected. Just like a computer loses much of it’s effectiveness when it is not connected to others, a Christian has his or her vitality sapped away when not in proper connection.

Our most important connection, of course, is that with Christ. In John 15:5, Jesus said, “I am the Vine, you are the branches.” He is the source of all of our spiritual life, and we need to be plugged into Him. A branch cannot survive apart from its vine, and we can’t survive apart from Christ. We connect to Him through repentance, through prayer, through studying His Word, among other ways. And we don’t only want to be connected to Him in a salvation experience, but our dependence and relationship with Him should continually grow deeper and deeper. If you find that your spiritual life has stagnated, perhaps you need to make a greater effort to spend time with Jesus, the source of all spiritual life.

However, to enter into the fully victorious life God has intended for us, we do not only need to be connected to Christ, we also need to be connected with other believers. Hebrews 10:25 instructs us not to neglect meeting with one another, and it is an essential reminder, especially in today’s nonstop busy world. We should make every effort to meet with other Christians whenever we have the opportunity. Every time our youth group or church has a meeting, we should attend if at all possible. School or workplace Bible studies and prayer meetings are also an excellent source of connection. The early church in the book of Acts lived in the greatest victory the Church has ever seen, and what was one of the reasons? They spent much time together! They ate together, prayed together and met daily. May we likewise be connected today!

(Part 2 of the series is coming tomorrow. Check back!)

The Bread of Life

I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst (John 6:35).

In the Gospel of John, there are 7 different titles by which Jesus describes Himself, starting with, “I am.” They are commonly referred to as the “Seven I Am’s of Christ,” and are listed below:

1) Bread of Life (6:35,48)
2) Light of the World (8:12)
3) Door (10:9)
4) Good Shepherd (10:11,14)
5) Resurrection and the Life (11:25)
6) Way, Truth, and Life (14:6)
7) True Vine (15:1)

The “Seven I AMs” make an excellent, interesting Bible study, and we will be briefly looking at each of the seven over the next few weeks. The first is in the verse lifted above, where Jesus says, “I am the Bread of Life.”

Bread was the staple food of the Jewish culture (much like rice is in the Asia). People lived on bread on a day to day basis; without it, they would starve. Natural life was completely dependent on bread!

When Jesus said He was the Bread of Life, He was revealing to us that He is altogether necessary for true life. His very presence brings life to all who will come to Him. His Word is our daily bread (Matthew 4:4). He was telling all who were hungry, all who were thirsty, all who desired real life to come to Him.

There is no other way to true spiritual nourishment. Without Jesus, we cannot be alive. Our best ideas and best efforts are useless without Him. We are completely dependent on His ongoing presence.

Jesus as the Bread of Life is excellent news. Not only does this Bread keep us alive, but it gives us infinite joy! Jesus promises that as we eat His bread we will never hunger and never thirst. He is an everlasting fountain of joy and satisfaction, an infinite God in who’s presence there will always be greater joy (Psalm 16:11). It is hard for our minds to comprehend, but those who believe in Christ will always, forever increase in joy and satisfaction. We will never look anywhere else for anything; Jesus is all we need.

So let’s learn to “eat” this Bread today through prayer, Bible reading, worship, and keeping God in our thoughts. He is Eternal Bread of Life, so let that life work in you today!

The Greatest Trade of All Time

When I was a boy, one of my favorite activities was collecting baseball cards. My friends and I would come together with our cards, and we would spend hours making trades with each other. Everyone wanted to make the best possible trades and get something for nothing, while no one wanted to get “ripped off.” It was always dangerous to trade with the older boys, because they would trick you into giving up your best cards for little in return! We’ve probably all made trades before, whether we switched snacks, cards, or Monopoly properties. What’s the best trade you ever made?

God also makes trades with us! Not just any trade, but The Greatest Trade of All Time.

For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

This verse tells us that God made His only Son become sin on our behalf so that we might become righteous on His behalf. In other words, when Jesus was on the cross, He became our sin, in the fact that He took all of our sins upon Himself. The penalty for our sin was death, but Jesus took that penalty for us. This was despite the fact that Jesus had lived a perfect, completely sinless life. He is the only man who has ever lived who did not deserve to die, yet He did die a horrific death on our behalf.

The great news is that all who believe in Jesus are now able to receive His righteousness. He took our sin so we could take His righteousness. When the Father looks upon us, He does not see our sinful frailty, but He sees the righteousness of His Son Christ. And that is The Greatest Trade of All Time. In salvation we traded our penalty for His Reward, and we now get to be with Him forever in heaven.

This trade does not just stop at salvation, however-it extends to every part of our lives. It is the reason that God can bless us and gives us tremendous promises. Have you ever read one of the great promises of the Bible (“I will never leave you or forsake you,” “My thoughts towards you are good,” etc.) and thought, “This can’t be true for me. I’m unworthy.” If you have, the answer is-you’re right. You are unworthy. But Jesus Christ is worthy, and Christ’s righteousness has been transferred to you.

So our standing in God, our relationship as His child, is not based on our feelings but rather on the perfect righteousness of Christ. Remember that God has made a tremendous trade with you, and He does desire to bless you, to give you victory, to make you a champion in life. It is all through the righteousness of Christ that God graciously gives to all who believe in Him. Focus on Christ and rejoice in Him alone! He has made the trade with you.

Hiding Place

You are my hiding place, You shall preserve me from trouble, You shall surround me with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7).

What was your favorite hiding place when you were younger? Under the bed, in the closet, or behind a chair? Or maybe you still like to hide, but with bigger challenges. I know that in the many youth camps I’ve been involved with, hide-and-go-seek in the dark is always a favorite. People stretch out all over the camping ground to hide in the bushes, under trees, or by the riverside. There are many good hiding places to find!

In the above verse, King David tells us his favorite hiding place. Speaking to God, he says, “You are my hiding place; you keep me from trouble; you surround me.” David had learned that when troubled times come, the wisest action to take is to run into the presence of God. And it is the same for us; our most effective hiding place is God Himself.

David was a man who knew about problems. As a shepherd boy he had to protect his flock from bears and lions. He then spent many years of his life running for his life from King Saul. After that, his own son tried to take his kingdom away. These are just some of the many trials David faced, yet he learned this one essential truth-when the storms of life come, God is always faithful! God is the one who hid him from the attacks of the enemy.

Let’s come to this same realization that David had. Let’s learn to look to God when we go through difficulties at home, school, or with our friends. Our Hiding Place is God Himself, and He surely is secure! He will protect us. He will surround us with “songs of deliverance.” In other words, not only does He protect us, He brings us through with songs of rejoicing! As the great 19th century preacher Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The gospel of substitution makes him to be our refuge who otherwise would have been our judge.” We can always run to Him! He is a wonderful Hiding Place, a wonderful Refuge, a wonderful Savior!

Giant Slaying Part 3

(This is the third and final part of the article "Giant Slaying".)

Goodbye, Giant

When Goliath saw the young man with a slingshot and stick walking towards him, he started to laugh. Surely this little kid wasn’t going to try to face him. Noticing that David was serious in his intention, he looked down on him with a sneer, “Am I dog? Is that why you’re coming against me with a stick? Come here boy, and I’ll feed you to the birds.” Goliath was sure that he would have an easy victory over the young shepherd, and was insulted that the armies of Israel had even allowed David to approach him.

David had carefully picked out five smooth stones for his slingshot. He replied to Goliath’s taunts, “You come against me with your sword and spear, your power and your weapons-but I come against you with something better. I come against you in the name of the Lord! Today God is going to defeat you, and I’m going to cut off your head-this is God’s battle, not mine. The Lord will defeat you!” With these words David began to run towards Goliath as the giant lumbered closer. Taking a stone out of his bag, David hurled it at Goliath, and it miraculously went right through the slits of his helmet and sank into his forehead! As Goliath tumbled to the ground, David took his enemy’s sword out of its sheath and used it to cut off his enormous head. When the Philistines saw their hero dead, they all ran away in panic, and the warriors of Israel gave chase. The armies of God had a mighty victory on that day.

The key to David’s victory was that he placed his faith in God-that is the only way we can slay giants! While all the other Israelites were focused on how powerful Goliath was, David was focused on how powerful his God was! That is something that we must always remember. No matter what our problem, circumstance, or difficulty, God is bigger, God is stronger, God is in control. So don’t look at the size of your giant-look at the size of your God. He is the one who “always causes us to triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14)”, the one who gives us victory all the time!

The five stones chosen by David for his slingshot also teach us an important lesson. In Scripture, the number five represents the grace of God-the five stones indicate that David killed Goliath by God’s grace alone. While God has called us to be giant slayers, it’s important to remember that we cannot do the slaying on our own! It is only by God’s grace, by God’s power, that we can be victorious. So always cry out for His grace when you are in a battle. Our giants tumble, not because we are so big, so strong, or so wise, but because our God is so big. The focus must always be on Him and His grace.

Remember how David used Goliath’s own sword to cut off his head? This shows us what happens to the enemy’s weapons when we are walking in faith-they do not hurt us but they hurt the enemy himself (Isaiah 54:17). So when the enemy tries to attack you, you can rejoice; as you follow God, the wicked plan will not work for your harm but for your eternal benefit!

After Goliath was dead, all the Philistines ran away in terror, and the once-timid Israelite soldiers chased after them. Do you see the truth here? Faith is contagious! David had faith to defeat Goliath; he knew God was on his side (Psalm 56:9), and through his knowledge others came to know and believe that as well. As you step out in faith and begin slaying giants, your friends, cellmates, family, and others will have their faith increased as well. Those who used to cower in fear will be inspired by your example. So be bold, step out in faith, and watch others follow you as the giants start to drop a your left and your right. When God arises, all of his enemies will be scattered (Psalm 68:1).


So Let’s Get Slaying!

The time for timid Christianity is over; the time for blending in with the world is done. Our generation has too many problems, there are too many spiritual giants binding those all around for us to sit in silence any longer. It is time to attack the enemy, to go after the spiritual principalities and powers that bind our schools, our families, our nation, even our own lives. We go to war not in the natural but in the spirit, with the mighty power of God doing the fighting through us. How will the giants fall? Not by our might, not by our power, but by God’s Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). Let’s live in the victory God has ordained for us-let’s get slaying every Goliath in our path!

Giant Slaying Part 2

(This is part 2 of our three part series on Giant Slaying. See part 1, below.)

Only a Boy Named David

He was only a boy, probably about eighteen years old. His older brothers were all a part of Saul’s army, but he had stayed at home to care for his father Jesse’s sheep. One day, however, Jesse asked him to go to the battle site, to bring his brothers some bread and cheese, and to come back with news on the war. David was excited as he loaded his donkey with the food-surely he was about to see the armies of God defeating the wicked Philistines. When he got to their camp, however, he was shocked to come across a much different scenario-the Israelite army was cowering in fear as Goliath thundered his blasphemous challenge to the army of Israel. These men, all older, more experienced, and seemingly tougher than David were hiding from an enemy of God.

“Who is this ungodly Philistine who’s challenging the armies of the living God? Who’s going to fight him? What will the reward be? Why is this pagan allowed to speak against God like that?” David began questioning all those around him. The other soldiers began to notice the bravery of the young man. Some snickered at his boldness, while others wondered if they should bring him before the king. David’s oldest brother Eliab heard his questioning and tried to put a stop to it, accusing David of rebellion and pride, but David replied, “What have I done wrong? Isn’t there a cause?”

What was the difference between David and the Israelite soldiers? David put God’s honor and God’s purposes before his own safety and comfort. While the other men were worried about themselves, David was worried about the honor of God’s name. We live in a generation where God is mocked on a daily basis. On television, on the radio, in books and magazines and in daily conversation, God is not honored but treated lightly, as an accessory at best and as non-existent at worst. And for us to go against the flow, to spread the Gospel, to live righteously in our generation, we may have to leave our comfort zone. We may have to risk our reputation, even our very lives. But it is all worth it for God’s honor.

We should ask the same question that David did, “Is there not a cause? Is there not a reason to fight, a giant to slay?” David refused to just live up to the status quo, and we need to do likewise. There is a cause for us to fight, there is a generation that we can reach out and save. Others may not understand you, just as Eliab did not understand David, but don’t let that be your concern. Live for the cause, the cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the cause of the salvation of your generation, the cause of fulfilling God’s call for your life!

David was young, inexperienced, and no logical match for Goliath, but he did not let these things stop him from offering to face the giant. He didn’t look at his impossibilities but at His God-possibilities. You may be young, but that doesn’t mean you need to sit around and watch others slay the giants! Right now, God can use you in a mighty way, so don’t let your youth stop you from taking part in God’s battle plan. Don’t wait until you’re twenty, or thirty, or forty to commit to God’s cause-make the decision today.


Choosing the Right Armor

King Saul took a seat inside the tent that was serving as his make-shift throne room. Several of his top generals stood in attention as he agonized over the problem of Goliath. At one point in his reign, perhaps Saul himself would have challenged the giant, but as the years passed by he was growing more lazy, arrogant, and faithless. When Saul heard that someone in the camp was speaking of confronting the giant, he called for him at once-but when he saw that the “someone” was only a boy, his hopes sank and he laughed bitterly. “You want to fight the giant?” Saul asked. “That’s ridiculous! You’re only a boy, and he’s been fighting since he was a boy! He’ll crush you, devour you, obliterate you-don’t be crazy.”

But David wouldn’t let the king’s doubts get him down. “I can fight him!” David insisted. “I’ve killed lions and bears when watching my father’s sheep, and this arrogant Philistine will also die! The Lord who has always given me victory will save me this time as well.” When Saul saw the persistence of David, he gave in and said, “Okay, you may fight him.” Saul then gave David his own armor to borrow in the battle. David stumbled around after trying it on. The oversized helmet blocked his vision, the bronze leggings scraped against the floor, and the sword was almost heavier than he could lift. “I can’t wear these,” David said. “I’ve never used them before.” So instead, David walked out to face the giant, wearing only his shepherd’s clothes, carrying only his shepherd’s weapons, a staff and slingshot.

Saul doubted David’s ability to face Goliath because he looked at the situation through his natural eyes. When we lose God’s anointing and begin to drift away from Him, not only will we not slay giants-we will discourage others from trying to as well! Don’t be a Saul, sitting back when you should be fighting and discouraging the brave-hearted.

What was one reason that David didn’t listen to Saul’s discouragement? Because he had received encouragement from God in the past! God had enabled David to kill a lion and a bear in the past, while protecting his sheep. These victories over smaller enemies helped David have faith that he could defeat the giant enemy. In your life, be faithful to face every enemy that comes against you. Don’t treat small battles as unimportant, but ask God for the victory in every circumstance. After you have defeated your “lion” and your “bear”, your Goliath won’t seem so difficult! When we are faithful in small matters, we will be faithful in larger ones-likewise, when we defeat small enemies, we will be able to defeat large ones in the future. So don’t wait for the day when you’re in front of ten thousand people to preach, to pray, to live holy, and to spread God’s Word; start doing it today.

David also was smart enough not to wear Saul’s armor into the battle. Saul’s armor represents the ways of man, using earthly methods to fight God’s battles. If Saul’s armor was so useful, why was Goliath still standing anyway? As you go to war against the giants, some people will try to get you to use old, worldly methods. They will tell you, “This is how we’ve always done it, and this is how it needs to be done.” But if these methods have never been effective in the past, why use them in the future? Don’t go out in someone else’s armor, but use the gifts and the calling that God has given you. Use God’s armor, God’s anointing, God’s way to defeat His enemies.

David didn’t try to pretend to be something that he was not, but went out to the battle in his shepherd’s clothes. It’s important for you to be like that. Our spiritual enemies are not scared of our big words, lofty prayers, or fancy clothes, but they are scared of God’s power flowing through us. So we don’t have to pretend to be something else, but we can be what God has made us to be. It’s okay to use new methods-God has given you a unique calling so He will work in you in unique ways!