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!