A giant is jeering at you from a battleground and you know that you have to go out and fight him. What are you going to do? Just pray about it right?
Your company is laying off staffs and you’re certain you’ll be affected. Just pray about it right?
Your wife left and she has no concern in reuniting. Just pray about it right?
You’ve tried for years to kick this addiction, but you slipped back into it and you can’t look at yourself in the mirror. Just pray about it right?
You’re -deep debt, and you just got a huge bill that you can’t pay. Just pray about it right?
Facing Your Giants
Every morning and evening for 40 days, a gigantic enemy, Goliath had dared the army of Israel to send a man to confront him. If that man succeeds in killing Goliath the giant, then Goliath’s soldiers would surrender.
King Saul had sweetened the pot, proposing great treasures to the man who would fight Goliath. But confronting this huge enemy was a suicide mission, and no one wanted to die.
Goliath was a foothill of a man perhaps nine feet tall. His coat worth over 120 pounds & the head of his spear weighed over 14 pounds.
A teenager called David went to camp, to supply food to his brothers who served in the army of Israel. When he discovered about Goliath’s challenge, David shocked every person by declaring that he would fight the giant and overthrow him, which he succeeded in doing.
How Did He Face Such A Monumental Challenge? What Was His Strategy?
Indeed, David prayed about it, so did Saul & everyone in the army of Israel. But prayer was only a part of David’s tactic, just as it should be only one part of your approach as you get ready to face your own giant.
- By placing his trust in God, David got confidence that he will make it.
- By recalling God’s assistance in the past, David obtained vision on how to tackle a new problem.
- By trusting in God’s creative Spirit, David discovered an innovative solution.
Why Just Pray About It Isn’t Enough
Trusting In God Gives You Confidence
When David reached the scene, the Israelite’s in Saul’s army had overheard Goliath’s challenge 80 times. Each of the soldiers was “discouraged and terrified.” In fact, whenever Goliath showed up in the Philistine battle line, the Israelite’s flew in terror.
When David overheard the dare for the first time, he wasn’t frightened. He was annoyed that an “uncircumcised Philistine” was daring the soldiers of the living God.” And he was baffled that everybody around him was shrinking in fear.
David inquired the offer that was made to anyone who kills the Philistine and destroys this disgrace from Israel. When he was told how Saul would compensate such a person, David repeated his question to somebody else, as if he couldn’t believe his ears.
Defeat the Philistines, restore honor to Israel, and gain great rewards from the king. David focused on winning not losing.
Why Was David So Confident?
- He trusted in God.
- When he confronted Goliath on the battle field, David told the giant:
‘Thou comest to me with sword and spear and shield, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have challenged. This day will the lord deliver thee into my hands, and I’ll smite thee and take thine head from thee and i will give the carcasses of the host of Philistine army to the fowls and the wild beasts, and that all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel. All those assembled here will realize that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord protects; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands. – 1 Samuel 17:45-47
The soldiers of Israel were worried about losing. David, in contrast, wasn’t worried about anything.
If you are intimidated by the challenges you encounter, then start by believing that God will bring you through it. By believing in God, you’ll overcome fear and obtain assurance.
Remembering God’s Past Help Gives You Direction
Believing in God gives you confidence and focus, as David’s son Solomon wrote years later:
Believe in the Lord with all your heart and rely not on your own knowledge; in all your ways consent to him, and he will order your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6
One good way to trust in God is to recollect how God has assisted you in the past. You may not know how to tackle your present trial, but God does. Nothing catches Him off guard, and no problem is too huge for him. As you yield to to him, you’ll discover that he offers you greater than support. He gives you focus.
When David stated that he will confront Goliath, Saul tried to discourage him:
Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight him for thou art but a youth and he, a man of war from his youth– 1 Samuel 17:33
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But David had been in incompatibilities before, and God had seen him through each time:
Once a lion or a bear emanated and took off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, hit it and saved the sheep from its mouth. When it rotated towards me, I grabbed it by its hair, hit it and killed it. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them seeing he has dared the army of the living God. – 1 Samuel 17:34-36
David wasn’t arrogant of his self-ability. He was boasting of God. That’s why he finished with this:
The Lord who saved me from the hand of the lion and the hand of the bear will save me from the hand of this Philistine. – 1 Samuel 17:37
What If You Lack Experience With God Assisting You Through A Trial?
All Scriptures are given by inspiration of God and is profitable for principle in educating, admonishing, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be perfect, absolutely furnished unto all good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Ponder on the times that God has assisted you and others overcome situations. He’ll grant you all you need to get over this lumpy spot.
Trusting in God’s Grants You the Greater Hand
Throughout David’s time, wars were lead with three divisions of arms:
- Cavalry, comprising of soldiers on horses or chariots
- Infantry, men with swords and armor
- Artillery, primarily archers
Goliath was an infantryman. He anticipated his trial to be responded by an infantryman from the army of Israel. He was aware that his enemy wouldn’t be on horseback that would not be a legal reply to the dare. And if Israel decided to lead an archer, Goliath had a shield-bearer in front of him to prevent the arrows from piercing him.
Saul had been convinced by David’s self-assurance, and the king desired to prepare the teen for hand-to-hand combat. So Saul clad David as an infantryman: a tunic with a sword fastened over it, a coat of armor, and a bronze helmet.
David removed the heavy clothing items, complaining that he was “not used to them.” But there was a more important reason why David didn’t want to dress as an infantryman: he wasn’t going to fight as one. He wasn’t going to engage in hand-to-hand combat.
David needed to take an innovative approach to the battle, So David turned to God, and God’s creative Spirit told David what to do: use your sling.
David confronted Goliath as a shepherd with a staff and a shepherd’s bag, not as a soldier Goliath sighted no weapon other than the rod, which actually wasn’t a weapon at all. “Am I a dog, which you come at me with sticks?” roared the giant.
As the Philistine lumbered toward him, the fast and active David moved into a place away from the shield-bearer. Taking a stone from his bag, David put it into his sling and slung it at Goliath. It went into Goliath’s forehead, just beneath his helmet, and the pressure of the blow hit him. David took the Philistine’s sword and finished the job.
As you prepare to confront your Goliath, don’t only pray concerning it but believe in God; get directions from Him, recollecting how He has assisted you and others in the past. And allow His Spirit guide you to an original solution.
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