The Church of Christ

Life's Goliaths

Have you met Goliath? Goliath is that great big giant of an obstacle that seems unbeatable, and impossible to defeat. It is that one huge problem that you think just might be your undoing, a difficulty so great that it has you entertaining the thought that you are close to throwing in the towel.

Have you met Goliath?  Perhaps you have met him in the past. Or maybe Goliath is troubling you even now. Most of us have a Goliath or two in our lives. Perhaps, it is alcohol, or foul language, I know about those Goliath's. I want to encourage you to confront Goliath today, to deal with this enemy that robs your life of hope and joy. (1 Samuel 17) contains all the clues we need to confront and overcome Goliath. I would like to let the story pretty much speak for itself. There is power in this Bible story when we simply watch it play out on the backdrop of our imagination. As you listen to the story, imagine Goliath to be your own personal Goliath.

First off, Let’s set the scene for this story. King Saul of Israel had been fighting tooth and nail for most of his life for every inch of the Promised Land. Even though the land was "Promised," it did not come easy. (Most promised lands are that way, we have to work and struggle for them.) Ever since the day Joshua took over the leadership of Israel from Moses, there had been a struggle. On that very first day when they crossed the Jordan River, there saw no welcome sign saying, "Welcome to the Promised Land!"

Lately, the Philistines had been gaining the upper hand. King Saul was getting older and very weary. Now things had really taken a turn for the worse. The Philistines unveiled their "secret weapon" - a nine foot tall or so giant named Goliath. This powerful, fearsome creature was out daily taunting the Israelites, issuing a challenge that had King Saul's army cringing behind their shields. There wasn't a soldier in the camp who wanted to take on Goliath. Fear and despair took hold in the camp and ate away the courage of every last man. It seemed that each day Goliath appeared bigger and the soldiers of Saul felt smaller.  You and I probably have times when our Goliaths seem to grow as we seem to shrink.

On one particular day, Goliath began shouting insults to the soldiers of Israel and he challenged them to a fight. Let's pick up the story in (1 Samuel 17:8-11). "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. 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." Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other." On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified."4. After hearing these threats, a shepherd boy named David looked around and asked "Who is this person who is insulting the armies of God?" You see, David wasn't afraid of the Philistine giant.

King Saul sent for David and this is the conversation they had starting in verse 32: David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him." Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth." But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you".

So David, refusing to put on armor and a sword, chose to dress casually,. carrying only a sling in his hand. with five smooth stones that he collected from the stream. He was ready for war. Listen to what David said when he confronted Goliath in vs. 45-47 "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. 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. 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". David took out a stone, and slung it and it struck Goliath on the forehead and killed him. The young, weak boy David defeated his Goliath.

HERE ARE A FEW INSIGHTS FROM THIS STORY THAT CAN HELP YOU AND I WHEN WE ENCOUNTER GOLIATH.

WE NEED TO IDENTIFY THE GOLIATH IN OUR LIFE.
Frequently we have difficulty identifying the real issue. When we become frustrated at work there is fallout at home. We argue with our spouse and the children get scolded and maybe even the cat gets kicked. When we clearly identify what is the true issue we are facing, we can address the problem -- that is aim at the correct target.

WE NEED TO TRUST GOD.
When David went to fight Goliath, it was not the standard resources that David was trusting in. It was not the armor of Saul or the strength of the whole Israelite army, but it was GOD.  David believed that God would defeat Goliath. If David had bought into the standard thinking, he would have been killed. He thought outside the box! God was his strength and the battle was the Lord's -- not his.

When we come to those times of confrontation with Goliath, our first line of defense is our relationship with God. We must trust in His strength...no matter what others may consider the best way out of our difficulties. No matter what problem or Goliath we may be facing.  God can deliver us. Our problems can be solved by trusting and relying upon God!

Most of us, like the Israelites hear the threats of Goliath and loose heart. We would really like to have the courage of David and his trust in God, but we don't quite get around to entering the field of battle. So I would like to ask you to make a decision today. I would like to encourage you to decide to conquer Goliath. If you will make that decision, surrender your resources - however small or meager - into the hands of God and trust the Lord to walk with you into the battle...You will make a wonderful discovery -- a life changing discovery.

You will discover that Goliath is just a wee little man after all! We have the resources available through Christ to overcome anything. We cannot be defeated if we will access that power. The early Christians took heart in the Good News of the Gospel that there is indeed victory in Jesus. Most of their lives were spent in turmoil and persecution and they trusted the Lord. Most of our lives are spent without real turmoil and persecution, oh we may bring some problems on ourselves, or we may be embarrassed about
something; but, when was the last time you were really persecuted because of your faith?

Paul through inspiration in 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises us the Lord's help. Isn't it about time that some of us allowed Jesus to help solve our problems instead of trying it on our own. How far would David have gotten if the Lord was not on his side? Why was the Lord on David's side? Are you a person after God's own heart? Can God depend on you to be true to him? Do you have the faith necessary to access the same power that spoke the universe into existence?

That power is only available to you if you are a child of God! If you are a child of God then you should be accessing that power. If you are not a child of God you are missing out on all the spiritual blessings God has to offer including the power to defeat your most difficult Goliath's. Won't you respond like David, the Battle is the Lord's all I have to do is rely on Him.