“ 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” 45 David said to the Philistine, “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. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.47 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.” 48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.”
It is a fair statement to say that every person who goes to church has a basic understanding that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. However, the understanding of what this means is where we have the differences in interpretation and thus affects its application to our daily lives and walk with God.
Let us draw some knowledge from the fight between the Philistines and the Israelites. The Philistines waged war against the Israelites. Goliath the giant went in front of the Philistines to challenge the Israelites. They saw the size of Goliath and were defeated before the fight. Goliath instilled fear in the lives of the Israelites. He intimated them with his size. This was unfortunate because it was during the time when the spirit of the Lord had already departed from Saul. Saul was only left with human intelligence. Thus, for 40 days, the Israelites kept hiding in their own camp
1 Samuel 17: 17 “For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.”
But the small insignificant shepherd boy who had never been to the war zone was the solution to the problem. He was the one God has prepared and trained for the job.
1 Samuel 17: 23 “As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.”
The battle is not worn because of age and experience. This was very clear the Saul was looking at things from the canal perspective.
1 Samuel 17:33 “Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
However, in David’s case God had prepared him for this day with Goliath. He had killed a lion and a bear. These are very strong animals. He had also built courage. He had faith that with God he has the victory.
1 Samuel 17:36-37 “36 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. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
David had an experience or a testimony to draw from. He had experienced the faithfulness of God in his life. Maybe you have not, and this is your first challenge, you only need to trust what God says, move with the mustard seed faith and face that Goliath.
1 Samuel 17: 39b- 40 “39b I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.”
Saul wanted to draw the glory to himself, but David a man of the spirit was sensitive enough to know that the wisdom of God is what is needed than that of man. He declined to walk into Saul’s anointing. God has it for everyone who seeks him with a pure heart.
According to 1 Samuel 17:42-51 quoted above, Goliath became so upset when he saw David. He saw a small boy so insufficient that he felt insulted by the Israelites. David stood by faith in the fear of the Lord looking at him in the face, and said,
1 Samuel 17:45-46 “45 David said to the Philistine, “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. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.”
David was very bold and precise to declare the verdict of God. David killed Goliath with 5 stones and a sling.
Lessons from David
We may not face a real Goliath like David did, however, we face circumstances in our lives daily that can be very scary. Irrespective of how we view the challenges of life, the word of God is the tool that we can trust to help us overcome them. We have all kinds of challenges such as, sickness, marriage issues, financial issues, demonic attacks, etc. The word of God is the antidote against these issues, and we must understand how to apply it.
1. Understand that we have the victory in Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Deuteronomy 20:4 “For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”
Colossians 2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
When we are faced with battles in life, we must know that Jesus went to the cross, fought the devil, and handed over the victory to us. Therefore, although it’s a war, we are fighting from the place of victory. This must always be in our minds. The devil knows how to play with and manipulate our minds to think otherwise. It’s settled that we are victorious in Christ Jesus.
2. Understanding that the battle belongs to the Lord.
Exodus 15:3 “The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name”
1Samuel 17:47 “And that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand.”
2 Chronicles 20:15 “And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.”
From what we read about David; we saw that he knew that it was not about him. His confidence was in God who fights our battles. Although we are physically present in the battlefield of the health issues, marriages problems, challenges with our children etc. We must understand that we have to let God fight for us, as he did for David. We do so by placing that burden at the altar of prayer and not worrying about it.
3. Understand that God has not given us a spirit of fear.
This is one of the weapons in the hands of the enemy that he uses time and again to intimidate believers. Can you imagine if David was afraid of Goliath?
Hebrews 13:6 “So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
2 Chronicles 32:7 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him.”
Exodus 14:13-14 “13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
Deuteronomy 20:1 “When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
We should always wake up and remind ourselves that because God is helping us, we will not fear. We must stand firm on the word of God not our human understanding. We should put our confidence in the word of God. He will not lie.
4. Understand our position
2 Chronicles 20:17 “You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
David knew that it was not about him neither about Saul, so he even refused to put on Saul’s armor. He declared that he came in the name of the Lord. The Lord told King Jehoshaphat to stand firm and hold onto his position. The only position that has a guaranteed victory is in Christ, who has the experience of war. He fought, worn, and was given a name above every other name. It is in that name Jesus we stand firm and hold onto the competed work on the cross.
Philippians 2:10-11 “10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
5. Understand the Source of help
David never depended on himself. He was confident that God will help him. He knew he could trust God enough to stand before Goliath.
Psalm 121:1-2 “1 I lift up my eyes to the mountain where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Isaiah 31:1 “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!”
Psalm 40:17 “As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!”
6. Understand that it is by faith
Therefore, you must put on your faith on the finished work on the cross because Jesus already fought and defeated the devil. So, we go to war with the victory hat.
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him. For he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Prayer points
1. Thank God for all what you have been through. If God had not been for us, what would have been the story.
2. Ask God for mercy and forgiveness when we did not understand to rely on him.
3. Deuteronomy 9:3 “But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.”
Joshua 3:10 “He continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will surely drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.”
Joshua 23:5 “The LORD your God will push them out of your way and drive them out before you, so that you can take possession of their land, as the LORD your God promised you.”
Pray that the Lord will go before us and destroy every obstacle irrespective of whatever names they are called as we enter 2025.
4. Jeremiah 5:14 “Therefore this is what the LORD God of Hosts says: “Because you have spoken this word, I will make My words a fire in your mouth and this people the wood it consumes.”
Pray that the Lord will put his word in our months, and it shall become fire against any obstacle in our path.
5. Deuteronomy 4:24”For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”
Jeremiah 24:29 “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”
Pray that the fire of God falls upon and destroy anything around you that has been a hindrance to your progress.
6. Isaiah 37:33-37 “33 “Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria: He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here. He will not come before it with shield or build a siege ramp against it. 34 By the way that he came he will return; he will not enter this city,” declares the Lord. 35 I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!” 36 Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty- five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.”
Stand by this word to declare over any form of Assyrian in your life, family, ministry etc. They shall not enter your home, they shall not build any siege, they shall not throw any arrow, they must go back as they came. The angel of war visits their camp and destroys them all.
7. Jeremiah 10:11 “Tell them this: ‘These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.’”
Stand on this word to declare that any man-made god, altars etc. that did not create you must perish under the heavens and earth.
8. Lamentations 3:37 “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?”
Isaiah 46:10 “I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.”
Pray against everything that has been spoken against you, your home, family, destiny etc. Declare that it will never stand. Only that which God has spoken will stand.
9. Exodus 14:13-14 “13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the
salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see
today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
Pray against any Egyptians assigned by pharaoh to torment your life. Declare that their attacks come to an end.
10. Thank God for helping you and giving you the victory in Jesus’ name.