1 Samuel 17:32-40
Intro: Whenever I read this great
passage, I am reminded of Israel’s trouble with giants in Numbers 13-14. After two
years in the wilderness, Israel had arrived at the banks of the Jordan
River. God had promised them the land on
the other side of Jordan, but they stopped to send in spies to examine the
land. When those spies returned, they
reported that the land was a good land, but that it was a land inhabited by
many great giants, Num 13:27-28. In fact, ten of the spies were absolutely
terrified of the giants they had seen there, Num. 13:33. Caleb and
Joshua, who had seen the same giants, tried their best to get the people to
trust in the Lord, enter Canaan and claim the land, but the people listen to
the majority report and refused to battle their giants. As a result, they were all condemned to 38
more years of wilderness wandering. They
were to wander until that faithless generation had died out.
38 years later, they
arrive back at the Jordan River. Moses
speaks to them to prepare them to enter Canaan.
As he does, he lets them know that they are about to face some giants on
the other side of Jordan, Deut. 9:1-2. What’s the point? Israel fled from those
giants 38 years before, when their children came back 38 years later, the
giants were still there and they had to be faced.
I am speaking to a
group of people this evening who are facing some giants. How do I know? We all face giants. I even have a few of my own! The bottom line
is this: you may not want to face your giants.
You may want to run from them in fear.
You may want to avoid them and hope that they will just go away. You need to know that your giants will not
just go away. They must be faced and
they can be defeated.
This passage presents
David as a young man. He is a young man
filled with faith in the Lord. David is
a young man who was not afraid to go to battle with the giants of life and
claim victory in the name of the Lord.
David was a giant killer and you need to know that you can be too!
That giant you are
facing this evening, regardless of its nature, can be destroyed and it can be
defeated. This text gives us precious
insight into how that can be accomplished.
Let me share with you three simple steps that are absolutely necessary,
as I preach for a while on How To Be A Giant Killer.
I. YOU HAVE TO EXHIBIT THE RIGHT MOTIVES
(Ill. A little background related to this text might be in
order. David’s father Jesse had sent
David to bring some supplies to three of David’s brothers who were fighting in
Saul’s army, vs. 12-13, 17-18. When David arrives at the battlefield, he
finds Saul and the armies of Israel cowering in fear because of the taunts and
threats of a giant named Goliath, vs.
1-11.
It seems that Israel
and the Philistines were carrying out an ages old ritual. Each army would produce a champion; these
champions would fight to the death and the side which won that battle would
claim victory over the enemy. The loser
of that battle would become the servants of the victor.
Of course, the champion
chosen by the Philistines was no ordinary soldier! In fact, his stats are quite impressive. He was some 9’ 9” tall! He wore armor that weighted in at 175
pounds. He carried a spear that weighed
over 32 pounds. This monster was covered
in brass, from head to toe. He
was a formidable opponent, and his defeat seemed in question!
For 40 mornings and
evenings, this giant had taunted the armies of Israel and had been challenging
them to send out a man to do battle with him.
For 40 mornings and evenings the Israelites had heard the challenges and
had retreated to their tents in fear.
However, this day would
be different! Goliath and his challenges
were seen and heard by a young man named David.
David’s faith and confidence in the Lord rises to the challenges and he
offers to go out and fight this giant.)
A. When David spoke of
killing the giant, his motives were questioned.
Some people may have thought that David was motivated by the financial
rewards offered to the man who killed Goliath, vs. 25-27, 30. His brother Eliab, speaking out of jealousy, tried
to accuse David of promoting himself, vs.
28. Eliab, and David’s other
brothers, knew that David had been anointed by Samuel. They may have thought that he was trying to
advance his name in Israel.
B. What were David’s
motives? Perhaps David saw the offer of Saul, vs. 25, as a stepping stone to the throne of Israel. Little did he know that many miles and many
trials lay between him and his being king in Israel.
As I read this
text, I am convinced that David’s heart was motivated by two things only. I do not think it was the money, the fame or
the power. I think he was motivated by:
1. The
glory of God – vs. 26, 29, 36 –
Goliath was mocking the God of Israel and David could not stand the thoughts of
that happening!
2. By his
role as the newly anointed king – 1
Sam. 16:1-12 – Just as David had protected his sheep from the attacks of
the lion and bear, vs. 34-36, he
would protect his Israel from the attack of Goliath.
C. When you see the giants
you are facing in your own life, ask yourself this question: Why do I want this
giant defeated? What is my motive for wanting
this giant dead? An easier
life? Bragging rights? Power in the eyes
of others? So that I will feel better?
What? I would submit to you that there
are only two proper motives for wanting to see your giants defeated:
1. A
Desire For God’s glory – 1 Cor. 10:31 – This should be the
ultimate motivator for all of life!
Everything we do should be passed through the filter of God’s glory!
2. A
Desire For God’s plan to be
fulfilled in your life – Rom. 8:28;
2 Cor. 4:17 – It is part of God’s plan for you to face your giant, or that
giant would not be there. It may be part
of God’s plan for you to defeat your giant.
It may also be God’s plan for you that you live with your giant. Are you willing to accept His plan,
regardless of what it is?
D. I would submit to you this evening that one
of the primary reasons God used David to defeat Goliath was because David had
the right motives for wanting that giant dead!
And friend, one of the reasons you and I do not see our giants fall like
we want them to is because we are often praying and operating from wrong
motives, James 4:1-3.
II. YOU HAVE TO EMBRACE THE RIGHT METHODS
A. When David’s plan to
kill the giant reached the ears of King Saul, he joined the chorus of
naysayers, telling David that he could not do the job, vs. 33. (Ill. What a group of cheerleaders!) Then, hearing that David was determined in
this matter, Saul tried to suit David up in his own armor, vs. 38. David, however,
rejected Saul’s armor because it had not been proven in his life.
David was determined
that he would go into battle with the things that had always worked on him in
the past. David knew that the God Who had always come through in the past, was
the God Who would still come through in the present, vs. 34-36.
B. David did not know a
thing about shields, spears and swords.
He wasn’t schooled in armies, armor and archery. Yet, David knew God! He knew that God had always given him the
victory in the past, and he knew that God does not change, Heb. 13:8.
David knew that
God was greater than any giant. He also
knew that God had a plan for his life and that plan did not include him dying
at the hand of Goliath. So, when David
went out to fight, he only took those things that had worked for him in the
past: he took his staff, his sling, five smooth stones, and Sovereign God, vs. 40.
(Note: Why did David take five stones, when he only needed one? Here are some theories that have been
offered.
1. Five in the Bible is the number of grace and
David needed grace to defeat Goliath.
Well, he did need grace, but I doubt David knew anything about Bible
numerology!
2. Goliath had four sons, 2 Sam. 21:19-22, and David wanted to be ready just in case they
showed up. Well, the giant did have four
sons, but David didn’t know that at the time.
3. The most likely reason is that David wanted
to be sure he could finish the job. He
knew he might miss. He also knew that
the giant might not fall on the first shot.
So, he wanted to be sure he was ready to complete the assignment. By the way, your giants and mine don’t always
go down on the first swing! But, if you
will go into battle fully equipped in the power of God, and you keep swinging,
that giant will eventually fall at your feet!)
C. Folks, you can try any
method you please to defeat the giants in your life. You can attend the latest seminars. You can read the newest books. You can climb on the latest bandwagon. You can pray the prayer of Jabez. You can strive for a purpose driven
life. But, when it is all said and done,
giant killing gets real simple. It all
comes down to this one simple, basic truth: The just shall live by faith,
Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb.
10:38.
D. If you want to see the
giants in your life lying dead at your feet, then know these facts:
1. God is
greater than your giants – Matt.
28:18; Eph. 3:20.
2. The
God Who worked then will still work now – Mal. 3:6.
3. You
don’t need new methods to defeat your giants. Tried and proven weapons like prayer,
faith
and the Word of God will still get the job done today, Eph. 6:12-18.
a. Communicate with headquarters about your
giant. Prayer is the believer’s greatest
secret weapon. (Ill. Communications have
always been an issue on battlefields, that problem has been solved on the
spiritual battlefield. The saints of God
can be in constant contact with the throne of grace.)
b. Assault your giant with the Word of God – Heb. 4:12. This was the Savior’s method – Matt. 4:1-11
c. Attack your giant in faith, knowing that God
always gives the victory, 1 Cor. 15:57. He will either give you the victory over what
you face, or He will give you victory in what you face, 2 Cor. 12:9.
4. God
did not save you to let you fall at the hand of your giant – Phil. 1:6. God is not interested in your defeat. He is interested in your victory!
5. Giants
are placed in our lives to grow us in the Lord – Num. 14:9. They are the
original “breakfast of champions”. (Ill. "Giants are the
bumps we climb on." - Warren Weirsbe.)
III. YOU HAVE TO EXPECT THE RIGHT MIRACLES
A. David walked down into
that valley directly into an impossible situation. He was doubted by some, vs. 28, 33. He was ridiculed
by the giant, vs. 42-44. Yet, his faith allowed David to accomplish
everything that fear denied Saul and the others!
(Note: Notice the contrast between the speeches of Goliath
and David, vs. 43-47. David declared the victory and the glory of
God before the battle was even fought!
That is the essence of faith! It
will allow you to give your victory speech before you even fight the
battle!)
B. Ill. The context. David engaged the giant in battle and won the
victory over him! Faith took up the
challenge that day. Faith stayed with
God and with what had always worked.
Faith walked down into that valley; faith faced that giant; faith hurled
that stone; faith saw that giant fall to the ground and faith received that
victory! Never underestimate that power
of faith in your battles!
(Note: Did you know that Goliath did not die in verse 49? He didn’t die in verse 51 either! Goliath
died in verse 26. David dug his grave in verse 29. He gave the eulogy
in verse 36. David had the graveside rites and had filled
in the grave by verses 45-47. All David had to do in verses 49 and 51 was to walk by the grave, lay some flowers on the
headstone and say “I told you so!”)
C. Friend, you may not see
your giants fall the instant you exercise faith in God. Don’t let that cause you to lose hope! You see, you cannot always believe what the
eyes of flesh see! But, you can always
believe what the eyes of faith see. It
may look like you are outgunned, outnumbered and in an impossible
situation. It looked that way for
David. It looked that way for Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego. It looked that way
for Daniel. It looked that way for the
Disciples in that ship. It looked that
was for Jesus on that cross. I would
just like to remind you that we serve a God Who specializes in doing the
impossible, Luke 1:37! If you will bring that hopeless, impossible
situation to Him and then go and face it in faith, you will see Him snatch
victory from the jaws of defeat!
(Note: Look carefully at verse
51. I am going to ask you a question
right now. It is a question so simple
and so easy that I am almost ashamed to ask it.
But here goes: In verse 51, is the giant still there? Of course he is! Only now, he is 10 feet long and not 10 feet
tall! You can get over a giant like
that! You see, faith will take that which is
over your head and will put it under your feet!)
Pastor Rolando Ramos
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