"....for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? "
1 Samuel 17:26 (in part)
Deer season has opened here in Alabama. That time when hunters go in search of that prized venison. Hopefully one with at least 8 points.
I am sure everyone has seen or knows someone who is a hunter and probably has one of those truck decals that says "Size Matters", referring to to the size of a deer's rack. Well, I want to talk to you about your life and when "size Doesn't matter".
I'm sure everyone has heard or read the story of David and Goliath. If you haven't, add it to your must read list and once you have read it through, read it again and maybe even again.
The army of Israel and the army of the Philistines were in a face off of battle. The Philistines had a champion named Goliath. Goliath was a big dude. At least nine feet tall to the average five to six foot man. Goliath would come out day after day and taunt the army of Israel. He would say, " Send a man to fight me, If I win then you will be our slaves and if he wins then we the Philistines will be your slaves". Day after day he taunted and mocked the army of Israel and day after day no soldier accepted his challenge. The army of Israel was afraid of him. He was big, fierce, and intimidating.
Now, my question would be this. Here was one giant and here was an army. Why didn't they have a good archer take him out? Or several archers?
Anyway, Here comes the shepherd boy David. Just doing what his father commanded him to do by taking bread to his brothers. David hears the taunts of Goliath. David doesn't say " oh my, you have a giant threatening you ". No, David's reaction is this, " Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he would mock the army of God? ". You see David didn't hear a giant. He didn't hear a fierce intimidating enemy. He heard someone mocking the living God, his God. He heard someone who did not have covenant with God daring to challenge someone who did.
David took the challenge. The challenge that King Saul or any one of his army should have and could have taken.
So David goes out to face Goliath and when Goliath sees him, he is actually offended that they sent a boy to fight him instead of a man. Goliath mocks " Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? ", and then he cursed David by his gods. Notice he cursed David by his gods, Goliath's gods not David's.
David replied to Goliath, but not with curses. David said, " I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel ".
Of course you know that David killed Goliath and cut off his head with his own sword. To have your head cut off with your own sword is an act of humiliation. Despite Goliath being dead, David humiliated him in front of the Philistine army. Now, notice this, in verse 51 it says that the Philistine army fled. They ran. You see when David made his proclamation to Goliath, he not only told Goliath he was going to kill him, but the entire Philistine host. That meant the entire Philistine army. You see, David could be that bold and was that bold because he knew he had that covenant with God and they didn't.
Now, let's apply this to our lives. When you get born again, saved, accept Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior, you have automatically become beneficiary of the covenant of God with God. That covenant is His word and all the promises He has made in His word for us and to us made available by the sacrifice and shed blood of Jesus. That covenant says we will be His people and He will be our God, our King and nothing or no one can stand against that covenant.
When all hell seems to be unleashed at you. When the giants of life are calling you out and mocking you. Remember that you have a covenant and those giants are as good as dead if you decide to fight. Notice what I said. If you decide to fight. The only way hell can prevail and giant circumstances can win is if we don't fight. It doesn't matter the size of the army or the giant. What matters is that covenant and you understanding it and knowing how to fight with it.
We don't understand that the enemy isn't afraid of us. No, Goliath wasn't afraid of David by no means. It's not us Satan fears, it's God. Notice again in the story, David went after Goliath in the name of God and for His glory that the Philistines would know there is a God in Israel. When he cut Goliath's head off, the Philistines knew there was a God in Israel. When you stand against the enemy in the name of Jesus, Satan remembers and the enemy remembers who your God is. They are going to keep on to see if you do.
You + God = Victory
It doesn't matter who you are or where you've been. It doesn't matter how much money you have or don't have. It doesn't matter what others think of you or don't think of you. What matters is the covenant and God will always keep His covenant.
To the world size matters with a lot of people and a lot of things. The more or the bigger the better. In the spirit world, in our daily lives, because of Jesus and our covenant with God, size DOESN'T matter.
In Christ,
Kevin
A simple formula. We can't lose. All we have to do is fight. Problem is we also have to take a few punches. The Devil is crafty. But God. Takes my small frame and beefs it up with healthy doses of Holy Spirit. It's always been simple...I suppose. We're going to talk theology soon. Good stuff. Hope you are well sir. And we write for this cause. That they too may come to know Christ as Lord.
ReplyDeleteGreat life application to this age old story. It's awesome that David never called him a giant. He called him what he really was. Don't call a giant what God has destined for you to destroy! Great post.
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