1 Samuel 17:10-11 (NLT) “I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!” When Saul & the Israelites heard this, they were terrified & deeply shaken.
1 Samuel 17:32-37 (NLT) 32 “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!” 33 “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” 34 But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 35 I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37 The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the LORD be with you!”
Developing Courage before the battle.
Hebrews 11:6 (NLT) It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
1. Build private history
2. Don’t believe the hype
Anytime the enemy seems intimidating we are believing the hype.
3. Maintain perspective
“When we make His battles our battles, He makes our battles his.”
1 Samuel 17:32 (NKJV) David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him.”
Courage begets courage
4. Remember who you are
“Trying to function in somebody else skill set will always put us at a disadvantage.”
1 Samuel 17:40-51 (NLT) 40 He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine. 41 Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, 42 sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. 43 “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. 44 “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled. 45 David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! 47 And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!” 48 As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. 49 Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. 51 Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran.
Defeating Giants:
1. Run to the battle.
“We need to stop wishing away the struggle and start winning some battles!”
“The greatest obstacles you face may be your greatest opportunity to reveal God’s glory”
2. Keep Your distance
Ephesians 4:27 (NIV) Do not give the devil a foothold.
3. Use what you got.
(vs 45) “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies”
Zechariah 4:6 (NIV) 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.
4. Cut off the head.
“The greatest giant we will ever face the giant of self.”
Colossians 2:13-15 (NLT) 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.