The giant’s voice thundered across the valley. “Today I stand and dare the army of Israel! Send one of your men to fight me!” 1 Samuel 17:10 (NCV).
Goliath had been calling out this challenge every morning and every evening for 40 days. It’s not surprising that the armies of Israel were very scared. The giant was probably almost twice as tall as any other man. It was a very scary challenge!
Do you understand that feeling? Maybe you too have a “giant” who has been challenging you. The giant “pride”. The giant “discouragement”. “Irritation”. ”Jealousy”. “Impurity”. These can seem like you can never overcome them, they are too strong for you.
But David showed us the right way to react when faced with a giant. His attitude when he met this giant was, “Who does this uncircumcised Philistine think he is? Does he think he can speak against the armies of the living God?” 1 Samuel 17:26 (NCV). He couldn’t believe that anyone dared to fight an army led by God.
You can also be a soldier in the army of the living God! These “giants” have no right to have power over us!
David stood firm
David believed in the living God of Israel and that God could and would save anyone who battled in His name. David’s faith was so strong that he was willing to go himself and fight with the Philistine giant. He was just a young shepherd boy, with no experience of battle, and Goliath was a soldier from his youth, but that meant nothing to David. He wouldn’t listen to the words of doubt from those who tried to stop him from taking on the giant.
He said in 1 Samuel 17:36 (NCV), “I, your servant, have killed both a lion and a bear! This uncircumcised Philistine will be like them, because he has spoken against the armies of the living God.”
God is powerful and almighty! David believed that so simply! The scary giant was as nothing to him compared to what God could do. And that power is fully available to you today when your “giant” tempts you. Believe in God. Go to Him, pray for power, and He will give you all you need to say No to that sin, overcome your feelings, and stand firm without giving in! When we meet these “enemies”, when we are tempted to jealousy or discouragement for example, we are not alone. We have the living God on our side!
Battle in the name of the Lord
The next time Goliath called out his challenge, David took his staff in one hand, and his slingshot in the other. Then, with full faith in the living God, he went to meet the giant. When Goliath saw that David was no soldier, but just a boy with no battle gear, he cursed him, but David didn’t care. He said, “You come to me using a sword and two spears. But I come to you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful, the God of the armies of Israel! You have spoken against him. Today the Lord will hand you over to me ... Then all the world will know there is a God in Israel!” 1 Samuel 17:45-46 (NCV).
The stone David threw at Goliath hit him on his forehead and he fell to the ground. The great giant who had terrorised the army of Israel died at the hands of an inexperienced young man, because of his faith in the power of God. This living faith proved without a doubt that there was a God in Israel.
Modern day giants
Never give in if these “giants” in your life attack you again and again, and you will also experience that you can stand firm; there is no need to feel weak, or that you can’t resist. The God who gave David the victory, will do the same for you. “You will no longer plague me, Pride! I am finished with you forever, Impurity! I come to you in the name of the Lord! This day the Lord will hand you over to me.” It says that David ran toward his enemy. He wasn’t afraid or worried – he knew what the outcome would be.
When we get such a living and powerful faith in what God is able to do in our own lives, we have the same possibilities. We have the same God! We too can be living examples of what He is able to do in those who trust in His power.
Believe! Don’t give up. Don’t listen to your feelings! You don’t have to give in to the temptations. Thank God that the power that was available in David’s days is just as strong today. When you look to the future you don’t need to fear times of temptation – as a soldier in the army of the living God, you can reckon them as battles already won! The day will come when the “giants” that you see in your life will be gone forever. By our faith we can prove that there is still an “almighty God in Israel”.