First, a summary of a well-known story: “David & Goliath” in 1 Samuel 17:
There was a king named Saul who ruled the Israelites (God’s chosen people) but kept disobeying God. So God asked Samuel to find a new king. David, the youngest son of Jesse was anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel. Meanwhile, Saul was still the king, but he and the Israelites were not in a good relationship with the Philistine people.
King Saul with the Israelites had gathered for war against the Philistines in the Valley of Elah. The Philistines had many giants, but one of the strongest and biggest giants was named Goliath who stood over nine feet tall. Every morning and every evening for forty days this giant Goliath came out of the Philistine camp mocking and shouting to the Israelites. He challenged them to send out their champion so they could decide the outcome of this war in a single combat, saying “If the Israelite’s champion can beat me, the Philistines will become their servants, but if he won, the Israelites would then become servants of the Philistines.”
King Saul and the Israelite’s didn’t believe it was possible to defeat Goliath. They were terrified of him and no one came out to face him. A boy named David, the youngest son of Jesse and the future king of Israel, was sent by his father to take food to his three brothers and report back to him. While there, he heard Goliath shouting and challenging the Israelites with his usual defiance for a single combat. “Isn’t someone going to stand up to this man?” David asked the men in the army. “Then I will fight this giant Philistine.”
King Saul approached David and said, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him. You are only a boy! He is a warrior and has been fighting for many years.” But David said to Saul, “I have killed both lions and bears to protect my father’s sheep. The Lord who rescued me then, will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” It took some persuasion, but King Saul finally agreed to let David fight against the giant.
Saul dressed David in his own armor to protect him. David, not being used to this heavy armor took it off. Instead, David went to a nearby stream, found five smooth stones and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag, and with his sling in hand approached Goliath. The giant cursed at him, hurling threats and insults.
David said to him “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. 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. All those gathered here will know that it is not by my sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you unto our hands.”
Goliath despised David and moved closer to attack him. David also ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag taking out a stone, he put it into his slingshot and shot it at Goliath. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. David stood on him and cut off his head. David had done it, he beat the giant Philistine! When the rest of the Philistines saw this they turned and ran with the Israelites pursuing them. David became a hero to all the people in Israel because he had faced the fears of King Saul and the Israelites with God.
Fear Not for I Am With you
Fears, uncertainties, powerless situations, giants—call them whatever you will. This overwhelming bulkiness of armor we feel needs to be brought to God in order for him to remove it and free us to help us win our battles of obstructions that we face in our lives. Whether these fears show up in the form of unexpected medical diagnoses, betrayals in relationships, lost employment or financial burdens that keep mounting to the risk of bankruptcy, whatever they are; they are defenseless against God’s almighty hand.
Please know this: You are not alone. The Lord is with you.
The writer of Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear or be dismayed.” (NKJV)
The prophet Isaiah says in Isaiah 45:2 “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight, I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron.” (NKJV)
And the writer of Exodus 13:21 says, “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day or by night.” (NKJV)
No matter where you are, or what time of day, He goes before you and behind you. He surrounds you in His love and keeps His hand upon you every step of the way.
No one expected David to defeat Goliath because not only did they underestimate him, but they underestimated God. David did not underestimate himself because of his faith in God to rescue him.
Whatever fears you are facing today, remember that nothing is insurmountable for our great and mighty God. In His name—the powerful name of Jesus—all fears, uncertainties, powerless situations, giants, are cast down. Everything that comes against us must submit under the authority of God’s mighty hand. Be strong and of great courage today. God loves you. He is with you. He hears you.
David knew the magnitude of the problem did not matter; it is the HEART, COURAGE, COMMITMENT and FAITH in God that matters. You can apply the same principle and same level of thinking to your life and the challenges you’re facing. God makes the impossible…POSSIBLE even with just 1 stone and a sling.