11/26/23 1 Samuel 17:45-51 “Facing Your Giants!”

24 Nov 11/26/23 1 Samuel 17:45-51 “Facing Your Giants!”

11/26/23   1 Samuel 17:45-51       “Facing Your Giants!”

I think that it is sometimes a little amusing how we have perceptions of other people that are totally out of whack.  Last week I mentioned that one of the people I look up to is Billy Graham.  I do this because of the things he has done to further Jesus Christ in this world.  However, I’m sure that if I knew him on a personal basis, he would be just as human as the next person.  I remember once years ago when I turned water into wine for the children’s time sermon.  One of the children thought that I really had the power to do this and I had to confess to everyone that it was just a trick.  You see that by myself, I’m a normal person like everyone else.  Only God can change water into wine.  Today we are going to look at the beginnings of the greatest king that has ever lived.  Hopefully, as you are studying this part of our story, you will see that David was just a normal person like you and me.  He had some of the same faults that we have.  Today, we are going to look at how he faced a giant and came away with victory.  Let’s see if we can apply some of the principles of this story to our own lives.

I was reading something from Pastor Brian Bill this week about all the different phobias we have.  I think there are over 300 phobias mentioned.  By the way a phobia is an irrational fear of something.  There are different lists of the top 10 phobias in this country and here are a few that he found.  #9: Brontophobia is not the fear of brontosauruses; it’s the terror of thunderstorms.  #5: Claustrophobia is the fear of being trapped in a small confined space.  #1: Arachnophobia, or the fear of spiders, is the number #1 fear of people; affecting half of all women.  In our family I think that would be 100%.  There are a couple more that some of you may suffer from and they are ecclesiophobia or the fear of church.  Almost as bad is the dreaded homilophobia which is the fear of sermons.   I think the only phobia that I come close to having is acrophobia which is the fear of heights.  I don’t think I’m phobic but I sure don’t like heights.  Anyway, the nation of Israel had a phobia where they were scared to death of giant people, like Goliath.  This reminds me of a quote from Max Lacado, “Focus on giants—you stumble; Focus on God—your giants tumble.”  I kind of like that.

Before we take a look at our lesson for today, I would like to say that the warfare in those days was a lot different than today.  Today when we hear terms like daisy cutter, bunker buster and smart bombs, we should shudder.  We have warfare today to the point where we don’t even need anyone flying our planes as can be seen in Gaza.  Our modern soldier is the most equipped soldier in history.

In the days of David, things were different.  In today’s battle, the two sides were lined up on opposite hills.  Then they would collide in the valley in a mighty battle.  However, sometimes this battle could be avoided if both sides chose a champion to go into the valley and the champions fought.  This is what was happening with Goliath.  He had been shouting out curses and calling for the Israelite champion for forty days.  Remember that the number 40 means a testing or a time of testing and Goliath was sure testing the resolve of the Israelites.

And then along comes David.  He is shocked by what he sees.  Here is an army of grown men who are cowering in fear from this one warrior from the other side.  You see, David couldn’t understand this.  For him the solution was easy.  Send someone out and beat this giant.  The troops here were seeing this with limited faith in God.  When you don’t have faith, then you have fear and rightly so.  These troops were thinking that if they had to go against this giant, they would lose their lives and the nation’s freedom.  They thought that there was no way any one of them could beat this champion.

I think that this is where 90% of Americans are today and this might be a conservative estimate.  All these phobias that are with us today are the result of our focus being on the world and not God.   If you are afraid that the Middle East situation is going to blow up and the world will end, then you have your focus on the world.  If you fear that your savings are going to tank and the economy is going to die, your focus is on the world.  I don’t care what your fear may be, it is because your focus is on the world.  You are thinking like the Israelites in our story.  You are thinking of me.  How am I going to defeat this?  Or how will I get through this situation?

Most people think like this.  They think of how they will get through something.  They don’t go to Jesus first in prayer.  There is a good story from Louis Asher about a country preacher who was walking through the woods to his church.  He had to cross a bridge over a small river.  He got about half way across and a bear appeared at the other end.  Immediately the preacher dove into the water, floated downstream and got back on course for church.  He arrived and he was still soaked.  After he told the congregation about this a little boy asked, “Preacher, why didn’t you pray when you saw the bear?”  The preacher replied, “Son, prayer is fine for a prayer meeting, but it don’t do a whole lot of good for a bear meeting.”  There are two morals to this story.  One is that there is a time for prayer and a time for action and the other is one that I made up.  Unless you are meeting a bear, you have time for prayer.  Don’t forget to pray about everything because you are in charge of nothing.  Through prayer, you will know when it is a time for action and a time for prayer.

Now David comes along and he isn’t afraid and he can’t figure out why everyone else is afraid.  You see David knows that God is in charge.  He knows that he can beat anyone because it is not in David that work is done but it is God who does the work.  When you have faith, it isn’t about you.  It is about God.  Why not let the most powerful being in the universe help you?  He wants to help if you would only ask.

So David comes along and he sees the problem that this army is having even if he doesn’t understand why someone doesn’t come forward; he sees it.  He not only sees the problem as not a big problem at all but he is also ready to do something about it.  Even though David is still boy he had already, through God, killed a bear and a lion.  There are not many people today who can say something like this and look at all the weapons we have available to us.  Anyway, David is ready.  He has already been working with God and he is ready.

I hope that you can all say the same thing.  Are you ready when your giant appears?  So many people we know cruise along in life and then a giant appears in front of them and they are not ready.  They have not been in a relationship with Jesus or they have not been talking to Him on a regular basis in prayer.  There are many people who only pray at church once a week.  There are many people who never pray.  They are not ready to face their giants.

Are you ready to face the giant of unemployment, abandonment, abuse or depression?  Are you ready for the devil in the form of a giant to come prancing through your home and family?  Do you find yourself unable to refuse alcohol or another vice?  Do you look into the future and find that there is nothing for you?  I want to be crystal clear on one thing here.  These giants or these works of Satan are far more powerful than you.  You cannot beat them by yourself.  You will only end up joining them.  This is where knowing Jesus is so important.  If you are not having problems in your life, then you should be in prayer every day so that when you do, you will be ready and able to face them through Jesus Christ.

So don’t be afraid to face your giant or even name the giant for that matter because it is not you who will do the fighting, but it will be Jesus.  And don’t let the people around you deter you from your mission.  David came forward to volunteer to fight Goliath and even King Saul questioned this because David was only a lad.  Because of this, Saul tried to dress David in his armor and other things that were appropriate for battle.  Remember that Saul is a big strapping fellow and David is a boy.  Nothing fit.  It would have been a disaster if David had gone to battle like this, with someone else’s armor.  This reminds me of when the girls were young and they would play dress up.  They had a great time but all the clothes were way, way too big for them.  This is what David looked like.

So, David rejected this armor and went to face the giant on his own terms.  He went with what he was good at.  Then Goliath hurls all sorts of insults at him because he is this great champion and he doesn’t think there is any dignity in facing a boy.  David calmly goes and picks out his stones and ignores all the insults and negativity.

If you are going to be a Christian, you have to have a thick skin.  Many of us know this already.  We are told that we are definitely wrong when we go against the norm of society or the norm of most so-called Christian churches.  If you ever think of going over to and following the ways of the world, just remember Isaiah and Jeremiah and how God told them to tell the Biblical truth at all costs.  One thing is certain, ‘The ways of the world are wrong.’  They always have been and always will be.  The only truth there is comes through Jesus and Jesus alone.  Therefore be prepared to withstand this attack.  Once again you are prepared when you are in constant communication with Jesus through prayer.

Now David knows what he has to do in spite of opposition and the fact that no one else will do it.  God is telling him that He will be with David if he just goes and battles Goliath.  Have you ever had this feeling?  Sometimes we get ourselves into a situation, like helping a homeless person, where we just know that we are supposed to do something.  The lesson to learn from our story of David is that we should go ahead and do it.  We don’t need to call a meeting.  We don’t need to wait and see if others are doing it.  We just need to step out in faith and do it ourselves.  If you have a prayer life then you know when the time is for action.  It is like the man who jumped off the bridge because the bear was at the other end.  There is a time for action.

There is one other thing to notice here.  When David is approaching the giant and the giant is pretty much hurling curses at him, David doesn’t return the trash talk.  He tells the giant that it isn’t he who is coming before him.  It is God who is before this giant and God will eliminate the giant.  It is God who is in charge and God is about to let the whole world know this fact.

I would like to say this while we are on the subject and I don’t want anyone to misunderstand me.  When you are facing a giant, the only way to get rid of it is with the help of Jesus.  I’m not saying here that you shouldn’t go to the doctor or seek professional help.  Jesus doesn’t say that we should ignore professional help.  As a matter of fact, He will often work through these people, these doctors.  However, when you are working through professionals, do it in the name of Jesus.  If you think that your doctor is good, think how good he will be if you work with him or her in the name of Jesus.  After all, Jesus is the greatest healer of all time.  God loves us so much that He always wants to help you.  Once again, it is your choice.

The other important cog to this wheel is that you name Jesus out loud.  David isn’t saying these things to himself.  He is shouting out what God is going to do for him.  Then God does exactly what He says.  So the next time you are seeking help in facing a giant, tell that giant that Jesus is going to help you.  Satan is involved in many of our illnesses and calamities.  Name Jesus as your Savior out loud and this evil monster will have to flee.  If it is an illness, you still have to work through the doctors who will be working for Jesus.  So this doesn’t mean that we ignore professional help.  Seek this help but seek it by naming Jesus as your lead doctor.

This is the last Sunday of the Christian year.  It is called Christ the King Sunday.  As a nation and as individual people we need to become much better at naming Jesus as Christ the King.  Understand in your heart that there is nothing Jesus can’t do.  There is no place where He isn’t.  There is not a person in the world who He won’t help.  Ask Jesus to live in your life and then go to Him every day in prayer so that you are ready for whatever that old evil thing throws your way.

As I stated earlier, I admire Billy Graham because of his faith.  One time as Mr. Graham was preparing to have an event at Shea Stadium in New York, planes going to La Guardia Airport were making such a racket that people couldn’t hear him speak.  Billy Graham was at the podium and looked up and said quietly that we would have to do something about the noise.  So he bowed his head and prayed, “Lord, we ask you to shift the wind and send these planes in another direction.  Thank you.  Amen.”  The counselors and workers were shocked by such a prayer and didn’t know what to expect.  God answered this prayer in a wonderful way.  The newspapers reported that the wind had shifted overnight and all planes coming over Shea Stadium had to go on a different route.  As a result of this answered prayer, thousands of people could hear Billy Graham and they came to know Jesus Christ.

Prayer works and it works all the time.  Always keep your focus on Jesus no matter what is happening around you.  Don’t be afraid to call on Jesus boldly through prayer and face your giants.  And don’t ever be afraid to give Jesus the credit for what you do.  Give Him credit for all you do.  He loves you so much that He will always be there.  Thank you, Jesus, for first loving us.  Let’s pray.