Main Thought for the Week [5.17.21]

I Samuel 17:4-11: There went out a champion from the camp of the Philistines, Goliath was his name, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail. Now the weight of the bronze coat was five thousand shekels. He had greaves of bronze on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam. His iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels. And a shield-bearer was walking before him. He stood and called out to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am not I the Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose for yourselves a man and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and to strike me down, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and strike him down, then you will be our servants and will serve us.” The Philistine said, “I defy the battle lines of Israel this day. Give me a man, and let us fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were filled with terror and were greatly afraid.

The story of David and Goliath is probably a very familiar story to most of you reading this email right now. However, I want us to look at this story  and it’s scenes this week in a different light in regard to how they apply to us in our everyday lives. And, here’s what I mean- I don’t have a literal giant in my life and chances are, you probably don’t either. But, I do however, have things in my life that appear insurmountable. I do have things in my life that intimidate me. And, I do have things in my life that taunt me in my my mind and produce fear and cause turmoil. Now, we know that Goliath had been a warrior since he was a young man, however this passage in I Samuel doesn’t talk about his battle spoils or the numbers that he may have slaughtered in war. It just talks about his size and his stature and in some translations it even tells us that he came out daily and taunted the people of Israel. Now remember, Israel was God’s chosen people and they had been promised the promised land earlier, nonetheless, the only keeping them from inhabiting the land and receiving the promised things of God were the giants that were inhabiting the land. Do you remember when the 12 spies came back from spying the promised land? They carried grape clusters so big that two men had to carry them between themselves! Yet, when asked to give a repot about what they had seen, they said, “Surely it is a land that flows with milk and honey, but they’re are giants inhabiting the land and we are like grasshoppers in our own sight and in their eyes as well.” I want you to know today, for you to experience the promised things of God- giants have to be defeated! Giants of fear. Giants of doubt. Giants of unworthiness. Giants of uncertainty. Giants of lack. It is time for you to stand up in faith and confidence. It is time for you to see the giants in your life that are blocking the promised things of God defeated today! David said, “You come to me with a sword and a spear, but I come to you in the name of the Lord!” David didn’t come against Goliath in his own might and strength,  he came against him in the name of the Lord. You have the power and authority to see those giants in your life defeated. David said to the uncircumcised Philistine, “When God delivers you into my hands, everyone will know that my God is the One true and living God!” I want you to know today that your giants are no match for your God. As a matter of fact, most things are bigger in our minds than they are in reality. However, when you come against these giants of fear, doubt, unworthiness, uncertainty and lack, in the name of the Lord, they can be defeated and you can be victorious and than everyone will know that you serve a true and faithful God!