Overcoming Giants

1 Samuel 17:1-58

Intro: What are the Chances or the odds that a tall lanky young bible toting hillbilly wining the Presidential Election?

A)Well in 1861 it happened when Abe Lincoln was elected the __ President of the United States of America

B) What are the odds / the chances of a movie based on a real life Olympic runner who was a Christian & chose not to run on the Sabbath 1932 Olympic

1) What are the odds / what are the Chances of a movie based on that theme winning the Picture of the year?

2)Well it happened in 1981 Chariots of fire

C) What are the Chances / what are the odds of a military mindset / a conservative coo – coming against the largest communist country in world

1) And w/in 72 hrs the leadership is turned & begins to go in a Democratic direction ?

D) Well it happened in the Former Soviet Union in 1991 –

And what are the Chances / the odds – of a small shepherd boy armed only w/ a sling & some rocks – conquering & Killing a Giant of a man

A)A man who has been a mighty warrior the Champion of his people for longer than the shepherd boy has been alive

B) The odds are very very good – if that Shepherd Boy has the Living God – the Creator of heaven & earth on His side

C) That is what happens here in 1 Sam. 17

The Story of David vs Goliath is probably one of the best Known Stories in the world

A) Sports analogies / Business meetings

B) If it was just a story it would be an incredible tale

C) The Fact that it is a true event – Really happened – Even more Special

D) Provides a great lesson for us in how it is possible to overcome the giants in our lives

RD V.1-3

Two armies / 2 Hills – Valley in between

A) Israel – one hill / Philistines Public enemy #1 on the other

B) This is Territory v.1 that belonged to Israel

1) Promised to Abe

2) Joshua told to Possess

RD V.4-11

THE CHALLENGE:

A) Giant Goliath name = Heap or obstacle

B) Philistine Champion 9 ft 6 inches

1) Armor- Coat of Mail weighed 175 – 200lbs

C) Armed with a Javelin – Sword later

1) Spearhead = 25 lbs

D) This is what stood in the way of Israel obtaining the Promise land God Provided

So everyday this Giant came down into the Valley issued a CHALLENGE – send me a man……..

A) Common battle Strategy

B) V.16 tells us he issued this Challenge everyday for 40 days morning & evening – 80 times

1) Lessons Giants don’t go away

Note the Response V.11 Dismayed = terror, alarm Panic, dread & Paranoia

A) And Greatly afraid { Paralyzed by Fear

B) Giants in your life – Huge obstacles that Stand between you and what the Lord has Promised you

1) Obstacles that leave you dismayed – and Paralyzed by fear

C) Not moving forward – not going anywhere

Well let’s see what we can learn from David about overcoming the Giants in our lives

Note 6 things

A) #1 Be faithful in the Moment Rd v12-22

B) Here we see David – Already anointed – Still tending sheep – Lowest servants Job

1) Not saying – I am better than that

C) Job doesn’t define you – You define your Job

1) Pastor who is a Bus Driver – Congregation

D) David is faithfully serving in the Moment

1) Because of that – he ends up in a position to do something great

E) What if he blew off his dads request – I’m not bringing this stuff to my Brothers { sends a servant

Well David would have missed out on being at the right place at the right time –

A) David was faithful in the Moment – in the little things – opened door for Great thing

B) A lot of times I meet people who want to do something great for God –

1) Waiting for that something great to come along

C) But God is waiting for them to be faithful in the moment – in “ little thing “

1) Family devotions / Push a Broom

2) Children’s ministry.

3) Parking lot

D) God says the one who is faithful with little will be exalted with Much

1) David is a good example of that

The First key to overcoming giants is being faithful in the moment

A) Personal Devotions – Prayer

B) Serving

C) Being faithful in those things puts us in the place to experience great things

#2 See the situation from God’s Perspective

Rd v. 23-27

A) When David comes on the scene & hears Goliath his perception is completely different from everyone else’s

B) Everyone else was Pre- occupied with the Greatness of Goliath – So Big !!!!!!

C) But because David was pre-occupied with the greatness of God – saw Goliath for what he was

1) An Uncircumcised Philistine who was defying the armies of Living God

D) HOW DARE HE DO THAT !!!! to hit / to miss

E)the Rest of the army was focused on the enemy & because of that was paralyzed from doing anything –

1) Good description of many Christians:

F) Preoccupied w/ the enemy –they are crippled in their faith from allowing God to use them

Psa 19 The heavens declare the glory of God;And the firmament shows His handiwork.² Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.³ There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. ⁴ Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.

#3 Don’t give into Discouragers Rd v 28-33

A) David’s own Brother – accusing him of being a glory seeker

B) David Knew that wasn’t his motive

1) For someone else Elias’s words could have been from the Lord

C) Pride – Wake up call -

In the eyes of King Saul – the odds were insurmountable v33

A)Saul argues – You are but a youth …….. from his youth

B) The NATURAL MAN – looks at things only in the Physical – he sees things only in size & numbers /yrs of experience

1) But God isn’t so much concerned w/ any of those things –

C) There is a spiritual dimension we would do well to Remember – If God is in it – God is behind it –

1) We are Destined for success

D)And God is in the Business of using – that which the world deems small & insignificant –

1) Because – When all is said & done there is no doubt that the work was a work of God !!!!!

Examples – Judges 6 & 7 Gideon: God whittles his army down from 32,000 to 300 to fight against the Indianite who were described as

A) lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.

B) Result the people Praised God for the Victory / His work not mans

C) David wasn’t going to let others discourage him in this moment of Faith

D) There will always be naysayer who will say you are not qualified for that –

1) Not gifted enough – Don’t listen to it

RD V. 34-37

#4 Rely on God’s past Faithfulness

A) The key verse is v.37 – because it shows that David’s confidence wasn’t in his flesh – but in the Lord

The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul couldn’t argue w/ that kind of faith !!! Go & may the Lord be w/ U!

A)David had a history of faith/ believing God to help him in protecting his sheep against the Lion & the bear / but he also wanted a Present faith

B) David had seen the Lord do some great things in his life, but they only made him hunger for more

1) Our Past Victories in the Lord are not meant for us to lean back on our laurels & think that we have done something for God

C) But they are there for us to look back on in faith – believing that God does come thru / that He is faithful

1) That He can & will use our lives if we make them available to him

D) What if I don’t have any Lion’s or bear Victories in my Past

Listen God’s Faithfulness in David’s life / Gideon / Peter / Paul – meant to encourage us

A) God is the same yesterday today & Forever

B) ALSO CALVARY.

C) David had a History in the Lord that he wanted to Continue

RD v.38-39

Because David’s Confidence was in the Lord he wasn’t about the Wear someone else’s armor

A) #5 Don’t go out in someone Armor

B) NO Formula’s

C) David’s men Broke thru – doesn’t tell us how

1) God is not into formula’s

D) He is into Trust

RD V 40-47

#6 Move forward in the Confidence that the Lord is with you

v.45 "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.47 Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD's, and He will give you into our hands."

Result of David’s Faith:

48 So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

A) Run towards – or Run From

B) Doors in our lives

1) Giants – Run towards or Run from

C) God is committed to working in us – he will bring us full circle

RD V. 49-51

A) Enemy is discouraged

RD V 52-18:4

God’s people are encouraged

FAITH IS CONTAGIOUS