Be A Warrior Filled With Faith

“He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them in his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across to fight Goliath.”  1 Samuel 17:40

I needed to read this today.

This passage speaks so loudly to me and gets my blood pumping.

• Can’t you just imagine David trying to keep from trembling as he began to walk towards Goliath? 
• I wonder if time seemed to move slower?
• Maybe the only sound he heard was his heart beating faster than normal as he looked at his huge opponent.
• I wonder if he looked at that behemoth and was a little intimidated by his size?
• Do you think he had second thoughts about taking this on?

This warrior faced his giant… anyway.

You see, David had the courage to do something that looked way too big for him.  Why?  Because he had faith that his God was bigger.

Do you?

Now if you remember, the Philistine army had gathered for war against Israel.  These two armies camped for battle on opposite sides of a steep valley.   Every day for 40 days, Goliath (a Philistine giant over 9 feet tall and wearing over 120 lbs of full armor) came out mocking and challenging the Israelites to fight.   Understandably Saul, the King of Israel, and the whole army were terrified and paralyzed in fear.

At that time, David was too young to join the army.  So his father, Jesse, made him run back and forth to the battlefield to check on his brothers.  On one of those trips, he saw the giant taunting his countrymen and watched as they cowered in fear.  Instead of allowing fear to paralyze him as well, he boldly said, “I’ll go fight…” (v.32)

David wasn’t about to let Goliath win.  Instead, he faced the giant.

He was a warrior filled with faith.

That’s me right now.

I’ve collected my stones and am walking towards my Goliath.  I’m not armed with much, but I have the faith to stand up and fight knowing I’m backed by a big God.

And honestly, this isn’t new territory.  I’ve stared down many giants in my life.   So when the Enemy sends a “Goliath” my way… I stand up and say, “I’ll go fight!”

What do you do? 

Run away?  Crumble under the pressure?  Self-medicate?  Become resentful?  Freeze up?  Give in?  What if instead… you faced your giant as a warrior filled with faith? 

That is powerful, indeed!

So sister, what is your “Goliath” today?

• A marriage trying to recover from infidelity?
• A disability that has changed your course of life forever?
• A financial situation that never seems to catch a break?
• A persistent feeling of being alone and unloved?
• A pursuit for justice that isn’t coming?
• A job that challenges your value system?
• A child that always makes bad decisions you have to pay for?

This.  Will.  Not.  Defeat.  You!

Why?  Because you are a warrior filled with faith backed by a big God.  And if God is for us, than who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

Well… as Goliath moved in for the kill, David reached into his bag and slung one of his stones at Goliath’s head.  Finding a hole in the armor, the stone sank into the giant’s forehead and he fell face down on the ground.  David then took Goliath’s sword, killed him and then cut off his head.  When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.  So the Israelites pursued, chasing and killing them and plundering their camp. (v49-53)

It just took one warrior filled with faith… and one big God.   Goliath was defeated.

• David wasn’t worried about how big Goliath was… because he knew God was bigger.
• He wasn’t concerned that his weapons weren’t as impressive as Goliath’s… because he knew God was stronger.
• David wasn’t intimated by his verbal tauntings… because he knew God’s words were truer.

Beloved, while your “Goliaths” are real and scary and can cause your knees to buckle, remember that they are strategically placed by the Enemy.  God gives you strength to overcome!  Have the faith to pick up your shiny stone… and hurl it.

Be a warrior filled with faith.

There’s no better way.

©2011 careyscotttalks.com

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