Winning Against Giants - 1 Samuel 17

Winning Against Giants - 1 Samuel 17

Battle Before The Battle  - 1 Samuel 17:3-11
10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

Fearing The Giant 

Goliath was the Philistine’s champion. Literally the word in Hebrew means a man between the two camps;” This was a warrior who did not fight in the ranks like an ordinary soldier, but came forth into the space between the hostile camps to challenge the mightiest man of his enemies to come and fight him. 

He stands 9'6” to 9”9" tall, his chain mail weighs 125 pounds, his spear head weight 15 pounds. Just his armor probably weight as much as David. Goliath is one of the Anakins, a family of giants from Canaan. When the 12 Hebrew spies saw them, they told the rest of Israel it was impossible to conquer Canaan. But of course, Joshua and especially Caleb had run them out of the promised land, and taken over the very mountain fortress they once owned. Some of the Anakins had found refuge in the land of the Philistines. Now here in 1 Samuel,  once again an Anakin giant is causing fear in the armies of Israel. 

Goliath’s challenge caused so much fear among the Israelites, that they fled and simply would not fight. (In another Jewish writing, it is said that Goliath boasted of having killed Hophi and Phineas, Eli’s sons and was the one who took the Ark of the Covenant from Israel.)

The Philistines were a great seafaring people who basically ruled the Mediterranean coastlines countries until the time of the Greek and Romans. The Philistines of Canaan have been the arch enemies of Israel, since before the time of Samson. One of the reason they were so dominate is that they could smelt and fashion iron before other nations learned how and they guarded that process as a national secret, denying weapons of iron to other nations like Israel. So not only was Goliath much bigger, much stronger, more experienced in war than David but he also had weapons that were far superior to anything in the Israel war camp.

Fearing Our Giants

In our battles of faith, our enemy is Satan and like Goliath, he uses fear to try and dominate us. In fact, most of the spiritual battles that we should be engaged in, are not lost but instead are never fought. Like the armies of Israel in the valley of Elah, we, the warriors of the Christian army of the Lord are too often afraid to engage the enemy. We are afraid we will lose and therefore we don’t enter into the battles that we have been left on this earth to fight.

Fear is the most effective weapon that Satan has in his arsenal. If he can make us afraid to fight, then he wins every time. 

We don’t fight the battle of Creation vs. Evolution, because we fear that atheist and evolutionists have better reasons for believing in billions of years instead of thousands of years. 

We are afraid to fight the battles against societal sin and without excuse or exception, call sin, sin, abortion, the murder of a unborn child, Homosexuality a perversion and Transsexuality a mutilation of one created in the image of God. 

I’ve been accused on places like Facebook and recently even in a person’s home, of condemning homosexuality too much. I’ve been told it’s just another sin and you should single it out. Actually, homosexuality and all the sexual sins that flow from it, like transsexuality, and pedophilia are not just a sin against God’s law, but a rebellion against God’s creation of themselves and a sin against society. It is a sin that affects not just one person but families, their futures and a nation. 

Like abortion it is considered an abomination by God because it is destructive to all who are affected by it. Yes, we must continue to love those caught up in it but you cannot approve of it, nor be afraid to battle against it with truth and love. But most Christians won’t because we are afraid our families which are begin destroyed by these sins against nature, will not have anything to do with us, and our friends will call us haters, racists and bigots. 

But the battle we most fear to fight is the battle for men’s eternal souls, we are afraid to tell the Gospel, to witness to a lost and dying world, because we are afraid we won’t have all the answers or that someone will ridicule or shame us. 

Fear, when it stops us from being in the heat of these spiritual battles is a sin because it defies the commands of God and it ultimately, gives victory to Satan. Fear robs us of most of our Christian victories.

Paul’s instructions to Timothy: His son in the faith, Timothy, had a problem with fear and Paul addressed it in 2 Timothy 1:6-8 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God. Timothy had to fear not just ridicule but death, and yet Paul says, “stir up the gift of God and don’t be ashamed.”

Before any battle can be won, you must overcome fear. You won’t win every battle, but you won’t win any if you let fear keep you from the battle. Overcome the fear and now like David, you can fight for the Lord. 

Battle Begun - 1 Samuel 17:26-32
And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.  28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. 29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? 

Fighting For A Cause

In a sense David has to battle his own people and family before he can battle Goliath. He uses God’s promises and purpose for Israel to prove his point. 

He tells the men in the army, 1 Samuel 17:26 who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 

David is reminded the men of Israel that they were God's people, God's nation. Chosen by Him through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; delivered from Egypt by Him through Moses, conquerors of the promised land by Him through Joshua. They shared a unique and special relationship based upon God's covenants and promises to them as his chosen people.

Secondly to Eliab, his oldest brother, he says in 1 Samuel 17:29 “ And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?” Goliath the champion of the Philistines was challenging all of God’s army, and all of God’s people. They must stand up and fight because of who they are and because of who God is. That is the cause, that is the reason. David rebukes both the army and his brother for not standing for the cause of God. 

David remembers what Moses told the Hebrews in Deuteronomy 20:1-4 (NCPB) 1 ‘When thou goest out to battle against thy enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, 3 and shall say unto them, “Hear, O Israel, you approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; 4 for the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you”.
David had faith in God’s promise from Deuteronomy 20 but the rest of his family, his nation and his King seems to have forgotten the Word of God. 

Fight because…

We are called to fight for the same reasons that David knew and understood. We are the new covenant people  of God.

Like Israel, we share an unique and special relationship to God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. You are a child of God, a soldier of the cross, a worshipper of the Lamb. One day, when Jesus returns as the Captain of the Lord’s host, we will join Him and ride from the heavens in the army of the returning King as he defeats the armies of the anti-Christ, saves Israel and then claims this world as His rightful kingdom. 

If we are going to be warriors on that day, then shouldn’t we be warriors today? If we will win on that day when Jesus leads us to victory, then I will also win today because He is right now leading me to victory.
 

Psalms 144:1-2 Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war,
and my fingers to fight:  2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust…There is a cause for us to fight for now. Your marriage is worth fighting for. Your children, family and friends are causes to fight for. Your country is a cause to fight for and again the most important cause is the cause of salvation. Sin is destroying people today and it will drag them to Hell one day, but we can fight the battle of the Gospel this day and win hearts, lives and souls for the cause of Jesus Christ. 

David Livingstone prepares to cross over.

David Livingstone had spent sixteen years in Africa but had not faced  such peril. The white man was surrounded by hostile, angry natives in the heart of Africa. He was in danger of losing his life and contemplated fleeing in the night. He recorded it in his diary that January 14, 1856:

Felt much turmoil of spirit in prospect of having all my plans for the welfare of this great region and this teeming population knocked on the head by savages tomorrow. But I read that Jesus said: "All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." It is the word of a gentleman of the most strict and sacred honor, so there's an end to it! I will not cross furtively tonight as I intended. Should such a man as I flee? Nay, verily, I shall take observations for latitude and longitude tonight, though they may be the last. I feel quite calm now, thank God!

Battle Experience - Samuel 17:33-39
And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. 

Finding Fortitude

David's confidence in this public battle was based upon the battles he had fought privately. In the hills and hills, he had found God's power and protection when he fought with marauding lions and bears while protecting his flock. Now because of that earlier stepping out in faith, he was ready to protect God’s flock Israel. 

Finding Faith To Fight

To win over giants in your life, you must first gain experience and you can only gain that experience by being in battles. You must know what it is to step out in faith and experience the victory through faith in the small battles or you will never step out in faith and win the big battles. 

Listen if you can’t trust the Lord to provide your needs after you give your tithe, then when real need comes into your life or your families life you won’t have the assurance of the times He gave you back much more than you gave Him. 

If you’ve never tried to serve in your local church, it’s not likely you’ll be able to serve on a foreign mission field. 

If you’ve never taken a stand with the word of God in correcting your child then it will be impossible to take a stand with God’s word when confronting a depraved, lost world that thinks that the worst sinful slavery is a celebration of freedom. David wouldn’t have had the faith to fight Goliath, if he hadn’t found the faith to fight the lion and the bear.

Remember how Paul put it? Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. We move from little faith to great faith by fighting little battles until we can fight the big battles.
 
David has one more lesson to teach us from 1 Samuel 17 before the big battle begins and it is essential if there is going to be victory. Look at vs 38 and the way David made his last preparation before He defeated the giant. 

Battle Prep – 1 Samuel 17:38-40
38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. 40 ¶ And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a bag; and his sling [was] in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

Fight With Weapons David Knew

David refused Saul’s armor, helmet and sword because he was not a soldier and had not used these weapons of warfare before. “I cannot go with these for I have not tested them.” He was unfamiliar with those weapons. Instead he took the weapons he was familiar with a shepherds rod and a sling. Didn’t seem like much against a giant whose armor weighed more than he did, but they were the weapons David knew and has used many times before. 

David then stoops down by the stream between the two mountains and picks up 5 smooth stones. These stones had been tumbled by the stream for years until they were smooth and as near to round as possible. The smoother and rounder the stone, the more it would fly straight at its target. 

In the Old Testament and even up to the time of the Romans a sling was a powerful weapon. Most times it was used like artillery, the slingers would stand at the back of the army and sling their stones so they fell like a hailstorm upon the heads of the approaching army. The stone could be as big as baseballs when slung as artillery. The Romans made sling stones out of lead and shaped them like acorns so that as they flew through the air they would whistle and distract the enemy as they charges. 

The Bible talks about the 700 Benjamites who were so skilled as slingers that they could use the right or left hand and “could sling stones at a hair breadth, and not miss” (Judg. 20:16; 1 Chr. 12:2). That kind of slinging would require as round and smooth a stone as David had collected from the stream. These weren’t for an artillery barrage they were for sharp shooting. 

Then the Bible says, “and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. His preparation was over, he had the weapons he knew how to use and the five stones that he knew would fly the straightest. He then walked right toward that almost 10 ft tall giant.
 

Fight With Weapons You Know

Our weapon of spiritual warfare is the Bible. This is our sling. You better be familiar with it use. Not only read it, but study it, memorize it and be able to navigate it correctly. You can’t win the battle if you don’t know how to handle the weapon the Lord gave you. 

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

In Hebrews 4:12 we read, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit and you need to know how to wield it in battle or you will lose the battle. 

Five Smooth Stones to pick up and use. Let me give you 5 smooth stones that you need to have prepared before you go into those spiritual battles. 

The Cornerstone of the Savior

Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.  

You better have Jesus the chief-stone in your arsenal. You won’t win with unless you are built up on Him as cornerstone of your life. The cornerstone determines the beginning, and the boundaries of a building and Jesus is your cornerstone. You better know your saved by grace through faith. You better know that salvation is eternal and cannot be earned nor lost. You better know how Jesus wants you to live your life. For if you don’t possess this stone, then you have no hope to win the battle of eternity or any of the battles of life that come before eternity. 

Stone of Supplication.  

Paul tells us in 1Thess 5:17  Pray without ceasing. Jesus tells us that Men ought always to pray and not to faint.”

You need to have experience in prayer and its power. If you don’t know how to pray, personally, intimately, and desperately to the Lord then you can’t win spiritual battles.
 

Stone of the Gospel

The battle for eternity is fought with the story of Jesus death and resurrection. He said, John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
 

It not about your words, your eloquence or your powers of speech, its about the One who was lifted up on the cross and died for all mankind.
 

If you really want to win the battle for the souls of men then you must know and tell the story of Jesus coming, living, dying and risen again. He is the rock that either falls on us in judgment or we fall on Him in repentance.
 

Stone of Hope

You have to have hope in your sheperds bag and you have to be able to launch hope to those who have not experienced it through Jesus Christ.
 

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Stone of Sacrifice
 

This stone in your shepherd’s bag means you are willing to give all to Christ and to give up all for Christ.
 

Philippians 3:7-10 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
 

There are many other stones in your Bible just as there were many other stones in the stream when David chose his five, the main point it that you pick them up and know how to use them effectaviely in your own life battles and in the other’s battles of life and eternity.
 

Now David makes his preparation and moves to fight Goliath.

Battle Won - 1 Samuel 17:41-53

And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance….
 

Facing The Giant

The giant Goliath stands and fights in his power and in the power of his gods. 1 Samuel 17:43-44 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
 

But notice the declaration of David. He stands and fights not in his own power but solely in  power of the God of Israel. 1 Samuel 17:45-47 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands.
 

David’s entire hope for victory is based upon that last verse. “The Battle is the Lord’s”  David would stand, David would fight, David would use his experience, his sling and the stones he would pick-up but it wasn’t David’s battle. The battle belonged to the Lord and the He would win the Battle.
 

David was but a young man, without armor, shield or sword. He was probably 3 or 4 feet shorter than Goliath and Goliath knew that he would have an easy victory over such a sorry opponent. What Goliath didn’t know was that it wasn’t David he was fighting it was David’s God. And against the God of heaven and earth, the God of creation, the God of eternity Goliath never stood a chance.
 

Facing Our Giant

No matter what spiritual battle you are facing, the adversary that you must ultimately face is Satan. He was the power behind the Philistines, and the power behind Goliath. When we fight our own giants, remember it is the power of Satan you face.
 

Like David, you can’t defeat the Champion of Hell in your own power. He will trick you like he did Eve, he will blind you like he did Samson, he will afflict you like he did Job, he will make you deny Jesus like he did with Peter.
 

Isn’t that what Jesus said to Simon Peter? Luke 22:31 the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
 

You can't beat face that giant on your own, so you better listen to what Jesus told Peter in the next verse, Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
 

When Jesus fought the battle of the cross, He was also fighting for Peter’s faith and our faith in the battles against Satan.
 

Our spiritual battles must involve us, but we must realize the victory is already His. You may be fighting a battle against lust, or apathy, or bitterness, or laziness, or doubt or fear. You may be on the battlefield, but you must see what David saw and hear what Peter heard, The battle is the Lord’s. And because it is the Lord’s battle, then when you stand with God, His power will sustain you.
 

In God's power you'll run like Elijah though apathy and unconcern, you'll beat bitterness like Gideon defeating the Midianites, you'll cross the obstructions of doubt like Moses crossing the Red Sea, you'll walk on the stormy waters of fear like Peter on Galilee because Jesus is beside you. 

1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
 

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.
 

Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Joshua 1: 9  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee wherever thou goest.
 

If you are fighting in the Lord’s battle then you have the Lord’s power and by His sure promise and unfailing word, you will have the Lord’s victory.

Conclusion
Song: Victory in Jesus
I heard an old, old story how a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood’s atoning,
Then I repented of my sins and won the victory
O victory in Jesus, my Savior, forever!
He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him.
He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood
Let’s fight the battles, lets face our giants, because God is fighting for us!