Thursday, April 12, 2012

April 13, 2012

"David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” I Samuel 17:26

When David arrived on the scene he saw the same thing that the soldiers saw but he saw it very differently!

THEY LOOKED AT GOLIATH AND SAID, “HE IS TOO BIG TO FIGHT!” DAVID LOOKED AT HIM AND THOUGHT, “HE IS TOO BIG TO MISS!”

I believe that one thing you and I should expect from God when faced by a giant challenge is a GODLY VIEWPOINT!

What does that mean AND how do we get it?

What It Means

If you or I are to respond to a giant in a way that honors God doesn’t it make sense that we should view it from His perspective?

1)       Who to fight – Spiritual Principle

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  Ephesians 6:12
In life it is important to know which battles to fight. Face it, you can spend so much time and energy fighting little battles that you don't have anything left for the really big ones. David didn't make that mistake.
* Not people – could have been offended by his brothers or by King Saul when they rebuked him and dismissed him and belittled his passion. David knew his battle was not against people.
* Spiritual principles – Goliath was profaning and defying God and causing the army of God to lose heart.

       2)       Why to fight – Spiritual Purpose

David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”  V. 32

God’s people needed to be encouraged and His Name needed to be defended. David's zeal for his God would not allow him to ignore the blasphemous giant.
Something had to give and someone had to go. David knew who to fight and why!

I dream of a church fellowship where the people stand and fight for God and the purposes of His Word. And I dream of a place where the people fight FOR each other and never against each other.

3)       How to fight – Spiritual Power

God’s power met David at his point of preparation and passion. He had been able to slay a lion and then kill a bear in the strength of the Lord when his sheep where attacked by them. Because of his experience with using God's power against his enemies.

David’s strength went against Goliath’s weakness (His sling not Saul’s armor). The courage and competence of David with a slingshot was a secret weapon against the arrogance of Goliath. Because of the giant's giant-sized ego he left himself vulnerable to the pinpoint accuracy of the shepherd's slingshot.

How To Get It

David was a servant and they were soldiers. The servant heart of the shepherd boy allowed him to think differently than the cynical soldiers and to see the giant from a different viewpoint.

David’s focus had been fixed on God while they had been preoccupied by Goliath. That made a difference in how they viewed the situation.
DAVID WAS SUCCESSFUL AGAINST GOLIATH BECAUSE HE HAD GOD’S VIEWPOINT ON THE SITUATION.

He fought for God’s principle and he fought for God’s purpose and he fought in God’s power.

Can I ask you a question, “Do you think you would have fewer disappointments with God if you fought your giants with His viewpoint?”
Don’t you think you should expect God to give you His viewpoint?

Do you possess the heart of a servant?  
Do you focus on Him more than on your giant?