May 25, 2010

"David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” I Samuel 17:45-47

I never served in the military. I have great respect for the military and for soldiers but after high school I went right to college and then out of college I was called to lead a church. So it just didn't work out for me to fight for the nation.

Growing up in America as a guy in my generation it was common to get into some fights with other guys as part of the passage from boyhood to manhood. I never really did. I'm not sure why except I grew up in a small town where everyone was well acquainted. Somehow I slipped into adulthood without being a fighter.

However, in nearly 40 years of pastoring I have come to discover that there are times you need to fight and some things worth fighting for. I have also learned there aren't many and the vast majority of what we fight over isn't worth it. David knew what to fight over. I think it is worth looking at.

The first reason that David fought Goliath was because Goliath defied God. It is never good to defy God. It is pretty stupid, too! But at a time when Israel was so closely identified with their God, it was crucial that other nations respected the God of Israel. Because their identity was so closely associated with God they must respect Him to respect them. Their security was at stake as was His honor. David thought that was worth fighting for. So did I.

The Church of Jesus and local churches that constitute it are inextricably tied to God. It is not wise or healthy to allow people to disrespect or disparage the church. When you defy the church you defy God. The Church must defend its honor and His. That is worth fighting for. David thought so - so do I.

Secondly, David fought Goliath because he wanted to demonstrate the power of God. The giant, the Philistines and everyone else needed to see a demonstration of God's power. Because of the cowardice of the Israeli army, God was beginning to look impotent. Other nations who had feared Israel because they feared Israel's God were now being emboldened by the powerlessness of God's army. Not only did God's enemies need to see a demonstration of God's power, His people did, too.

We live in a day when both God's people and His enemies need to see a demonstration of God's power. It is time to stand and fight against the people, the behaviors, and the attitudes that prevent God from demonstrating His power. When we stand against defiant giants, God moves and we see His power! His power manifests itself in the form of changed lives and changed circumstances and a holy, healthy, hopeful atmosphere! That is what I fight for!

Then, David fought the giant because he decided the battle was the Lord's! He was determined he could win. It is never a good idea to fight a battle you can't win. David faced the giant because God's people felt like they were losing and they needed to feel like winners. It is a good time to fight giants when you need a win.

There is a time to fight. David was a good leader because he knew when to fight - and when not to fight. He knew how to fight. God gave him the victory. Success or failure resides in the knowledge of when to fight and when not to. It rests in knowing how to fight and who to fight. Don't go to battle until you understand those principles and no one illustrates them better than David.

If you need to fight - fight right!

May 24, 2010

"Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!” When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken." I Samuel 17:8-11

Giant-sized lesson number four is coming up!

As I read this story the other day it occured to me, "Why did the Israelites allow the giant to set the rules?" Each morning and evening this fierce warrior came out and taunted the people of God. He dictated the terms and set the rules of engagement. They let him do it.

Who sets the rules for your life? Do you allow the enemies in your life to set the rules of engagement for you? Where do you get your marching orders?

That is a key question, don't you agree?

If you want to know the big difference between David and the other Israelities you look no further than that. David looked to God for his orders. He never allowed the enemy to set the rules for him.

I understand how easy it is to feel like you are powerless when you are confronted by an overwhelming circumstance or life situation. When you feel powerless you fell like your life is out of control. During those times you see how big the giant is and how small you seem to be. When that happens you become immobilized. That is where the army of God was when David showed up.

Notice the key word there - "feel". When you allow feelings to dictate your reality you are letting the enemy make the rules!

Here's a rule you can live with - WHAT YOU FEEL IS NEVER MORE REAL THAN WHAT YOU KNOW! As people of faith we judge our reality based on the facts of Who God is and how He works! We live "by faith and not by sight".

If you have a giant towering over you casting a shadow of fear or intimidation over your life - remember, he doesn't make the rules! What you feel isn't real! God is real! His Word is real! His Person and His truth define reality for us!

May 23, 2010

"As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head." I Samuel 17:48-51

Are you ready for giant-lesson number three?

Well, here it comes: When there is a giant in your path there is a David on the way!

Do you believe that?

What part of being God's people don't you understand? What part of "the battle is the Lord's" don't you understand?

God's army was already disgraced and they were about to be defeated. Goliath was cursing God and intimidating them. They were discouraged on the inside and about to be defeated on the battlefield. I guess you could say they were between a giant and a hard place. Immobilized and clueless - there they sat. King Saul was looking for someone to step up but could find no takers.

Little did they know that a hero was enroute.

I believe there is more than just a great story here - and it IS that! There is a strong principle here. God's honor was at stake and His people were at risk. When that happens, when we are at our weakest, that is when God steps in.

That is why I say, "When there is a giant in your path, there is a David on the way!"

Sometimes that David is a person. God has an uncanny knack for sending just the right person at just the right time!

Sometimes that David is you! God is able to stir up something in you to embolden you and empower you to stand against that giant until it falls!

Sometimes that David is a group of people or a couple or a family that come at just the right time.

Sometimes that David is an idea or a strategy that comes in the stillness of the night!

Sometimes that David is a financial blessing.

God is sovereign and unpredictable. He has a unique answer to each specific problem. But you can be sure of it! You can be confident that if there is a giant in your path there is a David on the way!

May 22, 2010

"Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul....." I Samuel 17:8

I have been sharing some "giant-sized" lessons we can take from the story of David and Goliath.

Yesterday I talked about why and when we should fight giants. Perhaps you are facing some sort of giant in your life today.

Today I want to talk about an attitude that brought Goliath down. You could call it overconfidence or you could call it arrogance and you would be right either way.

Of course, Goliath had good reason to be overconfident, he was nine feet tall and had never lost in battle. He was tall and he was strong and he was fierce and he was experienced and he had protected all his vital spots with heavy armor. Since no one in their right mind dared to challenge him, it seemed as though his undefeated streak was safe.

There was no doubt about it Goliath was a rock star! And - he knew it.

So, there he stood taunting the army of God. Another day, another humiliation of the enemy. If they sent someone out to face him, he would slaughter them and be victorious. If they refused to send someone out to challenge him then he won by default through intimidation. There was not a man anywhere who could handle him.

But, there was a boy. There was a godly boy. There was a goldly boy who had never heard about Goliath but who was very familiar with God. When that godly boy showed up and heard the taunts and curses of this Philistine, he took it personally. No one fooled with his God! This big guy needed a lesson in respect! It was time for him to go!

Goliath had faced a lot of men. He had never faced a boy. He had faced people who were strong and confident, but none of them had proven to be as strong or confident as him. But there was something different about this boy - different or crazy. This is the first time Goliath had faced an opponent who was not coming in his own strength but in the strength of God. As he was soon to find out, not even the strongest most confident man is a match for God.

David entered the battle with faith in God while Goliath was trusting his own strength. Therein is the lesson.

Anything you do in your own strength will fail. A giant-sized ego is no match for a gigantic God. Strength is nice, but no subsitute for God's power. Confidence is helpful, but humility is better. Experience is a benefit, but faith is superior.

If you are going to battle giants - or little guys, for that matter, trust in God's power and go in His strength. Not to do so would be a huge mistake.

May 21, 2010

"David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” I Samuel 17:45-47

Not only did David know how to fight a giant, he knew why to fight a giant.

Fighting giants is a big job so you better know why and when to do it! As I conclude these thoughts about David and Goliath over the next few days I want to share some giant lessons.

Lesson one: why fight a giant?

David fought the giant to defend God's glory. This defiant giant was impugning God and the armies of God. Not only did he disrespect God but he was causing God's people to despair and to doubt God. Because David was zealous for God and jealous of His honor, this giant had to go! David knew he had to fight the giant to defend the reputation of his God.

Never fight a giant for your own reputation or to make a name for yourself. That is not a good enough cause.

David fought the giant to deliver God's people. Goliath had the army of Israel trapped in fear and despair. His threats and taunts had immobilzed the troops. That was putting them at risk as well as the nation they defended. God called His people to be free. We are not designed for fear. When David recognized that God's people needed to be delivered he knew he had to fight the giant.

Never fight a giant to impress. Only fight a giant if you or others are oppressed. Freedom is a reason to fight giants.

David fought the giant to demonstrate God power. This mammoth hulk of a man was making God's warriors look weak. The giant was causing people to lose their fear of Jehovah and to embolden the enemies bent on destroying them. Not only were the Philistines beginning to believe they could defeat Israel, other enemies were watching closely. When an army marched in those days they carried the banner of their gods, they carried the banners of their tribes, and they carried the flag of their nation. So, in a very real and visible way the army of a nation represented all that nation represented. When an army looked weak, the entire nation and its culture and its religion looked weak. David demonstrated that God's power through a boy is far stronger than the enemies' strongest weapon.

Never fight a giant to demonstrate your strength or power. Only confront a giant to demonstrate that His strength is made perfect in your weakness.

There are reasons for fighting giants. I have given you three of them. David fought Goliath for the right reasons and God honored him with victory.

May 20, 2010

"David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent." I Samuel 17:54

Winning is not easy. Winning is not natural. For winning to happen there must be a plan and a purpose and a price to be paid and there must be persistence. There are good reasons why some people win and why some people lose.

There was a reason why David won and Goliath lost. Those reasons are significant and make ALL the difference. Winners understand the differences and buy into the reasons. Losers don't. Winners do the hard things and pay the short-term price to gain the long-term victory. Losers don't.

My granddaughter, Zoey, played soccer in a recreation league that is so typical of our "loser" mentality that infests our culture today. In this league they didn't keep score and they gave trophies to everyone. Essentially, they were teaching the kids that there is no difference between winning and losing. NOT TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER YOU DON'T!

I called her after her first game and I asked her, "Zoey, how did your game go?" She said, "We won!" I asked, "What was the score?" She knew! I told her, "Zoey, you are a winner! Winners keep score! Don't let anyone make you think like a loser!"

We do our kids and ourselves a great disservice if we don't distinguish between winning and losing.

Not only do winners do thing differently BEFORE they win, they also know how to celebrate and preserve their victory. Victors use one victory to prepare for the next.

You need to understand that to appreciate what David did with the head of Goliath and with his armor. What David was doing was preserving the memory of one great victory in order to assure that there would be more of them.

As the story spread through the ancient world about this amazing victory over the great Champion, Goliath, there would be many who would find it hard to believe. There would be a demand for evidence. David was making sure that evidence would be readily available.

The ancient world was a world ruled by violence and the aggressive use of force. Only the strong survived and remained free. Having the head of a mighty giant posted at the gate of your camp or your city sent a clear message to the next potential invader.

When the New Orlean Saints won the Super Bowl they were awarded the Lombardi Trophy. That trophy will serve as a permanent reminded of their victory. Trophies are important.

Goliath's armor served as a trophy for David to remind him of his victory or the giant. Just as his victory over a lion and his victory over a bear gave his confidence against the giant, the armor of the giant would encourage him the next time he faced a formidable foe. It was evidence that a winner intended to keep winning. Every morning when he awoke he could gaze across the room and see the armor hanging there. Every night before he turned off the lights, the last thing he would see is the armor of the giant. So, his first thought in the morning was victory and his last thought at night was victory. No wander he was a winner!

The simple little story of David and Goliath has so many profound truths. There are reasons why it has endured for so many centuries and will remain poignant and powerful forever. It is a lesson on how to win and how to use the victory to prepare for the next one.

Do the hard work to be a winner. Stand for truth and righteousness. Defend the faith. Live out the courage of your convictions. Know your pupose. Live in passion. Have a plan. Keep your perspective. Pray. And when God gives you the victory, grab a trophy! Start a winning streak! God's people go from victory to victory!

May 18, 2010

"Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!” When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken." I Samuel 17:8-10

Every obstacle presents an opportunity, doesn't it?

In this case we could say it was a "giant" opportunity. Goliath set up a winner take all situation where one men could fight him in stead of two armies going to battle.

Obviously, Goliath knew the odds were in his favor. He was bigger and stronger and meaner than anyone on the other side. Whoever would dare to take him on would not only have the difficult task of defeating the giant but he would have the pressure of deciding the fate of all his fellow troops. A big decision, no doubt.

I have been where the Israeli army was and maybe you have been, too. They were just one hard decision away from victory. Their unwillingness to make the hard decision was keeping them discouraged and feeling defeated. It wasn't that they didn't know what they needed to do it was that they didn't want to make the decision.

What can we learn from this situation that might help us make the hard decisions?

Two things:

You have to have a cause greater than your concerns and a courage stronger than your cautions. How does that happen?

Take charge over what you look at and what you hear. It's about the view you see and the voice you listen to. Twice a day they were focusing on the giant and listening to his taunts. Predictably, that overwhelmed them.

David walked into camp fresh off of victories over a lion and a bear. His view was focused on God and that is the voice he was hearing. Therefore, his decision was easy to make. He took the challenge and welcomed the pressure. From his point of view it was a done deal. His attitude was that this was God's battle not his. He was right.

Big decisions need to be God decisions. God brings giant challenges before us to cause us to depend on Him. God puts a giant opportunity on the backside of every giant challenge. When we step out He steps up.

David was able to make the hard decision because of the view he had and the voice he listened to. His view was faith and the voice was God's.

You may be just one hard decision away from a great victory. If you are struggling to make the hard decision check the view you are looking at and the voice you are listening to.