David 2
David and Goliath NV 6/24/01 pm
OS: It’s all in how you look at it. (Indian or Eskimo)
In the classic story, The Little Prince, the fox says, “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
“People do not see the world as it is; they see it as they are – or as they have been conditioned to be.” Steven Covey, Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families.
TS] With these things in mind I want us to compare the actions of Saul and David as they both face the same giant Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.
1 Samuel 16 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.
14 Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.
I. Your relationship with God will affect the way you deal with the giants of life.
A. The most fundamental difference between Saul and David is revealed long before Goliath comes on to the scene.
1. David has God’s Spirit within him.
2. Saul has a spirit from God within him. He is tormented.
B. This basic fundamental difference affects how these men look at life. It affects their perception.
1. They may be looking at the same thing but have two totally different perspectives.
2. A good example in our day and time is the political polls that we see on the news from time to time which give the basic interpretation of the public on certain issues.
3. Another example is abortion.
C. The real lesson for us concerns how a relationship with God is essential for defeating the giants of our lives.
TS] David is chosen to play the harp for Saul, and every time this evil spirit would come on him David would play and his pain would be eased. Then the Philistines gathered together to fight Israel.
1 Samuel 174 A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; 6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
David in the mean time was sent to check on his brothers who were in Saul’s army. As he approached he heard the battle cry and he ran to the front lines to see what was happening and he heard the challenge of Goliath
26 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?”
32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”
37 The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.”
II. The second fundamental difference between Saul and David is actually caused by their first fundamental difference. Saul sees a giant, but David sees God.
A. Your relationship with God has everything to do with how you perceive life.
1. David’s relationship with God allowed him to interpret the events of the day with how it relates to God.
2. “What does God think about this?” A question the army, nor Saul had asked.
B. David has a heart for God, but David also has the heart of a warrior.
1. David concludes that God’s will is for Goliath to pay the price for defying His army.
2. To David, it really doesn’t matter in principle who goes, because the battle belongs to the Lord.
3. He is absolutely convinced that it is God’s will for the giant to fall.
4. On top of this David has experienced supernatural blessings from God.
C. 90% of our daily decisions are already made when we walk with God.
1. When dishonesty is required in the workplace, the decision to move on has already been made. Providing for you family and paying the bills that will come due is a giant of Goliaths proportion.
2. As a young person when you are asked to take part in some sinful activity by your peers at school the decision is already made. There is no delima. Being excluded, and made fun of is a big giant like Goliath.
3. God is in the giant defeating business.
TS] So David goes out to fight Goliath. He is too small for armor, and goes with his sling in hand and approached the Philistine.
41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.
III. As Saul and His army trembled in fear, David faced the giant in the name of the Lord Almighty the God of the armies of Israel.
A. What kind of giants do you have in your life today? There is none bigger than God.
1. Luke 1827 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
B. Without a relationship with God you may be looking at life completely convinced its an Indian, when in all reality it’s an Eskimo looking off toward the horizon.