Everybody Needs A Goliath

Goliath had it all. He was a first round NBA draft pick and fought on the WWF. He was nine feet tall and wore 175 pounds of armor. He exuded self- confidence and was used to winning. You didn’t want to mess with this guy! I have Goliaths and so do you. Inevitably, we all will face our Goliath whether it’s a person, place or situation.

For forty days Goliath had been taunting and targeting Israel’s fears by shouting across the valley, “You want some of me?” Our giants shout at us as well and we too can become overwhelmed. The Goliath test TODAY is preparation for your tomorrow.  Deut. 8:16

David’s focus was on God and NOT in his ability or even on their enemy! He wanted to please God the best he could when his people had forgotten that God had fought for them over the years. They had seen it and they heard about it. Israel had been dominated by the Philistines. They had Goliath Phobia. After 40 days they died a little each day and each day developed more cowardice. If we cower long enough we can lose our self-respect.

You can overcome your Goliath by how you respond to four personal challenges:
The challenge of criticism and opposition
While we don’t like criticism and opposition it has the potential to develop our courage. At his dad’s request David came to the battle to check in on his brothers and his oldest brother launched into him.

When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the other men he burned with anger at him and asked, "Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle." "Now what have I done?" said David. "Can't I even speak?" I Samuel 17:28-29

Why the cheap shots, especially from family? Was Eliab jealous because of Samuel anointing his younger brother with oil in the presence of all his brothers? David could have wasted his time with the unfair and inaccurate accusation, but he knew who the real enemy was.  He knew who to fight and who to leave alone. Do you?

Some people are threatened by our desire to follow God and face our Goliath when they know they won’t. David’s boldness struck shame and Eliab was jealous of David’s courage. Many people avoid criticism at all costs.

You know what? You’ll face opposition when you honor God. It’s just going to happen. We can lose heart and be defensive all our life. Do we really want that?  The best I can tell is that David wanted to do what God has called him to do. If you want to overcome your Goliath it will depend on how you respond to criticism and opposition.

The challenge of everyday choices
The way we make our daily choices can help us overcome our giants. There are no short cuts to victory or easy routes. Every day David made choices that prepared him for his future Goliath encounter.

Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth." But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.

Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.  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."  Samuel 17:33-37

Every day you and I face stuff that helps build courage and character to overcome greater challenges. When you ask God each day for help with the smaller issues of life you get a little bolder each day. The way you face the everyday choices in your life prepares you to overcome your Goliath.

Join is next time as we see how resisting conformity and our actual crisis moment help us to overcome our Goliath.