God, David and Goliath

I Samuel 17 is not primarily the story of the victory of a young man. David and Goliath are not the main actors in this story. The main protagonist is God who fights the battle and gives the victory. I Samuel 17, the story of David and Goliath is really the story of the Lord who defeats his enemies through a young man. It is the story of God working through someone who unequivocally trusts Him, the God of Israel. That is what the story in I Samuel 17 is really all about.

I. God provides and prepares every situation v18 (God is Sovereign)

1. Opportunities 16:23 17

2. Struggles 17:11- we are the Israelites

3. Dismayed-shattered

4. Afraid- fully understand (rightfully so)

5. Fled- retreat

II. God honors our faith (God is a rewarder)

a. Proper understanding of God leads to proper action v26

b. Proper understanding does not ALWAYS mean proper reception (v28;Rom 8:28)

And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

Hebrews 11:39 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/heb.11.39.KJV

c. Proper understanding of the past makes better perspective of the present

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. 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.

1 Samuel 17:36‭-‬37 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.17.36-37.KJV

III. God is our Protector, Savior and Vindicator

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.

1 Samuel 17:45 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.17.45.KJV

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. 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.

1 Samuel 17:46‭-‬47 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.17.46-47.KJV

David believed God and that is why he was a man after God’s own heart. David also understood that true faith always drives a person to act. Always!. You see, faith that lies dormant, faith that does not extend itself is not faith. In James 2:26 we read that faith without works is dead. Faith that is lifeless is no faith at all. Faith by its very definition propels us from the sidelines into the midst of battle. Sometimes when we are called to step out in faith, we are still within our comfort zone. When the Lord, when the Holy Spirit speaks He rarely shouts, He normally whispers, but it is very clear if you are listening, right?

It started because one man believed God and did not think that the Goliath was too big. He stepped out in faith and God won the battle. Hudson Taylor is another great example of this. Hudson Taylor founded the Inland China Mission. Conventional wisdom at that time was that you go to the large cities on the perimeter of China or you do not go into China at all. But God told Hudson Taylor, “Go inland. Start the mission.” As God calls us outside our comfort zone, when He calls us to truly exercise our faith in Him, we will start seeing Goliaths fall. We are gong to see what appears to be an unconquerable obstacle fall. Our faith is going to grow as individuals and as a church, and we are going to be able to believe greater and greater things.