Need Power over the Giants in your Life?!

We all remember the story of David and Goliath.  It's such a cool story! This kid (cause he couldn't have even been 18 yet) bravely faces a giant warrior all by himself with only a slingshot and some stones!  The entire Israeli army had stood there trembling in their boots for 40 days listening to this beast insult them and their God.  40 days!  (I would have probably just left and went home.)

Yet isn't that just like the enemy. He comes at us when we are weak and frightened and he starts taunting us. "You aren't good enough. You can't do this. Who do you think you are? You failed at xyz, you'll fail at this. You are unlikeable. You aren't strong enough. You aren't pretty enough. What makes you think God is going to answer your prayers? Your children won't be saved. Your marriage will fail...blaa...blaa...blaa"  Okay.. sorry, got carried away there. Mainly because I've heard them all! And so have you, I bet.

This is what this giant Philistine said to the Israeli army: “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul?" I Samuel 17 NKJV


He called them servants of Saul over and over again for 40 days, until I think, they believed that's exactly what they were.. just servants of a lowly man. You see the enemy is desperate for us to think we are nothing. He wants us to believe we are just mortal and lowly and that there's really nothing we can do against him. How often have you said "I feel defeated. I'm being attacked. I'm depressed, worried, fearful. Who am I? I'm a nobody. What can I do?"

But what did David said about the Israelites?:  ". . .who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

You see, David knew something. He knew something deep within his heart that had been tested as he shepherded his father's sheep and fought off lions and bears. He knew that he, along with Israel, were in covenant with God. They were God's chosen people. That's why he called the Philistine "uncircimcised" That would be like us today calling someone a non-believer.  David KNEW that when he stepped on that battlefield, he was not alone. He had the living God on his side. He had a deal with God. David would serve Him, and God would have his back.That's what covenant is. Just like marriage, it's a promise of protection, provision, love, loyalty and faithfulness.

Yet aren't we just like the Israeli army most of the time? When the enemy attacks and bad things happen and life gets rough, we start trembling and believing all his lies about us, our lives and our families. When in truth, if we have believed in our heart that Jesus is the Son of God and confessed with our mouth that He is lord, we are in covenent with God. We are His chosen people. So, whereever we go and whatever we face, we have the backing of God and all His Holy angels. 

This should make the devil shake in his boots! And it does. Once we realize who we are!

The problem is most of us know that in our heads but we don't truly believe that in our hearts. We may defiantly tell the enemy to get lost or rebuke him in the name of Jesus, but behind our bold declaration we are sort of just hoping it works. We need to retrain our minds and hearts. We need to ask God to give us opportunities where He can show us this truth in the little things--to help us grasp it and believe it in our hearts. So that when the giant comes calling, we won't hesitate to go out on the battlefield and like David, say:

"You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

Why not try saying that to the enemy the next time he comes calling. Even better, why not truly believe it?