Heart Of A Champion

HEART OF A CHAMPION

A Message from DAVID

August 16, 2020

Intro:

Hebrews 12:1 International Children’s Bible (ICB)

12 So we have many people of faith around us. Their lives tell us what faith means.

So let us run the race that is before us

and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way.

And we should remove the sin that so easily catches us.

Perhaps more than anyone else – I would like to run with DAVID. For a simple reason, He was the man after God’s own heart. A great king, a great warrior, powerful, with confidence. But as you look into his face – he has the eyes of a man who seen much of PAIN, GRIEF, AND DEATH... and yet he doesn’t look bitter or hard. And when he approach you in the arena .. he says to you…

YOU CAN OVERCOME THE LIMITATIONS OTHERS PUT ON YOU.

What? I can hardly believe of what he just said … This man who achieved great success and made it to the top? This great warrior and for me the greatest of all kings… will say this to me?

Hmmmnn…. If this inspired word coming from the man after God’s own heart and he spoke like he had suffer or experienced… I guess there were many who never saw his potentials.

And as I read and understand the life of David - He was the youngest in his family and as a boy, he did not received affirmation from those around him. His greatest obstacles were created by the people who tried to put limitations on him.

I. Jesse did not think David had a KING-POTENTIAL

Are you someone who feels the pain of having a parent not believe in you? David new that pain. When Samuel arrived at Jesse’s house to anoint one of his boys, Jessie lined up the ones he thought had king potentials… EXCEPT DAVID. And he didn’t even bother to call David from the fields.

1 Samuel 16:6-7 International Children’s Bible (ICB)

6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab. Samuel thought, “Surely the Lord

has appointed this person standing here before him.” 7 But the Lord

said to Samuel, “Don’t look at how handsome Eliab is. Don’t look

at how tall he is. I have not chosen him. God does not see the same

way people see. People look at the outside of a person,

but the Lord looks at the heart.”

For me, it is an honor and encouraging to know that God values us for who we truly are – even if our family doesn’t.

II. David’s brothers did not think he had a WARRIOR-POTENTIAL

When Israel was at war with the philistines, 3 of David’s brothers became soldiers in Israel army. David was left alone in the house caring for his father’s flock. – and when Jesse did sent David down to the battle line to take his brothers food his brothers abused him. Especially when David expressed his interest in a battle with Goliath – when all other soldiers feared Goliath.

1 Samuel 17:28 International Children’s Bible (ICB)

28 David’s oldest brother Eliab heard David talking with the soldiers.

He became angry with David. He asked David, “Why did you come here?

Who’s taking care of those few sheep of yours in the desert?

I know you are proud. Your attitude is very bad. You came down here

just to watch the battle!”

III. King Saul did not think David had a CHAMPION POTENTIAL

When King Saul heard that there was someone in the camp who are willing and interested to fight Goliath – he sent for him. Of course, he was expecting a “warrior-type-super-masculine body and his curiosity and excitement turn into a sour face expectation.; - a boy…and his expression is Oh Boy! Believe me, his response to the commitment to fight of David on Goliath is 100% skepticism.

1 Samuel 17:32-33 International Standard Version (ISV)

32 David told Saul, “Let no one’s courage[a] fail because of him; your servant

will go fight this Philistine.” 33 Saul told David, “You can’t go against

this Philistine and fight him. You are only a young man, but he has been

a warrior since his youth.”

He even gets David to wear his royal armor, but of course – the armor of a tall mature warrior like Saul wouldn’t fit to a boy like David. – and that adds up for another expression of skepticism.

David didn’t allow Saul to hinder him with his low expectations – he went out to face Goliath JUST AS HE WAS.

IV. Goliath did not think David had EVEN AN OPPONENT-POTENTIAL

The final insult for David came when Goliath saw him advancing to meet him in battle.