Our Giants Are Real And Formidable

James Dobson, of Focus on the Family was quoted as saying, “When I think of parents today, I’m reminded of a photograph of an elegantly dressed woman who is holding a cup of coffee. Her little finger is cocked ever so daintily to the side, and her face reveals utter self-confidence. Unfortunately, this woman does not yet know that her slip has collapsed around her feet. The caption reads, ‘Confidence is what you have before you understand the situation.’” (Source: Preaching Magazine)

We see in these verses a total lack of confidence by Saul and his Army, because they don’t understand their situation. They see their situation only from their own perspective; and things look bleak, hopeless– verse 11, “When Saul and his troops heard the Philistine’s challenge, they were terrified and lost all hope.” (MSG).

When do your circumstances terrify you? When they are GIANTS - When, from your perspective, things look HOPELESS, you see no possible way to defeat or overcome what you’re faced with. In verse 1-3 wee see that the battle lines are clearly drawn between God’s Army and their enemy! What does your battle front look like? Are you facing the enemy of Cancer or some other life threatening disease? Is your giant a financial one that threatens to overcome you? Or maybe you are having a struggle relationally with someone. In any case, it is a real battle and your enemy is formidable. In verses 4-7 we see Goliath who represents the size of the problem they were facing. “He was huge! He stood about 9 ½ feet tall, and wore bronze armor that weighed 5000 shekels (125 pounds). He wore bronze greaves, which are like shin guards to protect his legs, and had a javelin and a spear with an iron point that alone weighed about 600 shekels (15 pounds). He was MASSIVE!” (Source: “Defeating the Giants in Your Life” by Kevin Weeks, Sermon Central.)

It is wise to acknowledge the imposing nature of our Giants! But, here is the most dangerous part of their situation: in verses 8-11 we see that they were being challenged to fight this battle in their own strength! You’ll see it again later, but David never made this mistake; he was totally confident because He didn’t try to fight his giant in his own power.

They were “dismayed and terrified” because they saw the fight as between themselves and Goliath and the Philistines; instead of between God and their enemies. What I want you to see today is that no matter what you are facing, if you will trust God to deliver you, you will be able to face it with confidence.

During the Great Depression Mr. JC Penney was hit particularly hard. It even endangered his health. Anxious and desperate because of huge financial losses, he felt he had nothing to live for. In the hospital he grew demoralized he expected to die before morning; but then he heard singing coming from the hospital chapel. The words of the song said, "Be not dismayed whate’er betide; God will take care of you." Entering the chapel, he listened to the song, the Scripture reading and prayer. He later wrote, "Suddenly - something happened. I can’t explain it. I can only call it a miracle. I felt as if I had been instantly lifted out of the darkness of a dungeon into warm, brilliant sunlight." From that day, Penney was never plagued with worry, and he later called those moments in the chapel "the most dramatic and glorious twenty minutes of my life." When he died at age 95, he left behind 1,660 stores in his name. (Source: Preaching Magazine)

When we TRUST God to deliver us we can face our giants with confident faith in Him; and then He will, “take care of you, too!”

A. David Represents GOD’S KIND of Giant Killer - 1:12-26

God’s giant killers have a heart after God’s own heart, so they are chosen by God to represent Him and to lead His people into battle. (1) Verses 12-15: David was young and vulnerable and weak compared with his brothers and Saul and his Army. He was just a shepherd boy to them; but to God he was a giant in the faith.

In 16:11-14 David was anointed for leadership but this was because of what God saw in him earlier. David’s best qualification was that he had a heart like God’s. In 13:14 we read, “But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command." Samuel was speaking to Saul, who had taken matters into his own hands in an earlier encounter with the Philistines. God removed His anointing from Saul because he was not willing to submit to God as LORD of his life. He wanted God along as his co-pilot instead. David was very different from Saul because he submitted fully to God as LORD! This is why Saul and his Army were now dismayed and terrified – for they were on their own. Having dishonored God, they were now defeated and distressed in battle.