(Extensive inspiration for this message, and this series taken from Francis Frangipane’s "This Day We Fight".)
(Video clip – Veggie Tales – David and the Giant Pickle, available at ScreenVue.com)
So there we have it. The end of the story, right? At least as we package it for our children. Cute boy with five smooth stones slays nasty giant with just a sling shot as a weapon. We kind of pick these neat and clean spots to tie up the stories of our Biblical heroes that we portray to our kids, but that is rarely the whole story, let alone the end of the story.
I want to make a suggestion today. It would seem that as generations pass through the church, we do them a great disservice when we portray the characters of the Bible with all their might, and glance over or completely skip their life struggles and frustrations.
For example, in children’s Sunday school or children’s church, we will portray. . .
- Jonah in the whale, subsequently saving a whole city, versus pouting at the end of the story
- Elijah on Mt. Carmel in great victory, versus suicidal under a tree
- Moses parting the Red Sea, and shouting “Let my people go!” versus killing an Egyptian slave master, or striking a rock in anger.
- Abraham, climbing the mountain with great faith to sacrifice Isaac, versus lying about his wife being his sister, more than once!
Why do I think that is a disservice? Well, I think this can lead to an adult life where failures, struggles, repeated spiritual battles make us feel less righteous, less holy, or less worthy of God’s grace. Maybe like some kind of immature, spiritual freak.
But this is the beauty of God’s word. It is full of humans. Regular people. People who like us, faced many years of their lives where they didn’t win. Where they lost. Where Satan gained ground in their lives and in their testimony. But they fought back.
Of course, David by the creek with Goliath was not the end of that story. (Example of when my children discovered the part where Goliath gets decapitated and David marches into the city with his head.)
But that wasn’t really the end either. In fact, it wasn’t until this past year that I had revealed to me a whole ‘nother chapter in this story.
Turn with me to 2 Samuel 21. 2 Samuel 21:15 (read). I want us to see two things here. First, who is Israel, who is King David fighting with? (The Philistines) Ring any bells from David’s childhood? What was Goliath? (A Philistine)
Second, remember last week, what does it say is happening to David? What has David become? (Weary)
Now, why might David be weary? Well, it is because he is human, and he has been through the ringer. If you follow the journey of David’s life in 2 Samuel, you will see that in chapter 5 he faced the Jebusites in the taking of Jerusalem. Remember those guys from a few weeks ago? They said even the blind and the lame would keep David from taking the city, but after centuries of failure by the various tribes and people of God, David finally whooped the Jebusites, and took the city.
Subsequently, the ark of the covenant was brought into the city, but not without the death of Uzzah during which God got angry, and then David got angry with God. You can read all about that in chapter 6. But when it finally does make it to Jerusalem, David is ready to worship and party only to have his wife throw a wet blanket on the whole thing.
Then, in chapter 11, there is the whole encounter with Bathsheba, and King David is plunged into the depths of adultery, murder, deception, and the death of an infant child. And I’m only getting warmed up.
In chapter 13, one of his sons rapes his daughter. So another son kills the rapist, and has to flee for his life. That son eventually returns in chapter 14, but has undergone a bit of an evil transformation. Next thing you know, David is on the run for his life from his own son, and eventually is forced to send his armies after his son, Absalom, who ends up dying in the chase after his head gets caught in a tree in chapter 18.
Folks, I’m telling you, I’m not making this stuff up. Just 15 chapters of life. Is there any question as to why David might be a bit weary? I’m weary just thinking about it. And now he is face to face with giants. . .again.
So picture this scene. David is facing the Philistines, and probably thinking, “Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?” And these constant, ongoing battles against these mammoth people, combined with the struggles of life are taking their toll. David is worn out.
This is serious danger zone for the people of God. When we are facing an enemy that we already thought we had beaten, and to be quite honest about it, are just plain sick of having to fight. Worn out. Weary. Ever been there?
Verse 16 (read).
Okay. This just kind of got worse, didn’t it? A giant has decided that he would like to personally take David out. He has a spear of three hundred shekels in weight. Sounds pretty impressive, huh? Actually, each shekel is about 2/5 of an ounce, so it is a about a 7 ½ lb, bronze spear. No biggie right? Oh, and a brand new sword to go with it. But still, just a giant with a bronze spear, a sword, and a passion to kill our hero.
Verse 17 (read) Whew! That was close. Enough with these giants already. Right?
Verse 18 (read through verse 22). Talk about having to face the same enemy, the same battle of life, over and over and over again. But check this out. If you follow the genealogies of these Philistines in scripture, you will discover that many, if not all of these Philistine giants David is now fighting are related to. . .guess who? Goliath! In fact, three of them are believed to be Goliath’s own children, and one of them is even a brother of Goliath.
Now, why all this giant genealogy? Here we go. Jump to 2007. We find ourselves in battles against sickness, oppression, or some similar struggle. We seek God’s deliverance, and to some degree or in some manner we experience it. Maybe a healing, maybe a breakthrough, maybe some degree or new found freedom enters our life.
It can happen in any number of ways. Maybe through prayer. A word of encouragement from a friend. But somehow, through God’s grace, you are able to find five smooth stones, and slay the giant in your life.
But then. Maybe a few weeks down the road. Maybe even years later, the old symptoms begin to show themselves. In fact, not only are the old symptoms back, but they are back stronger than ever. Depression. Discouragement. Physical discomfort. Spiritual dryness. Emotional fatigue. And at that point, it seems that all the progress we have made in life is gone, and we are right back where we started.
This kind of a cycle is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. I’ll be the first to raise my hand, high and clear, have you ever been there? Have you ever experienced these kinds of negative setbacks? These déjà vu like turns of your life?
And this is what happens. The next time we see that enemy again. The next time we face that battle again. The next time we come face-to-face with a challenge that we thought we had already defeated in our life. The second time around. The third time around. The fourth time around. Each time we have lost a little more of the anticipation of power, and faith, and victory that can be grasped in our lives.
Right? We start saying things like: “Oh, not again.” Or “Why bother anymore.” Or, “You know what, I’ve tried before. I’m tired. Forget about it.” “I just can’t win!”
This is so important. We have followed this through David’s life. We have seen him boldly turn and consume the enemy, but we have also seen him paralyzed by a spirit of passivity. We have seen him get discouraged and weary. Experiencing the challenges that we have explored over the past few weeks. We have seen him have to face the failures of his past.
Hasn’t he been through enough? I mean, just go home this week and read the book of 2 Samuel. Just 15 chapters of 2 Samuel. Is that not more than any one man should have to face? But here he is again, facing the giants.
So as we wrap up this series, and shift directions in our study time together, I want to leave us with a few thoughts and reflections about these spiritual, seemingly repeat battles. First, we need to be sure and understand that . . .
1. JUST BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THE SAME BATTLE FROM THE PAST. . . DON’T ASSUME IT IS.
These dudes David is facing down are relatives of Goliath. Brothers. Sons. They are the same nationality. Same gigantic size. They probably looked like Goliath. They probably smelled like Goliath. They probably behaved like Goliath. They were probably just as ugly as Goliath. And it would have been easy for David’s mind to play tricks on him, and leave him feeling like he is fighting the same battle as before.
But he is not. This is a different day, a different time, a different enemy. It may have looked like the same battle, but it is not. And this is why it is important to differentiate between the battles. It is because of a trick that Satan will attempt to play on us. And it plays into the second thing I want us to remember.
2. JUST BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THE SAME BATTLE FROM THE PAST. . . DON’T ASSUME YOU WERE NEVER REALLY VICTORIOUS.
You see, these two logically flow from each other. If Satan can convince us this is the same old battle, well, what does that mean? It means we never won in the first place, right? So any victory we had previously experienced in our life, if Satan can convince us that we are still facing the same battle, he robs us of that victory. That freedom. That work that God did in our life.
Kentucky has to play Georgia at football this year. Does that mean we didn’t beat them last season? No way.
You see, we would not apply this kind of defeatist logic to just about any other area of our life. We wouldn’t look at a political election, see the candidates we voted for elected, and when the next election rolls around say, “Oh, I guess we didn’t really win.” Right?
But in our spiritual lives. In these battles we face. We allow Satan to rob us of victories by bringing along a similar battle and convincing us we have never won before, and therefore have no reason to believe we will ever win. You with me? So important.
How about another one?
3. JUST BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THE SAME BATTLE FROM THE PAST. . . DON’T ASSUME COMPLETE VICTORY IS NOT POSSIBLE.
I have no idea how to say this in a way that will bring about the life change that I wish it would in my own life, and the life of our church. . .but as I look out over our church family, I so often hear language, see gestures, read emails that suggest we have given up in various areas of our life. Complete victory just does not even seem like a viable option to some of us in so many areas anymore. I mean, be honest with yourself. Can you find a place of struggle, that if you are really honest with yourself, you would say, “I’ve pretty much given up on ever winning that battle. It is what it is.”
Anyone? There have been too many partial victories, followed by set-backs, so we just settle. I have tried to honestly share the fact that I struggle with everything I have preached about over the past month. Times when I just want to give in to a spirit of passivity. Times when I look at my past and figure failure is inevitable. Times when I get so discouraged that I wonder “what in the world am I doing with my life?”
But I can honestly say this. I can say it with 100% conviction and truth. I never look to my God and assume that anything other than complete victory is possible. Complete freedom.
“He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it.” I believe that to the core of my being, and I don’t care how many times I have to face the giants, I don’t care how similar they look to other giants I have slain. I will not waiver from the truth of God’s Word that “He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it.” What about you?
Do you still believe that complete victory in your life, complete freedom, complete healing, complete wholeness is possible? That doesn’t demand that God does it today. That doesn’t give us the authority to set a time table for the work to happen. But do you still believe it is possible? Amen? (Respond to response)
One more. . .
4. JUST BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THE SAME BATTLE FROM THE PAST. . . DON’T ASSUME YOU HAVE TO FIGHT THIS ONE ALONE.
When David was just a boy, and wandered down to that old creek bed, and picked up those stones, how many teammates did he have? How many people went down there to fight the giant with him? (None)
That’s right. Or to quote the Veggie Tales again, “Zip. Zilch. Nada.” He was all alone. And some of us have had to face battles in our life where it seemed like there was no one beside us. God was with us, and that’s great. . .but it would sure have been nice to have some friends, some family, some people around us ready to lock arms with us and join us in the fight. But we had to go it alone. Many of us have been there.
But look at today’s passage. In verse 17, is it David who kills the giant this time around? (read verse 17) Way to go Abishai! David was not alone. Looked like the same battle. Looked like the same enemy. But if he would have had to fight this battle alone, all weary and tired, it probably would have been the end of him.
And if you try to navigate through the battlefield of life all on your own, it will probably be the end of you. If you just come each Sunday, sit in your pew all by yourself, and get up and leave as quick as the final “Amen” is said, it will probably be the end of you.
You do not have to fight these battles of life along. You not only have Jehovah-Sabbaoth, the Lord of Hosts on your side, but you can have a church family, friends by your side and defending you in times of weariness, if you will only be open to actually sharing life with others.
Get into a Connection Group. A Sunday School. Come to the all-church luncheons. Invite someone over to your house. And when you see someone who looks weary from the battle, be an Abishai, and help slay someone else’s giant.
(Wrap up series)
