Series: Learning Victory From Joshua Dr. Elmer Towns
Lesson 15: How To Slay Your Giants: Joshua 15 October 28, 2012
A. WHAT ARE GIANTS LIKE?
1. Caleb wanted to conquer the land of giants. On his 85th birthday he asked for victory.
“So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke that day. For you heard then how the [giantlike] Anakim were there and that the cities were great and fortified; if the Lord will be with me, I shall drive them out just as the Lord said” (Josh. 14:12, Amplified).
a. God promises us victory, just as He promised the land to Israel. “Thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph” (2 Cor. 2:14, Amplified).
b. God promises to give us weapons to fight. “The weapons of our spiritual warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to cast down our negative thinking, to defeat ideas that deny God and give us victory” (2 Cor. 10:4-5, ELT).
c. Our battle begins in our thinking. “The serpent beguiled Eve through by subtly to doubt God, so don’t let your minds be turned away from the simplicity of Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3, ELT).
d. You will be attacked just like others. “Your temptations will be the same as others experience, but God is faithful to keep the temptations from becoming so strong you can’t stand against it” (1 Cor. 10:13, ELT).
2. The 10 scouts were afraid of giants and the place where they lived.
“They walked through the Promised Land, and said, ‘It is a land that flows with milk and honey and extremely fruitful.’ But they were most terrified of the area around Hebron. ‘We saw the giants there. They had big cities with high thick walls. There were all kinds of giants, Amalekites, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites and Canaanites . . . they will eat us up because they are very tall and powerful. They were giants who were born from giants, and we were grasshoppers in our own sight and in their sight’” (Num. 13:27-29, 32-33, Amplified).
Three Truths About Giants:
a. First they hurt and kill you spiritually, then they do it physically.
b. They hate your godliness.
c. If you don’t destroy them, they will destroy you. “The world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14, Amplified). “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh” (Gal. 5:24, Amplified).
3. Why we think giants are dangerous.
a. Giants threaten to kill us. Goliath said, “I’ll give your flesh to the birds” (1 Sam. 17:44, NLT).
b. Make you hurt yourself.
c. Make you a coward, i.e., negative thinking.
d. You maximize them and minimize God.
e. When you doubt God, you are defeated in your mind before you begin spiritual warfare.
f. You become your worst enemy.
4. How satan uses giants.
a. He uses them to create fear. “The Israelites heard this, they were terrified” (1 Sam. 17:11, NLT).
b. He uses them to control you.
c. He uses them to discourage you.
d. He uses them to keep you from victory, forty days (1 Sam. 17:16).
e. He uses them to torment you.
5. Caleb was victorious. “Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak (giants) from there: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak” (Joshua 15:14).
a. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says they were body guards to the evil king.
b. Giants run in packs. Goliath had 4 brothers, so David took five stones. Most don’t have just one giant sin that controls them, but several sins.
c. Application. There are 3 giants everyone faces. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him . . . the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:15-16).
(1) The lust of the flesh – wrong satisfaction of the physical.
(2) The lust of the eyes – wrong attempt to get things/stuff.
(3) The pride of life – exalt self above God.
B. PRINCIPLES TO SLAY GIANTS (1 SAM. 17:1-58)
1. Remember God allows giants to demonstrate our loyalty to Him. “I come to you in the name of the LORD” (1 Sam. 17:45).
2. Begin with faith in God. “This day the Lord will deliver” (1 Sam. 17:46).
3. Be confident in God’s power. “For the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Sam. 17:47).
4. Vision. Know what you will do. “I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds” (1 Sam. 17:46, NLT).
5. Track record. Victories build on victories. “David killed a bear, and lion.”
6. Stay within your strength. Didn’t take Saul’s armor.
7. Be direct. “David ran.”
8. Be thorough. David cut off his head.
9. Tell others. “The Philistine’s head still in his hand” (17:57, NLT).
10. Use your victory against other’s sins. “David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem” (17:54).
11. Get prayer support of others. Caleb got Othniel’s help.
12. Give credit to the Lord and those who helped. “And Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother . . . gave him Achsah his daughter as wife” (Joshua 15:17, Amplified).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord,
I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
